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Magnetofossil Abundance and Diversity as Paleoenvironmental Proxies: A Case Study From Southwest Iberian Margin Sediments
Author(s) -
He Kuang,
Pan Yongxin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2020gl087165
Subject(s) - geology , remanence , magnetite , abundance (ecology) , paleontology , continental margin , mineralogy , geochemistry , ecology , magnetization , biology , physics , tectonics , quantum mechanics , magnetic field
It is still contentious how the abundance and diversity of magnetofossils reflect varying paleoenvironmental conditions. Here, we apply rock magnetic methods and transmission electron microscopy to identify magnetofossils in the core MD01‐2444 from the southwestern Iberian margin during the period 49.6–18.5 ka and 193.8–171.7 ka. Results show a correlation between the biogenic magnetite component and contrasting paleoenvironmental conditions. Specifically, remanence ratio (M rs /M s ), the ratio of anhysteretic susceptibility (χ ARM ) to saturation isothermal remanant magnetization (SIRM), fractions of biogenic soft and biogenic hard components (BS + BH), and delta–delta ratio (δ FC /δ ZFC ) have a negative relationship with planktonic δ 18 O, suggesting that more magnetofossils existed in sediments during warmer periods. Combining transmission electron microscopy images with paleoenvironmental proxies, we found that the proportions of bullet‐shaped magnetofossils increased in a warmer and less oxic environment, while isotropic shapes dominated in cooler and oxic environments.