Clathrate gun kills Pleistocene mega fauna.

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In summary, the Clathrate Gun hypothesis suggests that methane hydrates release caused continental slope failures and a dramatic increase in precipitation, which led to the extinction of the Mammoths.
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Andre
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Kind of hard to have palaeo climate discussions here. Also hard to figure out where to start the thread with a new hypothesis, about what caused the extinction of the Mammoths. Biology? Theory development? or Earth. Since there is a lot of Earth changes going on I choose for the latter.

BTW the answer to the question is the Clathrate gun (Kennett et al).

Linking continental slope failures and climate change: Testing the clathrate gun hypothesis
Mark Maslin, University College London, Department of Geography, 26 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AP, U.K.; et al. Pages 53-56.

A major debate in science is whether gas hydrate release or changes in tropical wetlands cause the massive variations seen in ice-core atmospheric methane record during the Pleistocene. Because submarine sediment failures can be up to the size of Jamaica, they have the capacity to release vast quantities of methane hydrates. One of the major tests of Jim Kennett's clathrate gun hypothesis is determining whether continental-slope failures and increases in atmospheric methane correlate. To test the clathrate gun hypothesis we have collated published dates for submarine sediment failures in the North Atlantic sector and correlated them with climatic change for the past 45 k.y. Our data support the clathrate gun hypothesis for glacial-interglacial transitions. The data do not, however, support the clathrate gun hypothesis for the rapid glacial-period millennial-scale climate cycles because the occurrence of sediment failures correlates with the cold Heinrich events. Thus sediment failure correlates with lows in sea level and atmospheric methane. A secondary use of our data set is the insight into the possible cause of continental-slope failures. Glacial-period slope failures occur mainly in the low latitudes and are associated with lowering sea level. This finding suggests that reduced hydrostatic pressure and the associated destabilization of gas hydrates may be the primary cause. The Bolling-allerod sediment failures are predominantly low latitude, suggesting an early tropical response to deglaciation. In contrast, sediment failures during the Preboreal period and the majority of the Holocene occurred in the high latitudes, suggesting either isostatic rebound–related earthquake activity or reduced hydrostatic pressure, again caused by isostatic rebound, causing destabilization of gas hydrates. This correlation implies that the largest threat to continental-slope stability in the possible greenhouse future is melting of the ice-sheet margins and the resultant isostatic rebound. This is a significant worry, as there is already evidence that these processes are occurring in Antarctica and Greenland. Moreover, it should be noted that these continental slope failures would all be accompanied by large tsunamis.

My guess is that the Clathrate gun did more than causing Tsunamis, it created a dramatic precipitation increase, possibly world wide, that destroyed the arid Mammoth steppe, the essential biotope for the Megafauna.
 
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The new issue of Deposit magazine:

http://www.ukge.co.uk/UK/product.asp?numRecordPosition=1&P_ID=3331 [Broken]

Item 7 may be interesting.
 
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A first draft is here

http://home.wanadoo.nl/bijkerk/Popular-extinction_Paper.pdf [Broken]

But this was too difficult. the real article has been simplified. Nowadays I would think that the pulsating equator was the trigger for both the clathrate events and probably also a major cause of the ocean-current induced dramatic change in precipitation patterns.
 
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1. What is the "Clathrate gun"?

The Clathrate gun is a hypothesized mechanism for rapid climate change, in which large quantities of methane gas trapped in ice-like structures (called clathrates) in the ocean floor are released into the atmosphere, causing a sudden increase in global temperatures.

2. How does the Clathrate gun relate to the extinction of Pleistocene mega fauna?

It is believed that the release of methane from the Clathrate gun during the Pleistocene era (approximately 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago) contributed to dramatic changes in the Earth's climate, including rapid warming and cooling events. This would have had a significant impact on the environment and the survival of large animals, such as mammoths and giant sloths, leading to their eventual extinction.

3. Is there evidence to support the theory of the Clathrate gun causing the extinction of Pleistocene mega fauna?

While there is no direct evidence linking the Clathrate gun to the extinction of Pleistocene mega fauna, there is strong evidence of rapid climate changes during this time period that could have been caused by the release of methane. Additionally, studies have shown that large animals are particularly vulnerable to sudden changes in their environment, making them more likely to go extinct in response to rapid climate changes.

4. Could the Clathrate gun theory apply to modern climate change?

There is ongoing debate among scientists about the potential for the Clathrate gun to play a role in modern climate change. Some argue that the release of methane from clathrates is currently happening, and could contribute to future warming events. However, others argue that the release of methane from human activities, such as fossil fuel extraction and agriculture, is a more significant factor in current climate change.

5. What are the implications of the Clathrate gun theory for future climate change?

If the Clathrate gun is a significant contributor to past and potentially future climate change, it highlights the importance of understanding and mitigating the release of methane from natural and human sources. It also underscores the potential for rapid and drastic changes in the Earth's climate, and the need for proactive measures to address and adapt to these changes.

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