Burning of forest materials under late Paleozoic high atmospheric oxygen levels

R.A. Wildman; L.J. Hickey; M.B. Dickinson; R.A. Berner; J.M. Robinson; M. Dietrich; R.H. Essenhigh; C.B. Wildman

doi:10.1130/G20255.1

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Burning of forest materials under late Paleozoic high atmospheric oxygen levels

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Burning of forest materials under late Paleozoic high atmospheric oxygen levels

R.A. Wildman, L.J. Hickey, M.B. Dickinson, R.A. Berner, J.M. Robinson, M. Dietrich, R.H. Essenhigh and C.B. Wildman

Geology, Vol.32(5), pp.457-460

2004

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1130/G20255.1

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Abstract

Theoretical models suggest that atmospheric oxygen reached concentrations as high as 35% O2 during the past 550 m.y. Previous burning experiments using strips of paper have challenged this idea, concluding that ancient wildfires would have decimated plant life if O2 significantly exceeded its present level of 21 %. New thermochemistry and flame-spread experiments using natural fuels contradict these results and indicate that sustained burning of forest fuels at moisture contents common to living plants does not occur between 21% and 35% O2. Therefore, the fires under atmospheres with high oxygen concentrations would not have prevented the persistence of plant communities. Times of high O2 also agree with observations of concurrent fire-resistant plant morphology, large insects, and high concentrations of fossil charcoal.

Details

Title: Burning of forest materials under late Paleozoic high atmospheric oxygen levels
Authors/Creators: R.A. Wildman (Author/Creator) - Yale University
L.J. Hickey (Author/Creator) - Yale University
M.B. Dickinson (Author/Creator) - Forest Service Northeastern Research Station, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Delaware, Ohio 43015, USA
R.A. Berner (Author/Creator) - Yale University
J.M. Robinson (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
M. Dietrich (Author/Creator) - The Ohio State University
R.H. Essenhigh (Author/Creator) - The Ohio State University
C.B. Wildman (Author/Creator) - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Publication Details: Geology, Vol.32(5), pp.457-460
Publisher: Geological Society of America
Identifiers: 991005542757507891
Copyright: © 2004 Geological Society of America.
Murdoch Affiliation: School of Environmental Science
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 8 Earth Sciences; 8.8 Geochemistry, Geophysics & Geology; 8.8.550 Paleoecology and Biogeography
Web Of Science research areas: Geology
ESI research areas: Geosciences