Siliceous microfossils in middle Eocene sediments of ODP Holes 120-748B and 120-749B

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Hauptverfasser: Witkowski, Jakub, Bohaty, Steven M, McCartney, Kevin, Harwood, David M
Format: Dataset Open Access
Sprache:en
Veröffentlicht: PANGAEA 2012
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author Witkowski, Jakub
Bohaty, Steven M
McCartney, Kevin
Harwood, David M
author_facet Witkowski, Jakub
Bohaty, Steven M
McCartney, Kevin
Harwood, David M
collection Datos científicos de ciencias marinas y ambientales
contents The Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO) is a major transient warming event that occurred at ~ 40 Ma and reversed a long-term cooling trend through the early and middle Eocene. We report the results of a high-resolution, quantitative study of siliceous microfossils at Ocean Drilling Program Sites 748 and 749 (Southern Kerguelen Plateau, Southern Ocean, ~ 58°S) across a ~ 1.4 myr interval spanning the MECO event. At both sites, a significant increase in biosiliceous sedimentation is associated with the MECO event. Rich siliceous planktonic microfossil assemblages in this interval are unusual in that they are dominated by ebridians, with radiolarians as a secondary major component. Silicoflagellates and diatoms comprise only a minor fraction of the assemblage, in contrast to siliceous microfossil assemblages that characterize modern Southern Ocean sediments. Based on our new siliceous microfossil records, we interpret two ~ 300 kyr periods of elevated nutrient availability in Southern Ocean surface waters which span the peak warming interval of the MECO and the post-MECO cooling interval. A diverse assemblage of large silicoflagellates belonging to the Dictyocha grandis plexus is linked to the rapid rise in sea-surface temperatures immediately prior to peak warmth, and a pronounced turnover is observed in both ebridian and silicoflagellate assemblages at the onset of peak warming. The interval of peak warmth is also characterized by high abundance of cosmopolitan ebridians (e.g., Ammodochium spp.) and silicoflagellates (e.g., Naviculopsis spp.), and increased abundance of tropical and subtropical diatom genera (e.g., Asterolampra and Azpeitia). These observations confirm the relative pattern of temperature change interpreted from geochemical proxy data at multiple Southern Ocean sites. Furthermore, rapid assemblage changes in both autotrophic and heterotrophic siliceous microfossil groups indicate a reorganization of Southern Ocean plankton communities in response to greenhouse warming during the MECO event.
format Dataset Open Access
id pangaea_https___doi_org_10_1594_PANGAEA_777114
institution PANGAEA
language en
publishDate 2012
publisher PANGAEA
record_format pangaea
spellingShingle Siliceous microfossils in middle Eocene sediments of ODP Holes 120-748B and 120-749B
Witkowski, Jakub
Bohaty, Steven M
McCartney, Kevin
Harwood, David M
120-748B; 120-749B; DRILL; Drilling/drill rig; Joides Resolution; Leg120; Ocean Drilling Program; ODP; South Indian Ridge, South Indian Ocean
The Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO) is a major transient warming event that occurred at ~ 40 Ma and reversed a long-term cooling trend through the early and middle Eocene. We report the results of a high-resolution, quantitative study of siliceous microfossils at Ocean Drilling Program Sites 748 and 749 (Southern Kerguelen Plateau, Southern Ocean, ~ 58°S) across a ~ 1.4 myr interval spanning the MECO event. At both sites, a significant increase in biosiliceous sedimentation is associated with the MECO event. Rich siliceous planktonic microfossil assemblages in this interval are unusual in that they are dominated by ebridians, with radiolarians as a secondary major component. Silicoflagellates and diatoms comprise only a minor fraction of the assemblage, in contrast to siliceous microfossil assemblages that characterize modern Southern Ocean sediments. Based on our new siliceous microfossil records, we interpret two ~ 300 kyr periods of elevated nutrient availability in Southern Ocean surface waters which span the peak warming interval of the MECO and the post-MECO cooling interval. A diverse assemblage of large silicoflagellates belonging to the Dictyocha grandis plexus is linked to the rapid rise in sea-surface temperatures immediately prior to peak warmth, and a pronounced turnover is observed in both ebridian and silicoflagellate assemblages at the onset of peak warming. The interval of peak warmth is also characterized by high abundance of cosmopolitan ebridians (e.g., Ammodochium spp.) and silicoflagellates (e.g., Naviculopsis spp.), and increased abundance of tropical and subtropical diatom genera (e.g., Asterolampra and Azpeitia). These observations confirm the relative pattern of temperature change interpreted from geochemical proxy data at multiple Southern Ocean sites. Furthermore, rapid assemblage changes in both autotrophic and heterotrophic siliceous microfossil groups indicate a reorganization of Southern Ocean plankton communities in response to greenhouse warming during the MECO event.
title Siliceous microfossils in middle Eocene sediments of ODP Holes 120-748B and 120-749B
topic 120-748B; 120-749B; DRILL; Drilling/drill rig; Joides Resolution; Leg120; Ocean Drilling Program; ODP; South Indian Ridge, South Indian Ocean
url https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.777114