An Approach to the Paleoceanographic Characteristics of the Sea-Surface at the Western Mediterranean (Balearic Area) during the Pliocene and Gelasian

From the study of the planktonic foraminifer assemblages of the sediments of the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP)-Site 975 (Baleares), sea-surface temperature, seasonality and salinity for the Pliocene and Gelasian of the Western Mediterranean were estimated. The estimates were carried out by the modern...

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Main Author: Francisco Serrano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-08-01
Series:Geosciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/10/8/302
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spelling doaj-31d4fec975dd466e9c6d537c85a104782020-11-25T03:57:24ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632020-08-011030230210.3390/geosciences10080302An Approach to the Paleoceanographic Characteristics of the Sea-Surface at the Western Mediterranean (Balearic Area) during the Pliocene and GelasianFrancisco Serrano0Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071 Málaga, SpainFrom the study of the planktonic foraminifer assemblages of the sediments of the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP)-Site 975 (Baleares), sea-surface temperature, seasonality and salinity for the Pliocene and Gelasian of the Western Mediterranean were estimated. The estimates were carried out by the modern analog technique (MAT) using PaleoUma, a calibration dataset of 735 North-Atlantic and Mediterranean core-tops. In order to compare Pliocene–Gelasian and present-day analog assemblages, the necessary reduction of the taxonomic variables leads to statistically insignificant increases in estimation error, assessed on the calibration dataset itself. In addition, the correlation with δ<sup>18</sup>O results as an independent proxy, supports the use of MAT in order to establish the dominant paleoceanographic frameworks during the Pliocene and Gelasian. The SST curve shows an increase trend of the average value since the Early Zanclean (19.7 ± 1.8 °C) to the Late Piacenzian (20.9 ± 1.7 °C) and a decrease until the Late Gelasian (18.1 ± 1.4 °C). The seasonality offers permanently lower estimates than the current value (9.8 °C), reaching the closest values during the Late Gelasian (8.6 ± 0.8 °C). The salinity estimates are overall slightly lower during the Zanclean (36.7‰ ± 0.5‰) than today (37.3‰), whereas they reach up to more than 38.5‰, in the Early Piacenzian. The paleoceanographic frameworks deduced from the combination of the paleoceanographic parameters suggest that the current water-deficit regime in the Mediterranean was clearly predominant throughout the Pliocene and Gelasian. However, since the Piacenzian this regime alternates with stages of water surplus, which are especially frequent in the late Piacenzian. By the middle of the Early Gelasian the regime becomes more predominantly in deficit again.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/10/8/302paleoceanographyPlioceneGelasianwestern Mediterraneanplanktonic foraminiferamodern analog technique (MAT)
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Francisco Serrano
spellingShingle Francisco Serrano
An Approach to the Paleoceanographic Characteristics of the Sea-Surface at the Western Mediterranean (Balearic Area) during the Pliocene and Gelasian
Geosciences
paleoceanography
Pliocene
Gelasian
western Mediterranean
planktonic foraminifera
modern analog technique (MAT)
author_facet Francisco Serrano
author_sort Francisco Serrano
title An Approach to the Paleoceanographic Characteristics of the Sea-Surface at the Western Mediterranean (Balearic Area) during the Pliocene and Gelasian
title_short An Approach to the Paleoceanographic Characteristics of the Sea-Surface at the Western Mediterranean (Balearic Area) during the Pliocene and Gelasian
title_full An Approach to the Paleoceanographic Characteristics of the Sea-Surface at the Western Mediterranean (Balearic Area) during the Pliocene and Gelasian
title_fullStr An Approach to the Paleoceanographic Characteristics of the Sea-Surface at the Western Mediterranean (Balearic Area) during the Pliocene and Gelasian
title_full_unstemmed An Approach to the Paleoceanographic Characteristics of the Sea-Surface at the Western Mediterranean (Balearic Area) during the Pliocene and Gelasian
title_sort approach to the paleoceanographic characteristics of the sea-surface at the western mediterranean (balearic area) during the pliocene and gelasian
publisher MDPI AG
series Geosciences
issn 2076-3263
publishDate 2020-08-01
description From the study of the planktonic foraminifer assemblages of the sediments of the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP)-Site 975 (Baleares), sea-surface temperature, seasonality and salinity for the Pliocene and Gelasian of the Western Mediterranean were estimated. The estimates were carried out by the modern analog technique (MAT) using PaleoUma, a calibration dataset of 735 North-Atlantic and Mediterranean core-tops. In order to compare Pliocene–Gelasian and present-day analog assemblages, the necessary reduction of the taxonomic variables leads to statistically insignificant increases in estimation error, assessed on the calibration dataset itself. In addition, the correlation with δ<sup>18</sup>O results as an independent proxy, supports the use of MAT in order to establish the dominant paleoceanographic frameworks during the Pliocene and Gelasian. The SST curve shows an increase trend of the average value since the Early Zanclean (19.7 ± 1.8 °C) to the Late Piacenzian (20.9 ± 1.7 °C) and a decrease until the Late Gelasian (18.1 ± 1.4 °C). The seasonality offers permanently lower estimates than the current value (9.8 °C), reaching the closest values during the Late Gelasian (8.6 ± 0.8 °C). The salinity estimates are overall slightly lower during the Zanclean (36.7‰ ± 0.5‰) than today (37.3‰), whereas they reach up to more than 38.5‰, in the Early Piacenzian. The paleoceanographic frameworks deduced from the combination of the paleoceanographic parameters suggest that the current water-deficit regime in the Mediterranean was clearly predominant throughout the Pliocene and Gelasian. However, since the Piacenzian this regime alternates with stages of water surplus, which are especially frequent in the late Piacenzian. By the middle of the Early Gelasian the regime becomes more predominantly in deficit again.
topic paleoceanography
Pliocene
Gelasian
western Mediterranean
planktonic foraminifera
modern analog technique (MAT)
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/10/8/302
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