Ocean Discovery Lecture Series: "Earth's Fiery Past: Large Igneous Provinces, Anomalous Co2, and Their Environmental Impacts" (usoceandiscovery.org/lecture-series/)

Large igneous provinces (LIPs) are among the most influential drivers of global Earth system changes. These massive volcanic events are linked to extreme climate and ocean conditions, increasing global temperatures, ocean acidification, and widespread marine anoxia. ​​Their emplacement and CO2 release frequently align with some of Earth’s most rapid environmental shifts, including four of the five major mass extinctions—most notably the End-Permian extinction, the largest of the Big Five—highlighting their critical role in past Earth systems transitions. However, studying LIPs—particularly submarine ones—remains challenging, as much of their eruptive material is buried beneath the ocean or has been subducted over time. Consequently, much of our understanding of these events has often relied on sedimentary geochemical proxies. These proxies, including osmium isotopes, mercury concentrations, and carbonate dissolution patterns, have become essential tools for reconstructing LIP emplacement and assessing its impact on the global carbon cycle. They also help establish the timing and intensity of volcanic activity in relation to major climate events.

Scientific ocean drilling has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of LIP-driven environmental change by providing high-resolution sedimentary records from major ocean basins. These records have helped establish spatial and temporal constraints, revealing direct links between LIPs and dramatic climate and ecological disruptions.

In this lecture, I will present findings from multiple IODP expeditions that illustrate the connections between large-scale volcanism, rapid climate shifts, and global biogeochemical cycling. I will discuss new insights into OAE 1a and the Ontong Java Plateau from ODP Leg 198, and explore the influence of LIPs on the Miocene Climatic Optimum using records from ODP Leg 165. Additionally, I will highlight proxy calibration efforts using sediments recovered from IODP Expedition 397. By integrating these records, I will demonstrate how LIPs have shaped past environmental change and explore their broader implications for Earth’s present and future climate dynamics.

Dr. Lucien Nana Yobo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geology & Geophysics at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on the application of metal isotopes on multiple aspects of biogeochemistry of past Earth system perturbations, including fingerprinting the effects of large igneous provinces and their extreme environmental impacts.  He has participated in two IODP expeditions, sailing on Expedition 397 and a shore base participant on Expedition 392. He completed his Ph.D. from the University of Houston, following undergraduate studies at California State University-Fresno and graduate work at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.