If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)

Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

volcanism triggered the late Devonian extinction

07-05-2018 9:17am

#1

Capt'n Midnight

Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,581 Mod ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: March 2003

Posts: 91819

https://phys.org/news/2018-05-mercury-evidence-volcanism-triggered-late.html

The late Devonian extinction, about 370 million years ago, is one of the 'Big Five.' It killed up to 80 percent of species, obliterating the lavish Devonian coral reef ecosystem. The final pulse in this multi-step crisis, called the Frasnian-Famennian event, was its most devastating.
...

In other mass extinctions, elevated mercury has been closely linked to big-time volcanic episodes. In fact, points out Racki, mercury has become to Earth-based catastrophes what iridium is to extraterrestrial-based ones. "Mercury as a geochemical fingerprint of volcanism appears decisive in the new stage of mass extinction studies," he says.

2