Seasonal study of δ18O and δ13C in living (stained) benthic foraminifera from two Swedish fjords
Filipsson, Helena L. LU
; Nordberg, Kjell
and Gustafsson, Mikael
(2004)
In Marine Micropaleontology
53(1-2).
p.159-172
- Abstract
In a previous 16-month seasonal study on living (stained) benthic foraminifera from two fjords on the Swedish west coast, it was reported that foraminifera proliferated in response to phytodetritus input; the strongest response came from the opportunistic species Stainforthia fusiformis. In this study, our objective was to find out if that phytodetritus input resulted in a change in the carbon isotopic composition of the foraminiferal tests. We also wanted to examine if variations in salinity and temperature (due to seasonality or deep-water exchanges) were reflected in the δ18O values. From S. fusiformis that were obtained from the Havstens Fjord (20 m) and the Gullmar Fjord (119 m) during the 16-month study, we developed a... (More)
In a previous 16-month seasonal study on living (stained) benthic foraminifera from two fjords on the Swedish west coast, it was reported that foraminifera proliferated in response to phytodetritus input; the strongest response came from the opportunistic species Stainforthia fusiformis. In this study, our objective was to find out if that phytodetritus input resulted in a change in the carbon isotopic composition of the foraminiferal tests. We also wanted to examine if variations in salinity and temperature (due to seasonality or deep-water exchanges) were reflected in the δ18O values. From S. fusiformis that were obtained from the Havstens Fjord (20 m) and the Gullmar Fjord (119 m) during the 16-month study, we developed a time series of δ18O and δ13C. After the spring blooms in the Havstens and the Gullmar Fjord, decreases of about 0.2‰ to 0.3‰ in the foraminiferal δ13C values were noted; in the Gullmar Fjord after the autumn blooms, decreases of the same order were also noted. Comparing the Havstens and the Gullmar Fjord, we found a 1‰ difference in both δ13C and δ18O; we attribute this to hydrographic differences between the two fjords. Using calculated values of δ18O, together with the measured ones, we noticed that S. fusiformis in the Gullmar Fjord seems to calcify close to equilibrium with respect to the oxygen isotopes. During autumn, water temperatures were relatively high in the Havstens Fjord, and foraminiferal abundance in the fjord was also high after a phytodetritus input; but, the measured δ18O values do not reflect these higher temperatures. This apparently contradictory combination of results might be explained by a varying δ18O composition of the water during the year, which counterbalances the temperature effect.
(Less)
- author
- Filipsson, Helena L.
LU
; Nordberg, Kjell
and Gustafsson, Mikael
- publishing date
- 2004-10-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- benthic foraminifera, fjords, phytoplankton, seasonal variations, skagerrak, stable isotopes
- in
- Marine Micropaleontology
- volume
- 53
- issue
- 1-2
- pages
- 14 pages
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:8444242518
- ISSN
- 0377-8398
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.marmicro.2004.05.008
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 6f2295fd-88e9-4953-91f4-95c4e075f752
- date added to LUP
- 2018-10-18 12:00:14
- date last changed
- 2022-01-31 06:14:16
@article{6f2295fd-88e9-4953-91f4-95c4e075f752,
abstract = {{<p>In a previous 16-month seasonal study on living (stained) benthic foraminifera from two fjords on the Swedish west coast, it was reported that foraminifera proliferated in response to phytodetritus input; the strongest response came from the opportunistic species Stainforthia fusiformis. In this study, our objective was to find out if that phytodetritus input resulted in a change in the carbon isotopic composition of the foraminiferal tests. We also wanted to examine if variations in salinity and temperature (due to seasonality or deep-water exchanges) were reflected in the δ<sup>18</sup>O values. From S. fusiformis that were obtained from the Havstens Fjord (20 m) and the Gullmar Fjord (119 m) during the 16-month study, we developed a time series of δ<sup>18</sup>O and δ<sup>13</sup>C. After the spring blooms in the Havstens and the Gullmar Fjord, decreases of about 0.2‰ to 0.3‰ in the foraminiferal δ<sup>13</sup>C values were noted; in the Gullmar Fjord after the autumn blooms, decreases of the same order were also noted. Comparing the Havstens and the Gullmar Fjord, we found a 1‰ difference in both δ<sup>13</sup>C and δ<sup>18</sup>O; we attribute this to hydrographic differences between the two fjords. Using calculated values of δ<sup>18</sup>O, together with the measured ones, we noticed that S. fusiformis in the Gullmar Fjord seems to calcify close to equilibrium with respect to the oxygen isotopes. During autumn, water temperatures were relatively high in the Havstens Fjord, and foraminiferal abundance in the fjord was also high after a phytodetritus input; but, the measured δ<sup>18</sup>O values do not reflect these higher temperatures. This apparently contradictory combination of results might be explained by a varying δ<sup>18</sup>O composition of the water during the year, which counterbalances the temperature effect.</p>}},
author = {{Filipsson, Helena L. and Nordberg, Kjell and Gustafsson, Mikael}},
issn = {{0377-8398}},
keywords = {{benthic foraminifera; fjords; phytoplankton; seasonal variations; skagerrak; stable isotopes}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{10}},
number = {{1-2}},
pages = {{159--172}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Marine Micropaleontology}},
title = {{Seasonal study of δ<sup>18</sup>O and δ<sup>13</sup>C in living (stained) benthic foraminifera from two Swedish fjords}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marmicro.2004.05.008}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.marmicro.2004.05.008}},
volume = {{53}},
year = {{2004}},
}