Page 50: of Marine Technology Magazine (January 2022)

Discovery

The business of Science

Twin Triggers of Triassic era extinction event - Study

Curtin-led research has revealed an increase in levels of both Co-author John Curtin Distinguished Professor Kliti Grice, acid and hydrogen sul? de in the ocean was the double whammy also from WA-OIGC in Curtin’s School of Earth and Planetary that wiped out marine life during a mass extinction event 201 Sciences, said the research provided intricate and important de- million years ago. Lead author, Curtin PhD graduate Dr Calum tails of the history of our ever-evolving planet.

Peter Fox, from the WA-Organic and Isotope Geochemistry “The revelations about the cause of past marine extinctions

Centre (WA-OIGC) in Curtin’s School of Earth and Planetary will help us understand the current global warming crisis and

Sciences, said the research revealed the twin processes that com- how we can protect our deteriorating ecosystems and environ- bined to the end the Triassic era, paving the way for the emer- ment,” Professor Grice said.

gence of dinosaurs in the Jurassic period. “In order to help understand how our environment and ecosys- “The end-Triassic event saw rapid increases in CO2 due to a tems may change during this event, we must investigate those in surge in volcanic activity, which is understood to have caused the past.

unfavorable conditions for life resulting in mass extinction, how- “There is still much to learn about mass extinction events ever the multiple drivers for loss of life during this period were and studying these disruptive time intervals further will inform not previously known,” Dr Fox said. us more about the history of our Earth, but also what climatic “By studying microscopic fossils preserved in rock in the Bris- changes we can expect moving forward as CO2 levels continue tol Channel Basin, in the southwestern United Kingdom, we to increase.” identi? ed the twin mechanisms responsible for the mass extinc- This research, led by Curtin University and funded by the tion. “These were a deadly combination of ocean acidi? cation, ARC, was conducted in collaboration with researchers at the which inhibited growth of all marine life using calcium carbon- University of Southampton, Lahmont-Doherty Earth Observa- ate to create shells or body parts such as mussels, oysters, and tory, MIT, and Oxford University. Dr Fox did the research as part corals, and rising levels of hydrogen sul? de in the ocean, which of his PhD studies at Curtin and is now at Khalifa University.

was extremely toxic for all marine life.” The full research paper can be found online here.

bit.ly/3FUOnlV

Illustration by Victor O. Leshyk 50 January/February 2022

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