Collaborative Research: Co-evolution of Earth and Life across the Proterozoic-Phanerozoic transition: Integrated perspectives from outcrop and drill core

埃迪卡拉纪-寒武纪的转变(约5.8亿-5.3亿年前)代表着地球生命历史上最深刻的事件之一，标志着化石记录中所有主要动物群体的突然出现和随后的繁衍。这段时间间隔还记录了地球系统的重大环境变化，包括大气氧浓度的波动和大陆的快速运动。已经提出了一些假设来将生物变化和环境变化之间的相互作用联系起来；然而，这一时间段的详细时间记录目前还不够发达，海洋、陆地、构造、地球动力学和生物系统变化之间的相互关系需要整合来自广泛学科的不同数据集。该项目召集了一个不同的科学家团队，通过结合露头研究和钻探核心研究来测试关于动物生命黎明时地球系统的基本假设，以研究世界上六个关键的埃迪卡拉纪-寒武纪地区。现场和分析结果将与模型研究相结合，以阐明跨越地质记录中最具标志性的边界的生命和环境的共同进化。这项拟议的研究将直接与国内和国际上已建立的K-12和大学推广计划相结合，并将为国际在线计划、博物馆和实地展示贡献各种新的教育材料。通过为埃迪卡拉纪-寒武纪的过渡建立一个新的时间和地层框架，该项目将测试与跨越地质记录中最具标志性的边界的生命和环境的共同进化有关的假说。研究人员建议开展野外和实验室合作活动，以整合全球六个关键的埃迪卡拉纪-寒武纪沉积序列的沉积学、地球化学学、古生物学、地质年代学和古地磁记录。该项目还将为国际地球科学中心资助的“通过综合新元古代钻探进行地质研究：埃迪卡拉纪-寒武纪过渡”(GRIND-ECT)项目提供支持，该项目代表了地球科学家为获取独特的埃迪卡拉纪-早寒武世岩心材料所做的一次全社会的努力。GRIND-ECT项目在整个埃迪卡拉纪和下寒武统提供了广泛、连续的采样，再加上拟议的野外活动和建模组件，将提供一个独特的机会来推进埃迪卡拉纪-寒武纪的年代学，并为新一代研究机会奠定基础。将支持国内和国际上已建立的K-12和大学外展计划，并将为国际在线计划、博物馆和实地展示准备新的教育材料。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Ediacaran–Cambrian transition (~580–530 million years ago) represents one of the most profound events in the history of life on Earth, marking the sudden appearance and subsequent proliferation of all major animal groups in the fossil record. This time interval also records significant environmental change in the Earth system, including fluctuations in atmospheric oxygen concentrations and rapid motion of the continents. A number of hypotheses have been proposed to link the interactions between biotic and environmental change; however, a detailed temporal record of this time period is currently underdeveloped, and the interrelationships among changes to the marine, terrestrial, tectonic, geodynamic, and biotic systems require integration of disparate datasets from a wide spectrum of disciplines. This project assembles a diverse team of scientists to test fundamental hypotheses regarding the Earth system at the dawn of animal life by using a combination of outcrop and drill core studies to study six key Ediacaran–Cambrian regions worldwide. Field and analytical results will be combined with modelling studies to elucidate the co-evolution of life and environment across the most iconic boundary in the geologic record. The proposed study will integrate directly with established K-12 and university outreach programs both domestically and internationally, and it will contribute a variety of new educational materials to international online programs, museums, and field displays. By generating a new temporal and stratigraphic framework for the Ediacaran–Cambrian transition, this project will test hypotheses related to the co-evolution of life and environment across the most iconic boundary in the geologic record. The investigators propose to generate collaborative field- and lab-based activities to integrate sedimentological, geochemical, paleontological, geochronological, and paleomagnetic records from six key Ediacaran–Cambrian sedimentary successions worldwide. This project will also provide support to the ICDP-funded “Geological Research through Integrated Neoproterozoic Drilling: The Ediacaran–Cambrian Transition” (GRIND-ECT) project, which represents a one-time, community-wide effort for Earth scientists to obtain unique Ediacaran–early Cambrian core material. The extensive, continuous sampling throughout the Ediacaran and lower Cambrian provided by the GRIND-ECT project, coupled with the proposed field campaigns and modeling components, will provide a unique opportunity to advance Ediacaran–Cambrian chronology and set the stage for a new generation of research opportunities. Established K-12 and university outreach programs both domestically and internationally will be supported, and new educational materials to international online programs, museums, and field displays will be prepared.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.