The End-Triassic mass extinction, caused by climate warming in response to increased volcanism, had severe consequences for animal life including the decimation of coral reefs. We seek to better understand how ocean acidification and carbonate factory shutdown may have contributed to reef collapse during the ETME.

My postdoctoral work focuses on applying the stable strontium isotope proxy to learn more about the Earth's carbonate system during the ETME. The proportion of the heavy to light stable isotopes of Sr in global seawater is mainly controlled by the rate of carbonate precipitation, which is related to carbonate saturation. In times of enhanced CO2 release, we would expect increased ocean acidification which would lower carbonate saturation. We are measuring stable Sr isotopes in carbonate rocks from Alaska and Nevada to explore the timing and severity of ETME carbonate factory perturbation.