SOES 6047 Global Climate Cycles SOES 6047 Global
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles SOES 6047 Global Climate Cycles L 7: Proxies (III): Biological Dr. Heiko Pälike heiko@noc. soton. ac. uk Ext. 23638, Rm. 164/34
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � Chemical proxies. . . � Overview of chemical proxy tool box � What proxies to use to quantify different aspects of the global Earth and climate system of the past � Focus on stable isotope systems (oxygen & carbon), and on nutrient tracers � Complications that affect stable isotope preservation and measurements � More examples that proxy systems should not be used in an isolated way but combined � Sample calculations L 7 Proxies(III): Biological recap from last “proxy” lecture: 2
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � extend proxy “toolbox” � focus on biological proxies � important fossil groups that act as biological “proxies” � what are “transfer functions” � understand the ambiguity of some types of proxies � learn how biological proxies can complement chemical and physical proxies � learn where to find resources to get a more in-depth description Note: some of the material in this lecture is courtesy Dr. Jens Herrle (ex NOC, now University of Edmonton, Alberta) L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Objectives & learning outcomes 3
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � Examples of biological assemblages that correlate with environmental conditions � Introduce history of transfer function applications � Focus on foraminifera and coccolithophores � Examples for applications � Downloading research-level software for transfer functions NOT covered in this lecture: Alkenone temperature estimates, foraminiferal fragmentation index as measure of dissolution L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Lecture outline 4
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles Beaufort, L. , Y. Lancelot, P. Camberlin, O. Cayre, E. Vincent, F. Bassinot, and L. Labeyrie (1997), Insolation cycles as a major control of Equatorial Indian Ocean Production, Science, 278, 1451– 1454. Bollmann, J. Henderiks, and B. Brabec (2002), Global calibration of Gephyrocapsa coccolith abundance in Holocene sediments for paleotemperature assessment, Paleoceanography, 17(3), 1035, 10. 1029/2001 PA 000742. CLIMAP Project Members (1976), The surface of the ice-age earth, Science, 191, 1131– 1137. Crowley, T. J. (2000), CLIMAP SSTs re-visited, Climate Dynamics, 16, 241– 255. Gibbs, S. J. et al. (2006), Nannoplankton Extinction and Origination across the PETM, Science 314: 1770 -1773 Henderiks, J. , and J. Bollmann (2004), The Gephyrocapsa sea surface palaeothermometer put to the test: comparison with alkenone and foraminifera proxies off NW Africa, Marine Micropaleontology, 50, 161– 184. Imbrie, J. , and N. G. Kipp (1971), A new micropaleontological method for quantitative paleoclimatology, in Late Cenozoic Glacial Ages, edited by K. K. Turekian, pp. 71– 182, Yale University Press, New Haven. Kipp, N. G. (1976), New transfer function for estimating past sea-surface conditions from sea-bed distribution of planktonic foraminiferal assemblages in the North Atlantic, in Investigation of Late Quaternary Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, edited by R. M. Cline and J. D. Hays, pp. 3– 42, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. Memoir 145. Multiproxy approach for the reconstruction of the glacial ocean surface, (2005) in Quaternary Science Reviews, vol. 24, M. Kucera, R. Schneider, and M. Weinelt (Eds. ), pp. 813– 1107. Pflaumann, U. , J. Duprat, C. Pujol, and L. D. Labeyrie (1996), SIMMAX: A modern analog technique to deduce Atlantic sea surface temperatures from planktonic foraminifera in deep-sea sediments, Paleoceanography, 11(1), 15– 35. Schmiedl, G. , and A. Mackensen (1997), Late Quaternary paleoproductivity and deep water circulation in the eastern South Atlantic Ocean: Evidence from benthic foraminifera, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 130, 43– 80. Schmiedl, G. , A. Mackensen, and P. J. Müller (1997), Recent benthic foraminifera from the eastern South Atlantic Ocean: Dependence on food supply and water masses, Marine Micropaleontology, 32, 249– 287. Sen Gupta, B. K. (Ed. ) (1999), Modern Foraminifera, Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. Waelbroeck, C. , L. Labeyrie, J. -C. Duplessy, J. Guiot, M. Labracherie, H. Leclaire, and J. Duprat (1998), Improving past sea surface temperature estimates based on planktonic fossil faunas, Paleoceanography, 13(3), 272– 283. L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Some references � visit Blackboard to see the details of this: 5
6 SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles Photo Credit: Jeff Eppinette Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) encountered near 88°N in August 2004 (Photo Credit: Heiko Palike) Alligator sp. are used as an indicator for warm temperate climates with a cold mean month (CMM) of ca. 4°C in the fossil record L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Simple example of biological °C proxy
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � Key groups: - planktic and benthic foraminifera - calcareous nannoplankton - dinoflagellate cysts � Key proxy parameters to be estimated: - (sea surface) temperature - salinity - productivity � Key biological proxy types: - faunal and floral composition of sediment - morphometric analyses of shells - transfer functions (using present-day calibrations as analogue for past) � Some more bio/chemo proxies: - Alkenone undersaturation ratios and TEX 86 from Corg � Choice of proxy depends on - Topic of investigation - time scale & geographic area � Requirement: Need to know about living habitat, and accept as representative for the past (big limitation!) L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Palaeoceanographic microfossil proxies 7
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles Courtesy of Gerhard Schmiedl L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Instead of alligators. . 8
9 SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � Characteristics: � heterotrophic Protozoans (single celled) � 50 -1000µm � Valuable environmental indicators, because � good fossilisation potential � long fossil record (planktonics ~200 Ma, benthics ~550 Ma) � habitat almost stretches across water column (0 -2. 5 km, sea-floor (in- and epifaunal) � wide geographic distribution Globigerina bulloides Uvigerina mediterranea http: //www. soton. ac. uk/~bam 2/col-index/fossi-lindex L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Planktic and benthic foraminifera
10 SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � Planktonic modern assemblages extend back to ~1 Ma (mid-Pleistocene) Living specimen calcite spines � Benthic modern assemblages extend back to ~23 Ma (Neogene) � Benthic foraminifera have in- and epifaunal habitats -> effects environmental conditions � Density of fossils in sediments can reach >104 cm-3 Cibicidoides spp. epifaunal Uvigerina spp. infaunal http: //www. soton. ac. uk/~bam 2/col-index/fossi-lindex Spinose Globigerinoides sacculifer Fossil specimen Courtesy of: C. Hemleben, University of Tübingen L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Foraminifera (cont. )
11 SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � Characteristics: � autotrophic marine algae (single celled) � 15 -100µm � secrete carbonate platelets Courtesy of: Jeremy Young (link) Emiliania huxleyi � Valuable environmental indicators, because � good fossilisation potential � long fossil record (~230 Ma) � surface water habitat (0 -200 m) � wide geographic distribution � modern species assemblages � back to ~4 Ma Carbonate Platelet, often found separately. Courtesy of: Paul Pearson, Cardiff University Size comparison with foraminifera Image from: Hannes Grobe (link) L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Calcareous nannoplankton
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � Paleo-ecological temperature & salinity estimates are based on empirical observations that certain marine organisms thrive in different environments, particularly different sea-surface temperature patterns � Early approaches only looked at a small number of marker species; later investigations showed that this was misleading � New approach by Imbrie & Kipp (1971): assume that certain groupings of species (“assemblages”) can be identified my linear multivariate statistics (“Q-mode factor analysis”) � assumes that correlations maintain consisten relationships with environmental properties � Assemblages can be viewed as groupings of species -> decompose each sample into linear combination of group � big assumption: requires assemblages to remain stable, i. e. relationship observed from core-top samples (recent) also apply to the past L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Species composition approaches 12
13 SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � The approach of using species assemblages to infer past climate and environmental proxies by way of calibration with present-day observation is an example of a transfer function Courtesy of Yale University Press: Imbrie & kipp (1971) A New micropaleontological method for quantitive palaeoclimatology: Application to a late Pleistocene Carrabian Core. In Turekian, Karl K. , (eds) The Late Cenozoic glacial ages, monogr. Yale Univ. Press, 606 pp L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Imbrie & Kipp transfer functions
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � For example: cluster analysis, principal component analyses, factor analysis, correspondence analyses, multiple regression analysis (for detailed discussion see Sen Gupta, B. K. (Ed. ) (1999), Modern Foraminifera, Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. ) � These techniques attempt to illustrate the relation between samples and variables (e. g. , species). It allows to reduce a great number of variables to a smaller number of independent eigenvectors (factors) that can explain a large part of the total variation of the data set. L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Transfer function methods 14
15 SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles Courtesy of University of Columbia L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Procedure for transfer function approach
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � this technique resulted in the CLIMAP project, an attempt to produce a global map of Last Glacial Maximum sea-surface °C � largest change in the temperatures of the North Atlantic Ocean pole-wards of 40°N: >10°C cooling (large area) � Tropical sea-surface temperatures surprisingly stable: change less than 2°C over large areas of tropics � other than the North Atlantic, polar waters expanded about 5 degrees equatorward � BUT several points of criticism emerged: � high-elevation evidence from tropical continental regions suggest that tropics cooled considerably during LGM (lower snow-lines, vegetation) � what does transfer function actually tell us? SST? SSS? correlation <-> causation? � counter example of pink-pigmented G. ruber: extinct in Pacific & Indian Ocean since 120 ka, but abundant in Atlantic, separated by cold circum-polar � a more recent update: Crowley, T. J. (2000), CLIMAP SSTs re-visited, Climate Dynamics 16: 241– 255 L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Initial results from Imbrie&Kipp technique 16
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � CLIMAP difference from present (present-LGM) � CLIMAP temperatures during LGM Temperature change figure sourced from wikipedia (link) also see original CLIMAP paper (CLIMAP Project Members (1976), Science 191(4232): 1131 -1137 L 7 Proxies(III): Biological CLIMAP results 17
18 SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � Pflaumann, U. , et al. (1996), Paleoceanography 11(1), 15– 35. �The MAT takes the species composition of the fossil sample, and assigns present-day T°C �-> the paleotemperature estimate adopted is the average of the temperatures of the core-top samples closest to the paleo-sample in species space �apparently works better than Imbrie & Kipp if samples are partially dissolved Reproduced by permission of American Geophysical Union: Pflaumann, U. , Duprat, J. , Pujol, C. , Labeyrie, L. D. , SIMMAX: A Modern Analog Technique to Deduce Atlantic Sea Surface Temperatures from Planktonic Foraminifera in Deep-Sea Sediments. Paleoceanography, v. 11, no. 1, p. 15– 35. 7 June 1995. Copyright [2002] American Geophysical Union. http: //www. pangaea. de/home/upflaumann/PFLAUMAN. ZIP http: //www. pangaea. de/home/upflaumann/Pflaumann. sea. hqx http: //www. pangaea. de/Software/Paleo. Tools/ (SIMMAX for WINDOWS) (SIMMAX for Mac. OS) (more Transfer functions) L 7 Proxies(III): Biological SIMMAX: Modern Analogue Technique (MAT)
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � Waelbroeck, C. , et al. (1998), Paleoceanography 13(3), 272– 283. �A further improvement to the fit between species associations and observed calibration data. . . �you can use these methods yourself -- software freely available at: Reproduced by permission of American Geophysical Union: Waelbroeck, C. , Labeyrie, L. , Duplessy, J. C. , Guiot, J. , Labracherie, M. , Leclaire, H. , Duprat, J. , Improving Past Sea Surface Temperature Estimates Based on Planktonic Fossil Faunas. Paleoceanography, v. 13, no. 3, p. 272– 283. 7 January 1998. Copyright [1998] American Geophysical Union. http: //www. pangaea. de/home/upflaumann/PFLAUMAN. ZIP (SIMMAX for WINDOWS) http: //www. pangaea. de/home/upflaumann/Pflaumann. sea. hqx (SIMMAX for Mac. OS) http: //www. pangaea. de/Software/Paleo. Tools/ (more Transfer functions) L 7 Proxies(III): Biological The “revised analogue method” 19
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � In addition to species assemblages, one can also use a morphometric approach for individual species: correlation of environment with different length scales Gephyrocapsa palaeo-thermometer and transfer functions Image Sourced from wikipedia Gephyrocapsa Separation of different morphotypes based on length of the distal shield and bridge angle Drawing: Reproduced by permission of American Geophysical Union: Bollmann, J. , Henderiks, J. , Brabec B. , Global calibration of coccolith abundance in Holocene sediments for paleotemperature assessment. Palaeoceanography, v. 17, no. 3, p. 1035. 14 August 2002. Copyright [2002] American Geophysical Union. L 7 Proxies(III): Biological A morphometric approach 20
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � Biogeography of Gephyrocapsa morphotypes based on core-top analyses can be used as a morphometric biological proxy Reproduced by permission of American Geophysical Union: Bollmann, J. , Henderiks, J. , Brabec B. , Global calibration of coccolith abundance in Holocene sediments for paleotemperature assessment. Palaeoceanography, v. 17, no. 3, p. 1035. 14 August 2002. Copyright [2002] American Geophysical Union. L 7 Proxies(III): Biological A morphometric approach 21
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � A test of the morphometric approach does indeed show that morphometric measurements (bridge angle, size etc. ) can be correlated with environmental conditions � cooler: smaller coccoliths, lower bridge angle � warmer: larger coccoliths, greater bridge angle Figure is a schematic based on data in: Jorijntje Henderiks, J. , Bollmann, J. , (2004) The Gephyrocapsa sea surface palaeothermometer put to the test: comparison with alkenone and foraminifera proxies off NW Africa Marine Micropaleontology, v. 50, no. 3 -4, p. 161 -184. L 7 Proxies(III): Biological A morphometric approach 22
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � A different correlation was developed for surface water productivity and the abundance of the coccolith Florisphaera profunda (Beaufort et al. , 1997, Science) � important not to get outside calibration range, and geographical range! From: Beaufort, L. , Lancelot, Y. , Camberlin, P. , Cayre, O. , Vincent, E. , Bassinot, F. , Labeyrie L. , (1997) Insolation Cycles as a Major Control of Equatorial Indian Ocean Primary Production. Science v. 278, no 4342, p. 1451 -1454. Reprinted with permission from AAAS. This figure may be used for non-commercial, classroom purposes only. Any other uses requires the prior written permission from AAAS. L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Morphometric proxies for palaeo-productivity 23
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles Neogloboquadrina pachyderma coiling ratios � N. pachyderma a high latitude species of plankt. foraminifera � preferential coiling direction has changed over time in response to environmental factors and evolution � two varieties: left- and right coiling � Today: r. -coiling variety lives in ice-free waters, l. -coiling variety able to live in waters with sea-ice (Arctic, Antarctic) University of Southampton L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Morphology example: 24
25 SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � using core-top calibration of benthic foraminifera from coastal upwelling area near the SW African continental slope Recent environment Coastal upwelling Transition zone Oceanic high productivity Core top samples Core Based on: Schmiedl G. , Mackensen A. , Muller P. J. , (1997) Recent benthic foramanifera from the eastern South Atlantic Ocean: dependence on food supply and water masses. Marine Micropaleontology, v. 32 no. 3 -4, p. 249 -287. L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Bottom water ventilation proxy:
26 SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � using core-top calibration of benthic foraminifera from coastal upwelling area near the SW African continental slope � Organic matter distribution: Recent environment Corg (weight %) 0 -0. 2 -0. 4 -1. 0 -2. 0 -3. 0 >3. 0 Based on: Schmiedl G. , Mackensen A. , Muller P. J. , (1997) Recent benthic foramanifera from the eastern South Atlantic Ocean: dependence on food supply and water masses. Marine Micropaleontology, v. 32 no. 3 -4, p. 249 -287. L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Bottom water ventilation proxy:
27 SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � using core-top calibration of benthic foraminifera from coastal upwelling area near the SW African continental slope � Principal component analyses of recent faunas Recent environment Selected factors Epifaunal seasonal food Epistominella exigua Infaunal high food supply Cassidulina Laevigata Based on: Schmiedl G. , Mackensen A. , Muller P. J. , (1997) Recent benthic foramanifera from the eastern South Atlantic Ocean: dependence on food supply and water masses. Marine Micropaleontology, v. 32 no. 3 -4, p. 249 -287. L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Bottom water ventilation proxy:
28 SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � using core-top calibration of benthic foraminifera from coastal upwelling area near the SW African continental slope � Benthic foraminifera productivity/ventilation proxies S. food NADW Strong upwelling Seasonal food NADW Upwelling Seasonal food NADW Redrawn using data in: Schmiedl, G. , Mackensen, A. , (1997). Late Quaternary paleoproductivity and deep water circulation in the eastern South Atlantic Ocean: Evidence from benthic foraminifera. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 130, no. 1 -4, p. 43 -80. L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Bottom water ventilation proxy:
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � Pelagic ecosystem sampled today has remained essentially unchanged during Pleistocene � For a given species/assemblage: ecological responses to physical & chemical ocean parameters are unchanged � Core-top faunas are systematically related to the nature of the overlying water mass � Preservation of the microfossils must be 1) excellent and 2) original in composition L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Assumptions for the application of micropalaeontological proxies 29
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � life/fossil assemblage discrepancies, dissolution, transport � relationship between factors and e. g. , SST is empirical (hydrographic/nutrient controls not accounted for) � applicable in calibration region only � quality depends on taxonomy and consistency of size window used � applicable over limited time scales (assemblages without modern analogues appear down-core) � averaged temperature, salinity, and productivity estimates only (what season? ) L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Problems and potential calibration errors 30
31 SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � calcareous microfossils are also important to deduce overall sea -water conditions during large scale climatic events, such as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM): � Sam Gibbs et al (2006), Science 314: 1770 -1773 L 7 Proxies(III): Biological recent news: “Despite the strong ecological responses of nannofossil assemblages to environmental changes at the PETM (18, 19), the pattern of evolutionary reorganization that we see is surprising in two ways. First, the rate of turnover is relatively modest, considering the magnitude of environmental change that has been inferred for the PETM and in light of findings from laboratory culture experiments and ocean acidification models (27, 28). Second, the turnover lacks an obvious ecological or calcification bias. Both oligotrophic warm-water–favouring taxa (e. g. , several species of Discoaster and Fasciculithus) and inferred mesotrophic cool-water–favoring taxa (e. g. , several species of Neochiastozygus and Prinsius bisulcus) appear and disappear (table S 4). Furthermore, there is no obvious evidence of an evolutionary decrease in lith calcification or an overcompensation in robustness, despite increasing geologic evidence for massive carbonate undersaturation in the oceans (11, 12). Heavily calcified as well as fragile nannofossils both appear and disappear within the interval from the onset to the peak of PETM conditions (Fig. 4, table S 4), providing no obvious evidence for geologically sustained inhibition of surface-water calcification. Apparently, surface-water saturation state was not perturbed across the event to a point that was detrimental to the survivorship of most calcareous nannoplankton taxa” Figure and text (in quotations) From: Gibbs, S. J. , Bown, P. R. , Sessa, J. A. , Bralower, T. J. , Wilson, P. A. , (2006) Nannoplankton Extinction and Origination Across the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. Science, v. 314, p 1770 -1773. Reprinted with permission from AAAS. This figure and text may be used for non-commercial, classroom purposes only. Any other uses requires the prior written permission from AAAS.
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles � Biological proxies are in principle a very powerful tool to record environmental conditions that are not otherwise available � Transfer function methods attempt to empirically match the correlation of present-day T°C, SSS and productivity conditions with species and morphometric properties � Different versions of transfer functions exist, all methods have in common certain questionable short-comings � If calibration with present-day data is required, we are limited how far back in time we can go before evolutionary aspects prevent analogue methods to work � Best to treat biological proxy results as only semi-quantitative � Yet, some novel applications are being developed, including palaeo-salinity proxies! (Herrle 2005, pers. comm) L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Key point summary 32
SOES 6047 - Global Climate Cycles L 7 Proxies(III): Biological Copyright statement 33 � This resource was created by the University of Southampton and released as an open educational resource through the 'C-change in GEES' project exploring the open licensing of climate change and sustainability resources in the Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences. The C-change in GEES project was funded by HEFCE as part of the JISC/HE Academy UKOER programme and coordinated by the GEES Subject Centre. � This resource is licensed under the terms of the Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2. 0 UK: England & Wales license (http: //creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2. 0/uk/). � However the resource, where specified below, contains other 3 rd party materials under their own licenses. The licenses and attributions are outlined below: � The University of Southampton and the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton and its logos are registered trade marks of the University. The University reserves all rights to these items beyond their inclusion in these CC resources. � The JISC logo, the C-change logo and the logo of the Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for the Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences are licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution -non-commercial-No Derivative Works 2. 0 UK England & Wales license. All reproductions must comply with the terms of that license. � All content reproduced from copyrighted material of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) are subject to the terms and conditions as published at: http: //www. agu. org/pubs/authors/usage_permissions. shtml AGU content may be reproduced and modified for non-commercial and classroom use only. Any other use requires the prror written permission from AGU. � All content reproduced from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) may be reproduced for non commercial classroom purposes only, any other uses requires the prior written permission from AAAS.
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