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Zarriess, Michelle; Mackensen, Andreas (2010): A 31,000-year high-resolution record from two sediment cores off northwest Africa [dataset publication series]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.756412, Supplement to: Zarriess, M; Mackensen, A (2010): The tropical rainbelt and productivity changes off northwest Africa: a 31,000-year high-resolution record. Marine Micropaleontology, 76(3-4), 76-91, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marmicro.2010.06.001

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Abstract:
Benthic foraminiferal assemblage compositions and sedimentary geochemical parameters were analyzed in two radiocarbon dated sediment cores from the upwelling area off NW Africa at 12°N, to reconstruct productivity changes during the last 31 kyr. High-latitude cold events and variations in low-latitude summer insolation influenced humidity, wind systems, and the position of the tropical rain belt over this time period. This in turn caused changes in intensity and seasonality of primary productivity off the southern Northwest African continental margin.
High accumulation rates of benthic foraminifera, carbonate, and organic carbon during times of north Atlantic melt water events Heinrich 2 (25.4 to 24.3 kyr BP) and 1 (16.8 to 15.8 kyr BP) indicate high productivity. Dominance of infaunal benthic foraminiferal species and high numbers of deep infaunal specimens during that time indicate a strong and sustained supply of refractory organic matter reworked from the upper slope and shelf. A more southerly position of the tropical rainbelt and the Northeast trade wind belt during Heinrich 2 and 1 may have enhanced wind intensity and almost permanent upwelling, driving this scenario.
A phytodetritus-related benthic fauna indicates seasonally pulsed input of labile organic matter but generally low year-round productivity during the Last Glacial Maximum (23 to 18 kyr BP). The tropical rainbelt is more expanded to the North than during Heinrich Events, and relatively weak NE trade winds resulted in seasonal and weak upwelling, thus lower productivity.
High productivity characterized by a seasonally high input of labile organic matter, is indicated for times of orbital forced warming, such as the African Humid Period (9.8 to 7 kyr BP). An intensified African monsoon during boreal summer and the northernmost position of the tropical rainbelt within the last 31 kyr resulted in enhanced river discharge from the northward-extended drainage area (or river basin) initiating intense phytoplankton blooms. In the late Holocene (4 to 0 kyr BP) strong carbonate dissolution may have been caused by even more enhanced organic matter fluxes to the sea floor. Increasing aridity on the continent and stronger NE trade winds induced intensive, seasonal coastal upwelling.
Related to:
Zarriess, Michelle (2010): Primary Productivity and Ocean Circulation Changes on orbital and millennial Timescales off Northwest Africa during the Last Glacial/Interglacial Cycle: Evidence from benthic foraminiferal Assemblages, stable carbon and oxygen isotopes and Mg/Ca Paleothermometry. PhD Thesis, Elektronische Dissertationen an der Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Bremen, Germany, 129 pp, urn:nbn:de:gbv:46-00101842-13
Project(s):
Paleoenvironmental Reconstructions from Marine Sediments @ AWI (AWI_Paleo)
Coverage:
Median Latitude: 12.434817 * Median Longitude: -18.088650 * South-bound Latitude: 12.432333 * West-bound Longitude: -18.217833 * North-bound Latitude: 12.435333 * East-bound Longitude: -18.056167
Date/Time Start: 2005-06-21T01:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2005-06-22T17:06:00
Event(s):
GeoB9526-4 (311) * Latitude: 12.435333 * Longitude: -18.056167 * Date/Time: 2005-06-21T01:00:00 * Elevation: -3223.0 m * Campaign: M65/1 * Basis: Meteor (1986) * Method/Device: MultiCorer (MUC) * Comment: 44-49 cm
GeoB9526-5 (311) * Latitude: 12.435000 * Longitude: -18.056667 * Date/Time: 2005-06-22T03:28:00 * Elevation: -3223.0 m * Recovery: 10.84 m * Campaign: M65/1 * Basis: Meteor (1986) * Method/Device: Gravity corer (Kiel type) (SL) * Comment: geology, 1084 cm, liner broken inside tube, potential sediment loss between 9-10-11 m.
GeoB9527-5 (312) * Latitude: 12.434000 * Longitude: -18.217167 * Date/Time: 2005-06-22T14:20:00 * Elevation: -3679.0 m * Recovery: 10.16 m * Campaign: M65/1 * Basis: Meteor (1986) * Method/Device: Gravity corer (Kiel type) (SL) * Comment: geology, 1016 cm
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-3.0)
Size:
10 datasets

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Datasets listed in this publication series

  1. Zarriess, M; Mackensen, A (2010): (Fig. 6a) Accumulation rates, carbon and carbonate content of sediment profile GeoB9526. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.756409
  2. Zarriess, M; Mackensen, A (2010): (Tab. 1a) Age determination of sediment profile GeoB9526. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.756391
  3. Zarriess, M; Mackensen, A (2010): (Fig. 5) Distribution of benthic foraminifera in sediment profile GeoB9526. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.756395
  4. Zarriess, M; Mackensen, A (2010): Stable oxygen isotope ratios of benthic foraminifera Globigerinoides ruber pink from sediment profile GeoB9526. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.738380
  5. Zarriess, M; Mackensen, A (2010): (Fig. 5) Characteristics of benthic foraminifera assemblage in sediment profile GeoB9526. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.756393
  6. Zarriess, M; Mackensen, A (2010): (Tab. 2) Q-mode varimax factor loadings matrix of benthic foraminifera assemblage of sediment profile GeoB9526. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.756400
  7. Zarriess, M; Mackensen, A (2010): Q-mode varimax factor scores matrix of benthic foraminifera assemblage of sediment profile GeoB9526. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.756398
  8. Zarriess, M; Mackensen, A (2010): X-ray fluorescence measurements on sediment core GeoB9526-5, 6 - 350 cm. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.756401
  9. Zarriess, M; Mackensen, A (2010): (Fig. 6b) Accumulation rates, carbon and carbonate content of sediment profile GeoB9527. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.756410
  10. Zarriess, M; Mackensen, A (2010): (Tab. 1b) Age determination of sediment profile GeoB9527-5. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.756392