Abstract
We examined the zinc content of diatom frustules as an indicator of past changes in surface seawater Zn2+ concentration. Zn/Si data of samples from three cores located in the South Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean spanning the last interglacial-glacial transition are presented. Changes in the Zn/Si record are linked to changes in the surface water Zn2+ concentration. The source of variation in Zn2+ concentration appears to be via changes in deep water upwelling and circulation. We rule out changes in phytoplankton productivity and aeolian dust input as a source of variation in the Zn/Si record. Likewise, the Zn/Si data are not linked to shifts in the diatom species composition of the sediment or sediment preservation effects. The Zn/Si results presented do not support the zinc hypothesis. There is no link between the uptake of CO2 by phytoplankton, as inferred from the δ13C record, and the Zn/Si record.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 506-514 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Paleoceanography |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Oct 2000 |
| Externally published | Yes |