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Proterozoic Organic Carbon — Its Preservation and Isotopic Record

  • Chapter
Early Organic Evolution

Abstract

The carbon isotopic composition of Proterozoic organic matter has been studied as a function of elemental H/C ratio. Kerogen samples which have experienced various degrees of postdepositional thermal alteration show a correspondingly wide spread of δ13C values. Setting a minimum H/C threshold of 0.2 to eliminate the kerogens of highest rank immediately results in a marked contraction in the range of δ 13C. Analysis of the time-dependence of these data reveals a smooth trend of increasing δ13C from an Early Proterozoic average of — 34 %o PDB to about — 30.5%o for the Middle Proterozoic. This contrasts markedly with the record of Proterozoic carbonates, which typically average near 0%o PDB. Several explanations are offered for this trend. Firstly, a long-term decline occurred in the partial pressure of atmospheric CO2 during the Proterozoic. An accompanying development of biochemical pumps, which raise the internal CO2 concentrations of photoautotrophs and allow the maintenance of high levels of carbon fixation, would cause a partially closed system with respect to external CO2 and a reduction in 13C fractionation. Alternatively, or perhaps additionally, evolutionary pressures toward optimizing the kinetic parameters of the major carboxylating enzyme RUBISCO may have been accompanied by a reduction in the enzymic discrimination against 13C. Late Proterozoic kerogens display substantial isotopic variability. This most likely reflects secular changes in the burial rates of organic versus carbonate carbon.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Harald Strauss

    Present address: Institut für Geologie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, W-4630, Bochum 1, Germany

  2. David J. Des Marais

    Present address: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, 94035, USA

  3. J. M. Hayes

    Present address: Biogeochemical Laboratories, Departments of Chemistry and Geology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 47405, USA

  4. Roger E. Summons

    Present address: Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics, GPO Box 378, Canberra City, ACT, 2601, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Precambrian Paleobiology Research Group, Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

    Harald Strauss, David J. Des Marais, J. M. Hayes & Roger E. Summons

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  1. Harald Strauss
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  2. David J. Des Marais
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. IGCP Project 157, Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie (Otto-Hahn-Institut), Saarstr. 23, W-6500, Mainz, Germany

    Manfred Schidlowski (Chairman) (Chairman)

  2. Biological Science Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Stjepko Golubic

  3. Dept. of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-8208, USA

    Michael M. Kimberley

  4. Department of Geology & Geophysics, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, S.A., 5001, Australia

    David M. McKirdy Sr. (Lecturer) (Lecturer)

  5. Division of Continental Geology, Bureau of Mineral Resources, GPO Box 378, Canberra, A.C.T., 2601, Australia

    Philip A. Trudinger

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© 1992 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Strauss, H., Des Marais, D.J., Hayes, J.M., Summons, R.E. (1992). Proterozoic Organic Carbon — Its Preservation and Isotopic Record. In: Schidlowski, M., Golubic, S., Kimberley, M.M., McKirdy, D.M., Trudinger, P.A. (eds) Early Organic Evolution. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-76884-2_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-76884-2_14

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