Open AccessVariation of foraminiferal Sr/Ca over Quaternary glacial‐interglacial cycles: Evidence for changes in mean ocean Sr/Ca?
Author(s) -
Martin P. A.,
Lea D. W.,
Mashiotta T. A.,
Papenfuss T.,
Sarnthein M.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
geochemistry, geophysics, geosystems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.928
H-Index - 136
ISSN - 1525-2027
DOI - 10.1029/1999gc000006
Subject(s) - foraminifera , geology , oceanography , glacial period , benthic zone , interglacial , salinity , hydrography , plankton , seawater , quaternary , paleontology
Records of Sr/Ca changes in planktonic and benthic foraminifera from diverse hydrographic settings reveal coherent variability (5 ± 1%) between ocean basins and between surface and deep waters over the past 300 kyr. There is a general increase in foraminiferal Sr/Ca over the penultimate glaciation declining to minimum values during stage 5 and an increase in Sr/Ca from stage 5 through stage 2. Coincident changes in benthic foraminifera records from the Atlantic and Pacific basins imply that Sr/Ca variations are not dominated by dissolution. Planktonic culturing data provide evidence that the downcore Sr/Ca variations are not controlled by temperature changes and suggest only a small influence of salinity and pH. Variation common to the records is most readily explained by changes in mean ocean Sr/Ca. If fossil foraminifera reliably record higher glacial seawater Sr/Ca, coral Sr paleothermometry would underestimate sea surface temperature during glacialepisodes.