Climatic and tectonic controls on shallow-marine and freshwater diatomite deposition throughout the Palaeogene

<p>Diatoms play a major role in carbon and silicon cycles, and thus diatom-bearing sediments represent an archive of past climatic and environmental settings. In shallow-marine and freshwater environments, the accumulation of diatom frustules forms a sedimentary rock called diatomite. While mo...

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Main Authors: C. Figus, O. M. Bialik, A. Y. Gladenkov, T. V. Oreshkina, J. Renaudie, P. Smirnov, J. Witkowski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2024-11-01
Series:Climate of the Past
Online Access:https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/20/2629/2024/cp-20-2629-2024.pdf
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author C. Figus
C. Figus
O. M. Bialik
O. M. Bialik
A. Y. Gladenkov
T. V. Oreshkina
J. Renaudie
P. Smirnov
J. Witkowski
author_facet C. Figus
C. Figus
O. M. Bialik
O. M. Bialik
A. Y. Gladenkov
T. V. Oreshkina
J. Renaudie
P. Smirnov
J. Witkowski
author_sort C. Figus
collection DOAJ
description <p>Diatoms play a major role in carbon and silicon cycles, and thus diatom-bearing sediments represent an archive of past climatic and environmental settings. In shallow-marine and freshwater environments, the accumulation of diatom frustules forms a sedimentary rock called diatomite. While most global-scale studies of diatom-bearing sediments focus on deep-sea sites, shallow-marine and freshwater diatomites are studied mainly at a regional level. To address this problem, we present a global-scale compilation of diatomite occurrences spanning the Palaeogene (<span class="inline-formula">∼66</span> to <span class="inline-formula">∼23</span> Ma). This period was characterized by initial extreme warmth, followed by prolonged cooling, disrupted by short-term climatic events called hyperthermals and by a number of palaeoceanographic and palaeogeographic changes. The aim of this compilation is to determine the response of diatom production to Palaeogene environmental fluctuations by examining the influence of climate, tectonic activity, and ocean circulation on diatomite deposition. Although climatic factors appear to have had an indirect impact, our study suggests that palaeogeographic and palaeoceanographic changes were key drivers of diatomite deposition during the Palaeogene, particularly from the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (<span class="inline-formula">∼53</span> to <span class="inline-formula">∼49</span> Ma) onwards. In fact, our compilation suggests the absence of diatomite deposition in epicontinental seas between <span class="inline-formula">∼</span>46 and <span class="inline-formula">∼44</span> Ma, whereas diatomites did not begin to accumulate in open-ocean environments until <span class="inline-formula">∼43.5</span> Ma. Moreover, we observe that regional climate and volcano-tectonic activity have had an impact on the deposition of freshwater diatomites.</p>
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spelling doaj-art-cf2ec6ad4c9541f3a2cc80a7630a36782025-08-20T02:28:00ZengCopernicus PublicationsClimate of the Past1814-93241814-93322024-11-01202629264410.5194/cp-20-2629-2024Climatic and tectonic controls on shallow-marine and freshwater diatomite deposition throughout the PalaeogeneC. Figus0C. Figus1O. M. Bialik2O. M. Bialik3A. Y. Gladenkov4T. V. Oreshkina5J. Renaudie6P. Smirnov7J. Witkowski8Institute of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Szczecin, 70-383 Szczecin, PolandDoctoral School, University of Szczecin, 70-383 Szczecin, PolandInstitute of Geology and Palaeontology, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, GermanyDr. Moses Strauss Department of Marine Geosciences, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, 31905 Haifa, IsraelGeological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119017 Moscow, RussiaGeological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119017 Moscow, RussiaFB1 Dynamik der Natur, Museum für Naturkunde, 10115 Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Ecology, RUDN University, 117198 Moscow, RussiaInstitute of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Szczecin, 70-383 Szczecin, Poland<p>Diatoms play a major role in carbon and silicon cycles, and thus diatom-bearing sediments represent an archive of past climatic and environmental settings. In shallow-marine and freshwater environments, the accumulation of diatom frustules forms a sedimentary rock called diatomite. While most global-scale studies of diatom-bearing sediments focus on deep-sea sites, shallow-marine and freshwater diatomites are studied mainly at a regional level. To address this problem, we present a global-scale compilation of diatomite occurrences spanning the Palaeogene (<span class="inline-formula">∼66</span> to <span class="inline-formula">∼23</span> Ma). This period was characterized by initial extreme warmth, followed by prolonged cooling, disrupted by short-term climatic events called hyperthermals and by a number of palaeoceanographic and palaeogeographic changes. The aim of this compilation is to determine the response of diatom production to Palaeogene environmental fluctuations by examining the influence of climate, tectonic activity, and ocean circulation on diatomite deposition. Although climatic factors appear to have had an indirect impact, our study suggests that palaeogeographic and palaeoceanographic changes were key drivers of diatomite deposition during the Palaeogene, particularly from the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (<span class="inline-formula">∼53</span> to <span class="inline-formula">∼49</span> Ma) onwards. In fact, our compilation suggests the absence of diatomite deposition in epicontinental seas between <span class="inline-formula">∼</span>46 and <span class="inline-formula">∼44</span> Ma, whereas diatomites did not begin to accumulate in open-ocean environments until <span class="inline-formula">∼43.5</span> Ma. Moreover, we observe that regional climate and volcano-tectonic activity have had an impact on the deposition of freshwater diatomites.</p>https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/20/2629/2024/cp-20-2629-2024.pdf
spellingShingle C. Figus
C. Figus
O. M. Bialik
O. M. Bialik
A. Y. Gladenkov
T. V. Oreshkina
J. Renaudie
P. Smirnov
J. Witkowski
Climatic and tectonic controls on shallow-marine and freshwater diatomite deposition throughout the Palaeogene
Climate of the Past
title Climatic and tectonic controls on shallow-marine and freshwater diatomite deposition throughout the Palaeogene
title_full Climatic and tectonic controls on shallow-marine and freshwater diatomite deposition throughout the Palaeogene
title_fullStr Climatic and tectonic controls on shallow-marine and freshwater diatomite deposition throughout the Palaeogene
title_full_unstemmed Climatic and tectonic controls on shallow-marine and freshwater diatomite deposition throughout the Palaeogene
title_short Climatic and tectonic controls on shallow-marine and freshwater diatomite deposition throughout the Palaeogene
title_sort climatic and tectonic controls on shallow marine and freshwater diatomite deposition throughout the palaeogene
url https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/20/2629/2024/cp-20-2629-2024.pdf
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