Carbon isotopic evidence for organic matter oxidation in soils of the Old Red Sandstone (Silurian to Devonian, South Wales, UK)

A T Brasier; J L Morris; R D Hilier

doi:10.1144/jgs2013-136

Carbon isotopic evidence for organic matter oxidation in soils of the Old Red Sandstone (Silurian to Devonian, South Wales, UK)

A T Brasier, J L Morris, R D Hilier

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Abstract

Petrographic and calcrete carbon isotope data from seasonally waterlogged Upper Silurian (Pridoli) to Lower Devonian (Pragian) palaeo-Vertisols of the Old Red Sandstone, South Wales, UK, are presented. The delta C-13 values mostly range from -9 to -12% (VPDB), suggesting that the soils were inhabited by abundant vegetation that when oxidized (perhaps with microbial assistance) resulted in CO2-rich soils. Such soils would favour calcrete precipitation through equilibration of soil zone CO2 with the relatively lower atmospheric pCO(2). However, reliably estimating palaeoatmospheric pCO(2) using these carbon isotope data is a challenge.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	621-634
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of the Geological Society
Volume	171
Issue number	5
Early online date	7 Jul 2014
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2013-136
Publication status	Published - Sep 2014

Keywords

Anglo-Welsh basin
ridgeway conglomerate formation
atmospheric CO2
pedogenic carbonate
SW Wales
Paleozoic atmosphere
Bloomsburg formation
phanerozoic time
vertic paleosols
Townsend-Tuff

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10.1144/jgs2013-136Licence: Unspecified

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Journal of the Geological Society 2014 http://jgs.lyellcollection.org/content/171/5/621 © Geological Society of London 2014.
Accepted author manuscript, 1.3 MBLicence: Unspecified

Alexander Brasier
- School of Geosciences, Geology and Geophysics - Senior Lecturer
- Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences
Person: Academic

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@article{a7b8bbc9dc974b5f8e349830376bd72b,

title = "Carbon isotopic evidence for organic matter oxidation in soils of the Old Red Sandstone (Silurian to Devonian, South Wales, UK)",

abstract = "Petrographic and calcrete carbon isotope data from seasonally waterlogged Upper Silurian (Pridoli) to Lower Devonian (Pragian) palaeo-Vertisols of the Old Red Sandstone, South Wales, UK, are presented. The delta C-13 values mostly range from -9 to -12% (VPDB), suggesting that the soils were inhabited by abundant vegetation that when oxidized (perhaps with microbial assistance) resulted in CO2-rich soils. Such soils would favour calcrete precipitation through equilibration of soil zone CO2 with the relatively lower atmospheric pCO(2). However, reliably estimating palaeoatmospheric pCO(2) using these carbon isotope data is a challenge.",

keywords = "Anglo-Welsh basin, ridgeway conglomerate formation, atmospheric CO2, pedogenic carbonate, SW Wales, Paleozoic atmosphere, Bloomsburg formation, phanerozoic time, vertic paleosols, Townsend-Tuff",

author = "Brasier, {A T} and Morris, {J L} and Hilier, {R D}",

note = "This work was part-supported by a grant from the E. J. Garwood Fund (2011) of the Geological Society of London. J. Dougans (SUERC) and S. Verdegaal (VU Amsterdam) kindly assisted with some of the stable isotope measurements. D. Brasier kindly assisted with fieldwork. Work on Tredomen Quarry calcrete samples was conducted by J.L.M. as part of a PhD thesis funded by the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, under the supervision of V. P. Wright and D. Edwards. Core drilling was partly funded by the British Geological Survey. Thanks go to J. Becker (Cardiff University) for isotopic analysis of the Tredomen Quarry calcretes, and to G. Abbott (Newcastle University) and Iso-Analytical Ltd for isotopic analysis of fossil plant material. Three anonymous reviewers and the editor made helpful suggestions that improved the quality of the paper.",

year = "2014",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1144/jgs2013-136",

language = "English",

volume = "171",

pages = "621--634",

journal = "Journal of the Geological Society ",

issn = "0016-7649",

publisher = "Geological Society of London",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Carbon isotopic evidence for organic matter oxidation in soils of the Old Red Sandstone (Silurian to Devonian, South Wales, UK)

AU - Brasier, A T

AU - Morris, J L

AU - Hilier, R D

N1 - This work was part-supported by a grant from the E. J. Garwood Fund (2011) of the Geological Society of London. J. Dougans (SUERC) and S. Verdegaal (VU Amsterdam) kindly assisted with some of the stable isotope measurements. D. Brasier kindly assisted with fieldwork. Work on Tredomen Quarry calcrete samples was conducted by J.L.M. as part of a PhD thesis funded by the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, under the supervision of V. P. Wright and D. Edwards. Core drilling was partly funded by the British Geological Survey. Thanks go to J. Becker (Cardiff University) for isotopic analysis of the Tredomen Quarry calcretes, and to G. Abbott (Newcastle University) and Iso-Analytical Ltd for isotopic analysis of fossil plant material. Three anonymous reviewers and the editor made helpful suggestions that improved the quality of the paper.

PY - 2014/9

Y1 - 2014/9

N2 - Petrographic and calcrete carbon isotope data from seasonally waterlogged Upper Silurian (Pridoli) to Lower Devonian (Pragian) palaeo-Vertisols of the Old Red Sandstone, South Wales, UK, are presented. The delta C-13 values mostly range from -9 to -12% (VPDB), suggesting that the soils were inhabited by abundant vegetation that when oxidized (perhaps with microbial assistance) resulted in CO2-rich soils. Such soils would favour calcrete precipitation through equilibration of soil zone CO2 with the relatively lower atmospheric pCO(2). However, reliably estimating palaeoatmospheric pCO(2) using these carbon isotope data is a challenge.

AB - Petrographic and calcrete carbon isotope data from seasonally waterlogged Upper Silurian (Pridoli) to Lower Devonian (Pragian) palaeo-Vertisols of the Old Red Sandstone, South Wales, UK, are presented. The delta C-13 values mostly range from -9 to -12% (VPDB), suggesting that the soils were inhabited by abundant vegetation that when oxidized (perhaps with microbial assistance) resulted in CO2-rich soils. Such soils would favour calcrete precipitation through equilibration of soil zone CO2 with the relatively lower atmospheric pCO(2). However, reliably estimating palaeoatmospheric pCO(2) using these carbon isotope data is a challenge.

KW - Anglo-Welsh basin

KW - ridgeway conglomerate formation

KW - atmospheric CO2

KW - pedogenic carbonate

KW - SW Wales

KW - Paleozoic atmosphere

KW - Bloomsburg formation

KW - phanerozoic time

KW - vertic paleosols

KW - Townsend-Tuff

U2 - 10.1144/jgs2013-136

DO - 10.1144/jgs2013-136

M3 - Article

VL - 171

SP - 621

EP - 634

JO - Journal of the Geological Society

JF - Journal of the Geological Society

SN - 0016-7649

IS - 5

ER -

Carbon isotopic evidence for organic matter oxidation in soils of the Old Red Sandstone (Silurian to Devonian, South Wales, UK)

Abstract

Keywords

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Alexander Brasier

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