Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

NESSC_Foraminiferal salinity proxy (WP1)

This is part of Work Package 1 of NESSC (Netherlands Earth System Science Centre)

The main aim of this project is to develop an independent proxy for seawater salinity, based on the incorporation of elements in foraminiferal calcite. Previous research has shown that sodium incorporation is positively correlated to salinity. We aim to extend the Na/Ca – salinity calibration for different species of benthic and planktonic foraminifera, through culture and field studies and test applicability downcore, in a multi-proxy approach.

Foraminifera

So far we have cultured the benthic species A. lessonii over a salinity range from 25 to 45 psu at the NIOZ. LA-ICP-MS analyses confirm a significant positive linear relationship between Na/Ca and salinity. Culture experiments with planktonic and benthic species have been carried out at the CNSI on St. Eustatius during November-December 2015. Calcite and culture water chemistry are now further analyzed at the NIOZ. Plankton pump, multinet, multi- and piston core samples were taken during the NESSC cruise of Januari-Februari 2016, covering a broad salinity range. Samples will be further processed and analyzed at the NIOZ. During two expeditions to the Mediterranean samples have been collected for extending the calibration towards the natural environment.

How sodium incorporates into foraminiferal calcite

There appears to be a high inter and intra-individual variability in Na/Ca values. Also between species there might be differences in Na/Ca values. To explain such differences and constrain uncertainties, a mechanistic understanding of sodium incorporation into foraminiferal calcite is required. Therefore, we will investigate biomineralisation controls on foraminiferal calcite chemistry such as precipitation rate and processes at the site of calcification. Electron microprobe mapping allows us to study the distribution of element to calcium ratios within the chamber wall. Preliminary results show elevated zones of different elements (Mg, S, Na), apparently related to individual chamber addition events. 

Project information
Linked department:
Funder:
Ministerie van OCW
Duration:
1 Jan 2014 - 31 Aug 2018
Partners
  • Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  • Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA), The Netherlands
  • Utrecht University, The Netherlands
  • VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • Wageningen University & Research Centre (WUR), The Netherlands

Meet the team

 
Reichart, Gert-Jan
Head of Scientific Department

Linked projects

Reconstructing sea surface temperatures in deep time
Supervisor
Stefan Schouten
Funder
Ministerie van OCW
Project duration
1 Jan 2019 - 31 Dec 2023
NESSC_High-resolution organic geochemical proxy records of critical time intervals III (WP2)
Supervisor
Stefan Schouten
Funder
Ministerie van OCW
Project duration
6 Dec 2015 - 10 Jul 2025
NESSC_A salinity proxy based on specific algal biomarkers δD values (WP1)
Supervisor
Stefan Schouten
Funder
Ministerie van OCW
Project duration
6 Nov 2015 - 28 Feb 2021
NESSC-WP2_High-resolution organic geochemical proxy records of critical time intervals I
Supervisor
Stefan Schouten
Funder
Ministerie van OCW
Project duration
11 Jul 2015 - 5 Mar 2022
NESSC_Towards reconstructing past atmospheric methane concentrations using organic biomarkers (WP1)
Supervisor
Stefan Schouten
Funder
Ministerie van OCW
Project duration
10 Jul 2015 - 5 Nov 2025
NESSC_Improving past climate records (WP2)
Supervisor
Gert-Jan Reichart
Funder
Ministerie van OCW
Project duration
1 Jan 2014 - 31 Dec 2023
NESSC_New generation of foraminiferal proxies (WP1)
Supervisor
Gert-Jan Reichart
Funder
NA
Project duration
1 Jan 2014 - 31 Dec 2023
NESSC_High Resolution Organic Geochemical Records (WP2)
Supervisor
Stefan Schouten
Funder
Ministerie van OCW
Project duration
31 Dec 2013 - 11 Jul 2025
NESSC_Developing biomarker proxies for aerobic and anaerobic methane oxidation (WP1)
Supervisor
Stefan Schouten
Funder
Ministerie van OCW
Project duration
31 Dec 2013 - 11 Jul 2025

Linked publications

  • 2017
    Frieling, J.; Gebhardt, H.; Huber, M.; Adekeye, O.A.; Akande, S.O.; Reichart, G.-J.; Middelburg, J.J.; Schouten, S.; Sluijs, A. (2017). Extreme warmth and heat-stressed plankton in the tropics during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. Science Advances 3(3): e1600891. https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1600891
    Loomis, S.E.; Russell, J.M.; Verschuren, D.; Morrill, C.; De Cort, G.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.; Olago, D.; Eggermont, H.; Street-Perrott, F.A.; Kelly, M.A. (2017). The tropical lapse rate steepened during the Last Glacial Maximum. Science Advances 3(1): e1600815. https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1600815
    O'Brien, C.L.; Robinson, S.A.; Pancost, R.D.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.; Schouten, S.; Lunt, D.J.; Alsenz, H.; Bornemann, A.; Bottini, C.; Brassell, S.C.; Farnsworth, A.; Forster, A.; Huber, B.T.; Inglis, G.N.; Jenkyns, H.C.; Linnert, C.; Littler, K.; Markwick, P.; McAnena, A.; Mutterlose, J.; Naafs, B.D.A.; Püttmann, W.; Sluijs, A.; van Helmond, N.A.G.M.; Vellekoop, J.; Wagner, T.; Wrobel, N.E. (2017). Cretaceous sea-surface temperature evolution: Constraints from TEX86 and planktonic foraminiferal oxygen isotopes. Earth-Sci. Rev. 172: 224-247. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2017.07.012
    Rush, D.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S. (2017). Lipids as paleomarkers to constrain the marine nitrogen cycle. Environ. Microbiol. 19(6): 2119–2132,. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.13682
  • 2016
    Johnson, T.C.; Werne, J.P.; Brown, E.T.; Abbott, A.; Berke, M.; Steinman, B.E.; Halbur, J.; Contreras, S.; Grosshuesch, S.; Deino, A.; Lyons, R.P.; Scholz, C.A.; Schouten, S.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S. (2016). A progressively wetter climate in southern East Africa over the past 1.3 million years. Nature (Lond.) 537(7619): 220-224. dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature19065