Large and rapid climate variability during the Messinian salinity crisis: Evidence from deuterium concentrations of individual biomarkers

Research Article| September 01, 2001 Large and rapid climate variability during the Messinian salinity crisis: Evidence from deuterium concentrations of individual biomarkers Nils Andersen; Nils Andersen 1Department of Earth Sciences, ETH-Z Zurich, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Hilary A. Paul; Hilary A. Paul 1Department of Earth Sciences, ETH-Z Zurich, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Stefano M. Bernasconi; Stefano M. Bernasconi 1Department of Earth Sciences, ETH-Z Zurich, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Judith A. McKenzie; Judith A. McKenzie 1Department of Earth Sciences, ETH-Z Zurich, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Anke Behrens; Anke Behrens 2Laboratoire de Géochimie Organique, Université Louis Pasteur, 67000 Strasbourg, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Philippe Schaeffer; Philippe Schaeffer 2Laboratoire de Géochimie Organique, Université Louis Pasteur, 67000 Strasbourg, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Pierre Albrecht Pierre Albrecht 2Laboratoire de Géochimie Organique, Université Louis Pasteur, 67000 Strasbourg, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Nils Andersen 1Department of Earth Sciences, ETH-Z Zurich, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland Hilary A. Paul 1Department of Earth Sciences, ETH-Z Zurich, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland Stefano M. Bernasconi 1Department of Earth Sciences, ETH-Z Zurich, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland Judith A. McKenzie 1Department of Earth Sciences, ETH-Z Zurich, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland Anke Behrens 2Laboratoire de Géochimie Organique, Université Louis Pasteur, 67000 Strasbourg, France Philippe Schaeffer 2Laboratoire de Géochimie Organique, Université Louis Pasteur, 67000 Strasbourg, France Pierre Albrecht 2Laboratoire de Géochimie Organique, Université Louis Pasteur, 67000 Strasbourg, France Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 18 Dec 2000 Revision Received: 27 Apr 2001 Accepted: 11 May 2001 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2001) 29 (9): 799–802. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)0292.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 18 Dec 2000 Revision Received: 27 Apr 2001 Accepted: 11 May 2001 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Nils Andersen, Hilary A. Paul, Stefano M. Bernasconi, Judith A. McKenzie, Anke Behrens, Philippe Schaeffer, Pierre Albrecht; Large and rapid climate variability during the Messinian salinity crisis: Evidence from deuterium concentrations of individual biomarkers. Geology 2001;; 29 (9): 799–802. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)0292.0.CO;2 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 During the Messinian, 6 m.y. ago, massive sea-level fall and widespread deposition of evaporites occurred in the Mediterranean Sea when it became isolated from the world oceans. Here we present the first hydrogen isotope data from individual sedimentary biomarkers, n-alkanes and isoprenoids, that tracked climatically driven hydrographic changes in response to extreme evaporation during the Messinian salinity crisis. The stable hydrogen and carbon isotope compositions of these biomarkers show a range of 160‰ in δD values and 14‰ in δ13C values, and roughly covary. This indicates that the source waters of the biomarkers were therefore in some cases extremely enriched in deuterium, having average δD as great as +66‰ VSMOW (Vienna standard mean ocean water). Such values are only known from desert climates today. Because the offset between the δD values of n-alkanes and isoprenoids preserved in the Miocene sedimentary rocks is similar to the offset found in modern biological samples, we conclude that diagenesis did not significantly affect the primary deuterium concentrations. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.