Spatial and temporal distribution of benthic foraminiferal faunas in the Bay Biscay

Abstrac

Live (Rose Bengal stained) foraminiferal faunas from the northern Arabian Sea : faunal succession within and below the OMZ

Live (Rose Bengal stained) benthic foraminifera from the Murray Ridge, within and below the northern Arabian Sea oxygen minimum zone (OMZ), were studied in order to determine the relationship between faunal composition, bottom water oxygenation (BWO), pore water chemistry and organic matter (organic carbon and phytopigment) distribution. A series of multicores were recovered from a ten-station oxygen (BWO: 2–78 μM) and bathymetric (885–3010 m depth) transect during the winter monsoon in January 2009. Foraminifera were investigated from three different size fractions (63–125 μm, 125–150 μm and >150 μm). The larger foraminifera (>125 μm) were strongly dominated by agglutinated species (e.g. Reophax spp.). In contrast, in the 63–125 μm fraction, calcareous taxa were more abundant, especially in the core of the OMZ. On the basis of a principal components analysis, three foraminiferal groups were identified and correlated to the environmental parameters by canonical correspondence analysis. The faunas from the shallowest stations, in the core of the OMZ (BWO: 2 μM), were composed of "low oxygen" species, typical of the Arabian Sea OMZ (e.g. Rotaliatinopsis semiinvoluta, Praeglobobulimina sp., Bulimina exilis, Uvigerina peregrina type parva). These taxa are adapted to the very low BWO conditions and to high phytodetritus supplies. The transitional group, typical for the lower part of the OMZ (BWO: 5–16 μM), is composed of species that are tolerant as well to low-oxygen concentrations, but may be less critical with respect to organic supplies (e.g. Globocassidulina subglobosa, Ehrenbergina trigona). Below the OMZ (BWO: 26–78 μM), where food availability is more limited and becomes increasingly restricted to surficial sediments, cosmopolitan calcareous taxa were present, such as Bulimina aculeata, Melonis barleeanus, Uvigerina peregrina and Epistominella exigua. Miliolids were uniquely observed in this last zone, reflecting the higher BWO and/or lower organic input. At these deeper sites, the faunas exhibit a clear succession of superficial, intermediate and deep infaunal microhabitats, which can be linked to the deeper oxygen and nitrate penetration into the sediment.Peer reviewe

Live (Rose Bengal stained) foraminiferal faunas from the northern Arabian Sea : faunal succession within and below the OMZ

Live (Rose Bengal stained) benthic foraminifera from the Murray Ridge, within and below the northern Arabian Sea oxygen minimum zone (OMZ), were studied in order to determine the relationship between faunal composition, bottom water oxygenation (BWO), pore water chemistry and organic matter (organic carbon and phytopigment) distribution. A series of multicores were recovered from a ten-station oxygen (BWO: 2–78 μM) and bathymetric (885–3010 m depth) transect during the winter monsoon in January 2009. Foraminifera were investigated from three different size fractions (63–125 μm, 125–150 μm and >150 μm). The larger foraminifera (>125 μm) were strongly dominated by agglutinated species (e.g. Reophax spp.). In contrast, in the 63–125 μm fraction, calcareous taxa were more abundant, especially in the core of the OMZ. On the basis of a principal components analysis, three foraminiferal groups were identified and correlated to the environmental parameters by canonical correspondence analysis. The faunas from the shallowest stations, in the core of the OMZ (BWO: 2 μM), were composed of "low oxygen" species, typical of the Arabian Sea OMZ (e.g. Rotaliatinopsis semiinvoluta, Praeglobobulimina sp., Bulimina exilis, Uvigerina peregrina type parva). These taxa are adapted to the very low BWO conditions and to high phytodetritus supplies. The transitional group, typical for the lower part of the OMZ (BWO: 5–16 μM), is composed of species that are tolerant as well to low-oxygen concentrations, but may be less critical with respect to organic supplies (e.g. Globocassidulina subglobosa, Ehrenbergina trigona). Below the OMZ (BWO: 26–78 μM), where food availability is more limited and becomes increasingly restricted to surficial sediments, cosmopolitan calcareous taxa were present, such as Bulimina aculeata, Melonis barleeanus, Uvigerina peregrina and Epistominella exigua. Miliolids were uniquely observed in this last zone, reflecting the higher BWO and/or lower organic input. At these deeper sites, the faunas exhibit a clear succession of superficial, intermediate and deep infaunal microhabitats, which can be linked to the deeper oxygen and nitrate penetration into the sediment.Peer reviewe

Scaling laws explain foraminiferal pore patterns

Due to climate warming and increased anthropogenic impact, a decrease of ocean water oxygenation is expected in the near future, with major consequences for marine life. In this context, it is essential to develop reliable tools to assess past oxygen concentrations in the ocean, to better forecast these future changes. Recently, foraminiferal pore patterns have been proposed as a bottom water oxygenation proxy, but the parameters controlling foraminiferal pore patterns are still largely unknown. Here we use scaling laws to describe how both gas exchanges (metabolic needs) and mechanical constraints (shell robustness) control foraminiferal pore patterns. The derived mathematical model shows that only specific combinations of pore density and size are physically feasible. Maximum porosity, of about 30%, can only be obtained by simultaneously increasing pore size and decreasing pore density. A large empirical data set of pore data obtained for three pseudocryptic phylotypes of Ammonia, a common intertidal genus from the eastern Atlantic, strongly supports this conclusion. These new findings provide basic mechanistic understanding of the complex controls of foraminiferal pore patterns and give a solid starting point for the development of proxies of past oxygen concentrations based on these morphological features. Pore size and pore density are largely interdependent, and both have to be considered when describing pore patterns

Temperature calibration of Mg/Ca ratios in the intermediate water benthic foraminifer Hyalinea balthica

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2011. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 12 (2011): Q04003, doi:10.1029/2010GC003333.Core top samples from Indonesian and northeast Atlantic depth transects were used to calibrate Mg/Ca and δ18O in tests of the calcitic benthic foraminifer Hyalinea balthica to bottom water temperature between 4°C and 13°C. This shallow infaunal species is primarily abundant in neritic to upper bathyal sediments (<600 m). Both linear and exponential calibrations suggest a temperature sensitivity of ~12% per °C that is ~4 times higher than observed in other species of deep-sea benthic foraminifera. Culture experiments support the core top calibration. We find no discernible effect of salinity and saturation on Mg/Ca. Comparison between the measured benthic foraminiferal δ18O and predicted equilibrium values suggests that on average H. balthica δ18O is 0.64‰ ± 0.13‰ lower than predicted from the equilibrium composition. To test the reliability of using paired H. balthica Mg/Ca and δ18O measurements for reconstructing seawater δ18Osw and salinity, we apply this calibration to another depth transect from Cape Ghir off NW Africa, which was not included in the calibration. Based on error analysis of the calibration data and this validation test, we show that the uncertainty of reconstructing bottom water temperature and salinity from paired Mg/Ca and δ18O measurements of H. balthica is better than ±0.7°C and ±0.69 practical salinity scale, respectively. The small uncertainties allow for the reconstruction of seawater density to better than 0.3σθ units, which is precise enough for the identification of specific water masses and reconstruction of changes in their properties. We propose that the relatively high Mg content and temperature sensitivity of H. balthica might be due to minor, biologically mediated contribution of high-Mg calcite to the primarily low Mg calcite test, which is influenced by the ambient temperature. This hypothesis, if correct, suggests that benthic species with relatively high Mg/Ca may be better suited for deepwater temperature reconstructions than species that have thus far been more commonly used.This project was funded by NSF Awards OCE 02‐20922 and 09‐02977 to YR, OCE 09‐28607 to MK, OCE02‐20776 to DWO, and DFG priority program INTERDYNAMIK to AM

Unexpected biotic resilience on the Japanese seafloor caused by the 2011 Tōhoku-Oki tsunami

On March 11th, 2011 the Mw 9.0 2011 Tōhoku-Oki earthquake resulted in a tsunami which caused major devastation in coastal areas. Along the Japanese NE coast, tsunami waves reached maximum run-ups of 40 m, and travelled kilometers inland. Whereas devastation was clearly visible on land, underwater impact is much more difficult to assess. Here, we report unexpected results obtained during a research cruise targeting the seafloor off Shimokita (NE Japan), shortly (five months) after the disaster. The geography of the studied area is characterized by smooth coastline and a gradually descending shelf slope. Although high-energy tsunami waves caused major sediment reworking in shallow-water environments, investigated shelf ecosystems were characterized by surprisingly high benthic diversity and showed no evidence of mass mortality. Conversely, just beyond the shelf break, the benthic ecosystem was dominated by a low-diversity, opportunistic fauna indicating ongoing colonization of massive sand-bed deposits.Peer reviewe

Distribution patterns of living benthic foraminifera from Cap Breton canyon, Bay of Biscay: Faunal response to sediment instability

International audienceAnalysis of living (Rose Bengal-stained) benthic foraminifera in 13 multicorer samples taken along the Cap Breton canyon (Bay of Biscay) revealed that the combination of organic-rich material and sediment instability provides very specific benthic ecosystem conditions. The active canyon hosts different foraminiferal assemblages that appear to be determined by different types and frequencies of environmental disturbance at the sites. Most of them are strongly dominated by shallow-infaunal living taxa that combine a tolerance for low-quality organic matter with a high reproductive potential. Foraminiferal assemblages characterized by high densities, very superficially living taxa and strong dominance of bolivinids and buliminids, follow a poor pioneer fauna dominated by Technitella melo. These assemblages are observed in the narrow canyon axis, where frequent sediment resuspension occurs and affects habitat stability. Assemblages studied from sites outside the canyon axis are still dominated by shallow-infaunal species but show lower foraminiferal densities and higher diversities. Deep-infaunal taxa are only present in some inner meanders and more distal stations. These assemblages are typical for ecological niches that are relatively stable and unaffected by re-sedimentation processes. They have attained a more advanced stage of ecosystem stability. They are influenced by neither lateral sediment nor enriched organic matter input.</p

Invasion récente d'un phylotype exotique du complexe d'espèces cryptiques Ammonia tepida (foraminifère benthique)

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Ecologie des foraminifères benthiques dans le prodelta du Rhône (détermination de bio-indicateurs environnementaux et reconstitution historique d'une anthropisation récente)

Cette thèse a été réalisée dans le cadre de 2 projets ANR (Vulnérabilité : Milieux et Climats) : le projet CHACCRA (Climate and Human-induced Alterations in Carbon Cycling at the River-seA connection) et le projet EXTREMA (Episodes météo-climatiques extrêmes et redistribution des masses sédimentaires et des polluants associés au sein d'un système côtier). L'objectif de ce travail doctoral a été de définir les caractéristiques écologiques des faunes de foraminifères benthiques vivant sur la plate-forme continentale dans la zone d'influence du Rhône (Golfe du Lion, Nord-ouest de la Mer Méditerranée), afin d'utiliser les faunes benthiques en tant que bioindicateurs des caractéristiques environnementales actuelles et passées. Aussi, les facteurs environnementaux contraignant la structure (densité, composition faunistique) ainsi que la distribution spatiale et la variabilité temporelle des faunes actuelles de foraminifères benthiques ont été identifiés. Il a été mis en évidence Ie rôle des apports épisodiques de sédiments lors des crues du Rhône, constituant un facteur de stress pour les faunes benthiques vivant près de l'embouchure. La nature et la quantité de matière organique détritique ainsi que les processus liés à la dégradation de cette matière sont également apparus comme des contraintes écologiques majeures contrôlant la dynamique spatiale et temporelle des communautés. Par la suite, un outil basé sur les assemblages fossiles de foraminifères benthiques préservés dans les sédiments au débouché du fleuve a été défini. Celui-ci a permis de retracer l'histoire récente (400 dernières années) du prodelta du Rhône en termes d'apports fluviatiles terrigènes et organiques.This thesis was realised in the context of the French research projects CHACCRA (Climate and Humaninduced AIterations in Carbon Cycling at the River-seA connection) and EXTREMA (Episodes météo-climatiques. extrêmes et redistribution des masses sédimentaires et des polluants associés au sein d'un système côtier). The aim of this work is to precise the ecology of benthic foraminiferal faunas on the continental shelf under the influence of the Rhône River (Gulf of Lions, NW Mediterranean). The final purpose is to use benthic foraminifera as bio-, indicators of present and past environmental conditions prevailing in the Rhône prodelta. Physico-chemical parameters controlling the structure (standing stocks, faunal composition), the spatial variability and temporal dynamics of the living faunas were identified. Hydro-sedimentary disturbance related to major Rhône River flood events appears to be an important ecological constrain for the faunas living close to the river mouth. The quality and the quantity of available organic matter in the sediment are also key parameters controlling the temporal and spatial dynamics of foraminiferal communities. Thereafter, we have defined a tool (i.e., proxy) based on fossil benthic foraminiferal assemblages. It permitted us to reconstruct the recent evofution of the Rhône prodelta for the last 400 years in terms of sedimentary and organic fluxes.ANGERS-BU Lettres et Sciences (490072106) / SudocSudocFranceF

Les foraminifères benthiques (bio-indicateurs d'eutrophisation naturelle et anthropique en milieu marin franc)

Ce travail de thèse a pour objectif d'évaluer la possibilité d'utilisation des foraminifères benthiques comme bio-indicateurs des phénomènes d'eutrophisation en milieu marin ouvert. Le but de notre étude est de comparer différents types d'environnements eutrophiés, sous des conditions naturelles (sédiments du prodelta du Rhône) et anthropiques (déblais de forages pétroliers au large du Congo et du Gabon ; boues d'épuration dans le Firth of Clyde en Écosse). Dans ce contexte, nous avons étudié la distribution spatiale des foraminifères benthiques et l'avons comparée aux paramètres physico-chimiques mesurés. Ces micro-organismes font partie des protistes les plus abondants dans les environnements marins benthiques. En raison de leur forte biodiversité, des courts cycles de vie et des exigences écologiques très variables des différentes espèces, les faunes de foraminifères réagissent rapidement aux perturbations environnementales. Notre étude révèle l'existence d'une succession faunistique typique en réponse à un gradient croissant d'enrichissement organique. Ainsi, en s'approchant de la zone la plus eutrophiée, une diminution des espèces caractéristiques des environnements stables est observée ; ces espèces sont remplacées progressivement par des espèces opportunistes en milieu fortement enrichi. Si la perturbation environnementale est persistante, seules des espèces très résistantes au stress environnementale sont présentes, généralement avec des faibles densités. Les foraminifères benthiques représentent donc un très bon outil d'évaluation de l'état de santé d'un environnement. Ces bio-marqueurs peuvent être employés avec succès dans des suivis d'impact environnemental et dans des réseaux de surveillance des milieux marins afin d'aider à évaluer les perturbations des écosystèmes.The aim of this work is to evaluate the potential utilisation of benthic foraminifera as bioindicators of eutrophication phenomena in open marine environments. More precisely, we have compared different types of eutrophicated environments, in natural (sediments of the Rhône prodelta) and anthropogenic conditions (oil drill cuttings off Congo and Gabon; sewage sludge in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland). In this context, we studied the spatial distribution of benthic foraminifera, and compared their distributional patterns with the available physico-chemical parameters. Foraminifera are amongst the most abundant protists in benthic marine environments. Because of their high biodiversity, their short life cycles and the specific ecological requirements of the various species, foraminiferal faunas react quickly to the environmental disturbances. Our study reveals a typical faunal succession in response to an increasing gradient of organic enrichment. When approaching the source of organic enrichment, a diminution of the species characteristic of stable environments is observed; these species are replaced gradually by more opportunistic taxa in the highly enriched area. If the environmental degradation is persistent, only species very resistant to the environmental stress are present, generally with low densities. Thus, benthic foraminifera represent a very good tool to evaluate the impact of ecosystem eutrophication. These bio-markers can be used successfully in environmental monitoring and in survey networks of marine environments in order to evaluate the impact on the ecosystem of environmental disturbance.ANGERS-BU Lettres et Sciences (490072106) / SudocSudocFranceF