Vertical distribution and isotopic composition of living planktonic foraminifera in the western North Atlantic

Journal Article · Thu Jan 03 23:00:00 EST 1980 · Science; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.207.4426.61· OSTI ID:5488140

Fairbanks, R G ^[1]; Wiebe, P H; Be, A W.H.

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1. Columbia Univ., Palisades, NY

Thirteen species of planktonic foraminifera collected with vertically stratified zooplankton tows in the slope water, Gulf Stream cold core ring, and northern Sargasso Sea show significant differences in their vertical distributions in the upper 200 meters of these different hydrographic regimes. Gulf Stream cold core rings may be responsible for a southern displacement of the faunal boundary associated with the Gulf Stream when reconstructed from the deep-sea sediment record. Oxygen isotope analyses of seven species reveal that nonspinose species (algal symbiont-barren) apparently calcify in oxygen isotope equilibrium, whereas spinose species usually calcify out of oxygen isotope equilibrium by approximately -0.3 to -0.4 per mil in delta/sup 18/O values. The isotope data indicate that foraminifera shells calcify in depth zones that are significantly narrower than the overall vertical distribution of a species would imply.

• OSTI ID: 5488140
• Journal Information: Science; (United States), Journal Name: Science; (United States) Vol. 207:4426; ISSN SCIEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520101* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- Radiometric Techniques-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
CURRENTS
DISTRIBUTION
ECOLOGY
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GULF STREAM
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPE RATIO
LAYERS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
PLANKTON
SEAS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
STRATIFICATION
SURFACE WATERS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WATER CURRENTS
ZOOPLANKTON