Mesoproterozoic

The Mesoproterozoic Era is a geologic era that occurred from

1,600 to 1,000 (http://tools.wmflabs.org/timescale/?Ma=1600%E2%80%931000) million years ago
. The Mesoproterozoic was the first era of Earth's history for which a fairly definitive
geological record survives. Continents existed during the preceding era (the
Paleoproterozoic), but little is known about them. The continental masses of the
Mesoproterozoic were more or less the same ones that exist today.
 Mesoproterozoic

Chronology

– Neoproterozoic
−1000 —
–
−1050 —
–
−1100 — Stenian
– M
−1150 — e
–P s
−1200 — r o
–o p
−1250 —t r
–e o
−1300 — r t Ectasian
–o e
−1350 —z r
–o o
−1400 — i z
–c o
−1450 — i
– c
−1500 — Calymmian
–
−1550 —
–
−1600 —
Paleoproterozoic

An approximate timescale
of key Mesoproterozoic
events.
Axis scale: millions of
years ago.

Proposed redefinition(s) 1780–850 Ma

Gradstein et al., 2012

Proposed subdivisions Rodinian Period, 1780–850 Ma

Gradstein et al., 2012

Etymology
 Name formality Formal

Usage information

Celestial body Earth

Regional usage Global (ICS)

Time scale(s) used ICS Time Scale

Definition

Chronological unit Era

Stratigraphic unit Erathem

Time span formality Formal

Lower boundary definition Defined Chronometrically

Lower boundary GSSP N/A

GSSP ratified N/A

Upper boundary definition Defined Chronometrically

Upper boundary GSSP N/A

GSSP ratified N/A

Major events and characteristics

The major events of this era are the breakup of the Columbia supercontinent, the
formation of the Rodinia supercontinent, and the evolution of sexual reproduction.

This era is marked by the further development of continental plates and plate tectonics.
The first large-scale mountain building episode, the Grenville Orogeny, for which extensive
evidence still survives, happened in this period.
This era was the high point of the Stromatolites before they declined in the
Neoproterozoic.

The era saw the development of sexual reproduction, which greatly increased the
complexity of life to come. It was the start of development of communal living among
organisms, the multicellular organisms.

It was an era of apparently critical, but still poorly understood, changes in the chemistry
of the sea, the sediments of the earth, and the composition of the air. Oxygen levels had
risen to perhaps 1% of today's levels at the beginning of the era and continued rising
throughout the Era.

The era did see large quantities of organisms in at least some areas at some periods: The
EIA/ARI Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: An Assessment of 137
Shale Formations in 41 Countries Outside the United States of June 2013 estimated around
194 trillion cubic feet of gas in place (ca. 44 trillion recoverable) and around 93 billion
barrels of oil in place (ca. 4.7 billion recoverable) in the Lower Kyalla and Middle Velkerri
formations alone of the Beetaloo Basin in Australia's Northern Territory.[1]

Subdivisions

The subdivisions of the Mesoproterozoic are arbitrary divisions based on time. They are not
geostratigraphic or biostratigraphic units. The base of the Mesoproterozoic is defined
chronometrically, in terms of years, rather than by the appearance or disappearance of
some organism. This gives an illusory sense of certainty. Radiometric dating is a good tool,
and gets better each decade. This creates some problems. As a practical matter,
radiometric dates have an error margin of 1–2%. That sounds good, but it means that two
sites, both measured to be at the exact base of the Ectasian, might differ in age by over 50
My. Since the Ectasian is only 200 My long, these differences dramatically influence its
timescale. And this accounts only for random error, ignoring systematic errors. Systematic
errors can be caused by extraterrestrial events, by geochemical or biochemical sorting of
isotopes, and human error. Thus far, biostratigraphy has usually proved considerably
more exact. In addition, a thoughtful choice of biological marker can be used as a signal to
expect a whole host of ecological changes. The difference between a Changhsingian and an
Induan deposit isn't just a matter of a few years. The world changed significantly at the
end of the Permian.

By contrast, the transition from Calymmian to Ectasian has no meaning beyond calendar
time. The usual reason given for the use of a chronometric system is that there is
insufficient biological activity or geochemical change to find useful markers. That is a
position which is now a little uncertain and is going to become increasingly tenuous over
the next few years. For example, there are a number of good potential markers in the rise
and decline of "Christmas tree" stromatolites, in the ebb and flow of banded iron
formations, the appearance of stable carbon-13 isotope (13C) excursions, and so on. These
have real meaning for the geologist and paleontologist.

For that matter, they are not completely without biological markers. There has been
considerable progress in studying and identifying fossil bacteria and Eukarya. The
cyanobacterium Archaeoellipsoides is one relatively common form, apparently known from
several species. It is probably related to the extant Anabaena and indicates the presence of
significant free oxygen. Oxygen levels also had significant effects on ocean chemistry;
continental weathering rates increased and provided sulfates and nitrates as nutrients. It
would be remarkable if this didn't result in new populations of both bacterial and
eukaryotic organisms. Since the presence of these cells would be tied directly to important
geochemical events, they would make ideal organisms for biostratigraphy.

The time period from 1780 Ma to 850 Ma, an unofficial period based on stratigraphy rather
than chronometry, named the Rodinian, is described in the geological timescale review 2012
edited by Gradstein et al.,[2] but as of February 2017, this has not yet been officially
adopted by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS).

See also

Boring Billion

References
 1. U. S. Energy Information Administration/Advanced Resources International, Technically
Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: An Assessment of 137 Shale Formations in 41
Countries Outside of the United States, June 2013, p. III-46. The Lower Kyalla and Middle Velkerri
formations are identified as Mesoproterozoic in references, p. III-49.

2. Gradstein, F.M. et al. (editors) (2012). The Geologic Time Scale 2012. Vol. 1. Elsevier. p. 361. ISBN 978-
0-44-459390-0. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)

External links

Mesoproterozoic (chronostratigraphy scale) (https://ghkclass.com/ghkC.html?mesoproter

ozoic)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mesoproterozoic.

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Last edited 5 months ago by Jms6000