Distribution of modern benthic foraminiferal assemblages across the Northeast Greenland continental shelf

Davies, Joanna; Lloyd, Jeremy; Pearce, Christof; Seidenkrantz, Marit-Solveig

doi:10.1016/j.marmicro.2023.102273

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…According to studies on benthic foraminiferal ecology, oxygen concentrations and food availability appear to be the two largest controlling factors on species distribution 40 , 53 , 78 – 80 . In fact, the link between benthic foraminiferal species distribution and water temperature and salinity is often too weak for detailed reconstructions of paleo environments (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here, an agglutinated fauna is dominant together with oxic and low food tolerant species. Low phytoplankton productivity together with harsh sea-ice conditions might have impeded a strong organic matter flux to the sea floor resulting in oligotrophic conditions, while brine formation may have contributed to carbonate dissolution as also seen in the present-day foraminiferal assemblages 80 . However, more high-resolution benthic foraminiferal records from this time period are required in order to fully assess the effect of the NE Greenland environmental changes on the benthic foraminiferal traits.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Response of Arctic benthic foraminiferal traits to past environmental changes

Hansen,

Pearce,

Seidenkrantz

2023

Sci Rep

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The Arctic is subjected to all-encompassing disruptions in marine ecosystems caused by anthropogenic warming. To provide reliable estimates of how future changes will affect the ecosystems, knowledge of Arctic marine ecosystem responses to past environmental variability beyond the instrumental era is essential. Here, we present a novel approach on how to evaluate the state of benthic marine biotic conditions during the deglacial and Holocene period on the Northeast Greenland shelf. Benthic foraminiferal species were assigned traits (e.g., oxygen tolerance, food preferences) aiming to identify past faunal changes as a response to external forcing mechanisms. This approach was applied on sediment cores from offshore Northeast Greenland. We performed numerical rate-of-change detection to determine significant changes in the benthic foraminiferal traits. That way, the significant abrupt trait changes can be assessed across sites, providing a better understanding of the impact of climate drivers on the traits. Our results demonstrate that during the last ~ 14,000 years, bottom water oxygen is the main factor affecting the variability in the benthic foraminiferal faunas in this area. Our results show that significant changes in the traits correspond to drastic climate perturbations. Specifically, the deglacial-Holocene transition and mid-Holocene warm period exhibited significant change, with several trait turnovers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of Arctic benthic foraminiferal traits to past environmental changes

Hansen,

Pearce,

Seidenkrantz

2023

Sci Rep

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Weakened pelagic-benthic coupling on an Arctic outflow shelf (Northeast Greenland) suggested by benthic ecosystem changes

Bodur,

Renaud,

Lins

et al. 2024

Elem Sci Anth

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Arctic marine ecosystems are becoming more boreal due to climate change. Predictions of ecosystem change focus mainly on Arctic inflow or interior shelves, with few comprehensive studies on Arctic outflow regions. During September–October 2017, soft-bottom communities were sampled and benthic ecosystem processes were quantified at 12 stations on the Northeast Greenland shelf (outflow shelf) and compared to the last regional ecosystem study, conducted in 1992 and 1993. The benthic habitat was characterized in terms of sediment granulometry, pigment concentrations, and porewater chemistry (dissolved inorganic carbon, nutrients). Total abundance and biomass of macrobenthos and meiobenthos, bacterial abundance, porewater dissolved inorganic carbon and ammonium concentrations were higher on the outer shelf compared to locations adjacent to the Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden glacier at 79°N and the inner shelf stations (e.g., macrofauna: 1,964–2,952 vs. 18–1,381 individuals m−2). These results suggest higher benthic production in the outer parts of the NEG shelf. This difference was also pronounced in macrobenthic and meiobenthic community structure, which was driven mainly by food availability (pigments with 1.3–4.3 vs. 0.3–0.9 µg g−1 sediment, higher total organic carbon content and bacterial abundance). Compared to the early 1990s, warmer bottom water temperatures, increased number of sea-ice-free days and lower sediment pigment concentrations in 2017 were accompanied by decreased polychaete and increased nematode abundance and diversity, and a different community structure of nematode genera. The present study confirms previous reports of strong pelagic-benthic coupling on the NEG shelf, but highlights a possible weakening since the early 1990s, with a potential shift in importance from macrofauna to meiofauna in the benthic community. Increasing inflow of Atlantic water and decreasing volume transport and thickness of sea ice through the Fram Strait, probably affecting the Northeast Water Polynya, may be responsible, suggesting ecosystem-wide consequences of continued changes in sea-ice patterns on Arctic shelves.

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Distribution of modern benthic foraminiferal assemblages across the Northeast Greenland continental shelf

Cited by 2 publications

References 73 publications

Response of Arctic benthic foraminiferal traits to past environmental changes

Response of Arctic benthic foraminiferal traits to past environmental changes

Weakened pelagic-benthic coupling on an Arctic outflow shelf (Northeast Greenland) suggested by benthic ecosystem changes

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