Abstract
Long-chain (n C37–C39) alkenones and (n C37–C38) alkyl alkenoates (A&A), which are derived mainly from coccolithophorids specifically, the family Gephyrocapsaceae such as Emiliania huxleyi and Gephyrocapsa oceanica, were analyzed in, 1) sinking particles collected by year-long time-series sediment traps at 1674, 4180, 5687 and 8688 m depths, 2) in the underlying bottom sediment at 9200 m depth and 3) in a sediment core of KT92-17 St. 14 (3252 m water depth) from in the northwestern Pacific off Japan. Pronounced maxima of sinking A&A fluxes in sediment trap samples at 1674 m were observed in late spring to summer. Seasonal patterns of alkenone temperature records in sediment trap samples from 1674 to 8688 m were similar to sea surface temperature (SST) signals with a time delay of one half to two months. Thus, A&A in the particles sinking in deep sea water column could be mainly derived from the primary products of surface layer and reflected strongly the state of productivity of their source organisms. Furthermore, significant amounts of A&A were contained in the underlying bottom sediment, in which no coccoliths were observed. However, A&A fluxes tended to decrease with water depths due to decomposition of these compounds in the water column and sediment-water interface. A & A and coccolith records at 1674 m suggested that A&A fluxes were not always correlated with the coccolith fluxes of E. huxleyi and G. oceanica. The relative abundances of E. huxleyi and G. oceanica estimated by A&A fingerprints were not necessarily comparable to the estimated values from coccolith observations.
Paleo-productivity estimations of the Gephyrocapsaceae based on A&A mass accumulation rates for a core St. 14 were generally higher during the last glacial period than the Holocene. This result disagrees with previous studies on coccolith carbonates in the middle to high latitudinal North Atlantic sediments, in which coccolithophorid productions increased from the last glacial period to the Holocene. The millenarian-scale fluctuation in productivity of coccolithophorids including the Gephyrocapsaceae in the northwestern Pacific off central Japan was presumably different from that in the middle to high-latitudinal areas of the North Atlantic.
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Sawada, K., Okada, H., Shiraiwa, Y., Handa, N. (2000). Productivity of Gephyrocapsacean Algae Revealed from Long-Chain Alkenones and Alkyl Alkenoates in the Northwestern Pacific off Japan. In: Handa, N., Tanoue, E., Hama, T. (eds) Dynamics and Characterization of Marine Organic Matter. Ocean Sciences Research (OSR), vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-1319-1_9
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