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Latitudinal variations in plankton δ13C: implications for CO2 and productivity in past oceans

Nature volume 341, pages 516–518 (1989)Cite this article

Abstract

THE stable-carbon isotopic composition of marine organic material has varied significantly over geological time, and reflects significant excursions in the isotopic fractionation associated with the uptake of carbon by marine biota1–8. For example, low 13C/12C in Cretaceous sediments has been attributed to elevated atmospheric (and hence oceanic) CO2 partial pressures3,4,8. A similar depletion in 13C in present-day Antarctic plankton2,9–12 has also been ascribed to high CO2 availability3,4. We report, however, that this high-latitude isotope depletion develops at CO2 partial pressures (pCO2 levels) that are often below that of the present atmosphere (340 μatm), and usually below that of equatorial upwelling systems (> 340 μatm). Nevertheless, because of the much lower water temperatures and, hence, greater CO2 solubility at high latitude, the preceding pCO2 measurements translate into Antarctic surface-water CO2 (aq) concentrations that are as much as 2.5-times higher than in equatorial waters. We calculate that an oceanic pCO2 level of > 800 μatm (over twice the present atmospheric pCO2) in a warmer low-latitude Cretaceous ocean would have been required to produce the plankton 13C depletion preserved in Cretaceous sediments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA

    Greg H. Rau

  2. Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, 10964, USA

    Taro Takahashi

  3. NASA–Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, 94035, USA

    Greg H. Rau & David J. Des Marais

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  1. Greg H. Rau
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  2. Taro Takahashi
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  3. David J. Des Marais
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Rau, G., Takahashi, T. & Marais, D. Latitudinal variations in plankton δ13C: implications for CO2 and productivity in past oceans. Nature 341, 516–518 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/341516a0

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