Evidence for abrupt latest Permian mass extinction of foraminifera: Results of tests for the Signor-Lipps effect

Research Article| May 01, 1998 Evidence for abrupt latest Permian mass extinction of foraminifera: Results of tests for the Signor-Lipps effect Michael R. Rampino; Michael R. Rampino 1NASA, Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, New York 10025, and Earth and Environmental Science Program, New York University, New York, New York 10003 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Andre C. Adler Andre C. Adler 2Department of Physics, New York University, New York, New York 10003 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Michael R. Rampino 1NASA, Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, New York 10025, and Earth and Environmental Science Program, New York University, New York, New York 10003 Andre C. Adler 2Department of Physics, New York University, New York, New York 10003 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1998) 26 (5): 415–418. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1998)026<0415:EFALPM>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Michael R. Rampino, Andre C. Adler; Evidence for abrupt latest Permian mass extinction of foraminifera: Results of tests for the Signor-Lipps effect. Geology 1998;; 26 (5): 415–418. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1998)026<0415:EFALPM>2.3.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 We used published biostratigraphic data on ranges of fusulinids and other foraminifera from Permian-Triassic boundary sections in the southern Alps, Italy, to test the effects of sampling and species abundance on the record of the timing of the latest Permian extinction. The number of last occurrences of taxa reaches a maximum close to the local base of the Tesero horizon of the Werfen Formation. Taxa that have ≤15% stratigraphic abundance (percent of sample intervals in which a taxon occurs) show last occurrences well before that level, whereas taxa with more complete records tend to disappear at or close to that level. These results are in agreement with simulations for abrupt extinctions, as opposed to gradual or steplike extinction scenarios, and support predictions of the Signor-Lipps effect, that errors in the end points of biostratigraphic ranges can produce range truncations and apparent gradual decline preceding a sudden extinction boundary. On the basis of estimated sedimentation rates for the Italian sections, the end-Permian extinctions could have been very sudden (≤30 k.y.), and the disappearance of most latest Permian foraminifers was most likely coincident with a worldwide ecological stress event, identified by a global negative δ13C anomaly that occurs in Italy near the base or within the time-transgressive Tesero horizon. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.