Biogeosciences

High-resolution biogeochemistry: Taking snapshots of past climate using mollusk shells

Alexandra Rodler December 10, 2020

Fig. 1: Example of a micro-X-ray Fluorescence map of trace element composition through the cross section of a fossil oyster shell (66 million years old). Red color indicates layers rich in iron and manganese (indicators of poor shell preservation) while blue layers are made of pristinely preserved calcite.

This is a solicited blogpost written by Niels de Winter. Now that the effects of rising anthropogenic CO2 emissions are starting to affect our everyday lives, accurate reconstructions of past climates become more and more relevant. These reconstructions help us to improve climate models used to project future global warming scenarios which in turn inform policy makers. The further we look back in ...[Read More]

Dating mineral phases in geological remnants of early life

Alexandra Rodler May 21, 2020

Figure 1: Silicified stromatolitic carbonates of the 3.35 Ga old Strelley Pool Formation at the Trendall locality; view from above on stromatolite domes (photo courtesy of S. Viehmann).

This is a solicited blogpost written by Sebastian Viehmann. The Mesoarchean Strelley Pool Formation in the Pilbara Craton (Western Australia) hosts one of the oldest geological remnants of life on Earth. These silicified stromatolitic carbonates show diverse morphologies and formed on a shallow marine carbonate platform 3.35 billion years ago (Ga; Figures 1 and 2). After a long-standing debate abo ...[Read More]

Phosphorus-cycle perturbations and environmental disturbances 380–360 million years ago

Alexandra Rodler May 2, 2020

A 360 million-year-old organic-rich mudstone deposit that records the last of the Late Devonian environmental crises: the Devonian–Carboniferous mass extinction, with a student from the University of Silesia for scale. Photo courtesy of Dr. Leszek Marynowski (University of Silesia).

This is a solicited blogpost written by Lawrence Percival, who will also present his work on the Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 as part of session SSP2.1 of the upcoming EGU GA. The increasing concern regarding 21st climate change and environmental disturbance has led to a renewed focus on similar episodes of global crisis through Earth’s history. During the Late Devonian Period, 380–360 million ye ...[Read More]

EGU2020 Symposia, courses, awards, events and much more…

Hana Jurikova January 12, 2020

With the EGU 2020 General Assembly abstract submission deadline approaching (15 January 2020, 13:00 CET), today we would like to highlight some additional events and activities that will hopefully help to convince those of you still hesitating to register this year. Besides interesting disciplinary scientific programme, the EGU has a plenty of other events to offer including symposia, debates, med ...[Read More]

EGU2020 BG Sessions in the spotlight: Stable isotopes

Alexandra Rodler January 6, 2020

The deadline for EGU 2020 abstract submissions is coming closer – today we highlight sessions focused on the application of (stable) isotope tracers to questions in biogeoscience. First, for those of you who use light stable isotopes, there is session BG2.8 Application of Stable Isotopes in Biogeosciences, co-organized by HS13, co-sponsored by EAG and convened by Michael E. Böttcher, ...[Read More]

EGU2020 BG Sessions in the spotlight: Global P and N cycles

Alexandra Rodler January 2, 2020

The moment of a plankton bloom - the root of our essential food chain by John Bruun

The EGU 2020 abstract submissions are open until January 15. Here, we’ll highlight the planned Biogeoscience (BG) sessions. Stay tuned and find the session for your abstract! Today’s focus is on the more general BG-sessions for those of you dealing with the important nutrient cycles. First, BG1.2: Nitrogen cycling in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems: microbiological processes, gas fluxes, ...[Read More]

EGU2020 BG Sessions in the spotlight: Permafrost

Joshua Dean December 30, 2019

Permafrost landscape at sunset by Reinhard Pienitz

The EGU 2020 abstract submissions are open until January 15. Here, we’ll highlight the planned biogeoscience (BG) sessions. Stay tuned and find the session for your abstract! Today’s focus is on permafrost. These perennially frozen regions span the Arctic, the Tibetan Plateau, and mountain regions throughout the globe. Permafrost is highly vulnerable to current and future climate change and could ...[Read More]

EGU2020 BG Sessions in the spotlight: Extreme environments

Alexandra Rodler December 26, 2019

Lava glow and space at the Kilauea volcano by Andreas Johnsson

Less than one month left for the EGU 2020 abstract deadline on January 15. Today we highlight two sessions of BG 5 – Geomicrobiology, extreme environments on Earth and planetary analogues. First, BG5.1: Biology and Geology of extreme environments on Earth and planetary analogs. This session is convened by Monica Pondrelli, Jessica Flahaut, Frances Westall, Helge Niemann and Barbara Cavalazz ...[Read More]

EGU2020 BG Sessions in the spotlight: Methane

Alexandra Rodler December 23, 2019

Oceanic ombrotrophic peatland at the Seno Skyring Fjord, Patagonia, Chile by Klaus-Holger Knorr

The EGU 2020 abstract submissions are open until January 15. Here, we’ll highlight the planned biogeosciences sessions. Stay tuned and find the session for your abstract! Today’s focus is on Methane. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is steadily increasing in concentration in the atmosphere, prompting fears that it could scupper our chances to meet the global climate targets. But given its relativ ...[Read More]

EGU2020 BG Sessions in the spotlight: Biogeosciences’ past achievements and current challenges

Alexandra Rodler December 19, 2019

Melt Ponds on Arctic Sea Ice by Kai Boggild

The EGU 2020 abstract submissions are open until January 15. Today we highlight two of the more general BG-sessions for those of you working with big questions linking biology and geology, current and past. First, BG1.13: Past achievement and future challenges of Biogeosciences. This session is convened by Giuliana Panieri, Ariel D. Anbar, Hiroshi Kitazato and Kurt Konhauser. The convenors ...[Read More]