Eukaryotes expansion into non-marine habitats prohibited by nitrogen limitation during the mid-Proterozoic
Summary: Persistently anoxic conditions and nutrient limitations in the mid-Proterozoic have been invoked to explain the delayed evolution and expansion of eukaryotes. However, limited information is so far available about nutrient availability in nonmarine habitats. To fill this knowledge gap, we c...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | iScience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225013082 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850106235388428288 |
|---|---|
| author | Qing Ma Yaoqi Zhou Eva E. Stüeken Mengchun Cao |
| author_facet | Qing Ma Yaoqi Zhou Eva E. Stüeken Mengchun Cao |
| author_sort | Qing Ma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Persistently anoxic conditions and nutrient limitations in the mid-Proterozoic have been invoked to explain the delayed evolution and expansion of eukaryotes. However, limited information is so far available about nutrient availability in nonmarine habitats. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted a multi-proxy study of Statherian strata from the Dagushi, Bingmagou, Baicaoping, and Puyu formations in the Xiong’er Basin, southern margin of the North China Craton (NCC). This set of rocks offers a rare opportunity to study nutrient availability along a gradient from nonmarine to marine conditions in the mid-Proterozoic. Our δ15N data suggest that nitrogen cycling was dominated by N2 fixation under nonmarine conditions. Hence, lacustrine waters were oligotrophic with regard to nitrogen. In contrast, nitrate (NO3−) appears to have been available in shallow marine waters. These findings suggest that oxygenated shallow marine margins were suitable for eukaryotes, but their radiation into nonmarine settings may have been N-limited. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4cedfc546ffd436c9c097b00739482f9 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2589-0042 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | iScience |
| spelling | doaj-art-4cedfc546ffd436c9c097b00739482f92025-08-20T02:38:52ZengElsevieriScience2589-00422025-08-0128811304710.1016/j.isci.2025.113047Eukaryotes expansion into non-marine habitats prohibited by nitrogen limitation during the mid-ProterozoicQing Ma0Yaoqi Zhou1Eva E. Stüeken2Mengchun Cao3Hebei GEO University Museum, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050031, China; School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, Shandong 266580, China; School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland KY16 9TS, UK; Corresponding authorSchool of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, Shandong 266580, ChinaSchool of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland KY16 9TS, UKSchool of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, ChinaSummary: Persistently anoxic conditions and nutrient limitations in the mid-Proterozoic have been invoked to explain the delayed evolution and expansion of eukaryotes. However, limited information is so far available about nutrient availability in nonmarine habitats. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted a multi-proxy study of Statherian strata from the Dagushi, Bingmagou, Baicaoping, and Puyu formations in the Xiong’er Basin, southern margin of the North China Craton (NCC). This set of rocks offers a rare opportunity to study nutrient availability along a gradient from nonmarine to marine conditions in the mid-Proterozoic. Our δ15N data suggest that nitrogen cycling was dominated by N2 fixation under nonmarine conditions. Hence, lacustrine waters were oligotrophic with regard to nitrogen. In contrast, nitrate (NO3−) appears to have been available in shallow marine waters. These findings suggest that oxygenated shallow marine margins were suitable for eukaryotes, but their radiation into nonmarine settings may have been N-limited.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225013082BiogeoscienceEvolutionary ecologyEvolutionary history |
| spellingShingle | Qing Ma Yaoqi Zhou Eva E. Stüeken Mengchun Cao Eukaryotes expansion into non-marine habitats prohibited by nitrogen limitation during the mid-Proterozoic iScience Biogeoscience Evolutionary ecology Evolutionary history |
| title | Eukaryotes expansion into non-marine habitats prohibited by nitrogen limitation during the mid-Proterozoic |
| title_full | Eukaryotes expansion into non-marine habitats prohibited by nitrogen limitation during the mid-Proterozoic |
| title_fullStr | Eukaryotes expansion into non-marine habitats prohibited by nitrogen limitation during the mid-Proterozoic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Eukaryotes expansion into non-marine habitats prohibited by nitrogen limitation during the mid-Proterozoic |
| title_short | Eukaryotes expansion into non-marine habitats prohibited by nitrogen limitation during the mid-Proterozoic |
| title_sort | eukaryotes expansion into non marine habitats prohibited by nitrogen limitation during the mid proterozoic |
| topic | Biogeoscience Evolutionary ecology Evolutionary history |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225013082 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT qingma eukaryotesexpansionintononmarinehabitatsprohibitedbynitrogenlimitationduringthemidproterozoic AT yaoqizhou eukaryotesexpansionintononmarinehabitatsprohibitedbynitrogenlimitationduringthemidproterozoic AT evaestueken eukaryotesexpansionintononmarinehabitatsprohibitedbynitrogenlimitationduringthemidproterozoic AT mengchuncao eukaryotesexpansionintononmarinehabitatsprohibitedbynitrogenlimitationduringthemidproterozoic |