Geochemistry, sediment components, and paleoproductivity reconstruction for the Miocene to early Pliocene sediments

We reconstruct paleoproductivity at three sites in the Atlantic Ocean (Ocean Drilling Program Sites 982, 925, and 1088) to investigate the presence and extent of the late Miocene to early Pliocene 'biogenic bloom' from 9 to 3 Ma. Our approach involves construction of multiple records including benthic foraminiferal and CaCO3 accumulation rates, Uvigerina counts, dissolution proxies, and geochemical tracers for biogenic and detrital fluxes. This time interval also contains the so-called late Miocene carbon isotope shift, a well-known decrease in benthic foraminiferal d13C values. We find that the timing of paleoproductivity maxima differs among the three sites. At Site 982 (North Atlantic), benthic foraminifera and CaCO3 accumulation were both at a maximum at ~5 Ma, with smaller peaks at ~6 Ma. The paleoproductivity maximum was centered earlier (~6.6-6.0 Ma) in the tropical Atlantic (Site 925). In the South Atlantic (Site 1088), paleoproductivity increased even earlier, between 8.2 Ma and 6.2 Ma, and remained relatively high until ~5.4 Ma. We note that there is some overlap between the interval of maximum productivity between Sites 925 and 1088, as well as the minor productivity increase at Site 982. We conclude that the paleoproductivity results support hypotheses aiming to place the biogenic bloom into a global context of enhanced productivity. In addition, we find that at all three sites the d13C shift is accompanied by carbonate dissolution. This observation is consistent with published studies that have sought a relationship between the late Miocene carbon isotope shift and carbonate preservation.

Sedimentology of ODP sites in the Cape Basin, southeast Atlantic Ocean

Middle/late Miocene to early Pliocene sedimentary sequences along the continental margin of southwest Africa have changes that correspond to the carbonate crash (12-9 Ma) and biogenic bloom events (~7-4 Ma) described in the equatorial Pacific by Farrell et al. (1995, doi:10.2973/odp.proc.sr.138.143.1995). To explore the origins of these changes, we analyzed the carbon and coarse fraction contents of sediments from ODP Sites 1085, 1086, and 1087 at a time resolution of 5 to 30 kyr. Several major drops in CaCO3 concentration between 12 and 9 Ma are caused by dilution from major increases in clastic input from the Oranje River during global sea level regressions. Abundant pyrite crystals and good preservation of fish debris reflect low oxygenation of bottom/pore waters. Regional productivity was enhanced during the time equivalent to the carbonate crash period. Higher benthic/planktic foraminiferal ratios indicate that CaCO3 dissolution at Site 1085 peaked between 9 to 7 Ma, which was after the global carbonate crash. This period of enhanced dissolution suggests that Site 1085 was located within a low-oxygen water mass that dissolved CaCO3 more easily than North Atlantic Deep Water, which began to bathe this site at 7 Ma. At 7 to 6 Ma, the onset of the biogenic bloom, increases and variations in total organic carbon and benthic foraminiferal accumulation rates show that paleoproductivity increased significantly above values observed during the carbonate crash period and fluctuated widely. We attribute the late Miocene paleoproductivity increase off southwest Africa to ocean-wide increases in nutrient supply and delivery.

Sediment geochemistry, foraminiferal fauna parameter, census counts and Varimax PC-factor loadings and scores of foraminiferal assemblages of sediment core GeoB12615-4

Analogous to West- and North Africa, East Africa experienced more humid conditions between approximately 12 to 5 kyr BP, relative to today. While timing and extension of wet phases in the North and West are well constrained, this is not the case for the East African Humid Period. Here we present a record of benthic foraminiferal assemblages and sediment elemental compositions of a sediment core from the East African continental slope, in order to provide insight into the regional shallow Indian Ocean paleoceanography and East African climate history of the last 40 kyr. During glacial times, the dominance of a benthic foraminiferal assemblage characterized by Bulimina aculeata, suggests enhanced surface productivity and sustained flux of organic carbon to the sea floor. During Heinrich Stadial 1 (H1), the Nuttallides rugosus Assemblage indicates oligotrophic bottom water conditions and therefore implies a stronger flow of southern-sourced AAIW to the study site. During the East African Humid Period, the Saidovina karreriana Assemblage in combination with sedimentary C/N and Fe/Ca ratios suggest higher river runoff to the Indian Ocean, and hence more humid conditions in East Africa. Between 8.5 and 8.1 kyr, contemporaneous to the globally documented 8.2 kyr Event, a severe reduction in river deposits implies more arid conditions on the continent. Comparison of our marine data with terrestrial studies suggests that additional moisture from the Atlantic Ocean, delivered by an eastward migration of the Congo Air Boundary during that time period, could have contributed to East African rainfall. Since approximately 9 kyr, the gaining influence of the Millettiana millettii Assemblage indicates a redevelopment of the East African fringe reefs.

(Appendix table DR1) Foraminiferal distribution data for ODP Hole 178-1098B

Benthic foraminiferal data from Ocean Drilling Program Site 1098 indicate significant changes in deep-water conditions of the Palmer Deep, western Antarctic Peninsula margin, throughout the Holocene (13 ka to present). The earliest Holocene represents a period of transition from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Cold bottom waters, similar to saline shelf water (SSW), dominated the middle Holocene. The late Holocene in the Palmer Deep has been characterized by alternating dominance of circumpolar deep water (CDW) and saline shelf water. These changes have global oceanographic and climatic implications. We suggest that the middle Holocene bottom-water record, in the absence of circumpolar deep water on the western Antarctic Peninsula shelf, indicates high saline shelf water production and/or weakened circumpolar deep water production during the middle Holocene climatic optimum. The late Holocene benthic foraminiferal record indicates rapidly fluctuating sea-ice conditions and may indicate a teleconnection between the South Pacific and Southern Ocean, thus having implications related to the Southern Oscillation Index.

Micropaleontology and stable isotope record of ODP Hole 178-1098C

Detailed study of four Holocene sediment intervals from Ocean Drilling Program Site 1098 (Palmer Deep, Antarctic Peninsula) reveals that in situ dissolution of calcareous foraminifers in the core repository has significantly altered and in some cases eliminated calcareous foraminifers. Despite dissolution, the foraminifer and supporting diatom data show that the most open-ocean and reduced sea-ice conditions occurred in the early Holocene. The influence of Circumpolar Deep Water was greatest during the early Holocene but continued to be important throughout the Holocene. An increase in sea-ice proximal diatoms at 3500 cal. BP documents an expansion in the amount of persistent sea ice. The inferred increase in sea ice corresponds with an overall increase in magnetic susceptibility values. Benthic foraminifers are present in all samples from the Palmer Deep, including the middle Holocene pervasively laminated sediments with low magnetic susceptibility values. The consistent presence of mobile epifaunal benthic foraminifers in the laminated sediments demonstrates that the laminations do not represent anoxic conditions. The uniform composition of the agglutinated foraminifer fauna throughout the late Holocene suggests that the Palmer Deep did not experience bottom-water-mass changes associated with the alternating deposition of bioturbated or laminated sediments.