Evolutionary stasis during the Mesoproterozoic Columbia-Rodinia supercontinent transition

• Published in: Precambrian research Vol. 391; p. 107057
• Main Authors: Lu, Gui-Mei, Wang, Wei, Ernst, Richard E., El Bilali, Hafida, Spencer, Christopher J., Xu, Yi-Gang, Bekker, Andrey
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.07.2023
• ISSN: 0301-9268; 1872-7433
• DOI: 10.1016/j.precamres.2023.107057

•Extensive crustal differentiation occurred during the mid-Proterozoic.•Low weathering intensity prevailed in the mid-Proterozoic.•Low flux of bio-essential nutrients to oceans stalled biologic radiation at that time. The transition between the supercontinents Columbia and Rodina coincided with a delay in eukaryote expansion during the Mesoproterozoic, however, the cause for this association is uncertain. Here, we use statistical geochemical analyses of igneous and fine-grained siliciclastic rocks to demonstrate that extensive crustal differentiation occurred during this transition interval. The results show a relative increase in abundance of phosphorus-poor felsic volcanic and plutonic rocks and a prevailing low weathering intensity between ∼ 1.8 and 1.2 Ga (billion years ago). The decelerated weathering of phosphorus-poor felsic volcanic and plutonic rocks could have maintained the low flux of bio-essential nutrients to the oceans that sustained low primary productivity and atmospheric O2 levels, which inhibited biologic radiation during the Columbia-Rodinia supercontinent transition period.