Compilation of planktonic foraminiferal census counts from the Southern Hemisphere Oceans

We present an improved database of planktonic foraminiferal census counts from the Southern Hemisphere Oceans (SHO) from 15°S to 64°S. The SHO database combines 3 existing databases. Using this SHO database, we investigated dissolution biases that might affect faunal census counts. We suggest a depth/[DCO3]2- threshold of ~3800 m/[DCO3]2- = ~-10 to -5 µmol/kg for the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and ~4000 m/[DCO3]2- = ~0 to 10 µmol/kg for the Atlantic Ocean, under which core-top assemblages can be affected by dissolution and are less reliable for paleo-sea surface temperature (SST) reconstructions. We removed all core-tops beyond these thresholds from the SHO database. This database has 598 core-tops and is able to reconstruct past SST variations from 2° to 25.5°C, with a root mean square error of 1.00°C, for annual temperatures. To inspect dissolution affects SST reconstruction quality, we tested the data base with two "leave-one-out" tests, with and without the deep core-tops. We used this database to reconstruct Summer SST (SSST) over the last 20 ka, using the Modern Analog Technique method, on the Southeast Pacific core MD07-3100. This was compared to the SSST reconstructed using the 3 databases used to compile the SHO database. Thus showing that the reconstruction using the SHO database is more reliable, as its dissimilarity values are the lowest. The most important aspect here is the importance of a bias-free, geographic-rich, database. We leave this dataset open-ended to future additions; the new core-tops must be carefully selected, with their chronological frameworks, and evidence of dissolution assessed.

Stable isotope record of foraminifera from the Southern Ocean

Sediment cores from the southern continental margin of Australia are near the formation region of Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) and Subantarctic Mode Water and record the changes in these water masses from the last glacial maximum through the present. Carbon and oxygen isotopes were measured on the benthic foraminiferal species Planulina wuellerstrorfi for both the Recent and last glacial maximum sections of the cores and were then used to reconstruct temperature and carbon isotopic water column profiles. The glacial oxygen isotope profile indicates a vertical temperature structure for this region similar to that in today's Subantarctic Zone. Although intermediate water delta13C cannot be used as a nutrient tracer in this region because of the large influence of air-sea carbon isotopic exchange on this water mass, delta13C can be used as a water mass tracer. Today, AAIW properties reflect contributions from cool, fresh Antarctic Surface Waters (2/3) and warm, salty waters from the Indian Ocean (1/3). When examined in conjuction with the glacial delta13C and delta18C data from the north Indian and Southern Oceans, our data suggest a much reduced contribution of North Indian Ocean intermediate water to glacial Antarctic Intermediate Water relative to the contribution of Antarctic Surface Water. This fresher, cooler glacial Antarctic Intermediate Water would be distributed to the intermediate-depth ocean, thus decreasing the transport of salt produced in the North Indian Ocean to the rest of the world's oceans. Combined with evidence for a reduced influence of North Atlantic Deep Water, these results suggest major changes in the pathways for the redistribution of heat and salt in the glacial ocean.