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Test size variation in Globigerina bulloides in response to Quaternary palaeoceanographic changes

Nature volume 275, pages 123–124 (1978)Cite this article

Abstract

SEVERAL different methods have been used to delineate Quaternary palaeoclimatic trends in deep-sea sediments using phenotypic variation in planktonic foraminifera including changes in coiling direction1, pore concentration2, and test surface ultrastructure3. Several workers have observed that test sizes in planktonic foraminifera may differ between different water masses4–10 but little attempt has been made to use size variations as palaeoclimatic indices within the Quaternary. The exception is based on size variations in the spherical test of Orbulina universa in late Quaternary deep-sea cores from the southern Indian Ocean11. Oscillations in mean diameter of this species closely match late Quaternary palaeoclimatic changes: larger mean diameters occurring during warm episodes. We report here that changes in mean sizes of Globigerina bulloides can also be used as a palaeoclimatic index in the late Quaternary.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Stockholm University, Box 6801, S-113 86, Stockholm, Sweden

    B. A. MALMGREN

  2. Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, 02881

    J. P. KENNETT

Authors
  1. B. A. MALMGREN
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  2. J. P. KENNETT
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MALMGREN, B., KENNETT, J. Test size variation in Globigerina bulloides in response to Quaternary palaeoceanographic changes. Nature 275, 123–124 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/275123a0

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