Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Petrogenic Organic Carbon Mobilization During the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

E. H. Hollingsworth; F. J. Elling; M. P. S. Badger; Rich D Pancost; A. J. Dickson; Rhian L. Rees-Owen; N. M. Papdomanolaki; A. Pearson; A. Sluijs; K. H.  Freeman; A. A.  Baczynski; G. L.  Foster; J. H.  Whiteside; G. N.  Inglis

doi:10.1029/2023PA004773

Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Petrogenic Organic Carbon Mobilization During the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

E. H. Hollingsworth^*
, F. J. Elling
, M. P. S. Badger
, Rich D Pancost
, A. J. Dickson
, Rhian L. Rees-Owen
, N. M. Papdomanolaki
, A. Pearson
, A. Sluijs
, K. H. Freeman
, A. A. Baczynski
, G. L. Foster
, J. H. Whiteside
, G. N. Inglis^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was a transient global warming event and is recognized in the geologic record by a prolonged negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE). The onset of the CIE was due to a rapid influx of 13C-depleted carbon into the ocean-atmosphere system. However, the mechanisms required to sustain the negative CIE remains unclear. Enhanced mobilization and oxidation of petrogenic organic carbon (OCpetro) has been invoked to explain elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations after the onset of the CIE. However, existing evidence is limited to the mid-latitudes and subtropics. Here, we determine whether: (a) enhanced mobilization and subsequent burial of OCpetro in marine sediments was a global phenomenon; and (b) whether it occurred throughout the PETM. To achieve this, we utilize a lipid biomarker approach to trace and quantify OCpetro burial in a global compilation of PETM-aged shallow marine sites (n = 7, including five new sites). Our results confirm that OCpetro mass accumulation rates (MARs) increased within the subtropics and mid-latitudes during the PETM, consistent with evidence of higher physical erosion rates and intense episodic rainfall events. High-latitude sites do not exhibit drastic changes in the source of organic carbon during the PETM and OCpetro MARs increase slightly or remain stable, perhaps due a more stable hydrological regime. Crucially, we also demonstrate that OCpetro MARs remained elevated during the recovery phase of the PETM. Although OCpetro oxidation was likely an important positive feedback mechanism throughout the PETM, we show that this feedback was both spatially and temporally variable.

Original language	English
Article number	e2023PA004773
Journal	Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology
Volume	39
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2023PA004773
Publication status	Published - 31 Jan 2024

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
G.N. Inglis is supported by a GCRF Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship (DHF\R1\191178) with additional support via the Royal Society (RF\ERE\231019, RF\ERE\210068). E.H. Hollingsworth acknowledges funding from a NERC (Grant NE/S007210). This research used samples provided by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) and the International Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). F.J. Elling is supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Grant (441217575) and A. Pearson was supported by the US National Science Foundation (Grant OCE‐1843285). We thank Sargent Bray at the University of Southampton and Katiana Doeana and Susan Carter at Havard University for laboratory assistance. For TDP Site 14 samples, we thank colleagues in the Tanzanian Drilling Project, and especially those from the Tanzanian Petroleum Development Corporation. Partial funding for M.P.S Badger was provided by NERC Grant (NE/H006273/1). For Kheu River samples, we thank E.A. Shcherbinina, Y. Gavrilov, and A.J. Dickson who is supported by UKRI Frontier Research Grant (EP/X022080/1). We thank the NERC Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Facility for technical support of the GC‐MS and NERC for partial funding of the mass spectrometry facilities at Bristol (R8/H10/63). N.M. Papadomanolaki acknowledges funding from The Netherlands Earth System Science Center (NESSC), financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). We thank Arnold van Dijk for analytical assistance.

Funding Information:
G.N. Inglis is supported by a GCRF Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship (DHF\R1\191178) with additional support via the Royal Society (RF\ERE\231019, RF\ERE\210068). E.H. Hollingsworth acknowledges funding from a NERC (Grant NE/S007210). This research used samples provided by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) and the International Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). F.J. Elling is supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Grant (441217575) and A. Pearson was supported by the US National Science Foundation (Grant OCE-1843285). We thank Sargent Bray at the University of Southampton and Katiana Doeana and Susan Carter at Havard University for laboratory assistance. For TDP Site 14 samples, we thank colleagues in the Tanzanian Drilling Project, and especially those from the Tanzanian Petroleum Development Corporation. Partial funding for M.P.S Badger was provided by NERC Grant (NE/H006273/1). For Kheu River samples, we thank E.A. Shcherbinina, Y. Gavrilov, and A.J. Dickson who is supported by UKRI Frontier Research Grant (EP/X022080/1). We thank the NERC Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Facility for technical support of the GC-MS and NERC for partial funding of the mass spectrometry facilities at Bristol (R8/H10/63). N.M. Papadomanolaki acknowledges funding from The Netherlands Earth System Science Center (NESSC), financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). We thank Arnold van Dijk for analytical assistance.

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© 2024. The Authors.

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Hollingsworth, E. H., Elling, F. J., Badger, M. P. S., Pancost, R. D., Dickson, A. J., Rees-Owen, R. L., Papdomanolaki, N. M., Pearson, A., Sluijs, A., Freeman, K. H., Baczynski, A. A., Foster, G. L., Whiteside, J. H., & Inglis, G. N. (2024). Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Petrogenic Organic Carbon Mobilization During the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, 39(2), Article e2023PA004773. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023PA004773

@article{0627aab5ca324bc9992e93080e4c2e5d,

title = "Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Petrogenic Organic Carbon Mobilization During the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum",

abstract = "The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was a transient global warming event and is recognized in the geologic record by a prolonged negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE). The onset of the CIE was due to a rapid influx of 13C-depleted carbon into the ocean-atmosphere system. However, the mechanisms required to sustain the negative CIE remains unclear. Enhanced mobilization and oxidation of petrogenic organic carbon (OCpetro) has been invoked to explain elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations after the onset of the CIE. However, existing evidence is limited to the mid-latitudes and subtropics. Here, we determine whether: (a) enhanced mobilization and subsequent burial of OCpetro in marine sediments was a global phenomenon; and (b) whether it occurred throughout the PETM. To achieve this, we utilize a lipid biomarker approach to trace and quantify OCpetro burial in a global compilation of PETM-aged shallow marine sites (n = 7, including five new sites). Our results confirm that OCpetro mass accumulation rates (MARs) increased within the subtropics and mid-latitudes during the PETM, consistent with evidence of higher physical erosion rates and intense episodic rainfall events. High-latitude sites do not exhibit drastic changes in the source of organic carbon during the PETM and OCpetro MARs increase slightly or remain stable, perhaps due a more stable hydrological regime. Crucially, we also demonstrate that OCpetro MARs remained elevated during the recovery phase of the PETM. Although OCpetro oxidation was likely an important positive feedback mechanism throughout the PETM, we show that this feedback was both spatially and temporally variable. ",

author = "Hollingsworth, \{E. H.\} and Elling, \{F. J.\} and Badger, \{M. P. S.\} and Pancost, \{Rich D\} and Dickson, \{A. J.\} and Rees-Owen, \{Rhian L.\} and Papdomanolaki, \{N. M.\} and A. Pearson and A. Sluijs and Freeman, \{K. H.\} and Baczynski, \{A. A.\} and Foster, \{G. L.\} and Whiteside, \{J. H.\} and Inglis, \{G. N.\}",

note = "Funding Information: G.N. Inglis is supported by a GCRF Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship (DHF\textbackslash{}R1\textbackslash{}191178) with additional support via the Royal Society (RF\textbackslash{}ERE\textbackslash{}231019, RF\textbackslash{}ERE\textbackslash{}210068). E.H. Hollingsworth acknowledges funding from a NERC (Grant NE/S007210). This research used samples provided by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) and the International Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). F.J. Elling is supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Grant (441217575) and A. Pearson was supported by the US National Science Foundation (Grant OCE‐1843285). We thank Sargent Bray at the University of Southampton and Katiana Doeana and Susan Carter at Havard University for laboratory assistance. For TDP Site 14 samples, we thank colleagues in the Tanzanian Drilling Project, and especially those from the Tanzanian Petroleum Development Corporation. Partial funding for M.P.S Badger was provided by NERC Grant (NE/H006273/1). For Kheu River samples, we thank E.A. Shcherbinina, Y. Gavrilov, and A.J. Dickson who is supported by UKRI Frontier Research Grant (EP/X022080/1). We thank the NERC Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Facility for technical support of the GC‐MS and NERC for partial funding of the mass spectrometry facilities at Bristol (R8/H10/63). N.M. Papadomanolaki acknowledges funding from The Netherlands Earth System Science Center (NESSC), financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). We thank Arnold van Dijk for analytical assistance. Funding Information: G.N. Inglis is supported by a GCRF Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship (DHF\textbackslash{}R1\textbackslash{}191178) with additional support via the Royal Society (RF\textbackslash{}ERE\textbackslash{}231019, RF\textbackslash{}ERE\textbackslash{}210068). E.H. Hollingsworth acknowledges funding from a NERC (Grant NE/S007210). This research used samples provided by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) and the International Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). F.J. Elling is supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Grant (441217575) and A. Pearson was supported by the US National Science Foundation (Grant OCE-1843285). We thank Sargent Bray at the University of Southampton and Katiana Doeana and Susan Carter at Havard University for laboratory assistance. For TDP Site 14 samples, we thank colleagues in the Tanzanian Drilling Project, and especially those from the Tanzanian Petroleum Development Corporation. Partial funding for M.P.S Badger was provided by NERC Grant (NE/H006273/1). For Kheu River samples, we thank E.A. Shcherbinina, Y. Gavrilov, and A.J. Dickson who is supported by UKRI Frontier Research Grant (EP/X022080/1). We thank the NERC Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Facility for technical support of the GC-MS and NERC for partial funding of the mass spectrometry facilities at Bristol (R8/H10/63). N.M. Papadomanolaki acknowledges funding from The Netherlands Earth System Science Center (NESSC), financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). We thank Arnold van Dijk for analytical assistance. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024. The Authors.",

year = "2024",

month = jan,

day = "31",

doi = "10.1029/2023PA004773",

language = "English",

volume = "39",

journal = "Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology",

issn = "2572-4517",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Inc",

number = "2",

}

Hollingsworth, EH, Elling, FJ, Badger, MPS, Pancost, RD, Dickson, AJ, Rees-Owen, RL, Papdomanolaki, NM, Pearson, A, Sluijs, A, Freeman, KH, Baczynski, AA, Foster, GL, Whiteside, JH & Inglis, GN 2024, 'Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Petrogenic Organic Carbon Mobilization During the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum', Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, vol. 39, no. 2, e2023PA004773. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023PA004773

TY - JOUR

T1 - Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Petrogenic Organic Carbon Mobilization During the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

AU - Hollingsworth, E. H.

AU - Elling, F. J.

AU - Badger, M. P. S.

AU - Pancost, Rich D

AU - Dickson, A. J.

AU - Rees-Owen, Rhian L.

AU - Papdomanolaki, N. M.

AU - Pearson, A.

AU - Sluijs, A.

AU - Freeman, K. H.

AU - Baczynski, A. A.

AU - Foster, G. L.

AU - Whiteside, J. H.

AU - Inglis, G. N.

N1 - Funding Information: G.N. Inglis is supported by a GCRF Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship (DHF\R1\191178) with additional support via the Royal Society (RF\ERE\231019, RF\ERE\210068). E.H. Hollingsworth acknowledges funding from a NERC (Grant NE/S007210). This research used samples provided by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) and the International Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). F.J. Elling is supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Grant (441217575) and A. Pearson was supported by the US National Science Foundation (Grant OCE‐1843285). We thank Sargent Bray at the University of Southampton and Katiana Doeana and Susan Carter at Havard University for laboratory assistance. For TDP Site 14 samples, we thank colleagues in the Tanzanian Drilling Project, and especially those from the Tanzanian Petroleum Development Corporation. Partial funding for M.P.S Badger was provided by NERC Grant (NE/H006273/1). For Kheu River samples, we thank E.A. Shcherbinina, Y. Gavrilov, and A.J. Dickson who is supported by UKRI Frontier Research Grant (EP/X022080/1). We thank the NERC Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Facility for technical support of the GC‐MS and NERC for partial funding of the mass spectrometry facilities at Bristol (R8/H10/63). N.M. Papadomanolaki acknowledges funding from The Netherlands Earth System Science Center (NESSC), financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). We thank Arnold van Dijk for analytical assistance. Funding Information: G.N. Inglis is supported by a GCRF Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship (DHF\R1\191178) with additional support via the Royal Society (RF\ERE\231019, RF\ERE\210068). E.H. Hollingsworth acknowledges funding from a NERC (Grant NE/S007210). This research used samples provided by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) and the International Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). F.J. Elling is supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Grant (441217575) and A. Pearson was supported by the US National Science Foundation (Grant OCE-1843285). We thank Sargent Bray at the University of Southampton and Katiana Doeana and Susan Carter at Havard University for laboratory assistance. For TDP Site 14 samples, we thank colleagues in the Tanzanian Drilling Project, and especially those from the Tanzanian Petroleum Development Corporation. Partial funding for M.P.S Badger was provided by NERC Grant (NE/H006273/1). For Kheu River samples, we thank E.A. Shcherbinina, Y. Gavrilov, and A.J. Dickson who is supported by UKRI Frontier Research Grant (EP/X022080/1). We thank the NERC Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Facility for technical support of the GC-MS and NERC for partial funding of the mass spectrometry facilities at Bristol (R8/H10/63). N.M. Papadomanolaki acknowledges funding from The Netherlands Earth System Science Center (NESSC), financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). We thank Arnold van Dijk for analytical assistance. Publisher Copyright: © 2024. The Authors.

PY - 2024/1/31

Y1 - 2024/1/31

N2 - The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was a transient global warming event and is recognized in the geologic record by a prolonged negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE). The onset of the CIE was due to a rapid influx of 13C-depleted carbon into the ocean-atmosphere system. However, the mechanisms required to sustain the negative CIE remains unclear. Enhanced mobilization and oxidation of petrogenic organic carbon (OCpetro) has been invoked to explain elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations after the onset of the CIE. However, existing evidence is limited to the mid-latitudes and subtropics. Here, we determine whether: (a) enhanced mobilization and subsequent burial of OCpetro in marine sediments was a global phenomenon; and (b) whether it occurred throughout the PETM. To achieve this, we utilize a lipid biomarker approach to trace and quantify OCpetro burial in a global compilation of PETM-aged shallow marine sites (n = 7, including five new sites). Our results confirm that OCpetro mass accumulation rates (MARs) increased within the subtropics and mid-latitudes during the PETM, consistent with evidence of higher physical erosion rates and intense episodic rainfall events. High-latitude sites do not exhibit drastic changes in the source of organic carbon during the PETM and OCpetro MARs increase slightly or remain stable, perhaps due a more stable hydrological regime. Crucially, we also demonstrate that OCpetro MARs remained elevated during the recovery phase of the PETM. Although OCpetro oxidation was likely an important positive feedback mechanism throughout the PETM, we show that this feedback was both spatially and temporally variable.

AB - The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was a transient global warming event and is recognized in the geologic record by a prolonged negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE). The onset of the CIE was due to a rapid influx of 13C-depleted carbon into the ocean-atmosphere system. However, the mechanisms required to sustain the negative CIE remains unclear. Enhanced mobilization and oxidation of petrogenic organic carbon (OCpetro) has been invoked to explain elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations after the onset of the CIE. However, existing evidence is limited to the mid-latitudes and subtropics. Here, we determine whether: (a) enhanced mobilization and subsequent burial of OCpetro in marine sediments was a global phenomenon; and (b) whether it occurred throughout the PETM. To achieve this, we utilize a lipid biomarker approach to trace and quantify OCpetro burial in a global compilation of PETM-aged shallow marine sites (n = 7, including five new sites). Our results confirm that OCpetro mass accumulation rates (MARs) increased within the subtropics and mid-latitudes during the PETM, consistent with evidence of higher physical erosion rates and intense episodic rainfall events. High-latitude sites do not exhibit drastic changes in the source of organic carbon during the PETM and OCpetro MARs increase slightly or remain stable, perhaps due a more stable hydrological regime. Crucially, we also demonstrate that OCpetro MARs remained elevated during the recovery phase of the PETM. Although OCpetro oxidation was likely an important positive feedback mechanism throughout the PETM, we show that this feedback was both spatially and temporally variable.

U2 - 10.1029/2023PA004773

DO - 10.1029/2023PA004773

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

SN - 2572-4517

VL - 39

JO - Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology

JF - Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology

IS - 2

M1 - e2023PA004773

ER -

Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Petrogenic Organic Carbon Mobilization During the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

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