Scientists have discovered a hitherto unknown factor. mass extinction between Permian: The uncontrolled emergence of toxic microbes in fresh and salt waters, rendering them incapable of life. This, as evidenced, has been possible for three reasons that occur at any given time of global warming: massive emissions of greenhouse gases (formerly by volcanoes, now by humans), a sharp rise in temperatures, and an excess of nutrients. to waters from the mainland (as, for example, on the Mar Menor).
252 million years ago, at the end of the Permian, the so-called mass extinction occurred, and it’s undoubtedly the most devastating event of this kind in Earth’s history since. 95% of all marine species and 70% of all terrestrial vertebrates disappeared. Scientists continue to investigate the causes of this shocking event and are discovering a disturbing truth: The factors that caused this mass extinction are very similar to the factors that unleashed current climate change.
Until now, the great Permian extinction has been attributed to massive volcanic greenhouse gas emissions and a significant increase in temperature. However, a study recently published by the University of Connecticut (USA) identified a new extinction cause during overheating events: toxic microbial flowers.
In a healthy ecosystem, microscopic algae and cyanobacteria provide oxygen to aquatic animals. However when their numbers are too large, these microbes deplete the available oxygen and even release toxins into the water, forming a poisonous soup that kills other living organisms.
This is what these scientists saw, for example, in Sydney (Australia). Outbreaks of toxic microbial blooms must have occurred shortly after the first volcanic episodes of the Permian mass extinction. After bottom-fed animals died, microbes could grow and multiply freely.. Thus, freshwater systems filled with algae and bacteria delay the recovery of animal species for millions of years.
The three main components of that ‘poisonous soup’ that water systems eventually turn into: accelerated greenhouse gas emissions, high temperatures and nutrient abundance.
Volcanic eruptions provided the first, while sudden deforestation caused the second. When the trees were destroyed, their degraded remains mixed with rivers and lakes, providing all the nutrients the microbes would need.
Scientists analyzed the sediments in this type of ecosystem and confirmed these facts. When the team compared the fossil record of different mass extinctions linked to warming, they found extremely similar results. Well In times of global warming, proliferation of deadly microbes is common. as aggressors of aquatic ecosystems.
Now following “same recipe”
Today, mankind seems to follow the same recipe and In fact, microbial explosions are increasing in fresh and salt water.. The situation is disturbing.
“We’re seeing more and more toxic algal blooms in lakes and shallow marine environments associated with temperature increases and changes in plant communities that lead to increased nutrient contributions to freshwater environments,” says Tracy Frank. Department of Geosciences at the University of Connecticut.
“Then, there are many parallels with today. Volcanism was a source of CO2 in the past, but we know that the rate of CO2 inflow observed at that time was similar to the rate of CO2 increase we see today due to other influences.”
Human impact on climate change is “clear”, creating conditions that favor the spread of these heat-loving microbes, according to the report released a few weeks ago by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
in combination with nutrient runoff from water pollution, particularly agriculture and deforestationThis led to a sharp increase in toxic explosions. The consequences: massive fish kills, severe impacts on human and animal health, and annual costs that can be measured in billions of dollars.
massive increase in fires
“The end of the Permian is one of the best places to look for parallels with what’s happening now,” said Chris Fielding, one of the report’s authors.
“HE Another major parallel is that the temperature rise at the end of the Permian coincided with large increases in wildfires. One of the things that destroyed entire ecosystems was fire, and we’re seeing it now in places like California. “As they become more common, one wonders what the long-term consequences of such events will be.”
To him, these are “clear signs” of an unstable ecosystem, and this study shows that the effects of bloom events can reverberate for a very long time.
But unlike species that have suffered mass extinctions in the past, “we have the opportunity to prevent these toxic eruptions.” keeping our waterways clean and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions greenhouse effect”.
“The scary thing is that if we’re really adventurous, we’re used to thinking over time scales like years or maybe decades. The mass extinction event at the end of the Permian took four million years to recover. It’s sobering,” says Fielding.
Reference work: DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25711-3
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