Study Reveals Ancient Oceans Began Suffocating Millions of Years Before Triassic Mass Extinction
A recent study led by researchers at Virginia Tech, published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, has uncovered that the oceans began losing oxygen nearly 8 million years before the end-Triassic mass extinction, which occurred around 201 million years ago. This extinction event saw the disappearance of approximately 60% of marine invertebrate genera. The research, conducted in Alaska's Wrangell–St. Elias National Park, involved analyzing chemical signals in ancient rocks, revealing a prolonged oceanic crisis rather than a sudden catastrophe. The findings suggest that marine ecosystems were under stress well before the volcanic eruptions from the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province, which are traditionally linked to the extinction. The study highlights a gradual decline in ocean conditions, with increasing deoxygenation and acidification, creating a hostile environment for marine life. 
