Selenium in Ecosystems: Petroleum Basins and Phosphate Deposits

A predictive global map of latent risk for environmental Se loading indicates that ancient organic-rich depositional marine basins, unrestricted by age, are linked to the contemporary global distribution of Se source rocks. Given the geographic patterns, Se emerges as a contaminant within specific regions of the globe that may limit phosphate mining, oil refining, and drainage of agricultural lands because of potential ecological risks to vulnerable food webs. Selenium also may serve as a geochemical exploration tool that signals an ancient productive biological environment.