Upper Devonian mercury record from North America and its implications for the Frasnian–Famennian mass extinction

The Frasnian–Famennian biotic crisis (~372 Ma) was one of the “big five” mass extinction events in Phanerozoic. This event associated with dramatic climatic and oceanographic perturbations, including oceanic anoxia, global cooling, sea-level fluctuations. Large-scale volcanic activity is several possible triggers that have been suggested as ultimate cause this crisis, based on Hg enrichment data from widespread sections. However, there are also sections do not show a across boundary. To further investigate hypothesis trigger for event, mercury (Hg) analyses were performed six North American records (five Appalachian Basin Illinois Basin) include There no uniformly observed at or below boundary sites. A potentially volcanically driven anomaly found Basin; however, occurs stratigraphically above Mercury studied sites question timing volcanism may be responsible event. Further studies needed to fully understand geographic distribution eruption history large igneous provinces, well link between during interval.