Research Article| February 01, 2001 Terrestrial record of methane hydrate dissociation in the Early Cretaceous A. Hope Jahren; A. Hope Jahren 1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Nan Crystal Arens; Nan Crystal Arens 2Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Gustavo Sarmiento; Gustavo Sarmiento 3Departamento de Géociencias, Universidad Nacional, Bogotá, Colombia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Javier Guerrero; Javier Guerrero 4Departamento de Géociencias, Universidad Nacional, Bogotá, Colombia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Ronald Amundson Ronald Amundson 5Division of Ecosystem Science, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information A. Hope Jahren 1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA Nan Crystal Arens 2Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA Gustavo Sarmiento 3Departamento de Géociencias, Universidad Nacional, Bogotá, Colombia Javier Guerrero 4Departamento de Géociencias, Universidad Nacional, Bogotá, Colombia Ronald Amundson 5Division of Ecosystem Science, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 19 Jun 2000 Revision Received: 26 Oct 2000 Accepted: 06 Nov 2000 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2001) 29 (2): 159–162. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0159:TROMHD>2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 19 Jun 2000 Revision Received: 26 Oct 2000 Accepted: 06 Nov 2000 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation A. Hope Jahren, Nan Crystal Arens, Gustavo Sarmiento, Javier Guerrero, Ronald Amundson; Terrestrial record of methane hydrate dissociation in the Early Cretaceous. Geology 2001;; 29 (2): 159–162. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0159:TROMHD>2.0.CO;2 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 Reconstruction of changing C isotopic composition of Early Cretaceous atmospheric CO2 from fossilized C3 vascular land-plant tissue revealed a brief and striking negative excursion (Δ ≈ −5‰) in atmospheric δ13C, followed by a rapid positive compensation (Δ ≈ +5‰) during the Aptian (ca. 117 Ma). Mass-balance calculations show that dissociation of a small amount of methane gas hydrate is the most tenable cause of the negative excursion; this would also result in an increased CO2:O2 mixing ratio as O2 is consumed during CH4 oxidation to CO2, spurring the exponential phase of angiosperm biogeographic expansion. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.