Permian-Triassic Mayhem: Earth's Largest Mass Extinction

This lecture examines the Permian–Triassic mass extinction through geological evidence from Arctic Canada, covering its long environmental lead-up, Siberian Traps volcanism, global warming, ocean acidification, anoxia, and repeatedly interrupted biological recovery.

Syllabus

Intro
Steve Grasby, Ph.D. Geological Survey of Canada (Calgary)
Synopsis
Mass extinctions
Five stratigraphic sequences
Ammonoid fauna
Sub-Triassic unconformity
Meishan, China
Sverdrup Basin - Late Carboniferous
Biostratigraphy
Sequence Stratigraphy
Lindstrom & Black Stripe formations
"Glass" ramp
Silica factory
Buchanan Lake Gartnerkofel Arctic Canada
Sverdrup Basin, Arctic Canada
Late Carboniferous silicate buffering
Early to Late Permian breakdown of silicate buffering: Runaway Greenhouse
Summary
The stage was set...
Siberian Traps
Latest Permian to earliest Triassic return to saturation
Aragonite fans
Continuous P-T transition in Sverdrup Basin - There is no basin-wide unconformity