Large-scale ocean deoxygenation during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

Abstract

Fishin' gone? Because gas solubility decreases as temperatures increase, global warming is likely to cause oxygen loss from the oceans. This could have a detrimental impact on fish populations, the fishing industry, and global food availability. Have such impacts occurred before? Yao et al. report sulfur isotopic data from the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, an interval around 55 million years ago when atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and global temperatures were also high. They found widespread anoxia and resulting high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, which is toxic to marine organisms. Similar effects could have severe negative effects on ocean ecosystems. Science , this issue p. 804