Toward a Cenozoic History of Atmospheric CO2

doi:10.1126/science.adi5177

Toward a Cenozoic History of Atmospheric CO₂

Geosciences Department

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Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

276 Scopus citations

Abstract

The geological record encodes the relationship between climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) over long and short timescales, as well as potential drivers of evolutionary transitions. However, reconstructing CO₂ beyond direct measurements requires the use of paleoproxies and herein lies the challenge, as proxies differ in their assumptions, degree of understanding, and even reconstructed values. In this study, we critically evaluated, categorized, and integrated available proxies to create a high-fidelity and transparently constructed atmospheric CO₂ record spanning the past 66 million years. This newly constructed record provides clearer evidence for higher Earth system sensitivity in the past and for the role of CO₂ thresholds in biological and cryosphere evolution.

Original language	American English
Article number	eadi5177
Journal	Science
Volume	382
Issue number	6675
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adi5177
State	Published - 8 Dec 2023

EGS Disciplines

Earth Sciences
Geophysics and Seismology

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10.1126/science.adi5177

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@article{ac60821669994aeda82d48cd021e6c22,

title = "Toward a Cenozoic History of Atmospheric CO2",

abstract = "The geological record encodes the relationship between climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) over long and short timescales, as well as potential drivers of evolutionary transitions. However, reconstructing CO2 beyond direct measurements requires the use of paleoproxies and herein lies the challenge, as proxies differ in their assumptions, degree of understanding, and even reconstructed values. In this study, we critically evaluated, categorized, and integrated available proxies to create a high-fidelity and transparently constructed atmospheric CO2 record spanning the past 66 million years. This newly constructed record provides clearer evidence for higher Earth system sensitivity in the past and for the role of CO2 thresholds in biological and cryosphere evolution.",

author = "B{\"a}rbel H{\"o}nisch and Royer, \{Dana L.\} and Breecker, \{Daniel O.\} and Polissar, \{Pratigya J.\} and Bowen, \{Gabriel J.\} and Henehan, \{Michael J.\} and Ying Cui and Margret Steinthorsdottir and McElwain, \{Jennifer C.\} and Kohn, \{Matthew J.\} and Ann Pearson and Phelps, \{Samuel R.\} and Uno, \{Kevin T.\} and Andy Ridgwell and Eleni Anagnostou and Jacqueline Austermann and Badger, \{Marcus P.S.\} and Barclay, \{Richard S.\} and Bijl, \{Peter K.\} and Chalk, \{Thomas B.\} and Scotese, \{Christopher R.\} and \{de la Vega\}, Elwyn and DeConto, \{Robert M.\} and Dyez, \{Kelsey A.\} and Vicki Ferrini and Franks, \{Peter J.\} and Giulivi, \{Claudia F.\} and Marcus Gutjahr and Harper, \{Dustin T.\} and Haynes, \{Laura L.\} and Matthew Huber and Snell, \{Kathryn E.\} and Keisling, \{Benjamin A.\} and Wilfried Konrad and Lowenstein, \{Tim K.\} and Alberto Malinverno and Maxence Guillermic and Mej{\'i}a, \{Luz Mar{\'i}a\} and Milligan, \{Joseph N.\} and Morton, \{John J.\} and Lee Nordt and Ross Whiteford and Anita Roth-Nebelsick and Rugenstein, \{Jeremy K.C.\} and Schaller, \{Morgan F.\} and Sheldon, \{Nathan D.\} and Sindia Sosdian and Wilkes, \{Elise B.\} and Witkowski, \{Caitlyn R.\} and Zhang, \{Yi Ge\}",

year = "2023",

month = dec,

day = "8",

doi = "10.1126/science.adi5177",

language = "American English",

volume = "382",

number = "6675",

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AU - Royer, Dana L.

AU - Breecker, Daniel O.

AU - Polissar, Pratigya J.

AU - Bowen, Gabriel J.

AU - Henehan, Michael J.

AU - Cui, Ying

AU - Steinthorsdottir, Margret

AU - McElwain, Jennifer C.

AU - Kohn, Matthew J.

AU - Pearson, Ann

AU - Phelps, Samuel R.

AU - Uno, Kevin T.

AU - Ridgwell, Andy

AU - Anagnostou, Eleni

AU - Austermann, Jacqueline

AU - Badger, Marcus P.S.

AU - Barclay, Richard S.

AU - Bijl, Peter K.

AU - Chalk, Thomas B.

AU - Scotese, Christopher R.

AU - de la Vega, Elwyn

AU - DeConto, Robert M.

AU - Dyez, Kelsey A.

AU - Ferrini, Vicki

AU - Franks, Peter J.

AU - Giulivi, Claudia F.

AU - Gutjahr, Marcus

AU - Harper, Dustin T.

AU - Haynes, Laura L.

AU - Huber, Matthew

AU - Snell, Kathryn E.

AU - Keisling, Benjamin A.

AU - Konrad, Wilfried

AU - Lowenstein, Tim K.

AU - Malinverno, Alberto

AU - Guillermic, Maxence

AU - Mejía, Luz María

AU - Milligan, Joseph N.

AU - Morton, John J.

AU - Nordt, Lee

AU - Whiteford, Ross

AU - Roth-Nebelsick, Anita

AU - Rugenstein, Jeremy K.C.

AU - Schaller, Morgan F.

AU - Sheldon, Nathan D.

AU - Sosdian, Sindia

AU - Wilkes, Elise B.

AU - Witkowski, Caitlyn R.

AU - Zhang, Yi Ge

PY - 2023/12/8

Y1 - 2023/12/8

N2 - The geological record encodes the relationship between climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) over long and short timescales, as well as potential drivers of evolutionary transitions. However, reconstructing CO2 beyond direct measurements requires the use of paleoproxies and herein lies the challenge, as proxies differ in their assumptions, degree of understanding, and even reconstructed values. In this study, we critically evaluated, categorized, and integrated available proxies to create a high-fidelity and transparently constructed atmospheric CO2 record spanning the past 66 million years. This newly constructed record provides clearer evidence for higher Earth system sensitivity in the past and for the role of CO2 thresholds in biological and cryosphere evolution.

AB - The geological record encodes the relationship between climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) over long and short timescales, as well as potential drivers of evolutionary transitions. However, reconstructing CO2 beyond direct measurements requires the use of paleoproxies and herein lies the challenge, as proxies differ in their assumptions, degree of understanding, and even reconstructed values. In this study, we critically evaluated, categorized, and integrated available proxies to create a high-fidelity and transparently constructed atmospheric CO2 record spanning the past 66 million years. This newly constructed record provides clearer evidence for higher Earth system sensitivity in the past and for the role of CO2 thresholds in biological and cryosphere evolution.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85179904667

UR - https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/geo_facpubs/798

U2 - 10.1126/science.adi5177

DO - 10.1126/science.adi5177

M3 - Article

C2 - 38060645

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 382

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6675

M1 - eadi5177

ER -

Toward a Cenozoic History of Atmospheric CO₂

Abstract

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