Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hey guys!
For this years regional science fair, I managed to pull off 4 awards with a project investigating the possible causes of the Ordovicin-Silurian extinction event.
Its a very little sutied event, and the theories based around it are not thought of as certain, therefore I investigated it myself through examination of 10 late Ordovician geological formations. Results were droping populations in Calcium Carbonate shelled organisms, pyrite, K bentonite, (and through previous studies made) high levels of carbon dioxide.
I put it all together, Pyrite indicates lack of oxygen in an environment along with the introduction of sulphure to trigger the fusion, along with K bentonite, which is pretty much the fossil remains of volcanic ash. Through this, I could theorize that it was indeed a super volcanic event, which led t global temperature drops, triggering Ice ages (therefore decreasing Calcium Carbonate shelled organisms).
Now, my next question is how can I build on this topic? I am certain that I will continue to look for these types of leads, but is there anywhere else I could take this project?
Thank you!

Regards

Hello Science1997 and congratulations on your research and the awards you won!

I am certainly not a specialist on the Ordovician/Silurian extinction, but here are several questions you might be interested in to build on this topic:
-several extinctions have been documented in the history of life on Earth: are there causes for those that are more frequent than others?
-there are several types of volcanic eruptions, would super eruptions of different kinds have a different impact on life?
-were there local extinctions that happened because of milder eruptions?
-how likely is it that this phenomenon would happen nowadays? In the next 10 000 years? 100 000 years?

Best of luck and let us know where you are taking this?

Heloise

Hi Science1997,

You have conducted a fascinating project, and you should be very proud of your accomplishments!

Heloise has given you some great advice. I wanted to add one more idea that will include a modern topic. Currently, the excess CO2 in the atmosphere has gotten into the ocean and is causing ocean acidification, which is detrimental to calcium carbonate organisms. You might compare the current increases in CO2 and decreases in ocean pH to the extinction boundary you studied, to see whether we may be headed in a similar direction.

Good luck, and please post again as your project develops!

Heather

Thank you very much for your help!
I was just looking to take this project as far as possible.
Heather, it seems the project has progressed to an extent. I have a candidate for what volcano may hae case it; the appalachians. They reached peak volcanic activity nearing the end of the ordovician.

Hi Science1997,

Glad we can help!

Volcanoes are the primary *natural* source of CO2 being released into the atmosphere. It might be interesting to compare what happened during your extinction event to what is happening (much more slowly) today.

Glad things are progressing! Do keep us posted.

Best,
Heather