Spatial and temporal variability of surface water in the Kuroshio source region, Pacific Ocean, over the past 21,000 years: evidence from planktonic foraminifera

The Kuroshio Current is the major western boundary current of the North Pacific Ocean and has had a large impact on surface water character and climate change in the northwestern Pacific region. The Kuroshio Current becomes a distinctive surface flow in the Ryukyu Arc region after diverging from the North Equatorial Current and passing through the Okinawa Trough. Therefore, the Ryukyu Arc area can be called the Kuroshio source region. We reconstructed post-21-ka time–space changes in surface water masses in the Ryukyu Arc region using 15 piston cores which were dated by planktonic δ¹⁸O stratigraphy and AMS ¹⁴C ages. Our analysis utilized spatial and temporal changes in planktonic foraminiferal assemblages which were classified into the Kuroshio, Subtropical, Coastal, and Cold water groups on the basis of modern faunal distributions in the study region. These results indicate that the Kuroshio Current and adjacent surface water masses experienced major changes during: (1) the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and (2) the so-called Pulleniatina minimum event (PME) from 4,500 to 3,000 yr BP. The Kuroshio LGM event corresponds to severe global cooling and is marked by decreases in planktonic δ¹⁸O values and estimated sea-surface temperature (SST) with the dominance of the Cold water group of planktonic foraminifera. Cooling within the Kuroshio source region was enhanced during the LGM event because the Kuroshio Current was forced eastward due to the formation of a land bridge between Taiwan and the southern Ryukyu Arc which prohibited its flow into the Okinawa Trough. Except for the severe reduction and disappearance of the Pulleniatina group, no clear cooling signal was identified during the PME based on δ¹⁸O values, estimated SST values and variations in the composition of planktonic foraminiferal faunas. The PME assemblages are marked by high abundances of Neogloboquadrina dutertrei, a distinctive Kuroshio type species, along with other species assigned to the Coastal and Central water groups. Subtle ecological differences exist between Pulleniatina obliquiloculata and N. dutertrei; i.e. P. obliquiloculata exhibits lower rates of reproduction under conditions of lower primary productivity in the central Equatorial Pacific Ocean. El Niño-like conditions in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean result in lower rates of surface transport in the Kuroshio Current. In turn, this response triggers lower rates of primary productivity in central equatorial surface waters as well as in the upstream Kuroshio source region, ultimately resulting in a lower abundance of P. obliquiloculata. Thus, we interpret the PME as a possible proxy signal of El Niño-like conditions and enhancement of the El Niño Southern Oscillation climate system after the PME in the tropical and sub-tropical Pacific Ocean.     

Planktonic foraminifera of the northern Indian Ocean: Distribution and preservation in surface sediments

In the northern Indian Ocean, planktonic foraminiferal tests accumulate in a wide variety of surface-water environments and depositional settings. This variability enables us to isolate the effects that surface-water ecology and differential dissolution have on the distribution of planktonic foraminifera from 251 geographically widespread surface sediment samples.Foraminiferal abundance varies from 0 to > 10⁴ whole foraminifera in the greater than 150 μm fraction per gram dry sediment. Values < 10 characterize the three deep basins of the equatorial Indian Ocean and the western Bay of Bengal. Foraminiferal tests are most abundant on carbonate covered Ninety-East and Carlsberg Ridges. Absolute abundance patterns are mainly controlled by non-ecological processes. Variations in dissolution resistant species (RSP) with water depth reveal that the foraminiferal lysocline (FL) varies regionally. The FL is deepest (3,800 m) in the equatorial region, rises abruptly to 3,300 m in the Arabian Sea, and varies from 2,600 m to near 2,000 m moving northward in the Bay of Bengal. Deep samples with anomalously low RSP (< 30%) suggest redeposition.Systematic geographic and depth-related variation is observed for the 17 most abundant foraminiferal species. Dissolution resistant species (G. menardii, G. tumida, G. dutertrei, P. obliquiloculata) generally exhibit a rapid and continuous increase in relative abundance at and below the FL. Susceptible species (G. ruber, G. bulloides, G. glutinata, for example) exhibit a rapid and continuous decrease in relative abundance at and below the FL. Moderately susceptible species (G. conglobatus, G. aequilateralis, G. conglomerata, for example) rapidly increase in abundance at the FL and systematically decrease with depth below the FL.Principal components analysis (PCA) of faunal data from minimally dissolved (< 30% RSP) samples reveals important ecologically related species intercorrelations. The major biogeographic gradient is the negative covarying relationship between aG. bulloides-G. glutinata species pair and a grouping ofG. sacculifer, G. conglobatus, G. aequilateralis, andG. ruber. PCA of all samples demonstrates how differential dissolution alters this and other species relationships. Species groupings that incorporateG. ruber, G. menardii, andG. dutertrei are particularly affected by dissolution.Comparison of average faunal data from minimally dissolved samples in the northern Indian Ocean with similar samples from other tropical regions suggests varying environmental factors produce distinct faunas within the tropical ocean. For example,G. bulloides, G. falconensis, andG. hexagona are significantly more abundant in northern Indian Ocean surface sediments while such species asG. ruber, G. sacculifer, G. dutertrei, andP. obliquiloculata dominate in other tropical regions.     

The Holocene Pulleniatina Minimum Event revisited: Geochemical and faunal evidence from the Okinawa Trough and upper reaches of the Kuroshio current

The Holocene Pulleniatina Minimum Event (PME) is characterized by a very low abundance of the planktonic foraminifer Pulleniatina obliquiloculata between  4.5 and 3 ka. The PME occurs widely in the Okinawa Trough and the South China Sea, and can be correlated throughout this area; it has been related to variability in the Kuroshio current. To further explore the nature of the PME, we studied cores obtained from the southern Okinawa Trough and the upper reaches of the Kuroshio current. Faunal census data indicate that all cores record the PME between  4.5 and  3 ka. The relative abundance of Neogloboquadrina dutertrei is negatively correlated to that of P. obliquiloculata in the southern Okinawa Trough, but not in the sites at the upper reaches. Mg/Ca and δ¹⁸O measurements on Globigerinoides ruber shells from the southern Okinawa Trough indicate that there was no change in sea surface temperature or sea surface salinity during the PME. The vertical structure of the water column as reconstructed by multispecies δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C profiles shows no consistent anomalies in the southern Okinawa Trough and western Philippine Sea during the PME. These observations suggest that: (1) the PME was not restricted to marginal seas, but widespread in the western North Pacific. (2) The high abundance of N. dutertrei during the PME in the Okinawa Trough may be a result of higher food-availability in the absence of P. obliquiloculata. (3) No distinctive, consistent anomalies in the paleoceanographic proxies are associated with the PME, implying there were no changes in hydrography and productivity. The absence of a linkage between faunal variation and paleoceanographic proxies indicates that we do not yet understand what causes changes in planktonic foraminiferal assemblages. This lack of understanding implies that we cannot always trust fauna-based paleothermometry at millennial timescales.     

Planktonic foraminifera from the eastern Indian Ocean: distribution and ecology in relation to the Western Pacific Warm Pool (WPWP)

Faunal assemblages, principal component (PCA), canonical correspondence (CCA), and factor analysis are applied to planktonic foraminifera from 57 core-top samples from the eastern Indian Ocean. The foraminiferal lysocline occurs at 2400 m north of 15°S where carbonate dissolution is induced by the Java upwelling system, and occurs deeper south of 15°S where carbonate dissolution is characteristic of the oligotrophic regions in the Indian Ocean. Dissolution effects, the February standing stock at the time of collection of the plankton-tow material, and different production rates explain the different foraminiferal assemblages found between plankton-tow and core-top samples. Core-top samples are differentiated by PCA into four groups — Upwelling, Western Pacific Warm Pool (WPWP), Transitional, and Southern — that are related to environmental variables (temperature, salinity and nutrients); all environmental variables follow a strong latitudinal component as indicated by the CCA analysis. Similarly, three assemblages are recognized by factor analysis: Factor 1 (dominated by Globigerinoides sacculifer, G. ruber, Globigerinita glutinata and Globorotalia cultrata), factor 2 (dominated by Globigerina bulloides and Globorotalia inflata) and factor 3 (dominated by Neogloboquadrina dutertrei) explain more than 92% of the variance, and are related to sea-surface temperature, thermocline depth and nutrient levels. The seasonal influence of the Java upwelling system supplies nutrients, phyto- and zooplankton to the oligotrophic eastern Indian Ocean (factor 1). South of 24°S, a deep chlorophyll maximum, a deep euphotic zone, a deep thermocline, SSTs below 22°C, and brief upwelling pulses seem to explain factors 2 and 3. The ratio of G. sacculifer and N. dutertrei, two mutually excluding species, appears to indicate the southern boundary of the WPWP. This ratio is applied to core Fr10/95-11 to demonstrate past shifts of the southern boundary of the WPWP.     

High-resolution sea surface temperature and salinity dynamics in the northern Okinawa Trough over the last 24 kyr

Based on the high-resolution Mg/Ca and oxygen isotope ratio (δ¹⁸O) of planktonic foraminifera Globigerinoides ruber, sea surface temperature (SST) and salinity (SSS) were reconstructed in Core PC-1 from the northern Okinawa Trough during the last 24 kyr. From the last glacial maximum to Holocene, SST varied from 20.2°C to 24.6°C. Millennial-scale climatic events of the SST during the last glacial, such as the Heinrich events, Bølling-Allerød warming, and Younger Dryas, have been identified, which are synchronous with the climate changes in the North Atlantic, suggesting a teleconnection between the northwestern Pacific and the North Atlantic. During the last 24 kyr, the SSS variation can be divided into three parts: (1) during 21–15.5 ka, there was a significantly low SSS; (2) during 15.5–11.7 ka, the SSS increased obviously; (3) since 11.7 ka, the SSS is relatively stable. In order to discuss the main factors influencing the SSS in the northern Okinawa Trough, the relative abundance of Pulleniatina obliquiloculata and the oxygen isotope difference between the northern and middle Okinawa Trough (Δδ¹⁸O_sw) have been used to indicate the intensity of the Kuroshio Current and Changjiang freshwater discharge, respectively. The Δδ¹⁸O_sw result shows that there is a large amount of Changjiang freshwater emptied into the northern Okinawa Trough during 18–15.5 ka, which is caused by the subtropical monsoon rain band lingering in the lower reaches of the Changjiang River drainage, supporting the Jet Transition Hypothesis. As the Kuroshio Current strengthened since 15.5 ka as indicated by the increased relative abundance of P. obliquiloculata, the variation of Kuroshio Current became the more important contribution to the SSS in the study region. The results of our study indicate that the key factor influencing the SSS in the northern Okinawa Trough is variable during the last 24 kyr.     

Oxygen and carbon isotope studies in recent foraminifera from the southwest Indian ocean

Eighteen species of planktonic foraminifera have been analyzed for their oxygen and carbon isotopic composition in five Recent samples of deep-sea sediment from the southwest Indian Ocean; one sample of glacial age and one mid-Holocene sample were also studied. On the basis of oxygen isotopic composition three groups are recognized. Species in the first group (Globigerinoides ruber, G. sacculifer and G. conglobatus; G. Globigerina rubescens and Globigerinita glutinata) calcity in the near-surface Tropical Water, so that the oxygen isotopic composition of their test carbonate may be used to indicate surface temperature. Species in the second group (Pulleniatina obliquiloculata, Neogloboquadrina dutertrei, Orbulina universa, Globigerinella siphonifera and Sphaeroidinella dehiscens) are associated with the sub-surface high-salinity Subtropical Water, so that their oxygen isotope composition indicates trends in the temperature of this water mass. The third group (the species of Globorotalia) calcity in the deeper Central Water. The average oxygen isotopic composition of each Globorotalia species is more or less constant over the range studied and does not reflect the surface temperature trend.The carbon isotopic composition of three species (Globigerina rubescens, Globigerinoides ruber and Globigerinita glutinata indicate departure from isotopic equilibrium by at least 3%₀. Among the remaining species the variation of carbon isotopic composition with depth (where depth is inferred from the temperature estimated from oxygen isotopic composition) implies that N. dutertrei, P. obliquiloculata and G. siphonifera occupy the shallow subsurface oxygen minimum, while the deeper-dwelling globorotaliids approach the deeper oxygen minimum. Hence it is possible, despite scatter among the data, to discern the pattern of oxygen content with depth in the overlying water masses from an examination of oxygen and carbon isotopic composition among foraminiferal species in the sediment. This promises to be an exciting new tool for palaeo-oceanographic investigations.     

Regional and interannual productivity of biogenic components and planktonic foraminiferal fluxes in the northwestern Pacific Basin

Time-series sediment trap experiments at subtropical (WCT-1) and subarctic (WCT-2) stations in the northwestern Pacific indicate seasonal, latitudinal and depth variations in total particulate, biogenic and foraminiferal fluxes. At the subtropical station, the average total mass flux was 19.4 mg m⁻² day⁻¹ in the shallow trap (1060 m) and 21.5–26.1 mg m⁻² day⁻¹ in the deep trap (3930 m) during the sampling period. At subarctic station, these values were 91.5–176.9 mg m⁻² day⁻¹ in the shallow and 68.6–112.3 mg m⁻² day⁻¹ in the deep trap. We recognized 12 and 15 planktonic foraminiferal species at Station WCT-1 and Station WCT-2, respectively. The planktonic foraminiferal flux and species turnover are related to seasonal and interannual changes in source water and water column conditions at both stations. At Station WCT-1, the highest flux was recorded during the summer, with a peak in mid to late June associated with similar flux patterns of the dominant species, Globigerinoides ruber and Globigerinita glutinata. The total flux of foraminiferal tests at the shallow and deep traps is similar in numbers and magnitude. At Station WCT-2, the peaks of total flux of foraminiferal tests at the two trap depths differ in number, and their magnitude in the deep trap is almost half of that in the shallow trap. A distinctive seasonal pattern occurred in the shallow and the deep trap, with a peak in total foraminiferal flux in mid June to mid July. Globigerina quinqueloba, Neogloboquadrina pachyderma and Neogloboquadrina dutertrei dominate the planktonic population throughout the year.Subtropical Station WCT-1 was characterized by low total foraminiferal fluxes and low total mass flux, which is dominated by calcium carbonate and depleted in opal, whereas high foraminiferal fluxes and a high total mass flux dominated by high biogenic opal, and less calcium carbonate and organic matter characterize subarctic Station WCT-2. The foraminiferal carbonate that reaches the seafloor accounts for an average 20–27% and 22–23% of the total calcium carbonate at Station WCT-1 and Station WCT-2, respectively. The primary reason for the difference in flux at both stations thus lies in the different contributions of siliceous and calcareous planktonic assemblages. The seasonal variation in biogenic particulate flux at both stations implies that temporal changes in biological productivity are governed by large-scale seasonal climatic variability and local hydrography.     

Patterns of crystal organization and calcite twin formation in planktonic,rotaliid, foraminifera shells and spines

The foraminiferal order Rotaliida represents one third of the extant genera of foraminifers. The shells of these organisms are extensively used to decipher characteristics of marine ecosystems and global climate events.It was shown that shell calcite of benthic Rotaliida is twinned. We extend our previous work on microstructure and texture characterization of benthic Rotaliida and investigate shell calcite organization for planktonic rotaliid species. Based on results gained from electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and field emission electron microscopy (FESEM) imaging of chemically etched/fixed shell surfaces we show for the planktonic species Globigerinoides sacculifer, Pulleniatina obliquiloculata, Orbulina universa (belonging to the two main planktonic, the globigerinid and globorotaliid, clades): very extensive 60°-{0 0 1}-twinning of the calcite and describe a new and specific microstructure for the twinned crystals. We address twin and crystal morphology development from nucleation within a biopolymer template (POS) to outermost shell surfaces. We demonstrate that the calcite of the investigated planktonic Rotaliida forms through competitive growth. We complement the structural knowledge gained on the clade 1 and clade 2 species with EBSD results of Globigerinita glutinata and Candeina nitida shells (clade 3 planktonic species). The latter are significantly less twinned and have a different shell calcite microstructure.We demonstrate that the calcite of all rotaliid species is twinned, however, to different degrees. We discuss for the species of the three planktonic clades characteristics of the twinned calcite and of other systematic misorientations. We address the strong functionalization of foraminiferal calcite and indicate how the twinning affects biocalcite material properties.     

The oxygen isotope composition of planktonic foraminifera from the Guaymas Basin,Gulf of California: Seasonal,annual, and interspecies variability

Sediment trap samples collected over a seven-year period (February 1991–October 1997) from Guaymas Basin in the Gulf of California were used to study the oxygen isotope composition of five species of planktonic foraminifera, Globigerinoides ruber (white), Globigerina bulloides, Neogloboquadrina dutertrei, Pulleniatina obliquiloculata, and Globorotalia menardii. The δ¹⁸O data were analyzed for temporal and interspecies variability and were compared to local hydrography to evaluate the use of each species in reconstructing past oceanographic applications. The two surface dwelling species, G. ruber and G. bulloides displayed the lowest δ¹⁸O values (～ 0.0 to ? 5.0‰), while δ¹⁸O values for the thermocline dwelling N. dutertrei, P. obliquiloculata, and G. menardii were higher (～ 0.0 to ? 2.0‰). The δ¹⁸O of G. ruber most accurately records measured sea surface temperatures (SSTs) throughout the year. G. bulloides δ¹⁸O tracks SSTs during the winter–spring upwelling period but for the remainder of the year records slightly colder, subsurface temperatures. The difference between the δ¹⁸O of the surface dwelling species, G. ruber and G. bulloides, and that of the thermocline dwelling species, N. dutertrei, P. obliquiloculata, and G. menardii, was used to estimate the surface to thermocline temperature gradient. During the winter these δ¹⁸O differences are small (～ 0.50‰) reflecting a well-mixed water column. These interspecies δ¹⁸O differences increase during the summer (～ 1.90‰) in response to the strong thermal stratification that exists at this time of year.     

Linkages between surface and deep circulations in the southern Japan Sea during the last 27,000 years: Evidence from planktic foraminiferal assemblages and stable isotope records

We analyzed planktic foraminiferal assemblages, oxygen and carbon isotope records, and the presence or absence of laminations to reconstruct the paleoenvironments of the southern Japan Sea since the last glacial period. Data were collected from two well-dated cores. One core (water depth 999 m) included thinly laminated mud layers, the other (water depth 283 m) contained nonlaminated sediments. Tephrochronology and accelerator mass spectrometry ¹⁴C dating of 14 horizons revealed that the two cores contained continuous records of the last 27 cal kyr. A total of 13 planktic foraminiferal species belonging to six genera were identified in down-core samples. The typical indicators of the Tsushima Current water, Globigerinoides ruber, Neogloboquadrina dutertrei, Pulleniatina obliquiloculata, Globigerinoides tenellus, and Globigerinita glutinata occurred since 9.3 cal kyr BP. Neogloboquadrina incompta, which was the dominant species in the Tsushima Current region of the modern Japan Sea, first occurred at 8.2 cal kyr BP and dominated the assemblage since 7.3 cal kyr BP. These results clearly indicate that the warm Tsushima Current started to inflow into the Japan Sea at 9.3 cal kyr BP, and the modern surface conditions in the southern Japan Sea were essentially established at 7.3 cal kyr BP. Our data and comparison of the presence or absence of laminated sediments in three locations from the southern Japan Sea suggest that deep circulation during the deglacial period was weaker than that at present. In addition, deep circulation in the modern Japan Sea, which supplies oxygen-rich water to the entire basin, started probably in association with the first inflow of the Tsushima Current beginning at 9.3 cal kyr BP.     

Ranking of dissolution susceptibility of planktonic foraminifera at high latitudes of the South Atlantic Ocean

Surface-sediment samples from the Maurice Ewing Bank (eastern Falkland Plateau), South Atlantic Ocean, have been analyzed to rank dissolution susceptibility of cool water planktonic foraminiferal species. A dissolution index is formulated from quantitative analyses of sedimentological properties (CaCO₃ content, frequency of planktonic foraminiferal fragments, radiolarians, mineral grains, and ratio of a dissolution-tolerant to a dissolution-susceptible planktonic foraminiferal species). This index is used to assess degrees of dissolution in the samples. Quantified differences in relative abundance of species between the two dissolution regimes (less prominent and stronger dissolution) formed the basis for differentiation. The species were ranked in the following order, from most resistant to least resistant: sinistrally coiled variety ofNeogloboquadrina pachyderma (antarctic variety of this species),Globorotalia inflata, G. truncatulinoides, Globigerina bulloides andGlobigerinita glutinata (a tie), dextralN. pachyderma (subantarctic variety),Globigerinita uvula, andGlobigerina quinqueloba. Fragmentation (frequency of damaged tests) increases with increasing dissolution in tolerant species, but not in susceptible species. This may be because susceptible species are completely dissolved under intense dissolution, whereas tolerant species, although damaged, remain and increase in abundance.     

Bridging the extant and fossil record of planktonic foraminifera: implications for the Globigerina lineage

We conducted a morphometric study and wall texture analysis on extant and fossil specimens of the planktonic foraminifera Globigerina falconensis plexus. Our global data reveal morphological inconsistencies between fossil and extant populations. Our results are significant as G. falconensis is widely used in palaeoceanographic studies in conjunction with its sister taxon G. bulloides. Morphologically these two species are similar, with the main difference being the distinctive apertural lip present in G. falconensis. We selected cores covering the entire stratigraphic range of G. falconensis, from the early Miocene to current day, spanning sites from high latitudes in the North Atlantic Ocean and the southern Indian Ocean to sites in equatorial regions. The morphology found in the modern ocean is not consistent with the Miocene holotype of Globigerina falconensis Blow described from lower Miocene sediments in Venezuela. A more lobate morphology evolved in the late Miocene, thus, a new name is required for this morphotype, coexisting in the modern oceans with G. falconensis s.s. We thus describe the new morphospecies, G. neofalconensis for the more lobate forms which evolved in the late Miocene and inhabit the modern oceans. Additionally, we report a pseudocancellate wall texture present in the G. falconensis plexus. We use the molecular sequences from the PR² database to explore the generic attribution of the G. falconensis lineage, confirming its close relationship with G. bulloides and its retention in the genus Globigerina.     

Surface-water cooling and salinity decrease during the Middle Miocene climate transition at Southern Ocean ODP Site 747 (Kerguelen Plateau)

Paleoceanographic variability at southern high latitude Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 747 was investigated in this study through the interval which spans the Middle Miocene Climate Transition (MMCT). Between 15.0 and 12.2 million years ago (Ma), foraminiferal δ¹⁸O records derived from both benthic (Cibicidoides spp.) and planktonic taxa (Globorotalia praescitula and Globigerina bulloides) reveal a history of changes in water column thermal and salinity structure and a strong imprint of seasonality. Prior to the MMCT, in the interval between 14.35 and 13.9 Ma, G. bulloides displays relatively high δ¹⁸O values similar to those of G. praescitula, interpreted to indicate weakening of the thermocline and/or increased seasonality with cooler early-spring and/or late-fall temperatures. Following this interval, G. bulloides δ¹⁸O values diverge significantly from benthic and G. praescitula values, with G. bulloides values remaining relatively low for at least 600 kyr following the benthic foraminiferal δ¹⁸O shift during the MMCT at ~ 13.9 Ma. This divergence in δ¹⁸O records occurs in direct association with the Mi3 cooling and glaciation event and may suggest: (1) a strengthening of the vertical temperature gradient, with greater cooling of deep waters than surface waters, (2) changes in the depth habitat of G. bulloides, (3) changes in the dominant season of G. bulloides calcification, (4) modification of surface-water δ¹⁸O values in association with enhanced sea-ice formation, (5) increased surface-water carbonate ion concentration, and/or (6) a significant decrease in surface-water salinity across the MMCT. The first of these possible scenarios is not likely, particularly in light of recent Mg/Ca evidence for significant surface-water cooling in the Southern Ocean associated with the MMCT. Of the remaining possibilities, we favor a change in surface salinity to explain the observed trends in δ¹⁸O values and hypothesize that surface salinity may have decreased by up to 2 salinity units at ~ 13.9 Ma. In this scenario, the development of a lower-salinity Antarctic surface layer coincided with regional cooling of both surface and deep waters of the Southern Ocean during the Mi3 glaciation of East Antarctica, and contributed into the dominance of Neogloboquadrina spp. between 13.8 and 13.2 Ma. Additionally, the distinct patterns observed in planktonic foraminiferal δ¹⁸O records spanning the MMCT correspond with changes in the vertical δ¹³C gradient between planktonic and benthic foraminiferal records and major changes in planktonic foraminiferal assemblages at Site 747, providing further evidence of the environmental significance of this climatic transition.     

Distribution of recent planktonic foraminifera in surface sediments of the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is a partillay isolated ocean where excess evaporation over precipitation results in large east to west gradients in temperature and salinity. Recent planktonic foraminiferal distributions have been examined in 66 surface sediment samples from the Mediterranean Sea. In addition to mapping the frequency distribution of 16 species, the faunal data has been subjected to cluster analysis, factor analysis and species diversity analysis. The clustering of species yields assemblages that are clearly temperature related. A warm assemblage contains both tropical and subtropical elements, while the cool assemblage can be subdivided into cool-subtropical, transitional and polar-subpolar groupings. Factor analysis is used to delineate the geographic distribution of four faunal assemblages. Factor 1 is a tropical-subtropical assemblage dominated by Globigerinoiden ruber. It has its highest values in the warmer eastern basin. Transitional species (Globorotalia inflata and Globigerina bulloides) dominate factor 2 with highest values occurring in the cooler western basin. Factor 3 reflects the distribution of Neogloboquadrina dutertrei and is considered to be salinity dependent. Subpolar species dominate factor 4 (Neoglobuquadrina pachyderma and G. bulloides), with highest values occurring in the northern part of the western basin where cold bottom water is presently being formed. The Shannon-Weiner index of species diversity shows that high diversity exists over much of the western basin and immediately east of the Strait of Sicily. This region is marked by equitable environmental conditions and relatively even distribution of individuals among the species. Conversely, in areas where temperature and salinity values are more extreme, diversity values are lower and the assemblages are dominated by one or two species.     

Application paléoécologique de la méthode d'analyse factorielle en composantes principales: interprétation des microfaunes de foraminifères planctoniques quaternaires en méditerranée. II. Étude des espèces de méditerranée orientale

The principal component analysis method is applied to the study of associations of different Pleistocene and Holocene planktonic Foraminifera in five cores from the eastern Mediterranean. Comparison of the fossil foraminiferal distribution with the distribution of living species leads to grouping of the fossil microfauna on the basis of paleoecological controls. Factor 1 is interpreted as representing thermal control. We recognize as warm-water species Globigerinoides trilobus, Globigerinoides trilobus sacculifer, Orbulina universa, Globigerinella siphonifera, Globigerinoides ruber. Cold-water species are Globigerina pachyderma, Globorotalia scitula, Globigerina quinqueloba, Globigerinita glutinata. Species considered to be of intermediate character are Globigerina bulloides, Globorotalia inflata and Globorotalia truncatulinoides. Factor 2 also leads to the grouping of these last species and may reflect the contributing influence of productivity phenomena. A quadratic liaison interpreted as the “Guttman effect” relates factors 1 and 2. Factor 3 introduces complications resulting from apparently sporadic, irregular events affecting the distribution of certain species, notably Globoratalia inflata, Globorotalia truncatulinoides and Globigerina dutertrei.     

Fluxes and isotopic composition of planktonic foraminifera off Hainan Island,northern South China Sea: Implications for paleoceanographic studies

Planktonic foraminifera collected from a sediment trap deployed off Hainan in the northwestern South China Sea (SCS-NW) between July 2012 and April 2013 were studied to evaluate their seasonal variability and ecology as well as to infer the factors controlling their shell fluxes. The total planktonic foraminifera flux, as well as the fluxes of the dominant species (Globigerinoides ruber, Globigerinoides sacculifer and Neogloboquadrina dutertrei), showed three distinct maxima during SW-monsoon in August 2012, the SW-NE intermonsoon in October 2012 and the NE-monsoon in December 2012–February 2013. These periods were characterized by upwelling, aerosol fallout, and intense wind mixing, respectively, from which the foraminiferal assemblages benefitted, as indicated by the close correlation between wind speed, sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll a concentration (Chl-a), δ¹⁸O of G. ruber and the shell fluxes. The correlation also suggests that temperature and food availability might have been the primary drivers of the observed changes in foraminiferal abundance. The offset between the SST deduced from flux-weighted of G. ruber δ¹⁸O and annual mean SST is only ∼0.3 °C, much lower than ∼5.2 °C between the summer and winter temperature, indicating a balanced seasonality bias in the shell flux. The linear regression between the satellite-derived sea surface temperature and G. ruber δ¹⁸O reveals the strong potential of this species, at least in the studied region, as an ecological indicator for past oceanic environments.     

Pleistocene biostratigraphy,chronostratigraphy and paleocirculation of the southeast pacific central water core RC 11-220

An 11-m core, RC 11-220, raised from a depth of 2,950 m in the unstudied Southeast Pacific Central Water of the Tuamotu Ridge (14° 49′S 139° 58′W) received paleontologic and paleoecologic analysis. Eight biostratigraphic horizons were recognized (6 planktonic foraminiferal, 1 coccolithophorid and the discoaster extinction) defining the core as continuous through the basal Pleistocene. The Globorotalia truncatulinoides (d'Orbigny) datum was approached but not encountered. The core has an estimated average sedimentation rate of 0.60 cm/10³ years. Extrapolation from two paleomagnetic datums (Brunhes/Matuyama, ca. 0.69 Ma and the top of the Olduvai, ca. 1.61 Ma) indicates the age of the core bottom to be ca. 1.87 Ma.Based on the evidence recorded in RC 11-220 and our knowledge of the circulation patterns at the core site today, the following paleocirculation model is proposed. The total carbonate and coarse fraction data indicate a relatively constant depositional pattern and productivity. In addition, judging from the faunal dominance and the distributional pattern of key species such as Globigerinoides ruber (d'Orbigny), Globigerinoides sacculifer (Brady) and Globigerinita glutinata (Egger), a minor shift in the salinity regime is suggested while temperature remained relatively constant. On the average, salinity was slightly higher during the first approximate million years and was somewhat reduced during the last million years B.P. The major conclusion of this study however is that the character of the surface South Central Pacific Waters remained relatively constant throughout the Pleistocene.     

Modelling the temperature dependent growth rates of planktic foraminifera

The temperature influence on foraminifera growth rate was analysed using a mechanistic formulation that take into account enzyme inactivation at extreme temperatures. Growth rates are calculated using available published and unpublished laboratory culture experiments for eight species, including Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sinistral and dextral forms), Neogloboquadrina dutertrei, Globigerina bulloides, Globigerinoides ruber, Globigerinoides sacculifer, Globigerinella siphonifera and Orbulina universa. Modeled growth formulas readily reproduce the observed growth patterns for all species. Similar growth patterns are observed for the species that have the same symbiotic algae G. ruber, G. sacculifer, and O. universa. However, different growth patterns are observed for herbivorous species (Neogloboquadrina genus) compared to carnivorous species with or without symbionts. Our growth estimates correspond well to in situ observations from both plankton tows and sediment traps. These estimates will help to improve the quantification of the effects of environmental parameters on foraminifera species distribution and abundance.     

Western equatorial Pacific planktic foraminiferal fluxes and assemblages during a La Niña year (1999)

A correlation between foraminiferal community dynamics and environmental conditions may provide a basis for establishing paleoclimatic proxies. We studied planktic foraminiferal shell fluxes and assemblages in samples collected in three time-series sediment trap deployments in the western equatorial Pacific under La Niña conditions from January to November 1999. Eleven species contributed about 90% of the total flux in all traps. Two sites (MT1, MT3) in the Western Pacific Warm Pool region (WPWP) were characterized by common occurrences of the species Globigerinoides ruber, Globigerinoides sacculifer, Globigerinoides tenellus, and Neogloboquadrina dutertrei. Site MT5 farther to the east in the equatorial upwelling region had common occurrences of Globigerina bulloides, Globigerinita glutinata, and Pulleniatina obliquiloculata. Very high abundances of G. bulloides and G. glutinata at MT5 indicate that equatorial upwelling (EU) occurred during the 1999 La Niña. The two western sites have similar assemblage compositions, but MT1 ( 135°E) has the highest fluxes (up to  3800 tests m^− 2 day^− 1), whereas MT3 ( 145° E) has fluxes below  2200 tests m^− 2 day^− 1. Relatively high fluxes (up to  3000 tests m^− 2 day^− 1) occur at site MT5 ( 176° E), where upwelling occurred.The differences in faunal composition in the WPWP and EU might be attributable to differences in the way in which nutrients are supplied to the phytoplankton: large amounts of suspended material are supplied to the WPWP by advection of waters passing through the coastal region of an archipelago, whereas upwelling of nutrient-rich waters enhances primary production in the EU. At the westernmost site in the WPWP, a peak in the G. bulloides flux coincided with southward flow of the New Guinea Coastal Current (NGCC) in late February, but the highest G. ruber flux coincided with northward flow of this current in late May. Thus, the differences in species dominance at this location may be caused by monsoon-driven variability in the flow direction of the NGGC.     

Paleoenvironmental change in the middle Okinawa Trough since the last deglaciation: Evidence from the sedimentation rate and planktonic foraminiferal record

Well-dated, high-resolution records of planktonic foraminifera and oxygen isotopes from two sediment cores, A7 and E017, in the middle Okinawa Trough reveal strong and rapid millennial-scale climate changes since ∼ 18 to 17 thousand years before present (kyr B.P.). Sedimentation rate shows a sudden drop at ∼ 11.2 cal. kyr B.P. due to a rapid rise of sea level after the Younger Dryas (YD) and consequently submergence of the large continental shelf on the East China Sea (ECS) and the retreat of the estuary providing sediment to the basin. During the last deglaciation, the relative abundance of warm and cold species of planktonic foraminifera fluctuates strongly, consistent with the timing of sea surface temperature (SST) variations determined from Mg/Ca measurements of planktonic foraminifera from one of the two cores. These fluctuations are coeval with climate variation recorded in the Greenland ice cores and North Atlantic sediments, namely Heinrich event 1 (H1), Bølling–Allerød (B/A) and YD events. At about 9.4 kyr B.P., a sudden change in the relative abundance of shallow to deep planktonic species probably indicates a sudden strengthening of the Kuroshio Current in the Okinawa Trough, which was synchronous with a rapid sea-level rise at 9.5–9.2 kyr B.P. in the ECS, Yellow Sea (YS) and South China Sea (SCS). The abundance of planktonic foraminiferal species, together with Mg/Ca based SST, exhibits millennial-scale oscillations during the Holocene, with 7 cold events (at about 1.7, 2.3–4.6, 6.2, 7.3, 8.2, 9.6, 10.6 cal. kyr BP) superimposed on a Holocene warming trend. This Holocene trend, together with centennial-scale SST variations superimposed on the last deglacial trend, suggests that both high and low latitude influences affected the climatology of the Okinawa Trough.