Organic geochemistry of non-marine Permian–Triassic mass extinction (PTME) sections in the Sydney Basin, Australia

Most organic geochemical studies of the Permian–Triassic mass extinction (PTME)

have utilised marine sections, and the boundary is readily identified by a negative

carbon isotope excursion. It is now well understood from various locations around the

world that the marine ecosystem collapse is accompanied by biomarker evidence for

photic zone euxinia, including isorenieratane, crocetane and 2,3,6-aryl isoprenoids (e.g.

Grice et al., 2005). Far fewer studies have been carried out on non-marine PTME

sections, and in particular no biomarker studies have been carried out on Australian

sections, despite there being extensive Permian and Triassic sequences in eastern

Australia, notably in the Bowen and Sydney basins.