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Mid Pleistocene foraminiferal mass extinction coupled with phytoplankton evolution

Author

Listed:
  • Sev Kender

    (Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, School of Geography, University of Nottingham
    British Geological Survey, Keyworth)

  • Erin L. McClymont

    (Durham University)

  • Aurora C. Elmore

    (Durham University
    University of Cambridge)

  • Dario Emanuele

    (DST—Università del Sannio)

  • Melanie J. Leng

    (Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, School of Geography, University of Nottingham
    British Geological Survey, Keyworth)

  • Henry Elderfield

    (University of Cambridge)

Abstract

Understanding the interaction between climate and biotic evolution is crucial for deciphering the sensitivity of life. An enigmatic mass extinction occurred in the deep oceans during the Mid Pleistocene, with a loss of over 100 species (20%) of sea floor calcareous foraminifera. An evolutionarily conservative group, benthic foraminifera often comprise >50% of eukaryote biomass on the deep-ocean floor. Here we test extinction hypotheses (temperature, corrosiveness and productivity) in the Tasman Sea, using geochemistry and micropalaeontology, and find evidence from several globally distributed sites that the extinction was caused by a change in phytoplankton food source. Coccolithophore evolution may have enhanced the seasonal ‘bloom’ nature of primary productivity and fundamentally shifted it towards a more intra-annually variable state at ∼0.8 Ma. Our results highlight intra-annual variability as a potential new consideration for Mid Pleistocene global biogeochemical climate models, and imply that deep-sea biota may be sensitive to future changes in productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Sev Kender & Erin L. McClymont & Aurora C. Elmore & Dario Emanuele & Melanie J. Leng & Henry Elderfield, 2016. "Mid Pleistocene foraminiferal mass extinction coupled with phytoplankton evolution," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-8, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms11970
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11970
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    Cited by:

    1. Li Gong & Ann Holbourn & Wolfgang Kuhnt & Bradley Opdyke & Yan Zhang & Ana Christina Ravelo & Peng Zhang & Jian Xu & Kenji Matsuzaki & Ivano Aiello & Sebastian Beil & Nils Andersen, 2023. "Middle Pleistocene re-organization of Australian Monsoon," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.

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