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Global Redox Carbon Cycle and Periodicity of Some Phenomena In y & W log ea to th a e im r l F C o f r e o Journal of c l a a s n t r Ivlev, J Climatol Weather Forecasting 2016, 4:3 i n u g o J DOI: 10.4172/2332-2594.1000173 ISSN: 2332-2594 Climatology & Weather Forecasting Review Article Open Access Global Redox Carbon Cycle and Periodicity of Some Phenomena in Biosphere Ivlev AA* Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Agricultural Academy of Timiryazev, Timiryazevskaya street, 49 Moscow 127550, Russia. *Corresponding author: Alexander A Ivlev, Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Agricultural Academy of Timiryazev, Timiryazevskaya str. 49 Moscow 127550, Russia, Tel: +7 (499) 976-0480; E-mail: [email protected] Received date: Jul 5, 2016; Accepted date: Oct 21, 2016; Published date: Oct 25, 2016 Copyright: © 2016 Alexander A Ivlev. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract The irregular periodicity of some biosphere phenomena, such as climatic cycles, mass extinctions, abrupt changes of biodiversity rate and others in the course of geological time is analyzed on the basis of a global redox carbon cycle model. It is shown that these differences by nature phenomena have a common cause for the periodicity. The cause is the periodic impact of moving lithospheric plates on photosynthesis via CO2 injections. The source of CO2 is the oxidation of sedimentary organic matter in thermochemical sulfate reduction from zones, where plates collide. The periodicity and the irregularity of lithospheric plates’ movement generate orogenic cycles, at the background of which biosphere events appear. The biosphere events are usually followed by a set of traits that are used to identify the events in the geological past. Orogenic cycles manifested till the moment when the carbon cycle didn’t reach the ecological compensation point, i.e., when the amount of photosynthetically produced carbon will become equal to the amount of the reduced carbon oxidized in the numerous oxidation processes in the Earth’s crust. After reaching this point long-term orogenic cycles were replaced by short-term climatic oscillations. The same set of traits characterizing the orogenic cycles and the climatic oscillations evidences for their same nature. The changes concern only duration of the event and the scale of its influence. Keywords: Lithospheric plates; Plate tectonics; Carbon cycle; To these views I added assertion that in zone of plate collisions Biodiversity; Extinction; Photosynthesis; Photorespiration; Ecological (subduction zone) with participation of continental plates under compensation point; Aerobic and anaerobic conditions; Orogenic higher temperatures thermochemical sulfate reduction occurs. period; Geosynclynal period Sedimentary organic matter, one of the reaction substrates, interacting with gypsum from oceanic water, is oxidized and produces CO2, which Introduction lifting onto the Earth surface, fills “atmosphere - hydrosphere” system and exerting an impact on photosynthesis development. The The periodicity of some biosphere phenomena, as climatic cycles lithospheric plates’ movement indirectly influencing on photosynthesis [1-3], mass extinctions [4], abrupt changes of biodiversity rate [5,6] is the first specific feature of the suggested redox carbon cycle model. and others [7-9] in the course of geological time have been noted by many researchers. The question is, what determines such periodicity, The orogenic cycle concept [7] asserts that the intensity of the and whether these events, differing by nature, are somehow connected vibrations of the Earth’s crust over the geologic history was unequal. among them. These questions are a subject of debate. The objective of There were relatively short periods, named by orogenic periods, and this publication is to show that the above phenomena have a common the subsequent relatively extended periods of quiet development of the cause relating to global carbon cycle. This conclusion may be done by crust, named by geosynclynal periods. The geosynclynal and the means of a newly suggested global redox carbon cycle model [10]. This orogenic periods both make the orogenic cycles which Rutten [7] has model has some features that distinguish it from the others. named the Earth’s pulse. Orogenic periods are characterized by intensive mountain building The Specific Features of a New Model of Global Redox and active volcanism, accompanying with eruptions and entry of the Carbon Cycle large masses of igneous rocks onto the Earth’s surface. Geosynclynal periods are characterized as the time of quiet Earth's crust Redox carbon cycle model is based on the two known geologic development, of slow plate movement, as the time of reduction of concept - plate tectonics and orogenic cycles. Plate tectonic concept volcanic activity and mountain building. It is the time for intensive [11-13] asserts that plates, covering the Earth surface, move weathering processes, accumulation of precipitation and increased permanently making a motion reminiscent of the movement of the photosynthesis. escalator. In the zone of mid-Atlantic ridge magma erupts onto the I have supposed that orogenic periods correspond to the time of surface and, coming into the contact with ocean water, hardens to form quick lithospheric plates’ movement and massive entry of CO onto a new plate. In the other place of the Earth (in Wadati - Benioff zone) 2 the Earth surface what stimulates photosynthesis development. the plates, moving towards each other, collide. One of them, bending Geosynclynal periods correspond to the time of dominant role of and moving down under the other, is absorbed by magma. photosynthesis what leads to the depletion of CO2 in the “atmosphere - hydrosphere” system. The link of the plates’ movement with the J Climatol Weather Forecasting, an open access journal Volume 4 • Issue 3 • 1000173 ISSN: 2332-2594 Citation: Ivlev AA (2016) Global Redox Carbon Cycle and Periodicity of Some Phenomena in Biosphere. J Climatol Weather Forecasting 4: 173. doi:10.4172/2332-2594.1000173 Page 2 of 7 orogenic cycles is the second specific feature of the redox carbon cycle that can be examined and compared with the products of the assumed model. Besides, differing from the orogenic cycles concept, I consider reactions. The studies of isotopic variations of the elements in the that CO2, derived in oxidation of sedimentary organic matter in above natural objects play a special role in checking the validity of the subduction zone, but not juvenile CO2, is the main contributor to the model, since they are described by the known physico-chemical laws. “atmosphere - hydrosphere” system. The third feature, differing the redox carbon cycle model from the How Does Global Redox Carbon Cycle Work? others [14-16], is the assertion that carbon turnover as not a simple Below we’ll describe the assumed mechanism of functioning of the transition of the element between geospheres and biosphere, but a redox cycle of carbon and then give some examples of the use of conversion of carbon from the oxidized state, presented by CO2, chemical and isotopic characteristics to substantiate it. bicarbonate and carbonate ions in the “atmosphere – hydrosphere” system, into the reduced state, presented by different biogenic forms, In a short-term orogenic period of the cycle carbon dioxide, produced in photosynthesis and in the following transformations. The produced in thermochemical sulfate reduction, fills the “atmosphere – reverse transition is realized via respiration of living organisms, via hydrosphere” system, which involves the common chemical exchange microbial and chemical oxidation accompanying transformations of system “carbon dioxide – bicarbonate – carbonate”: “living” matter after the burial. Among the oxidative processes the final oxidation of organic matter in subduction zone is dominant. 3 − The suggested sequence of geological events assumes the CO2 The��2 system,�аз as�� it2 stemmedрас�вор from �the2�� isotopic3 ��� data3 [17],�� is 3close to injections into “atmosphere – hydrosphere” system and the equilibrium. In the following long-term geosynclynal period due to achievement of maximal concentration of CO2 occur in orogenic photosynthesis the concentration of СО2 in the system decreases. period. In geosynclynal period it implies depletion of the pool of Carbon dioxide concentration from the maximal meaning, achieved in inorganic carbon at the expense of photosynthetic CO2 consumption. the orogenic period, reaches its minimal meaning by the end of the Thus, the global redox carbon cycle formally can be presented as a geosynclynal period (Figure 2). closed loop consisting of the two branches – oxidative and reductive. It has two remarkable points, one of which is photosynthesis, where the oxidized carbon species turn into the reduced state; another point provides the reverse transition (Figure 1). Figure 2: Natural redox carbon cycle model. The scheme of the Figure 1: The scheme of global redox carbon cycle, representing a putative variations of CO and O in the “atmosphere – closed loop consisting of oxidative and reductive branches and 2 2 hydrosphere” system and of organic carbon accumulation in having two remarkable points: 1. The point of carbon transition sedimentary rocks in the course of orogenic cycles. Note that from oxidative state to reduced one by means of photosynthesis; 2. according to photosynthesis
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