N2-fixing cyanobacteria supplied nutrient N for Cretaceous oceanic anoxic events

Abstract

Research Article| October 01, 2004 N2-fixing cyanobacteria supplied nutrient N for Cretaceous oceanic anoxic events Marcel M.M. Kuypers; Marcel M.M. Kuypers 1Department of Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Netherlands Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Yvonne van Breugel; Yvonne van Breugel 1Department of Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Netherlands Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Stefan Schouten; Stefan Schouten 1Department of Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Netherlands Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Elisabetta Erba; Elisabetta Erba 2Department of Earth Sciences, University of Milan, “A. Desio,” via L. Mangiagalli 34, 20133 Milano, Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jaap S. Sinninghe Damsté Jaap S. Sinninghe Damsté 3Department of Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Netherlands Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Marcel M.M. Kuypers 1Department of Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Netherlands Yvonne van Breugel 1Department of Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Netherlands Stefan Schouten 1Department of Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Netherlands Elisabetta Erba 2Department of Earth Sciences, University of Milan, “A. Desio,” via L. Mangiagalli 34, 20133 Milano, Italy Jaap S. Sinninghe Damsté 3Department of Marine Biogeochemistry and Toxicology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Netherlands Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 02 Jan 2004 Revision Received: 27 May 2004 Accepted: 31 May 2004 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2004) 32 (10): 853–856. https://doi.org/10.1130/G20458.1 Article history Received: 02 Jan 2004 Revision Received: 27 May 2004 Accepted: 31 May 2004 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Marcel M.M. Kuypers, Yvonne van Breugel, Stefan Schouten, Elisabetta Erba, Jaap S. Sinninghe Damsté; N2-fixing cyanobacteria supplied nutrient N for Cretaceous oceanic anoxic events. Geology 2004;; 32 (10): 853–856. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G20458.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The abundance of specific membrane lipids, 2-methylhopanoids, indicates that cyanobacteria played a key role in the seemingly global deposition of black shales during the early Aptian (ca. 120.5 Ma) and late Cenomanian (ca. 93.5 Ma) oceanic anoxic events. Organic matter–rich sediments deposited during these events are characterized by a 15N content typical of newly fixed N2, indicating that cyanobacterial N2 fixation was the main source for nutrient N. We propose that denitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation effectively cut off the return of nutrient N from the anoxic deep waters to the photic zone in the oceans, giving N2-fixing cyanobacteria a competitive advantage over algae during these oceanic anoxic events. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.