Periodicities in the emplacement of large igneous provinces through the Phanerozoic: Relations to ocean chemistry and marine biodiversity evolution

Large igneous provinces (LIPs) are considered a relevant cause for mass extinctions of marine life throughout Earth’s history. Their flood basalts and associated intrusions can cause significant release of SO4 and CO2 and consequently, cause major environmental disruptions. Here, we reconstruct the long-term periodic pattern of LIP emplacement and its impact on ocean chemistry and biodiversity from δ34Ssulfate of the last 520 Ma under particular consideration of the preservation limits of LIP records. A combination of cross-wavelet and other time-series analysis methods has been applied to quantify a potential chain of linkage between LIP emplacement periodicity, geochemical changes and the Phanerozoic marine genera record. We suggest a mantle plume cyclicity represented by LIP volumes (V) of V = −(350–770) × 103 km3 sin(2πt/170 Ma) + (300–650) × 103 km3 sin(2πt/64.5 Ma + 2.3) for t = time in Ma. A shift from the 64.5 Ma to a weaker ∼28–35 Ma LIP cyclicity during the Jurassic contributes together with probably independent changes in the marine sulfur cycle to less ocean anoxia, and a general stabilization of ocean chemistry and increasing marine biodiversity throughout the last ∼135 Ma. The LIP cycle pattern is coherent with marine biodiversity fluctuations corresponding to a reduction of marine biodiversity of ∼120 genera/Ma at ∼600 × 103 km3 LIP eruption volume. The 62–65 Ma LIP cycle pattern as well as excursion in δ34Ssulfate and marine genera reduction suggest a not-yet identified found LIP event at ∼440–450 Ma.

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► 140 and 65 Ma cyclic eruptions of large igneous provinces (LIPs) control ocean chemistry and marine biodiversity.
► Since ∼135 Ma, a ∼32 Ma cyclicity became dominated in LIP and marine biodiversity records.
► Cycle amplitudes relate to reduction of ∼120 marine genera at >∼600 × 103 km3 LIP eruption volume.