Great Oxygenation Event

Definition

The Great Oxygenation Event (GOE) was a major transition in Earth's early history when the atmosphere gradually became enriched with oxygen, transforming the planet's chemistry and enabling the emergence of complex life forms.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Great Oxygenation Event occurred approximately 2.4 to 2.2 billion years ago, marking a major shift in the planet's atmospheric composition.
2. The rise of oxygen levels was driven by the evolution of cyanobacteria, which were the first organisms capable of oxygenic photosynthesis.
3. The initial oxygen produced was absorbed by dissolved iron in the oceans, forming banded iron formations before the atmosphere became permanently oxygenated.
4. The availability of oxygen enabled the evolution of more complex life forms, including eukaryotic cells and ultimately multicellular organisms.
5. The Great Oxygenation Event had a profound impact on the planet's climate, as the increased oxygen levels led to the formation of the ozone layer and the transition to an aerobic atmosphere.

Review Questions

• Explain the role of cyanobacteria in the Great Oxygenation Event and how their evolution impacted the planet's atmospheric composition.
  • Cyanobacteria were the first organisms to evolve the ability to perform oxygenic photosynthesis, a process that releases oxygen as a waste product. As cyanobacteria proliferated, they began to gradually enrich the atmosphere with oxygen, transforming the planet's chemistry and setting the stage for the emergence of more complex lifeforms. The rise of oxygen levels also led to the formation of the ozone layer, which protected the planet from harmful ultraviolet radiation, further enabling the diversification of life.
• Describe the impact of the Great Oxygenation Event on the planet's climate and the evolution of complex life.
  • The Great Oxygenation Event had a profound impact on the planet's climate and the evolution of complex life. The increased oxygen levels in the atmosphere enabled the development of aerobic respiration, a more efficient metabolic process that could power larger and more complex organisms. Additionally, the formation of the ozone layer shielded the planet from harmful ultraviolet radiation, creating a more hospitable environment for the emergence of multicellular life. These changes in the planet's chemistry and climate paved the way for the diversification of life, including the evolution of eukaryotic cells and the eventual appearance of complex, multicellular organisms.
• Analyze the role of banded iron formations in the Great Oxygenation Event and how they reflect the initial stages of the planet's transition to an oxygenated atmosphere.
  • Banded iron formations are sedimentary rock layers that were formed during the early stages of the Great Oxygenation Event. As cyanobacteria began to release oxygen into the atmosphere, the initial oxygen produced was absorbed by dissolved iron in the oceans, creating these distinctive rock layers. The formation of banded iron formations reflects a crucial transitional period in the planet's history, where the atmosphere was not yet permanently oxygenated. This process continued until the oxygen levels in the atmosphere reached a critical threshold, at which point the banded iron formations ceased to form and the atmosphere became permanently enriched with oxygen, paving the way for the evolution of more complex life.

Related terms

Cyanobacteria: Photosynthetic bacteria that were the first organisms to produce oxygen as a waste product, paving the way for the Great Oxygenation Event.

Aerobic Respiration: A metabolic process that uses oxygen to efficiently convert organic molecules into energy, enabling more complex lifeforms to evolve.

Banded Iron Formations: Sedimentary rock layers formed when the initial oxygen produced was absorbed by dissolved iron, before the atmosphere became permanently oxygenated.