Evaluation of two genera of benthic foraminifera for down-core paleotemperature studies in the western south atlantic

Costa, Karen B.; Toledo, Felipe A. L.; Pivel, Maria A.G.; Moura, Cândido A.V.; Chemale Jr., Farid

Abstracts

In this study we have compared the oxygen isotopic composition of two genera of benthic foraminifera (Uvigerina and Cibicidoides) from core-top samples with modern oxygen isotopic composition of seawater (delta18O). Based on a new relationship between delta18O and salinity for the mid-latitude western South Atlantic, we estimated the isotopic composition of equilibrium calcite (delta18Oeq) using two different equations: (1) O'Neil et al. (1969), modified by McCorkle et al. (1997) and (2) Kim & O'Neil (1997). When using (1), the small difference between delta18Oeq and delta18O of Uvigerina suggests that this genus precipitates its shell close to equilibrium with ambient seawater. The delta18O Cibicidoides data are 0.82 ‰ lower than the predicted (equilibrium) oxygen isotopic composition. Conversely, using (2) the Cibicidoides delta18O data show excellent agreement with the oxygen isotopic composition predicted from delta18O and water temperature while Uvigerina delta18O data are 0.69 ‰ higher than predicted oxygen isotope equilibrium values. Based on the evidences presented here and on the results from previous studies we suggest using the genus Cibicidoides and applying Kim & O'Neil's (1997) equation for down-core paleotemperature investigations. In the absence of enough Cibicidoides specimens we suggest using Uvigerina delta18O data and applying a correction factor of -0.69 ‰.

benthic foraminifera; oxygen isotopes; palaeoceanography; paleothermometry

Neste estudo, compara-se a composição de isótopos de oxigênio de dois gêneros de foraminíferos bentônicos (Uvigerina e Cibicidoides) de amostras de topo de testemunho com a composição isotópica moderna da água do mar (delta18O). Baseados em uma nova relação entre delta18O e salinidade para a latitude média do Atlântico Sul ocidental, estimou-se a composição isotópica da calcita em equilíbrio (delta18Oeq) a partir de duas equações diferentes: (1) O'Neil et al. (1969), modificada por McCorkle et al. (1997) e (2) Kim & O'Neil (1997). Utilizando (1), a pequena diferença entre delta18Oeq e delta18O de Uvigerina sugere que este gênero precipita as suas testas próximo ao equilíbrio com a água. Já os dados de delta18O de Cibicidoides são 0,82 ‰ menores que a composição isotópica prevista. Ao contrário, utilizando (2) os dados de delta18O de Cibicidoides mostram uma concordância excelente com a composição isotópica esperada, enquanto que os dados de delta18O de Uvigerina são 0,69 ‰ maiores que os valores de equilíbrio previstos. A partir das evidências apresentadas neste trabalho e em estudos prévios sugerimos a utilização do gênero Cibicidoides e a aplicação da equação de Kim & O'Neil (1997) para pesquisas de paleotemperatura. Na ausência de suficientes espécimens de Cibicidoides sugerimos a utilização de delta18O de Uvigerina aplicando um fator de correção de -0,69 ‰.

Foraminíferos bentônicos; Isótopos de oxigênio; Paleoceanografia; Paleotermometria

Bainbridge, A. E. 1981. GEOSECS Atlantic Expedition. In: Bainbridge, A. E. ed. GEOSECS, Hydrographic Data (1972-1973), 1. Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 121.
Belanger, P. E.; Curry, W. B. & Matthews, R. K. 1981. Core-top evaluation of benthic foraminiferal isotopic ratios for paleo-oceanographic interpretations. Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol., 33:205-220.
Bemis, B. E.; Spero, H. J.; Bijma, J. & Lea, D. W. 1998. Reevaluation of the oxygen isotopic composition of planktonic foraminifera: experimental results and revised paleotemperature equations. Paleoceanography, 13(2):150-160.
Berger, W. & Wefer, G. 1996. Central themes of South Atlantic Circulation. In: Wefer, G.; Berger, W.; Siedler, G. & Webb, D. eds. The South Atlantic: Present and Past Circulation. Berlin, Springer. p. 1-11.
Bijma, J.; Spero, H. J. & Lea, D. W. 1999. Reassessing Foraminiferal Stable Isotope Geochemistry: Impact of the Carbonate System (Experimental Results). In: Fisher, G. & Wefer, G. eds. Use of proxies in paleoceanography: examples from the South Atlantic. Berlin, Springer-Verlag. p. 489-512.
Broecker, W. S. & Peng, T.-H. 1982. Ice sheets and glacial phosphate - glacial to interglacial changes in ocean chemistry. In: Broecker, W.S .& Peng, T.-H. eds. Tracers in the sea, Chapter 9. Palisades, New York, Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, Columbia University. p. 334-369.
Craig, H. & Gordon, L. I. 1965. Isotopic oceanography: Deuterium and Oxygen 18 Variations in the Ocean and the Marine Atmosphere. In: Schink, D. R. & Corless, J. T. eds. Symposium on Marine Geochemistry, 3. Narragansett, University of Rhode Island. p. 277-374.
Curry, W. B. & Lohmann, G. P. 1982. Carbon isotopic changes in the benthic foraminifera from the Western South Atlantic: Reconstruction of glacial abyssal circulation patterns. Quat. Res., 18:218-235.
Curry, W. B.; Duplessy, J. C.; Labeyrie, L. D. & Shackleton, N. J. 1988. Changes in the distribution of d¹³C of deep water SCO₂ between the last glaciation and the Holocene. Paleoceanography, 3(3):317-341.
Dunbar, R. B. & Wefer, G. 1984. Stable isotope fractionation in benthic foraminifera from the Peruvian continental margin. Mar. Geol., 59:215-225.
Duplessy, J. C.; Moyes, J. & Pujol, C. 1980. Deep water formation in the North Atlantic Ocean during the last ice age. Nature, 286 (5772):479-482.
Duplessy, J. C.; Shackleton, N. J.; Matthews, R. K.; Prell, W.; Ruddiman, W. F.; Caralp, M. & Hendy, C. H. 1984. d¹³C Record of benthic foraminifera in the last interglacial ocean: implications for the carbon cycle and the global deep water circulation. Quat. Res., 21:225-243.
Emiliani, C. 1955. Pleistocene temperatures. J. Geol., 63:538-578.
Epstein, S. R.; Buchsbaum, R.; Lowenstam, H. A. & Urey, H. C. 1953. Revised carbonate-water isotopic temperature scale. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 64:1315-1325.
Erez, J. & Luz, B. 1983. Experimental paleotemperature equation for planktonic foraminifera. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta, 47:1025-1031.
Friedman, I. & O'Neil, J. R. 1977. Compilation of stable isotope fractionation factors of geochemical interest (Geological Survey Professional Paper 440-KK), In: Fleischer, M. ed. Data of Geochemistry 6^th ed. Washington, D.C., U.S. Gov. Print. Off. p. 1-12.
Graham, D.W.; Corliss, B. H.; Bender, M. L. & Keigwin, L. D. 1981. Carbon and oxygen isotopic disequilibria of Recent deep-sea benthic foraminifera. Mar. Micropaleontol., 6:483-497.
Herguera, J. C.; Jansen, E. & Berger, W. H. 1992. Evidence for a Bathyal front at 2000-m depth in the glacial Pacific, based on a depth transect on Ontong Java Plateau. Paleoceanography, 7(3):273-288.
Keigwin, L. D. 1998. Glacial-age hydrography of the northwest Pacific Ocean. Paleoceanography, 13(4):323-339.
Kim, S.-T. & O'Neil, J. R. 1997. Equilibrium and nonequilibrium oxygen isotope effects in synthetic carbonates. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta, 61:3461-3475.
Lynch-Stieglitz, J. C.; Curry, W. B. & Slowey, N. C. 1999. A geostrophic transport estimate for the Florida Current from the oxygen isotopic composition of benthic foraminifera. Paleoceanography, 14(3):360-373.
McCorkle, D. C.; Keigwin, L. D.; Corliss, B. H. & Emerson, S. R. 1990. The influence of microhabitats on the carbon isotopic composition of deep-sea benthic foraminifera. Paleoceanography, 5:161-185.
McCorkle, D. C.; Corliss, B. H. & Farnham, C. A. 1997. Vertical distributions and isotopic composition of live (stained) benthic foraminifera from the North Carolina and Carolina continental margins. Deep Sea Res I, 44(6):983-1024.
McCorkle, D. C.; Heggie, D. T. & Veeh, H. H. 1998. Glacial and Holocene stable isotope distributions in the southeastern Indian Ocean. Paleoceanography, 13(1):20-34.
McCrea, J. M. 1950. On the isotope chemistry of carbonates and a paleotemperature scale. J. Chem. Phys., 18:849-857.
Mulitza, S.; Boltovskoy, D.; Donner, B.; Meggers, H.; Paul, A. & Wefer, G. 2003. Temperature: d¹⁸O relationships of planktonic foraminifera collected from surface waters. Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol., 202:143-152.
O'Neil, J. R.; Clayton, R. N. & Mayeda, T. K. 1969. Oxygen isotope fractionation in divalent metal carbonates. J. Chem. Phys., 51:5547-5558.
Oppo, D. W. & Horowitz, M. 2000. Glacial deep water geometry: South Atlantic benthic foraminiferal Cd/Ca and d13C evidence. Paleoceanography, 15:147-160.
Oppo, D. W.; Fairbanks, R. G. & Gordon, A. L. 1990. Late Pleistocene Southern Ocean d¹³C variability. Paleoceanography, 5:43-54.
Paul, A.; Mulitza, S.; Pätzold, J. & Wolff, T. 1999. Simulation of oxygen isotopes in global ocean model. In: Fisher, G. & Wefer, G. eds. Use of proxies in paleoceanography: examples from the South Atlantic. Berlin, Springer-Verlag. p. 655-686.
Schmiedl, G.; Pfeilsticker, M.; Hemleben, C. & Mackensen, A. 2004. Environmental and biological effects on the stable composition of recent deep-sea benthic foraminifera from the western Mediterranean Sea. Mar. Micropaleontol., 51:129-152.
Shackleton, N. J. 1967. Oxygen isotope analyses and Pleistocene temperature reassessed. Nature, 215:15-17.
Shackleton, N. J. 1974. Attainment of isotopic equilibrium between ocean water and benthonic foraminifera genus Uvigerina: Isotopic changes in the ocean during the last glacial. Colloq. Int. C.N.R.S., (219):203-209.
Shackleton, N. J. & Opdyke, N. D. 1973. Oxygen Isotope and Palaeomagnetic Stratigraphy of Equatorial Pacific Core V28-238: Oxygen Isotope Temperatures and Ice Volumes on a 10⁵ Year and 10⁶ Year Scale. Quat. Res., 3:39-55.
Spero, H. J. 1992. Do planktic foraminifera accurately record shifts in the carbon isotopic composition of sea water SCO₂? Mar. Micropaleontol., 19:275-285.
Spero, H. J.; Bijma, J.; Lea, D. W. & Bemis, B. E. 1997. Effects of seawater carbonate concentration on foraminiferal carbon and oxygen isotopes. Nature, 390:487-500.
Zahn, R. & Mix, A. C. 1991. Benthic Foraminiferal d¹⁸O in the Ocean's Temperature-salinity-density Field: Constraints on Ice Age Thermohaline Circulation. Paleoceanography, 6 (1):1-20.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
24 Oct 2007
Date of issue
Mar 2006

History

Accepted
24 Feb 2006
Reviewed
03 Feb 2006
Received
23 Aug 2005

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

[1] Bainbridge, A. E. 1981. GEOSECS Atlantic Expedition. In: Bainbridge, A. E. ed. GEOSECS, Hydrographic Data (1972-1973), 1. Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 121.

[2] Belanger, P. E.; Curry, W. B. & Matthews, R. K. 1981. Core-top evaluation of benthic foraminiferal isotopic ratios for paleo-oceanographic interpretations. Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol., 33:205-220.

[3] Bemis, B. E.; Spero, H. J.; Bijma, J. & Lea, D. W. 1998. Reevaluation of the oxygen isotopic composition of planktonic foraminifera: experimental results and revised paleotemperature equations. Paleoceanography, 13(2):150-160.

[4] Berger, W. & Wefer, G. 1996. Central themes of South Atlantic Circulation. In: Wefer, G.; Berger, W.; Siedler, G. & Webb, D. eds. The South Atlantic: Present and Past Circulation. Berlin, Springer. p. 1-11.

[5] Bijma, J.; Spero, H. J. & Lea, D. W. 1999. Reassessing Foraminiferal Stable Isotope Geochemistry: Impact of the Carbonate System (Experimental Results). In: Fisher, G. & Wefer, G. eds. Use of proxies in paleoceanography: examples from the South Atlantic. Berlin, Springer-Verlag. p. 489-512.

[6] Broecker, W. S. & Peng, T.-H. 1982. Ice sheets and glacial phosphate - glacial to interglacial changes in ocean chemistry. In: Broecker, W.S .& Peng, T.-H. eds. Tracers in the sea, Chapter 9. Palisades, New York, Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, Columbia University. p. 334-369.

[7] Craig, H. & Gordon, L. I. 1965. Isotopic oceanography: Deuterium and Oxygen 18 Variations in the Ocean and the Marine Atmosphere. In: Schink, D. R. & Corless, J. T. eds. Symposium on Marine Geochemistry, 3. Narragansett, University of Rhode Island. p. 277-374.

[8] Curry, W. B. & Lohmann, G. P. 1982. Carbon isotopic changes in the benthic foraminifera from the Western South Atlantic: Reconstruction of glacial abyssal circulation patterns. Quat. Res., 18:218-235.

[9] Curry, W. B.; Duplessy, J. C.; Labeyrie, L. D. & Shackleton, N. J. 1988. Changes in the distribution of d¹³C of deep water SCO₂ between the last glaciation and the Holocene. Paleoceanography, 3(3):317-341.

[10] Dunbar, R. B. & Wefer, G. 1984. Stable isotope fractionation in benthic foraminifera from the Peruvian continental margin. Mar. Geol., 59:215-225.

[11] Duplessy, J. C.; Moyes, J. & Pujol, C. 1980. Deep water formation in the North Atlantic Ocean during the last ice age. Nature, 286 (5772):479-482.

[12] Duplessy, J. C.; Shackleton, N. J.; Matthews, R. K.; Prell, W.; Ruddiman, W. F.; Caralp, M. & Hendy, C. H. 1984. d¹³C Record of benthic foraminifera in the last interglacial ocean: implications for the carbon cycle and the global deep water circulation. Quat. Res., 21:225-243.

[13] Emiliani, C. 1955. Pleistocene temperatures. J. Geol., 63:538-578.

[14] Epstein, S. R.; Buchsbaum, R.; Lowenstam, H. A. & Urey, H. C. 1953. Revised carbonate-water isotopic temperature scale. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 64:1315-1325.

[15] Erez, J. & Luz, B. 1983. Experimental paleotemperature equation for planktonic foraminifera. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta, 47:1025-1031.

[16] Friedman, I. & O'Neil, J. R. 1977. Compilation of stable isotope fractionation factors of geochemical interest (Geological Survey Professional Paper 440-KK), In: Fleischer, M. ed. Data of Geochemistry 6^th ed. Washington, D.C., U.S. Gov. Print. Off. p. 1-12.

[17] Graham, D.W.; Corliss, B. H.; Bender, M. L. & Keigwin, L. D. 1981. Carbon and oxygen isotopic disequilibria of Recent deep-sea benthic foraminifera. Mar. Micropaleontol., 6:483-497.

[18] Herguera, J. C.; Jansen, E. & Berger, W. H. 1992. Evidence for a Bathyal front at 2000-m depth in the glacial Pacific, based on a depth transect on Ontong Java Plateau. Paleoceanography, 7(3):273-288.

[19] Keigwin, L. D. 1998. Glacial-age hydrography of the northwest Pacific Ocean. Paleoceanography, 13(4):323-339.

[20] Kim, S.-T. & O'Neil, J. R. 1997. Equilibrium and nonequilibrium oxygen isotope effects in synthetic carbonates. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta, 61:3461-3475.

[21] Lynch-Stieglitz, J. C.; Curry, W. B. & Slowey, N. C. 1999. A geostrophic transport estimate for the Florida Current from the oxygen isotopic composition of benthic foraminifera. Paleoceanography, 14(3):360-373.

[22] McCorkle, D. C.; Keigwin, L. D.; Corliss, B. H. & Emerson, S. R. 1990. The influence of microhabitats on the carbon isotopic composition of deep-sea benthic foraminifera. Paleoceanography, 5:161-185.

[23] McCorkle, D. C.; Corliss, B. H. & Farnham, C. A. 1997. Vertical distributions and isotopic composition of live (stained) benthic foraminifera from the North Carolina and Carolina continental margins. Deep Sea Res I, 44(6):983-1024.

[24] McCorkle, D. C.; Heggie, D. T. & Veeh, H. H. 1998. Glacial and Holocene stable isotope distributions in the southeastern Indian Ocean. Paleoceanography, 13(1):20-34.

[25] McCrea, J. M. 1950. On the isotope chemistry of carbonates and a paleotemperature scale. J. Chem. Phys., 18:849-857.

[26] Mulitza, S.; Boltovskoy, D.; Donner, B.; Meggers, H.; Paul, A. & Wefer, G. 2003. Temperature: d¹⁸O relationships of planktonic foraminifera collected from surface waters. Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol., 202:143-152.

[27] O'Neil, J. R.; Clayton, R. N. & Mayeda, T. K. 1969. Oxygen isotope fractionation in divalent metal carbonates. J. Chem. Phys., 51:5547-5558.

[28] Oppo, D. W. & Horowitz, M. 2000. Glacial deep water geometry: South Atlantic benthic foraminiferal Cd/Ca and d13C evidence. Paleoceanography, 15:147-160.

[29] Oppo, D. W.; Fairbanks, R. G. & Gordon, A. L. 1990. Late Pleistocene Southern Ocean d¹³C variability. Paleoceanography, 5:43-54.

[30] Paul, A.; Mulitza, S.; Pätzold, J. & Wolff, T. 1999. Simulation of oxygen isotopes in global ocean model. In: Fisher, G. & Wefer, G. eds. Use of proxies in paleoceanography: examples from the South Atlantic. Berlin, Springer-Verlag. p. 655-686.

[31] Schmiedl, G.; Pfeilsticker, M.; Hemleben, C. & Mackensen, A. 2004. Environmental and biological effects on the stable composition of recent deep-sea benthic foraminifera from the western Mediterranean Sea. Mar. Micropaleontol., 51:129-152.

[32] Shackleton, N. J. 1967. Oxygen isotope analyses and Pleistocene temperature reassessed. Nature, 215:15-17.

[33] Shackleton, N. J. 1974. Attainment of isotopic equilibrium between ocean water and benthonic foraminifera genus Uvigerina: Isotopic changes in the ocean during the last glacial. Colloq. Int. C.N.R.S., (219):203-209.

[34] Shackleton, N. J. & Opdyke, N. D. 1973. Oxygen Isotope and Palaeomagnetic Stratigraphy of Equatorial Pacific Core V28-238: Oxygen Isotope Temperatures and Ice Volumes on a 10⁵ Year and 10⁶ Year Scale. Quat. Res., 3:39-55.

[35] Spero, H. J. 1992. Do planktic foraminifera accurately record shifts in the carbon isotopic composition of sea water SCO₂? Mar. Micropaleontol., 19:275-285.

[36] Spero, H. J.; Bijma, J.; Lea, D. W. & Bemis, B. E. 1997. Effects of seawater carbonate concentration on foraminiferal carbon and oxygen isotopes. Nature, 390:487-500.

[37] Zahn, R. & Mix, A. C. 1991. Benthic Foraminiferal d¹⁸O in the Ocean's Temperature-salinity-density Field: Constraints on Ice Age Thermohaline Circulation. Paleoceanography, 6 (1):1-20.

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Evaluation of two genera of benthic foraminifera for down-core paleotemperature studies in the western south atlantic

Abstracts

Publication Dates

History