Planktonic foraminifera

Symmetry breaking associated with chiral phenomena is a theme that recurs across the sciences—from the intricacies of the electroweak interaction and nuclear decay [1-3] to the environmentally influenced dimorphic chiral structures of microscopic planktonic foraminifera [4, 5], and the genetically controlled preferential coiling direction seen in the shells of snail populations [6, 7]. 

Graham, D.D., Bender, M.L., Williams, D.F. and Keigwin, L.D. Jr. (1982) Strontium-calcium ratios in Cenozoic planktonic foraminifera. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 46, 1281-1292. 

Henderson GM, Cohen AS, O Nions RK (1993) " U/ U ratios and °Th ages for Haternma Atoll corals implication for coral diagenesis and seawater " U/ U ratios. Earth Planet Sci Lett 115 65-73 Henderson GM, O Nions RK (1995) " U/ U ratios in Quaternary planktonic foraminifera. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 59 4685-4694... 

Planktonic foraminifera and cocolithophores are composed of low magnesian calcite (< 1 mol % MgC03). Benthic foraminifera are formed of either aragonite or high magnesian calcite. Pteropods are the most abundant aragonite organisms. 

Robbins, L.L., and K. Brew. 1990. Proteins from the organic matrix of core-top and fossil planktonic foraminifera. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 41 803-810. 

Gussone N, Eisenhauer A, Heuser A, Dietzel M, Bock B, Bohm E, Spero H, Lea D, Buma J, Nagler, TF (2003) Model for kinetic effects on calcium isotope fractionation (6 Ca) in inorganic aragonite and cultured planktonic foraminifera. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 67 1375-1382 Halicz L, Galy A, Belshaw NS, O Nions RK (1999) High precision measurement of calcium isotopes in carbonates and related materials by multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). J Anal Atom Spectr 14 1835-1838... 

The boron isotope approach to pC02 estimation relies on the fact that a rise in the atmospheric CO2 concentration will increase pC02 of the surface ocean which in turn causes a reduction of its pH. By measuring the boron isotope composition of planktonic foraminifera Pahner et al. (1998) and Pearson and Palmer (2000) have reconstructed the pH-profile of Eocene sea water and estimated past atmospheric CO2 concentrations. However, Lemarchand et al. (2000) argued that 5 B records of planktonic foraminifera partly reflect changes in the marine boron isotope budget rather than changes in ocean pH. 

Fig. 3.43 Latitudinal distribution of O-isotope composition of planktonic foraminifera and yearly averaged temperature at sea surface and 250 m water depth (after Mulitza et al. 1997)...

It is expected that the temperature of deep-water masses is more or less constant, as long as ice caps exist at the poles. Thus, the oxygen isotope composition of benthic organisms should preferentially reflect the change in the isotopic composition of the water (ice-volume effect), while the 5 0-values of planktonic foraminifera are affected by both temperature and isotopic water composition. 

Erez J, Luz B (1983) Experimental paleotemperature equation for planktonic foraminifera. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 47 1025-1031... 

Siebert C, McManus J, Bice A, Poulson R, Berelson WM (2006b) Molybdenum isotope signatures in continental margin sediments. Earth Planet Sci Lett 241 723-733 Sime NG, De la Rocha C, Galy A (2005) Negligible temperature dependence of calcium isotope fractionation in 12 species of planktonic foraminifera. Earth Planet Sci Lett 232 51-66 Simon K (2001) Does 5D from fluid inclusions in quartz reflect the original hydrothermal fluid Chem Geol 177 483 95... 

King, K., and Hare, P. E. Amino acid composition of planktonic foraminifera A paleobio-chemical approach to evolution. Science 175, 1461—1463 (1972). 

Figure 10.20. Comparison of some trends through the Cenozoic. A. The 8180 content of benthic foraminifera (Savin et al., 1975 see also Prentice and Matthews, 1988). If the 5180 trend is primarily due to temperature, Cretaceous deep water temperatures were about 12°C warmer than today. B. Progressive change of the North Atlantic and Pacific carbonate compensation depth (CCD van Andel, 1975). C. The Sr/Ca ratio of planktonic foraminifera (Graham et al., 1982). D. Ridge volume (Pitman, 1978).

Adelseck C.G., Jr. and Berger W.H. (1975) On the dissolution of planktonic foraminifera and associated microfossils during settling and on the sea floor. In Dissolution of Deep-Sea Carbonates (eds. A. Be and W. Berger), pp. 70-81. Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Special Publication 13, W. Sliter. 

Berger W.H. (1968) Planktonic Foraminifera Selective solution and paleo-climatic interpretation. Deep-Sea Res. 15, 31-43. 

Berger W.H. and Piper D.J.W. (1972) Planktonic foraminifera Differential settling, dissolution, and redeposition. Limnol. Oceanogr. 17, 275-287. 

Keir R.S. and Hurd D.C. (1983) The effect of encapsulated fine grained sediment and test morphology on the resistance of planktonic foraminifera to dissolution. Mar. Micropaleontol. 8, 183-214. 

Parker F.L. and Berger W.H. (1971) Faunal and solution patterns of planktonic Foraminifera in surface sediments of the South Pacific. Deep-Sea Res. 18, 73-107. 

Takahashi K. and Be A.W.H. (1984) Planktonic foraminifera factors controlling sinking speeds. Deep-Sea Res. 31,1477-1500. 

Berger (12) has identified another sediment marker level in the sediments. This is the level at v hich the proportion of "resistant" planktonic foraminifera show the first significant increase. Berger s estimate of minimum dissolution loss at the Rq level is 10 percent. Adelseck s (11) experimentally determined amount of dissolution necessary to produce the Rq level is approximately 50 percent dissolution. 

Vance D. and Burton K. (1999) Neodymium isotopes in planktonic foraminifera a record of the response of continental weathering and ocean circulation rates to climate change. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 173, 365-379. 

Lxthmann G. P. (1995) A model for variation in the chemistry of planktonic foraminifera due to secondary calcification and selective dissolution. Paleoceanography... 

Lea D. W., Mashiotta T. A., and Spero H. J. (1999) Controls on magnesium and strontium uptake in planktonic foraminifera determined by live culturing. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 63, 2369-2379. 

---