3C-O1-0940 PDF
Paleoenvironmental analysis of mass extinction events: A stable isotope approach
Mass extinction is a decline of biodiversity at which exceptionally large numbers of species of the global biota go extinct simultaneously within a relatively short period of geological time. The following catastrophic events are proposed as the triggers that can induce mass extinction; (a) massive volcanism, such as continental flood and oceanic plateau volcanism, (b) impact of extraterrestrial material, and (c) increase of cosmic ray flux by astronomical events, such as supernovae, gamma-ray bursts and encounters with spiral arms. We briefly review stable isotope studies to infer the trigger for a specific mass extinction event and its subsequent environmental perturbations.