Daily timescale dynamics of planktonic foraminifera shell-size distributions
Planktonic foraminifera (PF) shells comprise a significant fraction of the global oceanic carbonate flux and serve as a primary archive of the history of the oceans. Yet, a limited understanding of their life cycles dynamics and biological rhythms, hampers their application as palaeoceanographic pro...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1126398/full |
| _version_ | 1797824116066091008 |
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| author | Natalie Chernihovsky Natalie Chernihovsky Adi Torfstein Adi Torfstein Ahuva Almogi-Labin |
| author_facet | Natalie Chernihovsky Natalie Chernihovsky Adi Torfstein Adi Torfstein Ahuva Almogi-Labin |
| author_sort | Natalie Chernihovsky |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Planktonic foraminifera (PF) shells comprise a significant fraction of the global oceanic carbonate flux and serve as a primary archive of the history of the oceans. Yet, a limited understanding of their life cycles dynamics and biological rhythms, hampers their application as palaeoceanographic proxies. Here, we present the flux of ten PF species and their shell-size distributions at a daily timescale resolution in the Gulf of Aqaba (GOA), northern Red Sea. We report diameter measurements of ~13,500 shells, associated with ten PF species, retrieved using an automated time-series sediment trap deployed at a water depth of ~410 m (seafloor depth 610 m) throughout more than a full annual cycle between 2015 and 2016. Most of the PF species display a wide intraspecific shell-size distribution among adult PF, while six abundant species (G. ruber, G. rubescens + G. tenellus, G. glutinata, G. calida and G. siphonifera) display significantly smaller shell-sizes compared with corresponding specimens from sediment traps and seafloor sediments across other tropical, subtropical and upwelling regions. The results indicate that PF generation cycles can be classified according to three patterns: (1) Quiescent: minimal shell-size and extended life cycles due to unfavorable conditions and food scarcity when the water column is stratified and oligotrophic, (2) Transient: the gradual increase of Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations and food availability enhance shorter life-cycles, although PF do not necessarily reach maximal shell-sizes, (3) Successive: PF fluxes and Chl-a concentrations are maximal, the generation time is extended and individuals might display growth to maximal shell-sizes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:34:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9b31730e2af5470f87f8e1b362f9b346 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:34:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-9b31730e2af5470f87f8e1b362f9b3462023-05-18T08:11:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452023-05-011010.3389/fmars.2023.11263981126398Daily timescale dynamics of planktonic foraminifera shell-size distributionsNatalie Chernihovsky0Natalie Chernihovsky1Adi Torfstein2Adi Torfstein3Ahuva Almogi-Labin4The Fredy & Nadine Herrmann Institute of Earth Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat, IsraelThe Fredy & Nadine Herrmann Institute of Earth Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelThe Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat, IsraelGeological Survey of Israel, Jerusalem, IsraelPlanktonic foraminifera (PF) shells comprise a significant fraction of the global oceanic carbonate flux and serve as a primary archive of the history of the oceans. Yet, a limited understanding of their life cycles dynamics and biological rhythms, hampers their application as palaeoceanographic proxies. Here, we present the flux of ten PF species and their shell-size distributions at a daily timescale resolution in the Gulf of Aqaba (GOA), northern Red Sea. We report diameter measurements of ~13,500 shells, associated with ten PF species, retrieved using an automated time-series sediment trap deployed at a water depth of ~410 m (seafloor depth 610 m) throughout more than a full annual cycle between 2015 and 2016. Most of the PF species display a wide intraspecific shell-size distribution among adult PF, while six abundant species (G. ruber, G. rubescens + G. tenellus, G. glutinata, G. calida and G. siphonifera) display significantly smaller shell-sizes compared with corresponding specimens from sediment traps and seafloor sediments across other tropical, subtropical and upwelling regions. The results indicate that PF generation cycles can be classified according to three patterns: (1) Quiescent: minimal shell-size and extended life cycles due to unfavorable conditions and food scarcity when the water column is stratified and oligotrophic, (2) Transient: the gradual increase of Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations and food availability enhance shorter life-cycles, although PF do not necessarily reach maximal shell-sizes, (3) Successive: PF fluxes and Chl-a concentrations are maximal, the generation time is extended and individuals might display growth to maximal shell-sizes.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1126398/fullplanktonic foraminiferashell-size distributionlife cyclesbiological rhythmssediment trapsoligotrophic sea |
| spellingShingle | Natalie Chernihovsky Natalie Chernihovsky Adi Torfstein Adi Torfstein Ahuva Almogi-Labin Daily timescale dynamics of planktonic foraminifera shell-size distributions Frontiers in Marine Science planktonic foraminifera shell-size distribution life cycles biological rhythms sediment traps oligotrophic sea |
| title | Daily timescale dynamics of planktonic foraminifera shell-size distributions |
| title_full | Daily timescale dynamics of planktonic foraminifera shell-size distributions |
| title_fullStr | Daily timescale dynamics of planktonic foraminifera shell-size distributions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Daily timescale dynamics of planktonic foraminifera shell-size distributions |
| title_short | Daily timescale dynamics of planktonic foraminifera shell-size distributions |
| title_sort | daily timescale dynamics of planktonic foraminifera shell size distributions |
| topic | planktonic foraminifera shell-size distribution life cycles biological rhythms sediment traps oligotrophic sea |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1126398/full |
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