Global decline in ocean ventilation, oxygenation, and productivity during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum: Implications for the benthic extinction

Winguth, Arne; Thomas, Ellen; Winguth, Cornelia

doi:10.1130/g32529.1

Cited by 104 publications

(136 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The latter occurs below the lysocline and calcifies under low CO 3 2− and food-poor conditions (27,28). This, in combination with paleobiogeographic evidence (29,30), suggests that N. truempyi may have been adapted to low-carbonate ion bottom waters, enabling it to survive ocean acidification. O. umbonatus is a shallow infaunal species, as deduced from its more negative carbon isotopes values (26,28,31) and therefore likely adapted to the more carbonate-corrosive conditions in pore waters.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…O. umbonatus is a shallow infaunal species, as deduced from its more negative carbon isotopes values (26,28,31) and therefore likely adapted to the more carbonate-corrosive conditions in pore waters. At many locations, the percentage of infaunal species increased directly after the extinction (9,29,30), indicating preferential survival of species adapted to calcify under low carbonate saturation, thus exaptation (also called "preadaptation") of infaunal taxa to acidification. We thus argue that under decreasing carbonate saturation, a high relative abundance of infaunal taxa cannot be seen as a proxy for decreased oxygenation and/or increased food supply, as has commonly been asserted (e.g., refs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1), and species that became extinct may have become dwarfed just before extinction (30). Foraminifera produce smaller tests due to early reproduction (typical for opportunistic species), low oxygen conditions, or decreased carbonate saturation (34).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Surviving rapid climate change in the deep sea during the Paleogene hyperthermals

Foster

Schmidt

Thomas

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Predicting the impact of ongoing anthropogenic CO 2 emissions on calcifying marine organisms is complex, owing to the synergy between direct changes (acidification) and indirect changes through climate change (e.g., warming, changes in ocean circulation, and deoxygenation). Laboratory experiments, particularly on longer-lived organisms, tend to be too short to reveal the potential of organisms to acclimatize, adapt, or evolve and usually do not incorporate multiple stressors. We studied two examples of rapid carbon release in the geological record, Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 (∼53.2 Ma) and the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, ∼55.5 Ma), the best analogs over the last 65 Ma for future ocean acidification related to high atmospheric CO 2 levels. We use benthic foraminifers, which suffered severe extinction during the PETM, as a model group. Using synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy, we reconstruct the calcification response of survivor species and find, contrary to expectations, that calcification significantly increased during the PETM. In contrast, there was no significant response to the smaller Eocene Thermal Maximum 2, which was associated with a minor change in diversity only. These observations suggest that there is a response threshold for extinction and calcification response, while highlighting the utility of the geological record in helping constrain the sensitivity of biotic response to environmental change. marine calcifiers | greenhouse gases | ecosystem stress response

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Surviving rapid climate change in the deep sea during the Paleogene hyperthermals

Foster

Schmidt

Thomas

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…Cosmopolitan G. beccariiformis was not capable of retaining a suitable niche, because this species was adapted to oligotrophic deep shelf and bathyal settings. The Paleocene New Jersey shelf occurrence reflects the upper limits of its distribution, and the combination of shelf eutrophy and perturbation of the deepsea habitat (Thomas, 1998;Winguth et al, 2012) pushed this species to extinction. Weight percentage of the fraction larger than 63 micrometer (wt% > 63 µm) ), carbonate content (% carbonate, Zachos et al, 2006) and general foraminiferal parameters such as planktic-benthic ratio (%P), planktic and benthic foraminifera per gram sediment (respectively PF/gram and BF/gram) and benthic foraminiferal diversity indices, such as Shannon diversity number (H(s)) and Dominance (D).…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum environmental change in the New Jersey Coastal Plain: benthic foraminiferal biotic events

Stassen

Thomas

Speijer

2015

Marine Micropaleontology

122

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The environmental impact of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) has been intensively studied in the New Jersey Coastal Plain, but the benthic foraminiferal response, reflecting bottom water conditions, has not been documented at high resolution. We use benthic foraminiferal data across the Paleocene-Eocene boundary in cores from Wilson Lake (WL) and Bass River (BR) to recognize 5 foraminiferal associations (based on species clusters). Their varying abundances allow the identification of a stratigraphic succession of 8 distinct biofacies across the studied interval. Uppermost Paleocene biofacies 1 corresponds to the glauconitic sands of the Vincentown Formation and contains rare, small planktic foraminifera and a diverse benthic fauna. Sediments accumulated slowly in a sufficiently oxygenated, outer neritic setting (depth: 100-110 m at WL, 140-150 m at BR) under fairly oligotrophic conditions. The embayment was storm-dominated and influenced by strong A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT currents, inhibiting deposition of suspended fine particles (e.g., planktic foraminifera, clay) and enhancing re-suspension. No significant pre-PETM environmental changes are detected in the benthic foraminiferal assemblages. Deposition of the fine-grained silty clays of the Marlboro Clay started at the onset of the PETM, with transitional lithology present at Wilson Lake. Gavelinella beccariiformis, common at deep shelfal to bathyal-abyssal depths, is the only taxon to become extinct at this level. Water depth increased during the PETM to a maximum of 130-150 m at WL. Planktic foraminifera increased strongly in abundance, while the benthic foraminiferal assemblage changed to a more opportunistic, less diverse assemblage dominated by stress-tolerant taxa (Tappanina selmensis, Pulsiphonina prima and Anomalinoides acutus, biofacies 2). Increased riverine influence may have reduced vertical mixing, initiating stratification of the water column, and establishment of a continuously dysoxic mud belt. Benthic diversity then gradually increased, indicating environmental recovery (biofacies 3 and 4; 40-95 kyr post PETM-onset). Riverine influence probably became more variable, generating peak abundances of specialized taxa in a mud belt system with increased accumulation rates. The latest PETM biofacies 5 (>95 kyr post-onset) contains a poorly diverse Bulimina callahani assemblage, indicative of reoxygenated, but still eutrophic bottom water conditions, with renewed vertical mixing. The lower Eocene glauconitic sandy clays of the Manasquan Formation contain an outer neritic benthic fauna (biofacies 6 to 8, depth: 100-135 m at WL)indicative of persistent high primary production, with return of more vigorous currents.Higher abundances of buliminids may have been triggered by upwelling along frontal zones.Our environmental interpretations indicate relatively stable benthic foraminiferal ecosystems at persistently outer neritic water depths (100-150 m), despite distinct temporary changes during the PETM, including eus...

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“…Studies of the PETM background climate show a wide range of intermodel variability, using prescribed atmospheric CO 2 concentrations ranging from 2× to 16× pre-industrial CO 2 (Lunt et al, 2012). In previous studies, the late Paleocene ocean biogeochemistry has been addressed exclusively with earth system models of intermediate complexity (EMIC) or box models (e.g., Panchuk et al, 2008;Zeebe et al, 2009;Ridgwell and Schmidt, 2010;Winguth et al, 2012). These modeling studies cover the whole PETM, with the major objective of constraining the absolute amount of the carbon perturbation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ocean biogeochemistry in the warm climate of the late Paleocene

Heinze

Ilyina

2015

Clim. Past

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Abstract. The late Paleocene is characterized by warm and stable climatic conditions that served as the background climate for the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM, ∼ 55 million years ago). With respect to feedback processes in the carbon cycle, the ocean biogeochemical background state is of major importance for projecting the climatic response to a carbon perturbation related to the PETM. Therefore, we use the Hamburg Ocean Carbon Cycle model (HAMOCC), embedded in the ocean general circulation model of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, MPIOM, to constrain the ocean biogeochemistry of the late Paleocene. We focus on the evaluation of modeled spatial and vertical distributions of the ocean carbon cycle parameters in a longterm warm steady-state ocean, based on a 560 ppm CO 2 atmosphere. Model results are discussed in the context of available proxy data and simulations of pre-industrial conditions. Our results illustrate that ocean biogeochemistry is shaped by the warm and sluggish ocean state of the late Paleocene. Primary production is slightly reduced in comparison to the present day; it is intensified along the Equator, especially in the Atlantic. This enhances remineralization of organic matter, resulting in strong oxygen minimum zones and CaCO 3 dissolution in intermediate waters. We show that an equilibrium CO 2 exchange without increasing total alkalinity concentrations above today's values is achieved. However, consistent with the higher atmospheric CO 2 , the surface ocean pH and the saturation state with respect to CaCO 3 are lower than today. Our results indicate that, under such conditions, the surface ocean carbonate chemistry is expected to be more sensitive to a carbon perturbation (i.e., the PETM) due to lower CO 2− 3 concentration, whereas the deep ocean calcite sediments would be less vulnerable to dissolution due to the vertically stratified ocean.

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Global decline in ocean ventilation, oxygenation, and productivity during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum: Implications for the benthic extinction

Cited by 104 publications

References 31 publications

Surviving rapid climate change in the deep sea during the Paleogene hyperthermals

Surviving rapid climate change in the deep sea during the Paleogene hyperthermals

Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum environmental change in the New Jersey Coastal Plain: benthic foraminiferal biotic events

Ocean biogeochemistry in the warm climate of the late Paleocene

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