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Identical stable isotopic signatures in Globigerinoides ruber morphotypes from northeastern Indian Ocean coretops
  • Ammoose K Jayan,
  • Kaustubh Thirumalai,
  • Sijinkumar A.V.
Ammoose K Jayan
Central University of Kerala

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Kaustubh Thirumalai
University of Arizona
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Sijinkumar A.V.
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Abstract

Globigerinoides ruber (white) is a mixed layer planktic foraminifera cosmopolitan to the tropical and subtropical oceans. G. ruber (white) has two principal morphotypes: sensu stricto (s.s.) and sensu lato (s.l.). Previous geochemical studies have suggested that differences in geochemistry (δ18O, Mg/Ca) across these morphs may arise from seasonal preferences (s.l.: cold/winter-biased) or distinct calcification depth habitats (s.s.: 0-25m; s.l.: 25-50 m). Contrary to this, recent studies have demonstrated that there are no systematic or significant geochemical offsets in coeval s.s.-s.l. δ18O and δ13C. However, no such study has been conducted in the northern Indian Ocean to determine the suitability of selective versus non-selective mixtures of G. ruber for paleoceanographic reconstructions. In this study, we report individual foraminiferal analyses (IFA) measurements of δ18O and δ13C on coevally occurring s.s.-s.l. G. ruber (white) morphotypes within core-tops and late Holocene samples at three sites from the northeastern Indian Ocean (cores: IODP Site U1446 - northwestern Bay of Bengal, MGS30 - eastern Bay of Bengal, and SK343 - Gulf of Mannar). We report a total of 362 IFA measurements of s.s. (n=201) and s.l. (n=161). Our observations and statistical approach confirm that there are no significant stable isotopic offsets in coeval s.s.-s.l. morphotypes of G. ruber in this region. Hence we suggest minimal biases for the use of non-selective mixtures of G. ruber morphotypes for paleoceanographic reconstructions of mixed-layer variability in the northern Indian Ocean, at least for Holocene samples, or for periods with similar biogeochemical and oceanographic conditions.
09 Aug 2024Submitted to ESS Open Archive
12 Aug 2024Published in ESS Open Archive