Toward a Cenozoic history of atmospheric CO2

The CenCO2PIP Consortium

doi:10.1126/science.adi5177

Toward a Cenozoic history of atmospheric CO₂

The CenCO2PIP Consortium

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

121 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The geological record encodes the relationship between climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) over long and short timescales, as well as potential drivers of evolutionary transitions. However, reconstructing CO₂ beyond direct measurements requires the use of paleoproxies and herein lies the challenge, as proxies differ in their assumptions, degree of understanding, and even reconstructed values. In this study, we critically evaluated, categorized, and integrated available proxies to create a high-fidelity and transparently constructed atmospheric CO₂ record spanning the past 66 million years. This newly constructed record provides clearer evidence for higher Earth system sensitivity in the past and for the role of CO₂ thresholds in biological and cryosphere evolution.

Original language	English
Article number	eadi5177
Journal	Science
Volume	382
Issue number	6675
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adi5177
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank C. Major at NSF and the many researchers who contributed advice and enthusiasm for this project over the years. We are grateful to the staff at the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) for facilitating curation of the paleo-CO2 database, and to LDEO, the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Lodge, and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for hosting the three workshops that framed this work. Two anonymous reviewers provided valuable comments that improved this manuscript. This study is dedicated to Wally Broecker and Taro Takahashi, who pioneered the study of CO2 dynamics in a changing climate. Funding: This work was supported by National Science Foundation grant OCE 16-36005 (B.H. and P.J.P.), Heising-Simons Foundation grant 2018-0996 (B.H. and V.F.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21649 (B.H., V.F., J.J.M., and C.F.G.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21170 (G.J.B.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 20-02370 (Y.C.), National Science Foundation grant 18-43285 (A.P.), Columbia University’s Center for Climate and Life (K.T.U.), the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation (K.T.U.), National Science Foundation grant 21-00537 (A.P. and P.J.P.), National Science Foundation grant 21-00509 (P.J.P.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21165 (A.R.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 18-06015 (Y.G.Z.), National Science Foundation grant DGE 16-44869 (S.R.P.), National Science Foundation grant 18-13703 (E.G.H.), National Science Foundation grant OCE 16-58023 (J.C.Z.), National Science Foundation grant 16-02905 (M.H.), Swedish Research Council grant NT7-2016 04905 (M.S.), European Research Council grant 101020824 (J.C.M.), SFI/RC/2092 (J.C.M.), UK Research and Innovation grant 101045371 (M.J.H.), Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/X000567/1 (M.P.S.B.), Royal Society grant DHF\R1\221014 (C.R.W.), Australian Research Council grant DP150104007 (P.J.F.), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft grant RA 2068/4-1 (M.R.), European Research Council grant 805246 (J.W.B.R.), an ETH Fellowship (J.K.C.R.), National Science Foundation of China grant 42030503 (J.D.), the Sandal Society Museum (G.J.R.), a Royal Society Tata Fellowship (B.D.A.N.), and Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/P019048/1 (G.L.F.).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved.

Research Groups and Themes

Organic & Biological

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1126/science.adi5177

https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/486245/

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Cite this

@article{12215d62b3454b44b29641627378259d,

title = "Toward a Cenozoic history of atmospheric CO2",

abstract = "The geological record encodes the relationship between climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) over long and short timescales, as well as potential drivers of evolutionary transitions. However, reconstructing CO2 beyond direct measurements requires the use of paleoproxies and herein lies the challenge, as proxies differ in their assumptions, degree of understanding, and even reconstructed values. In this study, we critically evaluated, categorized, and integrated available proxies to create a high-fidelity and transparently constructed atmospheric CO2 record spanning the past 66 million years. This newly constructed record provides clearer evidence for higher Earth system sensitivity in the past and for the role of CO2 thresholds in biological and cryosphere evolution.",

author = "\{The CenCO2PIP Consortium\} and B{\"a}rbel H{\"o}nisch and Royer, \{Dana L.\} and Breecker, \{Daniel O.\} and Polissar, \{Pratigya J.\} and Bowen, \{Gabriel J.\} and Henehan, \{Michael J.\} and Ying Cui and Margret Steinthorsdottir and McElwain, \{Jennifer C.\} and Kohn, \{Matthew J.\} and Ann Pearson and Phelps, \{Samuel R.\} and Uno, \{Kevin T.\} and Andy Ridgwell and Eleni Anagnostou and Jacqueline Austermann and Badger, \{Marcus P.S.\} and Barclay, \{Richard S.\} and Bijl, \{Peter K.\} and Chalk, \{Thomas B.\} and Scotese, \{Christopher R.\} and \{de la Vega\}, Elwyn and Marcus Gutjahr and Witkowski, \{Caitlyn R.\} and Foster, \{Gavin L.\} and Lear, \{Caroline H.\} and \{A. Naafs\}, \{B. David\} and Rae, \{James W.B.\} and Osamu Seki and Aradhna Tripati",

note = "Funding Information: We thank C. Major at NSF and the many researchers who contributed advice and enthusiasm for this project over the years. We are grateful to the staff at the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) for facilitating curation of the paleo-CO2 database, and to LDEO, the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Lodge, and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for hosting the three workshops that framed this work. Two anonymous reviewers provided valuable comments that improved this manuscript. This study is dedicated to Wally Broecker and Taro Takahashi, who pioneered the study of CO2 dynamics in a changing climate. Funding: This work was supported by National Science Foundation grant OCE 16-36005 (B.H. and P.J.P.), Heising-Simons Foundation grant 2018-0996 (B.H. and V.F.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21649 (B.H., V.F., J.J.M., and C.F.G.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21170 (G.J.B.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 20-02370 (Y.C.), National Science Foundation grant 18-43285 (A.P.), Columbia University{\textquoteright}s Center for Climate and Life (K.T.U.), the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation (K.T.U.), National Science Foundation grant 21-00537 (A.P. and P.J.P.), National Science Foundation grant 21-00509 (P.J.P.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21165 (A.R.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 18-06015 (Y.G.Z.), National Science Foundation grant DGE 16-44869 (S.R.P.), National Science Foundation grant 18-13703 (E.G.H.), National Science Foundation grant OCE 16-58023 (J.C.Z.), National Science Foundation grant 16-02905 (M.H.), Swedish Research Council grant NT7-2016 04905 (M.S.), European Research Council grant 101020824 (J.C.M.), SFI/RC/2092 (J.C.M.), UK Research and Innovation grant 101045371 (M.J.H.), Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/X000567/1 (M.P.S.B.), Royal Society grant DHF\textbackslash{}R1\textbackslash{}221014 (C.R.W.), Australian Research Council grant DP150104007 (P.J.F.), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft grant RA 2068/4-1 (M.R.), European Research Council grant 805246 (J.W.B.R.), an ETH Fellowship (J.K.C.R.), National Science Foundation of China grant 42030503 (J.D.), the Sandal Society Museum (G.J.R.), a Royal Society Tata Fellowship (B.D.A.N.), and Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/P019048/1 (G.L.F.). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved.",

year = "2023",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1126/science.adi5177",

language = "English",

volume = "382",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "6675",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Toward a Cenozoic history of atmospheric CO2

AU - The CenCO2PIP Consortium

AU - Hönisch, Bärbel

AU - Royer, Dana L.

AU - Breecker, Daniel O.

AU - Polissar, Pratigya J.

AU - Bowen, Gabriel J.

AU - Henehan, Michael J.

AU - Cui, Ying

AU - Steinthorsdottir, Margret

AU - McElwain, Jennifer C.

AU - Kohn, Matthew J.

AU - Pearson, Ann

AU - Phelps, Samuel R.

AU - Uno, Kevin T.

AU - Ridgwell, Andy

AU - Anagnostou, Eleni

AU - Austermann, Jacqueline

AU - Badger, Marcus P.S.

AU - Barclay, Richard S.

AU - Bijl, Peter K.

AU - Chalk, Thomas B.

AU - Scotese, Christopher R.

AU - de la Vega, Elwyn

AU - Gutjahr, Marcus

AU - Witkowski, Caitlyn R.

AU - Foster, Gavin L.

AU - Lear, Caroline H.

AU - A. Naafs, B. David

AU - Rae, James W.B.

AU - Seki, Osamu

AU - Tripati, Aradhna

N1 - Funding Information: We thank C. Major at NSF and the many researchers who contributed advice and enthusiasm for this project over the years. We are grateful to the staff at the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) for facilitating curation of the paleo-CO2 database, and to LDEO, the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Lodge, and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for hosting the three workshops that framed this work. Two anonymous reviewers provided valuable comments that improved this manuscript. This study is dedicated to Wally Broecker and Taro Takahashi, who pioneered the study of CO2 dynamics in a changing climate. Funding: This work was supported by National Science Foundation grant OCE 16-36005 (B.H. and P.J.P.), Heising-Simons Foundation grant 2018-0996 (B.H. and V.F.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21649 (B.H., V.F., J.J.M., and C.F.G.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21170 (G.J.B.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 20-02370 (Y.C.), National Science Foundation grant 18-43285 (A.P.), Columbia University’s Center for Climate and Life (K.T.U.), the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation (K.T.U.), National Science Foundation grant 21-00537 (A.P. and P.J.P.), National Science Foundation grant 21-00509 (P.J.P.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21165 (A.R.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 18-06015 (Y.G.Z.), National Science Foundation grant DGE 16-44869 (S.R.P.), National Science Foundation grant 18-13703 (E.G.H.), National Science Foundation grant OCE 16-58023 (J.C.Z.), National Science Foundation grant 16-02905 (M.H.), Swedish Research Council grant NT7-2016 04905 (M.S.), European Research Council grant 101020824 (J.C.M.), SFI/RC/2092 (J.C.M.), UK Research and Innovation grant 101045371 (M.J.H.), Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/X000567/1 (M.P.S.B.), Royal Society grant DHF\R1\221014 (C.R.W.), Australian Research Council grant DP150104007 (P.J.F.), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft grant RA 2068/4-1 (M.R.), European Research Council grant 805246 (J.W.B.R.), an ETH Fellowship (J.K.C.R.), National Science Foundation of China grant 42030503 (J.D.), the Sandal Society Museum (G.J.R.), a Royal Society Tata Fellowship (B.D.A.N.), and Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/P019048/1 (G.L.F.). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved.

PY - 2023/12/1

Y1 - 2023/12/1

N2 - The geological record encodes the relationship between climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) over long and short timescales, as well as potential drivers of evolutionary transitions. However, reconstructing CO2 beyond direct measurements requires the use of paleoproxies and herein lies the challenge, as proxies differ in their assumptions, degree of understanding, and even reconstructed values. In this study, we critically evaluated, categorized, and integrated available proxies to create a high-fidelity and transparently constructed atmospheric CO2 record spanning the past 66 million years. This newly constructed record provides clearer evidence for higher Earth system sensitivity in the past and for the role of CO2 thresholds in biological and cryosphere evolution.

AB - The geological record encodes the relationship between climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) over long and short timescales, as well as potential drivers of evolutionary transitions. However, reconstructing CO2 beyond direct measurements requires the use of paleoproxies and herein lies the challenge, as proxies differ in their assumptions, degree of understanding, and even reconstructed values. In this study, we critically evaluated, categorized, and integrated available proxies to create a high-fidelity and transparently constructed atmospheric CO2 record spanning the past 66 million years. This newly constructed record provides clearer evidence for higher Earth system sensitivity in the past and for the role of CO2 thresholds in biological and cryosphere evolution.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85179904667&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1126/science.adi5177

DO - 10.1126/science.adi5177

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

C2 - 38060645

AN - SCOPUS:85179904667

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 382

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6675

M1 - eadi5177

ER -