A 4.2 million years record of interglacial paleoclimate from sclerochronological data of Florida carbonate platform (Early Pliocene to recent)

Brachert, Thomas C.; Reuter, Markus; Krüger, Stefan; Lohmann, Hans; Petuch, Edward J.; Klaus, James S.

doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2014.06.001

Cited by 7 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 53 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…We discuss the calcification signatures with regard to upwelling and the fate of coral calcification along the Florida reef tract with continued global warming. This study complements a previous study on long-term seasonality recorded by Florida corals and mollusks (Brachert et al, 2014) and forms the basis for a companion paper on fossil z coral calcification rates (Brachert et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 74%

“…The abundant occurrence of the eurytopic Solenastrea, which is also tolerant to high turbidity, also suggests the platform not to have been an ideal refuge for z coral growth within the Western Atlantic warm pool as it may be the case in an upwelling regime. In contrast to the global, long-term trend of seawater δ 18 O (Zachos et al, 2001), interglacial δ 18 O values of mollusk and z corals from Florida platform became increasingly negative over time which implies an increasing moisture import (Brachert et al, 2014), and likely a decrease in upwelling intensity towards the present. The oldest specimen (age 3.2 Ma; Table 1) investigated during this study represents a rather continuous record of endmember 2 for ∼ 50 years of duration (Fig.…”

Section: Upwelling As a Driver Of High Skeletal Productivity?mentioning

confidence: 75%

“…In contrast, middle Pliocene to early Pleistocene interglacial temperatures in the western Atlantic warm pool were ∼ 2 • C above present values (O'Brien et al, 2014). For this reason, changes in global interglacial seawater δ 18 O w and the hydrological balance of the Florida peninsula must be taken into account for interglacials of the late Neogene (Brachert et al, 2014). In order to resolve Pliocene-Pleistocene interglacial SSTs 2 • C above present, we infer values of local δ 18 O w with a range between 1.9 to 2.9 ‰ on the basis of the temperature equation of Leder et al (1996), although middle Pliocene to early Pleistocene global interglacial seawater δ 18 O w was similar to the present day, or even more negative (Zachos et al, 2001).…”

Section: Paleotemperaturesmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Z coral stable isotope data described here are the same as reported by Brachert et al (2014) supplemented by data from two additional Solenastrea samples (Table 1). Sample powders for stable isotope analysis were taken using a microdrill fixed to a manually operated X/Y/Z table.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At some time, an extensive reef system existed along the south-eastern margin of the platform, associated with a complex system of platform interior environments (Meeder, 1979). Details of the facies, the biota, and the palaeogeography of the single stratigraphic units are described elsewhere (Allmon, 1992;Banks, 1967;Brachert et al, 2014;DuBar, 1958;Locker and Doyle, 1992;Meeder, 1979;Petuch, 1982;Petuch and Roberts, 2007). Modern surface hydrology around the Florida peninsula differs substantially on the Gulf and Atlantic sides.…”

Section: Stratigraphy and Oceanography Of The Florida Platformmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Upwellings mitigated Plio-Pleistocene heat stress for reef corals on the Florida platform (USA)

et al. 2016

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. The fast growing calcareous skeletons of zooxanthellate reef corals (z corals) represent unique environmental proxy archives through their oxygen and carbon stable isotope composition (δ 18 O, δ 13 C). In addition, the accretion of the skeleton itself is ultimately linked to the environment and responds with variable growth rates (extension rate) and density to environmental changes. Here we present classical proxy data (δ 18 O, δ 13 C) in combination with calcification records from 15 massive z corals. The z corals were sampled from four interglacial units of the Florida carbonate platform (USA) dated approximately 3.2, 2.9, 1.8 and 1.2 Ma (middle Pliocene to early Pleistocene). The z corals (Solenastrea, Orbicella, Porites) derive from unlithified shallow marine carbonates and were carefully screened for primary preservation suited for proxy analysis. We show that skeletal accretion responded with decreasing overall calcification rates (decreasing extension rate but increasing density) to warmer water temperatures. Under high annual water temperatures, inferred from sub-annually resolved δ 18 O data, skeletal bulk density was high, but extension rates and overall calcification rates were at a minimum (endmember scenario 1). Maximum skeletal density was reached during the summer season giving rise to a growth band of high density within the annually banded skeletons ("high density band", HDB). With low mean annual water temperatures (endmember scenario 2), bulk skeletal density was low but extension rates and calcification rates reached a maximum, and under these conditions the HDB formed during winter. Although surface water temperatures in the Western Atlantic warm pool during the interglacials of the late Neogene were ∼ 2 • C higher than they are in the present day, intermittent upwelling of cool, nutrient-rich water mitigated water temperatures off southwestern Florida and created temporary refuges for z coral growth. Based on the sub-annually resolved δ 18 O and δ 13 C records, the duration of the upwelling episodes causing the endmember 2 conditions was variable and lasted from a few years to a number of decades. The episodes of upwelling were interrupted by phases without upwelling (endmember 1) which lasted for at least a few years and led to high surface water temperatures. This variable environment is likely one of the reasons why the coral fauna is dominated by the eurytopic genus Solenastrea, also a genus resistant to high turbidity. Over a period of ∼ 50 years, the oldest sub annually resolved proxy record available (3.2 Ma) documents a persistent occurrence of the HDB during winter. In contrast, the HDB forms in summer in modern z corals from the Florida reef tract. We suggest this difference should be tested as being the expression of a tendency towards decreasing interglacial upwelling since the middle Pliocene. The number of z coral sclerochronological records for the Plio-Pleistocene is still rather low, however, and requires more data and an improved resolution, through records from...

show abstract

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Section: Upwelling As a Driver Of High Skeletal Productivity?mentioning

confidence: 75%

Section: Paleotemperaturesmentioning

confidence: 84%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Stratigraphy and Oceanography Of The Florida Platformmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Upwellings mitigated Plio-Pleistocene heat stress for reef corals on the Florida platform (USA)

et al. 2016

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Expanded Florida reef development during the mid-Pliocene warm period

Klaus

Meeder

McNeill

et al. 2017

Global and Planetary Change

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The coral fauna of the Tamiami Formation documents a northern expansion of reef development along the Florida Peninsula during the mid-Pliocene warm period (MPWP). Radiometric dating (U-Pb) of Solenastrea bournoni produced an age of 2.99 ± 0.11 Ma, constraining reef development to the MPWP and the peak of Plio-Pleistocene faunal turnover; subsequent to the final closure of the Central American Seaway (CAS) but prior to major Northern Hemisphere Glaciation (NHG). Coral faunal analyses are based on a total of 1,614 coral specimens collected along a 165 km stretch of the west Florida coast, and included rarefaction and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA). A total of 60 coral species occur within the Tamiami Formation, with faunal assemblages ranging from 42 to 87% extinct taxa. The Tamiami collections can be be split into a southern "reef" assemblage with high diversity of stenotopic taxa and a northern "non-reef" assemblage with lower diversity eurytopic taxa. The southern reef assemblage contains framework buildups of the dominant tropical taxa Stylophora affinis, Orbicella annularis, and Acropora cervicornis. We interpret enhanced west Florida reef development during the middle Pliocene to be a product of more equitable sea surface temperatures, and reduced salinity fluctuations associated with higher sea levels. While mean sea surface temperature estimates based on oxygen isotopic analysis of the coral Solenastrea bournoni (25.3°C) are similar to present day values (26°C), a completely flooded southern Florida Platform in the Pliocene would be less prone to salinity fluctuations associated with coastal runoff and extreme cold-water events during winter storms. While higher latitude range shifts of tropical reef corals associated with current global climate change have been documented elsewhere in the world, we do not foresee the West

show abstract

When did a Mediterranean-type climate originate in southwestern Australia?

Lamont

2017

Global and Planetary Change

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A 4.2 million years record of interglacial paleoclimate from sclerochronological data of Florida carbonate platform (Early Pliocene to recent)

Cited by 7 publications

References 53 publications

Upwellings mitigated Plio-Pleistocene heat stress for reef corals on the Florida platform (USA)

Upwellings mitigated Plio-Pleistocene heat stress for reef corals on the Florida platform (USA)

Expanded Florida reef development during the mid-Pliocene warm period

When did a Mediterranean-type climate originate in southwestern Australia?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About