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 SO 4 and CO 2 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 δ 34 S sulfate 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) × 10 3 km 3 sin(2 πt /170 Ma) + (300–650) × 10 3 km 3 sin(2 πt /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 × 10 3 km 3 LIP eruption volume. The 62–65 Ma LIP cycle pattern as well as excursion in δ 34 S sulfate and marine genera reduction suggest a not-yet identified found LIP event at ∼440–450 Ma.