Distribution of dinocyst assemblages in surface sediment samples from the West Greenland margin

Estelle Allan*, Anne de Vernal, Diana Krawczyk, Matthias Moros, Taoufik Radi, André Rochon, Marit Solveig Seidenkrantz, Sébastien Zaragosi

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaperJournal articleResearchpeer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

( )Palynological analyses of 60 surface sediment samples from West Greenland margin revealed high concentrations of dinoflagellate cysts (dinocysts), particularly in the Disko Bugt area, where they reach > 10(4) cysts g(-1). Dinocyst assemblages are characterized by a relatively high species diversity and are dominated by Operculodinium centrocarpum, cysts of Pentapharsodinium dalei, Islandinium minutum, Islandinium? cezare, and Brigantedinium spp. On a regional scale, the overall assemblages show statistical relationships with sea-ice cover duration, primary productivity, salinity and summer-fall temperature. The cysts of Pentapharsodinium dalei, Operculodinium centrocarpum, and Spiniferites elongatus appear linked to high productivity and to characterize the late summer-fall bloom. Although Islandinium minutum and Islandinium? cezare are generally associated with a seasonally sea-ice covered environment, there is no linear relationship between their relative abundance and seaice concentration or duration on a regional scale, along the West Greenland margin. The abundance of these taxa primarily reflects cold and low-salinity water in the study area. Radionuclide measurements (Pb-210 and Cs-137) allow the distinction between two categories of samples, the "modern" ones likely encompassing the interval younger than 1950 CE, and the others that may be considered "sub-modern". Statistical analyses indicate that dinocyst assemblages belonging to "modern" and "sub-modern" categories are not significantly different. Hence, the dinocyst assemblages of surface sediment samples, both "modern" and "sub-modern", represent fluxes homogenized over a relatively long time interval, which illustrates a spatial distribution corresponding to the main gradient in oceanographic conditions. Consequently, dinocyst assemblages in surface sediments can be assumed to represent the average "modern" conditions with a sufficiently high degree of confidence for their use in environmental studies and paleoclimate reconstructions.

Original languageEnglish
Article number101818
JournalMarine Micropaleontology
Volume159
Number of pages19
ISSN0377-8398
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2020

Keywords

  • Dinocysts
  • Primary production
  • Sea-surface conditions
  • West Greenland

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