Burning of forest materials under late Paleozoic high atmospheric oxygen levels

Abstract

Research Article| May 01, 2004 Burning of forest materials under late Paleozoic high atmospheric oxygen levels Richard A. Wildman, Jr.; Richard A. Wildman, Jr. 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Leo J. Hickey; Leo J. Hickey 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Matthew B. Dickinson; Matthew B. Dickinson 2Forest Service Northeastern Research Station, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Delaware, Ohio 43015, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Robert A. Berner; Robert A. Berner 3Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jennifer M. Robinson; Jennifer M. Robinson 4Department of Environmental Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Michael Dietrich; Michael Dietrich 5Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Robert H. Essenhigh; Robert H. Essenhigh 5Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Craig B. Wildman Craig B. Wildman 6Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Richard A. Wildman, Jr. 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA Leo J. Hickey 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA Matthew B. Dickinson 2Forest Service Northeastern Research Station, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Delaware, Ohio 43015, USA Robert A. Berner 3Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA Jennifer M. Robinson 4Department of Environmental Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia Michael Dietrich 5Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA Robert H. Essenhigh 5Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA Craig B. Wildman 6Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 07 Oct 2003 Revision Received: 23 Jan 2004 Accepted: 24 Jan 2004 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2004) 32 (5): 457–460. https://doi.org/10.1130/G20255.1 Article history Received: 07 Oct 2003 Revision Received: 23 Jan 2004 Accepted: 24 Jan 2004 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Richard A. Wildman, Leo J. Hickey, Matthew B. Dickinson, Robert A. Berner, Jennifer M. Robinson, Michael Dietrich, Robert H. Essenhigh, Craig B. Wildman; Burning of forest materials under late Paleozoic high atmospheric oxygen levels. Geology 2004;; 32 (5): 457–460. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G20255.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search 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. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.