Pattern of Marine Mass Extinction Near the Permian-Triassic Boundary in South China

2000662 citationsJournal Article

Authors

Jin Yue · Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology

Y. Wang · Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology

Wei Wang · Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology

Qiangyu Shang · Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology

Changqun Cao · Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology

Douglas H. Erwin · National Museum of Natural History

Abstract

The Meishan section across the Permian-Triassic boundary in South China is the most thoroughly investigated in the world. A statistical analysis of the occurrences of 162 genera and 333 species confirms a sudden extinction event at 251.4 million years ago, coincident with a dramatic depletion of delta13C(carbonate) and an increase in microspherules.

Topics & Keywords

Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils Geological and Geophysical Studies Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Life below water

Publication Details

Published in: Science

Volume 289, Issue 5478, pp. 432-436

DOI: 10.1126/science.289.5478.432

Field-Weighted Citation Impact: 36.81