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Published Online September 29, 2005
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1115769

Reports

Submitted on June 6, 2005
Accepted on September 21, 2005

Biomarker Evidence for Photosynthesis During Neoproterozoic Glaciation

Alison N. Olcott 1, Alex L. Sessions 2, Frank A. Corsetti 1, Alan J. Kaufman 3, Tolentino Flavio de Oliviera 4

1 University of Southern California, USA.
2 California Institute of Technology, USA.
3 University of Maryland, USA.
4 Companhia Mineira de Metais, Brazil.

Laterally extensive black shales were deposited on the São Francisco craton in southeastern Brazil during low-latitude Neoproterozoic glaciation ca. 740-700 Ma. These rocks contain up to 3.0 wt.% organic carbon, which we interpret as representing the preserved record of abundant marine primary productivity from glacial times. Extractable biomarkers reflect a complex and productive microbial ecosystem, including both phototrophic bacteria and eukaryotes, living in a stratified ocean with thin or absent sea ice, oxic surface waters, and euxinic conditions within the photic zone. Such an environment provides important constraints for parts of the "Snowball Earth" hypothesis.


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