Active methanogenesis during the melting of Marinoan snowball Earth

Zhouqiao Zhao; Bing Shen; Jian-Ming Zhu; Xianguo Lang; Guangliang Wu; Decan Tan; Haoxiang Pei; Tianzheng Huang; Meng Ning; Haoran Ma

doi:10.1038/s41467-021-21114-6

Nature Communications (Feb 2021)

Active methanogenesis during the melting of Marinoan snowball Earth

Zhouqiao Zhao,
Bing Shen,
Jian-Ming Zhu,
Xianguo Lang,
Guangliang Wu,
Decan Tan,
Haoxiang Pei,
Tianzheng Huang,
Meng Ning,
Haoran Ma

Affiliations

Zhouqiao Zhao: Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, MOE, School of Earth and Space Science, Peking University
Bing Shen: Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, MOE, School of Earth and Space Science, Peking University
Jian-Ming Zhu: State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences
Xianguo Lang: State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation & Institute of Sedimentary Geology, Chengdu University of Technology
Guangliang Wu: State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences
Decan Tan: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Haoxiang Pei: Institute of Mineral Resource, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences
Tianzheng Huang: Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, MOE, School of Earth and Space Science, Peking University
Meng Ning: Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, MOE, School of Earth and Space Science, Peking University
Haoran Ma: Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, MOE, School of Earth and Space Science, Peking University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21114-6
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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The deglaciation of Marinoan snowball Earth (~635 Myr ago) has been associated with potentially extensive CH4 emissions in relation to transient marine euxinia. Here, the authors find that active methanogenesis occurred during the termination of Marinoan snowball Earth, fueled by methyl sulfide production in sulfidic seawater.

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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