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Biomineralization and the carbon isotope record

Die Bedeutung der Biomineralisation für die Verteilung stabiler Kohlenstoffisotope in Karbonatgesteinen

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Summary

The advent of biomineralization at the turn of the Precambrian/Cambrian boundary has been a major event in the Earth's evolutionary history. With this there has been a major shift from abiotic to biotic formation of minerals such as phosphates and carbonates and, subsequently, silica. The dominant factor which effected this shift is a change in ocean's chemistry with respect to its Ca2+ and mineral nutrient contents. Mechanism controlling the biotic mineral formation is different from that controlling the abiotic one in that the former is enzymically controlled. It is suggested that this difference is also manifested in the stable carbon isotope fractionation between the two processes and has implication for the interpretation of stable carbon isotope record.

Zusammenfassung

Im exogenen Kreislauf können die Bildung von Karbonaten

  1. (i)

    chemisch Ca2++2HCO −3 →CaCO3+CO2+H2O und

  2. (ii)

    biochemisch Ca2++2HCO −3 →Ca(HCO3)2)→CaCO3+H2CO3 gesteuert werden.

Die chemische Bildung (i) führt zu einer Isotopenfraktionierung, wobej, das erzeugte Karbonat um+4 und das freiwerdende CO2 um−4 gegenüber dem Bikarbonat fraktioniert wird. Die biochemische Bildung ist dagegen enzymisch gesteuert, wobei die beteiligte Karbonanhydrase nicht das CO2, sondern H2CO3 als Substrat gebraucht. Entsprechend wird das Isotopensignal des gelösten Karbonats konservativ an das Karbonat bzw. Karbonsäure unfraktioniert weitergegeben, da nur das CO3-Molekül beteiligt ist.

Diese Unterschiede sind bislang bei der Auswertung der13C/12C-Verteilung in Karbonaten so gut wie unberücksichtigt gebheben. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird versucht, die Kohlenstoffisotopensignale mariner Karbonate unter Berücksichtigung chemischer und enzymischer Prozesse zu deuten. Dabei zeigt sich, daß vom Archaikum bis zum Vendium die Karbonatgeochemie ausschließlich chemisch gesteuert war. Mit dem Einsetzem der Biomineralisation, also der enzymisch-gesteuerten CaCO3-Bildung etwa and der Grenze zwischen Präkambrium/Kambrium, wurde die Karbonatchemie des Ozeans nahezu ausschließlich über die Organismen reguliert. Damit steht gleichzeitig auch das globale CO2-System unter biologischer Kontrolle.

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Author notes

  1. E. T. Degens

    Present address: SCOPE/UNEP International Carbon Unit, University of Hamburg, Bundesstrasse 55, D-2000, Hamburg 13, Germany

  2. J. Kazmierczak

    Present address: Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Paleobiology, PL-02089, Warszawa, Poland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. SCOPE/UNEP International Carbon Unit, University of Hamburg, Bundesstrasse 55, D-2000, Hamburg 13, Germany

    V. Ittekkot

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  1. E. T. Degens
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Degens, E.T., Kazmierczak, J. & Ittekkot, V. Biomineralization and the carbon isotope record. TMPM Tschermaks Petr. Mitt. 35, 117–126 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01140843

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