Temperature Induced Physiological Reaction Norms of the Coccolithophore Gephyrocapsa oceanica and Resulting Coccolith Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca Ratios

Coccolithophores are one of the major contributors to the pelagic production of calcium carbonate and their fossilized remains are a key component of the biogeochemical cycles of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and other divalent cations present in the intracellular precipitated calcitic structures (coccoliths). The geochemical signature of coccoliths (e.g., Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios) is used as paleoproxy to reconstruct past environmental conditions and to understand the underlying physiological precipitation kinetics. Here, we present the elemental fractionation of Sr and Mg in calcite of the coccolithophore Gephyrocapsa oceanica from controlled laboratory experiments applying an extended temperature gradient (12 to 27°C). The physiological reaction norm of G. oceanica, in terms of growth rate, exhibited optimum behavior while the partition coefficient of Sr (DSr) was linearly correlated with temperature and DMg indicated no specific trend. Our results indicate: (1) a presumably secondary physiological control of DSr, and (2) the importance of calibrating coccolithophore-based proxies using experiments that include the full physiological reaction norms (i.e., a possible non-linear response) to environmental drivers (e.g., temperature, salinity, and pH, etc.). The presented results contribute to an improved understanding of the underlying physiological kinetics involved in regulating coccolith elemental fractionation and give additional implications for designing future laboratory experiments to calibrate and apply coccolithophore based paleoproxies on the fossil sediment record.

Quy trình gia công và phân tích hóa thạch Tảo vôi, áp dụng cho các trầm tích ven biển tỉnh Sóc Trăng

Calcareous nannofossils are very small microfossils composed of calcium carbonate. They are very good biostratigraphic markers within marine sediments by covering the Jurassic to present. The standard preparation of a sample for nannofossil analysis requires the collection of the largest quantity and the best fossils. Sample preparation accords to the following steps: i. Pounding sample; ii. Eliminating organic matter; iii. Washing sample; iv. Filter sample through the sieve; v. Eliminating clay; vi. Drying sample in an incubator; vii. Packing sample. Sample analysis accords to the following steps: i. Preparation of smear - slide; ii. Observation of morphology; iii. Determination; iv. Taking photo; v. Evaluating overall preservation and abundance of fossils; vi. Making analysis result sheet. This process is applied to study calcareous nannofossils within marine sediments in Soc Trang province. It makes much clear to understand middle Pleistocene-early Holocene ecosystem of calcareous nannofossil. In conclusion, this assemblage belongs to NN21 zone by the present of Emiliania huxleyi and Gephyrocapsa oceanica.

Caracterización de las asociaciones de cocolitóforos en las cuencas offshore del Pacífico colombiano

This study was conducted on coccolithophores recovered from 39 piston-core samples taken offshore Chocó and Tumaco basins, on the Colombian Pacific. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the coccoliths showed changes in the relative abundances and the state of preservation in the two basins. The examined sediments were characterized by the coccoliths Gephyrocapsa oceanica, Gephyrocapsamuellerae, Gephyrocapsa <3 μm, Emiliania huxleyi, Calcidiscus leptoporus and Helicosphaera carteri, which presented abundances higher than 2 %. We also identified a minority assemblage (<2%) constituted by Ceratolithus spp., Coccolithus pelagicus, Florisphaera profunda,Helicosphaera princei, Helicosphaera sellii, Helicosphaera wallichii and Pontosphaera spp. together with reworked specimens of Reticulofenestra spp, Sphenolithus spp. and Discoaster spp. The recovery of E. huxleyi as part of the assemblage indicates that the studied sediments are younger than the biozone NN21, covering an age range of Middle Pleistocene (Ionian). The number of coccoliths per gram (cc/g) was calculated, demonstrating an average of 5.7x106 cc/g and 1.2x107 cc/g for Chocó and Tumaco basins, respectively. In order to interpret the causes of this variance, we performed a multivariate redundancy analysis (RDA), showing that the distance to the coastline is the controlling factor of the fluctuations of the relative abundances and distribution of the coccoliths in both basins.

A three-dimensional niche comparison of <i>Emiliania huxleyi</i> and <i>Gephyrocapsa oceanica</i>: reconciling observations with projections

Coccolithophore responses to changes in carbonate chemistry speciation such as CO2 and H+ are highly modulated by light intensity and temperature. Here, we fit an analytical equation, accounting for simultaneous changes in carbonate chemistry speciation, light and temperature, to published and original data for Emiliania huxleyi, and compare the projections with those for Gephyrocapsa oceanica. Based on our analysis, the two most common bloom-forming species in present-day coccolithophore communities appear to be adapted for a similar fundamental light niche but slightly different ones for temperature and CO2, with E. huxleyi having a tolerance to lower temperatures and higher CO2 levels than G. oceanica. Based on growth rates, a dominance of E. huxleyi over G. oceanica is projected below temperatures of 22 ∘C at current atmospheric CO2 levels. This is similar to a global surface sediment compilation of E. huxleyi and G. oceanica coccolith abundances suggesting temperature-dependent dominance shifts. For a future Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 climate change scenario (1000 µatm fCO2), we project a CO2 driven niche contraction for G. oceanica to regions of even higher temperatures. However, the greater sensitivity of G. oceanica to increasing CO2 is partially mitigated by increasing temperatures. Finally, we compare satellite-derived particulate inorganic carbon estimates in the surface ocean with a recently proposed metric for potential coccolithophore success on the community level, i.e. the temperature-, light- and carbonate-chemistry-dependent CaCO3 production potential (CCPP). Based on E. huxleyi alone, as there was interestingly a better correlation than when in combination with G. oceanica, and excluding the Antarctic province from the analysis, we found a good correlation between CCPP and satellite-derived particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) with an R2 of 0.73, p < 0.01 and a slope of 1.03 for austral winter/boreal summer and an R2 of 0.85, p < 0.01 and a slope of 0.32 for austral summer/boreal winter.

A niche comparison of <i>Emiliania huxleyi</i> and <i>Gephyrocapsa oceanica</i> and potential effects of climate change

Coccolithophore responses to changes in carbonate chemistry speciation such as CO2 and H+ are highly modulated by light intensity and temperature. Here we fit an analytical equation, accounting for simultaneous changes in carbonate chemistry speciation, light and temperature, to published and original data for Emiliania huxleyi, and compare the projections with those for Gephyrocapsa oceanica. Based on our analysis, the two most abundant coccolithophores in today’s oceans appear to be adapted for a similar fundamental light niche but slightly different ones for temperature and CO2, with E. huxleyi having a tolerance to lower temperatures and higher CO2 levels than G. oceanica. Based on growth rates, a dominance of E. huxleyi over G. oceanica is projected below temperatures of 22 °C at current atmospheric CO2 levels. This is similar to a global surface sediment compilation of E. huxleyi and G. oceanica coccolith abundances suggesting temperature dependent dominance shifts. For a future RCP 8.5 climate change scenario (1000 μatm fCO2 and +4.8 °C) we project a niche contraction for G. oceanica then being restricted to regions of even higher temperatures. Finally, we compare satellite derived particulate inorganic carbon estimates in the surface ocean with a recently proposed metric for potential coccolithophore success on the community level i.e. the temperature, light and carbonate chemistry dependent CaCO3 production potential (CCPP). Excluding the Antarctic province from the analysis we found a good correlation between CCPP and satellite derived PIC in the other regions with an R2 of 0.73 for Austral winter/Boreal summer and 0.85 for Austral summer/Boreal winter.