Abstract
We investigated the late Quaternary abyssal benthic foraminiferal faunas from the upper 209 cm of sediment core (KODOS PC5101) in order to understand the biotic response of abyssal benthic foraminifera to the glacial-interglacial cycle in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Three factor assemblages were identified in the benthic foraminiferal faunas of core PC5101: the common deep-sea fauna for which there is some seasonal food supply (Factor 1 assemblage), the fauna that suffer from possible carbonate undersaturation in the deep waters of the Southern Ocean or low food supply (Factor 2 assemblage), and the fauna for which there is seasonal food supply (Factor 3 assemblage). The low Horn’s index of overlap indicates the instability of benthic faunal association during the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5. There are reasonably good correlations between the Factor 1 or 2 assemblages and the CaCO3 or biogenic opal content in the earlier part of the studied interval (early MIS 5 to MIS 7), whereas there is no significant correlation in the later part (MIS 1 to late MIS 5), except for a weak correlation between the Factor 1 assemblage and biogenic opal content. It is suggested that carbonate undersaturation at the sediment-water interface on the seafloor was one of major factors that influenced benthic foraminiferal fauna at the site of our study, particularly from early MIS 5 to MIS 7. However, additional factors also affected benthic foraminifera from MIS 1 to late MIS 5. For example, enhanced periodicity of the food supply from the surface ocean (i.e., seasonality or ENSO variability) might be another factor responsible for the shift in the biotic response of abyssal benthic foraminifera deposited after MIS 5.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chiyonobu, S., 2009, Upwelling strength and water mass structure changes in the equatorial Pacific Ocean during the last 550 kyr as recorded by calcareous nannofossil assemblages. Fossils, 86, 34–44 (in Japanese with English abstract).
Chiyonobu, S., Sato, T., Narikiyo, R., and Yamasaki, M., 2006, Floral changes in calcareous nannofossils and their paleoceanographic significance in the equatorial Pacific Ocean during the last 500000 years. Island Arc, 15, 476–482.
Chuey, J.M., Rea, D.K., and Pisias, N.G., 1987, Late Pleistocene paleoclimatology of the central equatorial Pacific: a quantitative record of eolian and carbonate deposition. Quaternary Research, 28, 323–339.
Gooday, A.J., 1994, The biology of deep-sea foraminifera: A review of some advances and their applications in paleoceanography. Palaios, 9, 14–31.
Gooday, A.J., 2003, Benthic foraminifera (Protista) as tools in deepwater paleoceanography: a review of environmental influences on faunal characteristics. Advances in Marine Biology, 46, 1–90.
Herguera, J.C. and Berger, W., 1991, Paleoproductivity from benthonic foraminifera abundance glacial to postglacial change in the west-equatorial Pacific. Geology, 19, 1173–1176.
Honjo, S., Dymond, J., Collier, R., and Manganini, S.J., 1995, Export production of particles to the interior of the equatorial Pacific Ocean during the 1992 EqPac experiment. Deep-Sea Research Part II, 42, 831–870.
Horn, H., 1966, Measurement of “overlap” in comparative ecological studies. American Naturalist, 100, 419–424.
Jorissen, J. J., Fontanier, C., and Thomas, E., 2007, Paleoceanographical proxies based on deep-sea benthic foraminiferal assemblage characteristics. In: Hillaire-Marcel, C., de Vernal, A. (eds.), Proxies in Late Cenozoic Paleoceanography, 1, Elsevier, 263–326.
Khim, B.K., Park, Y.H., Bahk, J.J., Jin, J.H., and Lee, G.H., 2008, Spatial and temporary variation of geochemical properties and paleoceanographic implications in the South Korea Plateau (East Sea) during the late Quaternary. Quaternary International, 176–177, 46–61.
Kurbjeweit, F., Schmiedl, G., Schiebel, R., Hemleben, Ch., Pfannkuche, O., Wallmann, K., and Schäfer, P., 2000, Distribution biomass and diversity of benthic foraminifera in relation to sediment geochemistry in the Arabian Sea. Deep-Sea Research Part II, 47, 2913–2955.
Loubere, P., 1991, Deep-sea benthic foraminiferal assemblage response to a surface ocean productivity gradient: a test. Paleoceanography, 6, 193–204.
Loubere, P., 2000, Marine control of biological productivity in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Science, 406, 497–500.
Loubere, P., Fairduddin, M., and Murray, R.W., 2003, Patterns of export production in the eastern equatorial Pacific over the past 130000 years. Paleoceanography, 18, 1028, doi: 10.1029/2001PA000658.
Loubere, P., Mekik, F., Francois, R., and Pichat, S., 2004, Export fluxes of calcite in the eastern equatorial Pacific from the Last Glacial Maximum to present. Paleoceanography, 19, PA2018, doi: 10.1029/2003PA000986.
Lyle, M., Barron, J., Bralower, T.J., Huber, M., Lyle, A.O., Ravelo, A.C., Rea, D.K., and Wilson, P.A., 2008, Pacific Ocean and Cenozoic evolution of climate. Review of Geophysics, 46, RG2002, doi:10.1029/2005RG000190.
Lyle, M., Murray, D.W., Finney, B.P., Dymond, J., Robbins, J.M., and Brooksforce, K., 1988, The record of late Pleistocene biogenic sedimentation in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Paleoceanography, 3, 39–59.
Mackensen, A., Fütterer, D.K., Grobe, H., and Schmiedl, G., 1993, Benthic foraminiferal assemblages from the eastern South Atlantic Polar Front region between 35° and 57°: Distribution, ecology and fossilization potential. Marine Micropaleontology, 22, 33–39.
Mackensen, A., Globe, H., Kuhn, G., and Fütterer, D.K., 1990, Benthic foraminiferal assemblages from the eastern Weddell Sea between 69 and 73°: Distribution, ecology and fossilization potential. Marine Micropaleontology, 16, 241–283.
Mackensen, A., Schmiedl, G., Harloff, J., and Giese, M., 1995, Deepsea foraminifera in the South Atlantic Ocean: ecology and assemblage generation. Micropaleontology, 41, 342–358.
Nomura, R., 1995, Paleogene to Neogene deep-sea paleoceanography in the eastern Indian Ocean: benthic foraminifera from ODP Sites 747, 757 and 758. Micropaleontology, 41, 251–290.
Ohkushi, K., Thomas, E., and Kawahata, H., 2000, Abyssal benthic foraminifera from the northwestern Pacific (Shatsky Rise) during the last 298 kyr. Marine Micropaleontology, 38, 119–147.
Paytan, A., Kastner, M., and Chavez, F.P., 1996, Glacial to interglacial fluctuations in productivity in the equatorial Pacific as indicated by marine barite. Science, 274, 1355–1357.
Schmiedl, G., Mackensen, A., and Müller, P.J., 1997, Recent benthic foraminifera from the eastern South Atlantic Ocean: Dependence on food supply and water masses. Marine Micropaleontology, 32, 249–287.
Smart, C.W., Thomas, E., and Ramsay, A.T.S., 2007, Middle-late Miocene benthic foraminifera in a western equatorial Indian Ocean depth transect: Paleoceanographic implications. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 247, 402–420.
Sun, X., Corliss, B.H., and Shower, W.J., 2006, The effect of primary productivity and seasonality on the distribution of deep-sea benthic foraminifera in the North Atlantic. Deep-Sea Research Part I, 53, 28–47.
Thomas, E., 2007, Cenozoic mass extinctions in the deep sea: What perturbs the largest habitat on Earth? The Geological Society of America, Special Paper, 424, 1–23.
Thomas, E. and Gooday, A.J., 1996, Cenozoic deep-sea benthic foraminifers: Tracer for changes in oceanic productivity. Geology, 24, 355–358.
Thomas, E., Turekian, K.K., and Wei, K.-Y., 2000, Productivity control of fine particle transport to equatorial Pacific sediment. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 14, 945–955.
van Morkhoven, F.P.C.M., Berggren, W.A., and Edwards, A.S., 1986, Cenozoic Cosmopolitan Deep-Water Benthic Foraminifera. Bulletin des centres de recherches Exploration-production Elf-Aquitaine, Meìmoires 11, 421 p.
Yasuhara, M. and Cronin, T.M., 2008, Climatic influences on deepsea Ostracode (CRUSTACEA) diversity for the last three million years. Ecology, 89, S53–S65.
Yasuhara, M., Cronin, T.M., deMenocal, P.B., Okahashi, H., and Linsley, B.K., 2008, Abrupt climate change and collapse of deep-sea ecosystems. In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 105, 1556–1560.
Yasuhara, M., Hunt, G., Cronin, T.M., and Okahashi, H., 2009, Temporal latitudinal-gradient dynamics and tropical instability of deep-sea species diversity. In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106, 21717–21720.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Takata, H., Khim, BK., Yoo, C.M. et al. Shift in biotic response of abyssal benthic foraminifera since MIS 7 in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Geosci J 15, 417–422 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-011-0031-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-011-0031-y