Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Seawater pH reconstruction using boron isotopes in multiple planktonic foraminifera species with different depth habitats and their potential to constrain pH and <i>p</i>CO<sub>2</sub> gradients

Journal Article · · Biogeosciences (Online)
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [3]
  1. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States). Inst. of the Environment an Sustainability. Dept. of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Dept. of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences; Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Plouzané (France). Laboratoire Géosciences Océan; OSTI
  2. Indian Inst. of Science, Bengaluru (India). Centre for Earth Science; Univ. of Cambridge (United Kingdom). Dept. of Earth Sciences. The Godwin Lab. for Palaeoclimate Research
  3. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States). Inst. of the Environment an Sustainability. Dept. of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Dept. of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences; Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Plouzané (France). Laboratoire Géosciences Océan
  4. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States). Inst. of the Environment an Sustainability. Dept. of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Dept. of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences; Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Geoscience
  5. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Qingdao (China). Inst. of Oceanology. Key Lab. of Marine Geology and Environment
Boron isotope systematics of planktonic foraminifera from core-top sediments and culture experiments have been studied to investigate the sensitivity ofδ11B of calcite tests to seawater pH. However, our knowledge of the relationship between δ11B and pH remains incomplete for many taxa. Thus, to expand the potential scope of application of this proxy, we report δ11B data for seven different species of planktonic foraminifera from sediment core tops. We utilize a method for the measurement of small samples of foraminifera and calculate the δ11B-calcite sensitivity to pH for Globigerinoides ruber, Trilobus sacculifer (sacc or without sacc), Orbulina universa, Pulleniatina obliquiloculata, Neogloboquadrina dutertrei, Globorotalia menardii, and Globorotalia tumida, including for unstudied core tops and species. These taxa have diverse ecological preferences and are from sites that span a range of oceanographic regimes, including some that are in regions of air–sea equilibrium and others that are out of equilibrium with the atmosphere. The sensitivity of δ11Bcarbonate to δ11Bborate (e.g., Δδ11Bcarbonate/Δδ11Bborate) in core tops is consistent with previous studies for T. sacculifer and G. ruber and close to unity for N. dutertrei, O. universa, and combined deep-dwelling species. Deep-dwelling species closely follow the core-top calibration fo rO. universa, which is attributed to respiration-driven microenvironments likely caused by light limitation and/or symbiont–host interactions. Our data support the premise that utilizing boron isotope measurements of multiple species within a sediment core can be utilized to constrain vertical profiles of pH andpCO2 at sites spanning different oceanic regimes, thereby constraining changes in vertical pH gradients and yielding insights into the past behavior of the oceanic carbon pumps.
Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0010288
OSTI ID:
1802074
Journal Information:
Biogeosciences (Online), Journal Name: Biogeosciences (Online) Journal Issue: 13 Vol. 17; ISSN 1726-4189
Publisher:
Copernicus Publications, EGUCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (108)

Determination of B/Ca of natural carbonates by HR-ICP-MS journal April 2014
Evaluating the utility of B / C a ratios in planktic foraminifera as a proxy for the carbonate system: A case study of G lobigerinoides ruber journal April 2015
Profiling planktonic foraminiferal crust formation: PROFILING PLANKTONIC FORAMINIFERAL CRUST journal July 2015
Calibration and application of B/Ca, Cd/Ca, and δ 11 B in Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sinistral) to constrain CO 2 uptake in the subpolar North Atlantic during the last deglaciation: NORTH ATLANTIC DEGLACIAL CO 2 journal May 2013
Application of 10 13 ohm Faraday cup current amplifiers for boron isotopic analyses by solution mode and laser ablation multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry journal November 2017
Algal symbiosis: A mathematical analysis journal January 1981
Microsensor studies of photosynthesis and respiration in larger symbiotic foraminifera. I The physico-chemical microenvironment of Marginopora vertebralis, Amphistegina lobifera and Amphisorus hemprichii journal October 2000
Microsensor studies of photosynthesis and respiration in the symbiotic foraminifer Orbulina universa journal July 1998
Variation in downwelling diffuse attenuation coefficient in the northern South China Sea journal August 2008
Cadmium, zinc, copper, and barium in foraminifera tests journal March 1981
Comparison of Atlantic and Pacific paleochemical records for the last 215,000 years: changes in deep ocean circulation and chemical inventories journal December 1985
Seasonal changes in species composition, numbers, mass, size, and isotopic composition of planktonic foraminifera settling into the deep sargasso sea journal March 1981
A comparison of the equilibrium constants for the dissociation of carbonic acid in seawater media journal October 1987
Thermodynamics of the dissociation of boric acid in synthetic seawater from 273.15 to 318.15 K journal May 1990
Boron isotope systematics in large rivers: implications for the marine boron budget and paleo-pH reconstruction over the Cenozoic journal October 2002
Bioturbation and Holocene sediment accumulation fluxes in the north-east Atlantic Ocean (Benthic Boundary Layer experiment sites) journal September 2000
Global calibration of ecological models for planktic foraminifera from coretop carbonate oxygen-18 journal April 2002
The influence of symbiont photosynthesis on the boron isotopic composition of foraminifera shells journal September 2003
Cleaning and pre-treatment procedures for biogenic and synthetic calcium carbonate powders for determination of elemental and boron isotopic compositions journal March 2015
Investigating the effects of growth rate and temperature on the B/Ca ratio and δ 11 B during inorganic calcite formation journal February 2016
Single laboratory comparison of MC-ICP-MS and N-TIMS boron isotope analyses in marine carbonates journal December 2016
Biomineralization in perforate foraminifera journal August 2014
Negligible temperature dependence of calcium isotope fractionation in 12 species of planktonic foraminifera journal March 2005
Surface ocean pH response to variations in pCO2 through two full glacial cycles journal July 2005
Experimental measurement of boron isotope fractionation in seawater journal August 2006
Seawater pH, pCO2 and [CO2−3] variations in the Caribbean Sea over the last 130 kyr: A boron isotope and B/Ca study of planktic foraminifera journal July 2008
Controls on stable isotope and trace metal uptake in Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sinistral) from an Antarctic sea-ice environment journal February 2009
Calibrating Mg/Ca ratios of multiple planktonic foraminiferal species with δ18O-calcification temperatures: Paleothermometry for the upper water column journal February 2009
Alkenone and boron-based Pliocene pCO2 records journal March 2010
An evaluation of benthic foraminiferal B/Ca and δ11B for deep ocean carbonate ion and pH reconstructions journal April 2010
Boron isotopes and B/Ca in benthic foraminifera: Proxies for the deep ocean carbonate system journal February 2011
The evolution of pCO2, ice volume and climate during the middle Miocene journal August 2012
A boundary exchange influence on deglacial neodymium isotope records from the deep western Indian Ocean journal August 2012
The planktic foraminiferal B/Ca proxy for seawater carbonate chemistry: A critical evaluation journal September 2012
Calibration of the boron isotope proxy in the planktonic foraminifera Globigerinoides ruber for use in palaeo-CO2 reconstruction journal February 2013
Evaluation of the biogeochemical controls on B/Ca of Globigerinoides ruber white from the Oceanic Flux Program, Bermuda journal October 2014
Direct measurement of the boron isotope fractionation factor: Reducing the uncertainty in reconstructing ocean paleo-pH journal March 2015
A new boron isotope-pH calibration for Orbulina universa, with implications for understanding and accounting for ‘vital effects’ journal November 2016
Core-top calibration of B/Ca in Pacific Ocean Neogloboquadrina incompta and Globigerina bulloides as a surface water carbonate system proxy journal May 2017
Boron isotope-based seasonal paleo-pH reconstruction for the Southeast Atlantic – A multispecies approach using habitat preference of planktonic foraminifera journal April 2018
Instability of seawater pH in the South China Sea during the mid-late Holocene: Evidence from boron isotopic composition of corals journal March 2009
Evidence for ocean acidification in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia journal April 2009
Intra-shell boron isotope ratios in the symbiont-bearing benthic foraminiferan Amphistegina lobifera: Implications for δ11B vital effects and paleo-pH reconstructions journal March 2010
The universal ratio of boron to chlorinity for the North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans journal March 2010
A 20 million year record of planktic foraminiferal B/Ca ratios: Systematics and uncertainties in pCO2 reconstructions journal May 2011
In situ study of boron partitioning between calcite and fluid at different crystal growth rates journal July 2014
Determination of δ11B by HR-ICP-MS from mass limited samples: Application to natural carbonates and water samples journal September 2014
Characterization of boron incorporation and speciation in calcite and aragonite from co-precipitation experiments under controlled pH, temperature and precipitation rate journal February 2015
Experimental evidence for kinetic effects on B/Ca in synthetic calcite: Implications for potential B(OH)4− and B(OH)3 incorporation journal February 2015
Boric acid and borate incorporation in inorganic calcite inferred from B/Ca, boron isotopes and surface kinetic modeling journal January 2019
Planktonic foraminifera stable isotopes and water column structure: Disentangling ecological signals journal May 2013
Direct separation of boron from Na- and Ca-rich matrices by sublimation for stable isotope measurement by MC-ICP-MS journal September 2010
Climate Change 2013 – The Physical Science Basis book March 2014
Empirical relationship between pH and the boron isotopic composition of Globigerinoides sacculifer : Implications for the boron isotope paleo-pH proxy journal October 2001
Core top calibration of Mg/Ca in tropical foraminifera: Refining paleotemperature estimation: CORE TOP CALIBRATION journal April 2002
Planktonic foraminiferal depth habitat and δ 18 O calibrations: Plankton tow results from the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean: SURFACE STRATIFICATION AND δ 18 O CALIBRATIONS journal May 2003
Impact of the ocean carbonate chemistry on living foraminiferal shell weight: Comment on “Carbonate ion concentration in glacial-age deep waters of the Caribbean Sea” by W. S. Broecker and E. Clark: COMMENT journal November 2002
Calibration of Mg/Ca thermometry in planktonic foraminifera from a sediment trap time series: CALIBRATION OF Mg/Ca THERMOMETRY IN PLANKTONIC FORAMINIFERA journal June 2003
A study of cleaning procedures used for foraminiferal Mg/Ca paleothermometry: MG/CA PALEOTHERMOMETRY journal September 2003
Vital effects in foraminifera do not compromise the use of δ 11 B as a paleo- p H indicator: Evidence from modeling: CRETACEOUS MARINE TEMPERATURE EVOLUTION journal May 2003
A global ocean carbon climatology: Results from Global Data Analysis Project (GLODAP): GLOBAL OCEAN CARBON CLIMATOLOGY journal December 2004
Ground-truthing the boron isotope-paleo-pH proxy in planktonic foraminifera shells: Partial dissolution and shell size effects: GROUND-TRUTHING THE δ 11 B-PALEO-PH PROXY journal November 2004
A core top assessment of proxies for the ocean carbonate system in surface-dwelling foraminifers: PROXIES FOR THE OCEAN CARBONATE SYSTEM journal August 2007
B/Ca in planktonic foraminifera as a proxy for surface seawater pH: B/Ca IN PLANKTIC FORAM AS A PROXY FOR pH journal April 2007
Corroborating ecological depth preferences of planktonic foraminifera in the tropical Atlantic with the stable oxygen isotope ratios of core top specimens: FORAM DEPTH PREFERENCES journal August 2007
Boron and magnesium isotopic composition of seawater: DATA BRIEF journal August 2010
Atmospheric CO 2 decline during the Pliocene intensification of Northern Hemisphere glaciations journal October 2011
Oxygen Isotopic Composition of Multiple Species of Planktonic Foraminifera: Recorders of the Modern Photic Zone Temperature Gradient journal December 1992
Oceanic p H control on the boron isotopic composition of foraminifera: Evidence from culture experiments journal October 1996
Direct effects of CO2 concentration on growth and isotopic composition of marine plankton journal April 1999
Vertical distribution and isotopic fractionation of living planktonic foraminifera from the Panama Basin journal August 1982
Past temperature and δ18O of surface ocean waters inferred from foraminiferal Mg/Ca ratios journal May 2000
Plio-Pleistocene climate sensitivity evaluated using high-resolution CO2 records journal February 2015
Boron isotope evidence for oceanic carbon dioxide leakage during the last deglaciation journal February 2015
Changing atmospheric CO2 concentration was the primary driver of early Cenozoic climate journal April 2016
Sequestration of carbon in the deep Atlantic during the last glaciation journal February 2016
Causes of ice age intensification across the Mid-Pleistocene Transition journal November 2017
SYMBIOSIS IN THE PLANKTONIC FORAMINIFER, ORBULINA UNIVERSA , AND THE ISOLATION OF ITS SYMBIOTIC DINOFLAGELLATE, GYMNODINIUM BÉII SP. NOV. 1 journal June 1987
Ultrastructure of a new Intracellular Symbiotic alga Found Within Planktonic Foraminifera1 journal December 1987
Evaporation and Sublimation of Boric Acid: Application for Boron Purification from Organic Rich Solutions journal June 2001
Production and Certification of a Unique Set of Isotope and Delta Reference Materials for Boron Isotope Determination in Geochemical, Environmental and Industrial Materials journal September 2011
Cool La Nina During the Warmth of the Pliocene? journal March 2005
Marked Decline in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Concentrations During the Paleogene journal July 2005
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Concentration Across the Mid-Pleistocene Transition journal June 2009
Coupling of CO2 and Ice Sheet Stability Over Major Climate Transitions of the Last 20 Million Years journal October 2009
Foraminifera and Chlorophyll Maximum: Vertical Distribution, Seasonal Succession, and Paleoceanographic Significance journal September 1980
Reconstructing Past Ocean pH-Depth Profiles journal November 1998
Middle Eocene Seawater pH and Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Concentrations journal June 1999
Climate Impact of Late Quaternary Equatorial Pacific Sea Surface Temperature Variations journal September 2000
Measurement of Paleotemperatures and Temperatures of the Upper Cretaceous of England, Denmark, and the Southeastern United States journal January 1951
Marine calcifiers exhibit mixed responses to CO2-induced ocean acidification journal December 2009
Enhanced carbon dioxide outgassing from the eastern equatorial Atlantic during the last glacial journal November 2014
Reconstructing Ocean pH with Boron Isotopes in Foraminifera journal June 2016
Annual Mean Surface Heat Fluxes in the Tropical Pacific Ocean journal May 1981
16S rRNA gene metabarcoding and TEM reveals different ecological strategies within the genus Neogloboquadrina (planktonic foraminifer) journal January 2018
Decoupled carbonate chemistry controls on the incorporation of boron into Orbulina universa dataset January 2017
The Source of Ions for Biomineralization in Foraminifera and Their Implications for Paleoceanographic Proxies journal January 2003
Comparative laboratory and field studies on calcification and carbon fixation in foraminiferal-algal associations journal October 1983
Seasonally abundant planktonic foraminifera of the Sargasso Sea; succession, deep-water fluxes, isotopic compositions, and paleoceanographic implications journal October 1989
The ultrastructure of a planktonic foraminifer, Globigerinoides sacculifer (Brady), and its symbiotic dinoflagellates journal January 1976
Pelagic photosymbiosis: rDNA assessment of diversity and evolution of dinoflagellate symbionts and planktonic foraminiferal hosts journal November 2006
Measurement of the Apparent Dissociation Constants of Carbonic acid in Seawater at Atmospheric Pressure1 journal November 1973
Symbiotic photosynthesis in a planktonic foraminiferan, Globigerinoides sacculifer (Brady), studied with microelectrodes1: Symbiotic photosynthesis journal November 1985
Decoupled carbonate chemistry controls on the incorporation of boron into Orbulina universa journal January 2017
Factors controlling the depth habitat of planktonic foraminifera in the subtropical eastern North Atlantic journal January 2017
δ11B as monitor of calcification site pH in divergent marine calcifying organisms journal January 2018
Characterizing photosymbiosis in modern planktonic foraminifera journal January 2019
Abrupt sea surface pH change at the end of the Younger Dryas in the central sub-equatorial Pacific inferred from boron isotope abundance in corals (Porites) journal January 2010

Similar Records

Ecology of planktonic foraminifera and their symbiotic algae
Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1985 · OSTI ID:6788526

High-resolution biostratigraphy and aminostratigraphy of ODP hole 625B: northeastern Gulf of Mexico
Conference · Tue Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1989 · AAPG Bull.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5880833

Link between light-triggered Mg-banding and chamber formation in the planktic foraminifera Neogloboquadrina dutertrei
Journal Article · Sun May 14 20:00:00 EDT 2017 · Nature Communications · OSTI ID:1358475