Anomalous δ15N values in the Neoarchean associated with an abundant supply of hydrothermal ammonium

Ashley N. Martin; Eva E. Stüeken; Michelle M. Gehringer; Monika Markowska; Hubert Vonhof; Stefan Weyer; Axel Hofmann

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-57091-3

Anomalous δ¹⁵N values in the Neoarchean associated with an abundant supply of hydrothermal ammonium

Ashley N. Martin^*
, Eva E. Stüeken
, Michelle M. Gehringer
, Monika Markowska
, Hubert Vonhof
, Stefan Weyer
, Axel Hofmann

^*Corresponding author for this work

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

Abstract

Unusually high δ¹⁵N values in the Neoarchean sedimentary record in the time period from 2.8 to 2.6 Ga, termed the Nitrogen Isotope Event (NIE), might be explained by aerobic N cycling prior to the Great Oxidation Event (GOE). Here we report strongly positive δ¹⁵N values up to +42.5 ‰ in ~2.75 – 2.73 Ga shallow-marine carbonates from Zimbabwe. As the corresponding deeper-marine shales exhibit negative δ¹⁵N values that are explained by partial biological uptake from a large ammonium reservoir, we interpret our data to have resulted from hydrothermal upwelling of ¹⁵N-rich ammonium into shallow, partially oxic waters, consistent with uranium isotope variations. This work shows that anomalous N isotope signatures at the onset of the NIE temporally correlate with extensive volcanic and hydrothermal activity both locally and globally, which may have stimulated primary production and spurred biological innovation in the lead-up to the GOE.

Original language	English
Article number	1873
Number of pages	10
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	16
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57091-3
Publication status	Published - 22 Feb 2025

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Did hydrothermal vents push the frontier: Did hydrothermal vents push the frontiers of habitability on the early Earth?
Stueeken, E. (PI)
Natural Environment Research Council
1/04/21 → 31/03/25
Project: Standard

Data associated with manuscript Anomalous δ15N values in the Neoarchean associated with hydrothermal ammonium upwelling
Martin, A. N. (Creator), Stüeken, E. (Creator), Gehringer, M. M. (Creator), Vonhof, H. (Creator), Weyer, S. (Creator), Hofmann, A. (Creator) & Markowska, M. (Creator), Figshare, 2025
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.27632010.v1
Dataset

Cite this

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title = "Anomalous δ15N values in the Neoarchean associated with an abundant supply of hydrothermal ammonium",

abstract = "Unusually high δ15N values in the Neoarchean sedimentary record in the time period from 2.8 to 2.6 Ga, termed the Nitrogen Isotope Event (NIE), might be explained by aerobic N cycling prior to the Great Oxidation Event (GOE). Here we report strongly positive δ15N values up to +42.5 ‰ in \textasciitilde{}2.75 – 2.73 Ga shallow-marine carbonates from Zimbabwe. As the corresponding deeper-marine shales exhibit negative δ15N values that are explained by partial biological uptake from a large ammonium reservoir, we interpret our data to have resulted from hydrothermal upwelling of 15N-rich ammonium into shallow, partially oxic waters, consistent with uranium isotope variations. This work shows that anomalous N isotope signatures at the onset of the NIE temporally correlate with extensive volcanic and hydrothermal activity both locally and globally, which may have stimulated primary production and spurred biological innovation in the lead-up to the GOE.",

author = "Martin, \{Ashley N.\} and St{\"u}eken, \{Eva E.\} and Gehringer, \{Michelle M.\} and Monika Markowska and Hubert Vonhof and Stefan Weyer and Axel Hofmann",

note = "Funding: Funding for A.N.M. and S.W. (WE 2850/17-1), and M.M.G. (GE 2558/4-1) was provided by the German Research Foundation (DFG) priority programme SPP-1833 Building a Habitable Earth. A.N.M. was supported by additional funding from the DFG priority programme SPP-2238 Dynamics of Ore Metals Enrichment (MA 9571-3-1). E.E.S. acknowledges support from a UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Frontiers grant (NE/V010824/1) and a Leverhulme Trust grant (RPG-2022-313). M.M. acknowledges funding from a Royal Society Award (URF\textbackslash{}R1\textbackslash{}231546). A.H. acknowledges logistical support from the Department of Geology, University of Zimbabwe.",

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T1 - Anomalous δ15N values in the Neoarchean associated with an abundant supply of hydrothermal ammonium

AU - Martin, Ashley N.

AU - Stüeken, Eva E.

AU - Gehringer, Michelle M.

AU - Markowska, Monika

AU - Vonhof, Hubert

AU - Weyer, Stefan

AU - Hofmann, Axel

N1 - Funding: Funding for A.N.M. and S.W. (WE 2850/17-1), and M.M.G. (GE 2558/4-1) was provided by the German Research Foundation (DFG) priority programme SPP-1833 Building a Habitable Earth. A.N.M. was supported by additional funding from the DFG priority programme SPP-2238 Dynamics of Ore Metals Enrichment (MA 9571-3-1). E.E.S. acknowledges support from a UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Frontiers grant (NE/V010824/1) and a Leverhulme Trust grant (RPG-2022-313). M.M. acknowledges funding from a Royal Society Award (URF\R1\231546). A.H. acknowledges logistical support from the Department of Geology, University of Zimbabwe.

PY - 2025/2/22

Y1 - 2025/2/22

N2 - Unusually high δ15N values in the Neoarchean sedimentary record in the time period from 2.8 to 2.6 Ga, termed the Nitrogen Isotope Event (NIE), might be explained by aerobic N cycling prior to the Great Oxidation Event (GOE). Here we report strongly positive δ15N values up to +42.5 ‰ in ~2.75 – 2.73 Ga shallow-marine carbonates from Zimbabwe. As the corresponding deeper-marine shales exhibit negative δ15N values that are explained by partial biological uptake from a large ammonium reservoir, we interpret our data to have resulted from hydrothermal upwelling of 15N-rich ammonium into shallow, partially oxic waters, consistent with uranium isotope variations. This work shows that anomalous N isotope signatures at the onset of the NIE temporally correlate with extensive volcanic and hydrothermal activity both locally and globally, which may have stimulated primary production and spurred biological innovation in the lead-up to the GOE.

AB - Unusually high δ15N values in the Neoarchean sedimentary record in the time period from 2.8 to 2.6 Ga, termed the Nitrogen Isotope Event (NIE), might be explained by aerobic N cycling prior to the Great Oxidation Event (GOE). Here we report strongly positive δ15N values up to +42.5 ‰ in ~2.75 – 2.73 Ga shallow-marine carbonates from Zimbabwe. As the corresponding deeper-marine shales exhibit negative δ15N values that are explained by partial biological uptake from a large ammonium reservoir, we interpret our data to have resulted from hydrothermal upwelling of 15N-rich ammonium into shallow, partially oxic waters, consistent with uranium isotope variations. This work shows that anomalous N isotope signatures at the onset of the NIE temporally correlate with extensive volcanic and hydrothermal activity both locally and globally, which may have stimulated primary production and spurred biological innovation in the lead-up to the GOE.

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VL - 16

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 1873

ER -

Anomalous δ15N values in the Neoarchean associated with an abundant supply of hydrothermal ammonium

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Did hydrothermal vents push the frontier: Did hydrothermal vents push the frontiers of habitability on the early Earth?

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Data associated with manuscript Anomalous δ15N values in the Neoarchean associated with hydrothermal ammonium upwelling

Cite this

Anomalous δ¹⁵N values in the Neoarchean associated with an abundant supply of hydrothermal ammonium