Animal evolution, bioturbation, and the sulfate concentration of the oceans.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Canfield DE
PROVIDER: S-EPMC2688866 | biostudies-other | 2009 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
Publications
Animal evolution, bioturbation, and the sulfate concentration of the oceans.
Canfield Donald E DE Farquhar James J
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20090518 20
As recognized already by Charles Darwin, animals are geobiological agents. Darwin observed that worms aerate and mix soils on a massive scale, aiding in the decomposition of soil organic matter. A similar statement can be made about marine benthic animals. This mixing, also known as bioturbation, not only aides in the decomposition of sedimentary organic material, but as contended here, it has also significantly influenced the chemistry of seawater. In particular, it is proposed that sediment mi ...[more]
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