Dynamic deep marine oxygenation during the Early and Middle Paleozoic

The Early Paleozoic radiation of diverse animal life is commonly connected to a well-ventilated global ocean. Yet the oxygenation history of Paleozoic deep oceans remains debated. Using thallium (Tl) isotope ratios in deep-marine mudrocks, we reconstruct the history of deep marine oxygenation from ~485 to 380 million years ago. Thallium isotopes can track bottom water oxygenation indirectly through their sensitivity to seafloor Mn oxide burial. We apply Tl isotopes to a global set of mudrocks, placing a particular focus on the Road River Group of Yukon, Canada. Our data reveal an oscillatory pattern in seawater Tl isotope ratios and, in turn, a dynamic ocean ventilation history. A long-lived deep ocean oxygenation episode is identified between ~405 and 386 million years ago. These short-term dynamics are superimposed on a muted positive ocean oxygenation trend over the entire Early and Middle Paleozoic. Sustained O₂ accumulation in global marine bottom waters occurred sometime after ~380 million years ago according to our dataset.