Stable carbon and oxygen isotopes of four planktonic foraminiferal species from core-top sediments of the Indonesian throughflow region and their significance

Horizontal and vertical distributions of δ^18 and δ^13 were investigated in shells of four planktonic foraminiferal species, Globigerinoides ruber, Globigerinoides sacculifer, Pulleniatina obliquiloculata and Neogloboquedrina dutertrei, from a total of 62 core-top sediment samples from the Indonesian throughflow region. Results were compared to modern hydrologic conditions in order to explore potential of proxies in reconstructing fluvial discharge and upper ocean water column characteristics in this region. Our results show that, in the Makassar Strait, both of depleted δ^18 and δ^13 of these four species were linked to freshwater input. In the Bali Sea,however, depleted δ^18 and δ^13 for these species may be due to different reasons. Depleted δ^18 was a result of freshwater input and as well influenced by along-shore currents while depleted δ^13 was more likely due to the Java-Sumatra upwelling. Comparison of shell δ^18 records and hydrographic data of World Ocean Atlas 2005 suggests that G. ruber and G. sacculifer calcify within the mixed-layer, respectively at 0–50 m and 20–75 m water depth, and P. obliquiloculata and N. dutertrei within the upper thermocline, both at 75–125 m water depth. N.dutertrei calcifies at slightly deeper water depth than P. obliquiloculata does. In general, δ^13 values of both G.ruber and G. sacculifer are larger than those of P. obliquiloculata and N. dutertrei at all sites, possibly related to depth habitats of these species and vertical distribution of nutrients in the Indonesian throughflow region.

Calcification of planktonic foraminifer Neogloboquadrina pachyderma(sinistral) controlled by seawater temperature rather than ocean acidification in the Antarctic Zone of modern Sothern Ocean

Neogloboquadrina pachyderma(sinistral), the dominant planktonic foraminiferal species in the mid-to-high latitude oceans, represents a major component of local calcium carbonate(CaCO) production. However, the predominant factors,governing the calcification of this species and its potential response to the future marine environmental changes, are poorly understood. The present study utilized an improved cleaning method for the size-normalized weight(SNW) measurement to estimate the SNW of N. pachyderma(sin.) in surface sediments from the Amundsen Sea, the Ross Sea, and the Prydz Bay in the Antarctic Zone of the Southern Ocean. It was found that SNW of N. pachyderma(sin.) is not controlled by deep-water carbonate dissolution post-mortem, and can be therefore, used to reflect the degree of calcification. The comparison between N. pachyderma(sin.) SNW and environmental parameters(temperature, salinity, nutrient concentration, and carbonate system) in the calcification depth revealed that N. pachyderma(sin.) SNWs in the size ranges of 200–250, 250–300, and 300–355 μm are significantly and positively correlated with seawater temperature. Moreover, SNW would increase by ~30% per degree increase in temperature, thereby suggesting that the calcification of N. pachyderma(sin.) in the modern Antarctic Zone of the Southern Ocean is mainly controlled by temperature, rather than by other environmental parameters such as ocean acidification. Importantly, a potential increase in calcification of N. pachyderma(sin.) in the Antarctic Zone to produce CaCOwill release COinto the atmosphere. In turn, the future ocean warming will weaken the ocean carbon sink, thereby generating positive feedback for global warming.