Toward a Cenozoic history of atmospheric CO2

The CenCO2PIP Consortium

doi:10.1126/science.adi5177

Toward a Cenozoic history of atmospheric CO₂

The CenCO2PIP Consortium

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

The geological record encodes the relationship between climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) over long and short timescales, as well as potential drivers of evolutionary transitions. However, reconstructing CO₂ beyond direct measurements requires the use of paleoproxies and herein lies the challenge, as proxies differ in their assumptions, degree of understanding, and even reconstructed values. In this study, we critically evaluated, categorized, and integrated available proxies to create a high-fidelity and transparently constructed atmospheric CO₂ record spanning the past 66 million years. This newly constructed record provides clearer evidence for higher Earth system sensitivity in the past and for the role of CO₂ thresholds in biological and cryosphere evolution.

Original language	English
Article number	eadi5177
Number of pages	11
Journal	Science
Volume	382
Issue number	6675
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adi5177
Publication status	Published - 8 Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved.

Funding

We thank C. Major at NSF and the many researchers who contributed advice and enthusiasm for this project over the years. We are grateful to the staff at the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) for facilitating curation of the paleo-CO2 database, and to LDEO, the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Lodge, and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for hosting the three workshops that framed this work. Two anonymous reviewers provided valuable comments that improved this manuscript. This study is dedicated to Wally Broecker and Taro Takahashi, who pioneered the study of CO2 dynamics in a changing climate. Funding: This work was supported by National Science Foundation grant OCE 16-36005 (B.H. and P.J.P.), Heising-Simons Foundation grant 2018-0996 (B.H. and V.F.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21649 (B.H., V.F., J.J.M., and C.F.G.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21170 (G.J.B.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 20-02370 (Y.C.), National Science Foundation grant 18-43285 (A.P.), Columbia University’s Center for Climate and Life (K.T.U.), the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation (K.T.U.), National Science Foundation grant 21-00537 (A.P. and P.J.P.), National Science Foundation grant 21-00509 (P.J.P.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 21-21165 (A.R.), National Science Foundation grant EAR 18-06015 (Y.G.Z.), National Science Foundation grant DGE 16-44869 (S.R.P.), National Science Foundation grant 18-13703 (E.G.H.), National Science Foundation grant OCE 16-58023 (J.C.Z.), National Science Foundation grant 16-02905 (M.H.), Swedish Research Council grant NT7-2016 04905 (M.S.), European Research Council grant 101020824 (J.C.M.), SFI/RC/2092 (J.C.M.), UK Research and Innovation grant 101045371 (M.J.H.), Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/X000567/1 (M.P.S.B.), Royal Society grant DHF\R1\221014 (C.R.W.), Australian Research Council grant DP150104007 (P.J.F.), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft grant RA 2068/4-1 (M.R.), European Research Council grant 805246 (J.W.B.R.), an ETH Fellowship (J.K.C.R.), National Science Foundation of China grant 42030503 (J.D.), the Sandal Society Museum (G.J.R.), a Royal Society Tata Fellowship (B.D.A.N.), and Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/P019048/1 (G.L.F.).

Funders	Funder number
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Sandal Society Museum	NE/P019048/1
National Science Foundation	OCE 16-36005
G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation	21-00509, DGE 16-44869, 16-02905, EAR 18-06015, 18-13703, EAR 21-21165, 21-00537, OCE 16-58023
Columbia University
University of California at Los Angeles
UK Research and Innovation	101045371
Heising-Simons Foundation	EAR 21-21170, EAR 20-02370, 2018-0996, EAR 21-21649, 18-43285
UK Natural Environment Research Council	NE/X000567/1
Royal Statistics Society	DHF\R1\221014
European Research Council	SFI/RC/2092, 101020824
Australian Research Council	DP150104007
the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft	RA 2068/4-1, 805246
National Natural Science Foundation of China	42030503
Vetenskapsrådet	NT7-2016 04905

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1126/science.adi5177

science.adi5177Final published version, 6.87 MBLicence: Taverne

Cite this

@article{4e87f3db37cd4368b80836e2777f382b,

title = "Toward a Cenozoic history of atmospheric CO2",

abstract = "The geological record encodes the relationship between climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) over long and short timescales, as well as potential drivers of evolutionary transitions. However, reconstructing CO2 beyond direct measurements requires the use of paleoproxies and herein lies the challenge, as proxies differ in their assumptions, degree of understanding, and even reconstructed values. In this study, we critically evaluated, categorized, and integrated available proxies to create a high-fidelity and transparently constructed atmospheric CO2 record spanning the past 66 million years. This newly constructed record provides clearer evidence for higher Earth system sensitivity in the past and for the role of CO2 thresholds in biological and cryosphere evolution.",

author = "\{The CenCO2PIP Consortium\} and B{\"a}rbel H{\"o}nisch and Royer, \{Dana L.\} and Breecker, \{Daniel O.\} and Polissar, \{Pratigya J.\} and Bowen, \{Gabriel J.\} and Henehan, \{Michael J.\} and Ying Cui and Margret Steinthorsdottir and McElwain, \{Jennifer C.\} and Kohn, \{Matthew J.\} and Ann Pearson and Phelps, \{Samuel R.\} and Uno, \{Kevin T.\} and Andy Ridgwell and Eleni Anagnostou and Jacqueline Austermann and Badger, \{Marcus P.S.\} and Barclay, \{Richard S.\} and Bijl, \{Peter K.\} and Chalk, \{Thomas B.\} and Scotese, \{Christopher R.\} and \{de la Vega\}, Elwyn and DeConto, \{Robert M.\} and Dyez, \{Kelsey A.\} and Vicki Ferrini and Franks, \{Peter J.\} and Giulivi, \{Claudia F.\} and Marcus Gutjahr and Harper, \{Dustin T.\} and Haynes, \{Laura L.\} and Matthew Huber and Snell, \{Kathryn E.\} and Keisling, \{Benjamin A.\} and Wilfried Konrad and Lowenstein, \{Tim K.\} and Alberto Malinverno and Maxence Guillermic and Mej{\'i}a, \{Luz Mar{\'i}a\} and Milligan, \{Joseph N.\} and Morton, \{John J.\} and Lee Nordt and Ross Whiteford and Anita Roth-Nebelsick and Rugenstein, \{Jeremy K.C.\} and Schaller, \{Morgan F.\} and Witkowski, \{Caitlyn R.\} and Zhang, \{Yi Ge\} and K{\"u}rschner, \{Wolfram M.\} and Lawrence, \{Charles E.\} and \{van der Burgh\}, Johan",

year = "2023",

month = dec,

day = "8",

doi = "10.1126/science.adi5177",

language = "English",

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AU - Hönisch, Bärbel

AU - Royer, Dana L.

AU - Breecker, Daniel O.

AU - Polissar, Pratigya J.

AU - Bowen, Gabriel J.

AU - Henehan, Michael J.

AU - Cui, Ying

AU - Steinthorsdottir, Margret

AU - McElwain, Jennifer C.

AU - Kohn, Matthew J.

AU - Pearson, Ann

AU - Phelps, Samuel R.

AU - Uno, Kevin T.

AU - Ridgwell, Andy

AU - Anagnostou, Eleni

AU - Austermann, Jacqueline

AU - Badger, Marcus P.S.

AU - Barclay, Richard S.

AU - Bijl, Peter K.

AU - Chalk, Thomas B.

AU - Scotese, Christopher R.

AU - de la Vega, Elwyn

AU - DeConto, Robert M.

AU - Dyez, Kelsey A.

AU - Ferrini, Vicki

AU - Franks, Peter J.

AU - Giulivi, Claudia F.

AU - Gutjahr, Marcus

AU - Harper, Dustin T.

AU - Haynes, Laura L.

AU - Huber, Matthew

AU - Snell, Kathryn E.

AU - Keisling, Benjamin A.

AU - Konrad, Wilfried

AU - Lowenstein, Tim K.

AU - Malinverno, Alberto

AU - Guillermic, Maxence

AU - Mejía, Luz María

AU - Milligan, Joseph N.

AU - Morton, John J.

AU - Nordt, Lee

AU - Whiteford, Ross

AU - Roth-Nebelsick, Anita

AU - Rugenstein, Jeremy K.C.

AU - Schaller, Morgan F.

AU - Witkowski, Caitlyn R.

AU - Zhang, Yi Ge

AU - Kürschner, Wolfram M.

AU - Lawrence, Charles E.

AU - van der Burgh, Johan

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AB - The geological record encodes the relationship between climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) over long and short timescales, as well as potential drivers of evolutionary transitions. However, reconstructing CO2 beyond direct measurements requires the use of paleoproxies and herein lies the challenge, as proxies differ in their assumptions, degree of understanding, and even reconstructed values. In this study, we critically evaluated, categorized, and integrated available proxies to create a high-fidelity and transparently constructed atmospheric CO2 record spanning the past 66 million years. This newly constructed record provides clearer evidence for higher Earth system sensitivity in the past and for the role of CO2 thresholds in biological and cryosphere evolution.

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