Low-oxygen waters limited habitable space for early animals

R. Tostevin; R. A. Wood; G. A. Shields; S. W. Poulton; R. Guilbaud; F. Bowyer; A. M. Penny; T. He; A. Curtis; K. H. Hoffmann; M. O. Clarkson

doi:10.1038/ncomms12818

Nature Communications (Sep 2016)

Low-oxygen waters limited habitable space for early animals

R. Tostevin,
R. A. Wood,
G. A. Shields,
S. W. Poulton,
R. Guilbaud,
F. Bowyer,
A. M. Penny,
T. He,
A. Curtis,
K. H. Hoffmann,
M. O. Clarkson

Affiliations

R. Tostevin: Department of Earth Sciences, University College London
R. A. Wood: School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh
G. A. Shields: Department of Earth Sciences, University College London
S. W. Poulton: School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds
R. Guilbaud: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge
F. Bowyer: School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh
A. M. Penny: School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh
T. He: Department of Earth Sciences, University College London
A. Curtis: School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh
K. H. Hoffmann: Geological Survey of Namibia
M. O. Clarkson: School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12818
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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The importance of oxygen in supporting early animal ecosystems is unclear because most proxies are unable to distinguish well-oxygenated from intermediate waters. Here, the authors show that early skeletal animals were restricted to well-oxygenated habitats, suggesting they had a high metabolic oxygen demand.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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