New Research Links Mega El Niño to Earth’s Worst Mass Extinction 252 Million Years Ago

Approximately 252 million years ago, the planet was engulfed in a catastrophic event known as the Great Dying, which led to the extinction of more than 90% of all life. This mass extinction marked the end of the Permian geological period and is considered the worst of the five global catastrophic events in Earth's history. It was even more devastating than the one caused by a giant asteroid that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Volcanic Activity and Climate Changes: The Leading Causes

For a long time, the most credible explanation for the Great Dying has been attributed to carbon dioxide released by volcanic activity in a region known as the Siberian Traps. This volcanic activity is believed to have caused a sudden warming of the planet, resulting in higher temperatures, acid rain, and ocean acidification.

However, recent research suggests that a mega El Niño effect may have played a pivotal role in this event. According to a study published in the journal Science, the combination of volcanic activity and changes in climate dynamics caused extreme fluctuations in weather patterns, contributing to the mass extinction.

Understanding the Climate-based Extinction Crisis

Paul Wignall, a professor of paleoenvironments at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom and coauthor of the study, emphasized the importance of understanding the climate-based nature of the extinction crisis. He noted that the extreme and fluctuating climate conditions would have posed significant challenges for the survival of various species over a span of approximately 100,000 years.

The research team built a computer model of the global climate during the close of the Permian Period, which indicated that as global temperatures rose, the El Niño events grew in magnitude and duration. These events caused periods of severe flooding and scorching drought, unleashing wildfires and devastating various species worldwide. The El Niño events during the extinction were much more prolonged and intense than those experienced today, lasting up to 10 years during the warmest phases.

The Impact of El Niño Events on the Earth’s Ecosystem

El Niño events today typically last between nine and 18 months and occur every two to seven years. However, during the Great Dying, the El Niño episodes would have originated in the Panthalassic Ocean, a much larger body of water than today's Pacific Ocean. This larger ocean would have held more heat, further intensifying and prolonging the El Niño effects.

While volcanic activity was a major contributor to the extinction, the feedback mechanism on ocean dynamics that resulted in these stronger El Niño events played a crucial role as well. The prolonged and intense El Niño events explained why extinctions had begun on land before occurring in the ocean. The rising temperatures on land exceeded most species' thermal tolerances, making it impossible for them to adapt in time.

A Prolonged El Niño and its Repercussions on Biodiversity

The extreme conditions created by the mega El Niño would have resulted in incredible warmth in the tropics, leading to the loss of most vegetation and its ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Professor Wignall explained that during the early Triassic period, following the extinction event, nothing would have been growing higher than knee-level.

The research team's climate model, which utilized new and detailed temperature data from fossils of tiny eel-like creatures known as conodonts, provided valuable insights into the rise in temperatures at different latitudes during the mass extinction. This data, obtained over an extended period, allowed scientists to better reconstruct and understand past conditions and climate systems.

Comparisons with Today's Climate Crisis

Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza, a researcher at University College London, highlighted the interconnectedness of climatic and environmental dynamics and their potential impact on ecological balance. This study serves as a warning in light of the current ecological crisis facing the planet.

Some researchers today believe that the world is currently experiencing its sixth mass extinction and that the end-Permian extinction may hold valuable lessons for the current climate crisis. El Niño events today are known to cause coral bleaching and mass mortality of fish, but the ecological impact and future trajectory of El Niño events in a warming climate are still unknown.

Unique Geographical Context 252 Million Years Ago

It is important to note that the world 252 million years ago was geographically different from today, with the presence of a supercontinent called Pangea and a massive ocean. These factors may have made the planet more sensitive to the carbon dioxide expelled by supervolcanoes.

While the end-Permian extinction remains the most significant crisis in Earth's history from a biological standpoint, it is unlikely that the planet will experience such extreme conditions again, as the Earth's geography and configuration have changed significantly since that time.

In conclusion, the research published in the journal Science provides valuable insights into the interplay of volcanic activity, climate dynamics, and El Niño events that contributed to the Great Dying. This study not only enhances our understanding of past mass extinctions but also serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between climate and biodiversity and its relevance to the present-day ecological challenges.