Speaker/Affiliation: Pulkit Singh, Stanford University
Title: The rise and fall of carbonate skeletons
Time: Wednesday, November 12 12:00pm PST
Location: EMS B210
Abstract: Mineralized skeletons revolutionized marine ecosystems, yet their long-term biomass history has remained poorly constrained. We compiled data from ~7,400 carbonate thin sections spanning 540 million years to reconstruct proportional skeletal biomass produced by skeleton forming organisms across geologic time. The record shows a stepwise rise in biomass punctuated by sharp collapses at mass extinctions and rapid post-crisis recoveries. These dynamics parallel marine biodiversity trends, highlighting how energy flow through benthic communities shaped ecosystem complexity.
