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Toward a Cenozoic history of atmospheric CO2

Toward a Cenozoic history of atmospheric CO2
Toward a Cenozoic history of atmospheric CO2

The geological record encodes the relationship between climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) over long and short timescales, as well as potential drivers of evolutionary transitions. However, reconstructing CO2 beyond direct measurements requires the use of paleoproxies and herein lies the challenge, as proxies differ in their assumptions, degree of understanding, and even reconstructed values. In this study, we critically evaluated, categorized, and integrated available proxies to create a high-fidelity and transparently constructed atmospheric CO2 record spanning the past 66 million years. This newly constructed record provides clearer evidence for higher Earth system sensitivity in the past and for the role of CO2 thresholds in biological and cryosphere evolution.

0036-8075
Hönisch, Bärbel
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Royer, Dana L.
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Breecker, Daniel O.
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Polissar, Pratigya J.
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Henehan, Michael J.
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Snell, Kathryn E.
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Keisling, Benjamin A.
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Konrad, Wilfried
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Lowenstein, Tim K.
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Malinverno, Alberto
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Guillermic, Maxence
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Mejía, Luz María
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Milligan, Joseph N.
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Morton, John J.
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Nordt, Lee
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Whiteford, Ross
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Roth-Nebelsick, Anita
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Rugenstein, Jeremy K.C.
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Schaller, Morgan F.
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Sheldon, Nathan D.
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Sosdian, Sindia
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Bolton, Clara
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Foster, Gavin L.
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Martínez-Botí, Miguel A.
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Cenozoic CO2 Proxy Integration Project (CenCO2PIP) Consortium*†
Hönisch, Bärbel
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Royer, Dana L.
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Breecker, Daniel O.
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Polissar, Pratigya J.
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Bowen, Gabriel J.
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Henehan, Michael J.
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Cui, Ying
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Steinthorsdottir, Margret
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McElwain, Jennifer C.
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Kohn, Matthew J.
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Pearson, Ann
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Phelps, Samuel R.
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Anagnostou, Eleni
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Chalk, Thomas B.
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Scotese, Christopher R.
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Ferrini, Vicki
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Giulivi, Claudia F.
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Harper, Dustin T.
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Haynes, Laura L.
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Huber, Matthew
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Konrad, Wilfried
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Lowenstein, Tim K.
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Malinverno, Alberto
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Guillermic, Maxence
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Mejía, Luz María
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Milligan, Joseph N.
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Morton, John J.
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Nordt, Lee
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Whiteford, Ross
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Roth-Nebelsick, Anita
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Rugenstein, Jeremy K.C.
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Schaller, Morgan F.
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Sheldon, Nathan D.
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Sosdian, Sindia
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Bolton, Clara
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Foster, Gavin L.
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Martínez-Botí, Miguel A.
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Hönisch, Bärbel, Royer, Dana L. and Breecker, Daniel O. , Cenozoic CO2 Proxy Integration Project (CenCO2PIP) Consortium*† (2023) Toward a Cenozoic history of atmospheric CO2. Science (New York, N.Y.), 382 (6675), [eadi5177]. (doi:10.1126/science.adi5177).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The geological record encodes the relationship between climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) over long and short timescales, as well as potential drivers of evolutionary transitions. However, reconstructing CO2 beyond direct measurements requires the use of paleoproxies and herein lies the challenge, as proxies differ in their assumptions, degree of understanding, and even reconstructed values. In this study, we critically evaluated, categorized, and integrated available proxies to create a high-fidelity and transparently constructed atmospheric CO2 record spanning the past 66 million years. This newly constructed record provides clearer evidence for higher Earth system sensitivity in the past and for the role of CO2 thresholds in biological and cryosphere evolution.

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Towards a Cenozoic history of atmospheric CO2 - Accepted Manuscript
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Accepted/In Press date: 30 October 2023
Published date: 8 December 2023
Additional Information: Funding Information: We thank C. Major at NSF and the many researchers who contributed advice and enthusiasm for this project over the years. We are grateful to the staff at the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) for facilitating curation of the paleo-CO2 database, and to LDEO, the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Lodge, and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for hosting the three workshops that framed this work. Two anonymous reviewers provided valuable comments that improved this manuscript. This study is dedicated to Wally Broecker and Taro Takahashi, who pioneered the study of CO2 dynamics in a changing climate. Funding: This work was supported by National Science Foundation grant OCE 16-36005 (B.H. and P.J.P.), Heising-Simons Foundation grant 2018-0996 (B.H. and V.F.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21649 (B.H., V.F., J.J.M., and C.F.G.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21170 (G.J.B.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 20-02370 (Y.C.), National Science Foundation grant 18-43285 (A.P.), Columbia University’s Center for Climate and Life (K.T.U.), the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation (K.T.U.), National Science Foundation grant 21-00537 (A.P. and P.J.P.), National Science Foundation grant 21-00509 (P.J.P.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21165 (A.R.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 18-06015 (Y.G.Z.), National Science Foundation grant DGE 16-44869 (S.R.P.), National Science Foundation grant 18-13703 (E.G.H.), National Science Foundation grant OCE 16-58023 (J.C.Z.), National Science Foundation grant 16-02905 (M.H.), Swedish Research Council grant NT7-2016 04905 (M.S.), European Research Council grant 101020824 (J.C.M.), SFI/RC/2092 (J.C.M.), UK Research and Innovation grant 101045371 (M.J.H.), Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/X000567/1 (M.P.S.B.), Royal Society grant DHF\R1\221014 (C.R.W.), Australian Research Council grant DP150104007 (P.J.F.), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft grant RA 2068/4-1 (M.R.), European Research Council grant 805246 (J.W.B.R.), an ETH Fellowship (J.K.C.R.), National Science Foundation of China grant 42030503 (J.D.), the Sandal Society Museum (G.J.R.), a Royal Society Tata Fellowship (B.D.A.N.), and Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/P019048/1 (G.L.F.).

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 486245
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/486245
ISSN: 0036-8075
PURE UUID: 5159a22d-32ba-47d3-90d0-aab6440aeb61
ORCID for Gavin L. Foster: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3688-9668

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Date deposited: 15 Jan 2024 17:56
Last modified: 16 Apr 2024 01:42

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Contributors

Author: Bärbel Hönisch
Author: Dana L. Royer
Author: Daniel O. Breecker
Author: Pratigya J. Polissar
Author: Gabriel J. Bowen
Author: Michael J. Henehan
Author: Ying Cui
Author: Margret Steinthorsdottir
Author: Jennifer C. McElwain
Author: Matthew J. Kohn
Author: Ann Pearson
Author: Samuel R. Phelps
Author: Kevin T. Uno
Author: Andy Ridgwell
Author: Eleni Anagnostou
Author: Jacqueline Austermann
Author: Marcus P.S. Badger
Author: Richard S. Barclay
Author: Peter K. Bijl
Author: Thomas B. Chalk
Author: Christopher R. Scotese
Author: Elwyn de la Vega
Author: Robert M. DeConto
Author: Kelsey A. Dyez
Author: Vicki Ferrini
Author: Peter J. Franks
Author: Claudia F. Giulivi
Author: Marcus Gutjahr
Author: Dustin T. Harper
Author: Laura L. Haynes
Author: Matthew Huber
Author: Kathryn E. Snell
Author: Benjamin A. Keisling
Author: Wilfried Konrad
Author: Tim K. Lowenstein
Author: Alberto Malinverno
Author: Maxence Guillermic
Author: Luz María Mejía
Author: Joseph N. Milligan
Author: John J. Morton
Author: Lee Nordt
Author: Ross Whiteford
Author: Anita Roth-Nebelsick
Author: Jeremy K.C. Rugenstein
Author: Morgan F. Schaller
Author: Nathan D. Sheldon
Author: Sindia Sosdian
Author: Clara Bolton
Author: Gavin L. Foster ORCID iD
Author: Miguel A. Martínez-Botí
Corporate Author: Cenozoic CO2 Proxy Integration Project (CenCO2PIP) Consortium*†

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