Could the first major extinction in the fossil record have been caused by volcanic eruption? Recent research published in the June 2014 issue of Geology shows that volcanic rocks found in Australia are of the right age and eruption type to have disrupted the climate system.
Ancient volcanic eruptions in Australia 510 million years ago significantly affected the climate, causing the first known mass extinction in the history of complex life. Scientists used radioactive dating techniques to precisely measure the age of the eruptions of the Kalkarindji volcanic province.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140530124327.htm