Volcanic Impacts on Climate and Biodiversity in Earth History

Volcanism has been one of the most powerful agents shaping Earth’s climate and life throughout geological time. The occurrence of large igneous provinces and other major volcanic events has repeatedly coincided with dramatic environmental upheavals and faunal turnovers, including the big-five mass extinctions in Earth’s history. Pulsed releases of volcanic gases such as CO₂ and SO₂, along with aerosols and dust, can trigger complex feedbacks that intensify greenhouse warming, drive acidification of marine systems, and disrupt global carbon cycling. The stratigraphic record preserves invaluable evidence of these processes, documenting extinction events, survival intervals, and recovery phases recorded in sedimentary and fossil successions associated with episodes of extensive volcanism. Yet, complete and undeformed sections proximal to the centers of volcanic activity remain rare, and important uncertainties persist regarding the magnitude, timing, and geographic reach of volcanic impacts.



This Research Topic aims to bring together cutting-edge research that explores how volcanic activity has influenced climate and biodiversity throughout Earth’s evolution—from the Archaean to the present day. By integrating stratigraphic evidence, geochemical proxies, and paleontological records, the collection seeks to identify key gaps in our current understanding and to benchmark the intensity and duration of volcanism-driven environmental changes. An improved synthesis of these interdisciplinary records will not only clarify the causal relationships between volcanic events, climate perturbations, and biotic turnovers but will also provide a critical framework for assessing how similar mechanisms may operate under future anthropogenic and natural conditions.



To broaden understanding of volcanic influences on Earth’s systems, we welcome contributions focusing on both regional case studies and global syntheses. Submissions may examine, but are not limited to, the following themes:



• Stratigraphic records of major volcanic events and their associated faunal or floral responses

• Geochemical and isotopic proxies documenting atmospheric and oceanic changes linked to volcanism

• Temporal and spatial compilations of volcanic activity and their correlation with climate perturbations and biotic crises

• Evaluation of physical and chemical proxy efficacy in reconstructing volcanic impacts

• Modeling studies assessing causal pathways between volcanism, greenhouse forcing, and ecosystem stress

• Comparative analyses of past and recent volcanic effects as analogues for future Earth system responses



Appendix: This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, comprehensive reviews, methodological papers, and thematic commentaries contributing to an integrated understanding of volcanism–climate–biosphere interactions through Earth’s geological history.