Dinoflagellates of multicorer surface sediments
Citation
Vink A, Willems H (2000). Dinoflagellates of multicorer surface sediments. PANGAEA - Data Publisher for Earth & Environmental Science. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.55921 accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-13.Description
Only very few studies focus on recent calcareous dinoflagellate cyst diversity, geographic distribution and ecology, so that information on the distribution patterns and environmental affinities of individual cyst species is extremely limited. This information is, however, essential if we want to use calcareous dinoflagellate cysts for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Surface sediment samples from the generally oligotrophic western equatorial Atlantic Ocean, offshore northeast Brazil, were therefore quantitatively analysed for their calcareous dinoflagellate cyst content, including the calcareous vegetative coccoid Thoracosphaera heimii. Seven calcareous dinoflagellate cyst species/morphotypes and T. heimii were encountered in high concentrations throughout the area. Substantial differences in the distribution patterns were observed. The highest concentrations of cysts are found in sediments of the more oligotrophic, oceanic regions, beyond the influence of Amazon River discharge waters. Dinoflagellates producing calcareous cysts thus appear to be capable of surviving low nutrient concentrations and produce large numbers of cysts in relatively stable and predictable environments affected by minimal seasonality. To test for the environmental affinities of individual species, distribution patterns in surface sediments were compared with temperature, salinity, density and stratification gradients within the upper water column (0-100 m) over different times of the year, using principal components analysis and redundancy analysis. T. heimii and four of the seven encountered cyst species (Sphaerodinella? albatrosiana, two morphotypes of Sphaerodinella? tuberosa and Scrippsiella regalis) relate to these parameters significantly and the variations in the cyst associations appear to be associated with the different surface water currents characterising the area. The results imply that calcareous dinoflagellate cyst distributions can potentially be used to distinguish between different open oceanic environments and they could, therefore, be useful in tracing water mass movements throughout the late Quaternary.Taxonomic Coverages
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Protozoarank: kingdom
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Myzozoarank: kingdom
Geographic Coverages
Event: GeoB3906-9,
Brazil Basin
; Event: GeoB3908-11,
Equatorial Atlantic
; Event: GeoB3909-1,
Northeast Brasilian Margin
; Event: GeoB3910-3,
Northeast Brasilian Margin
; Event: GeoB3911-1,
Northeast Brasilian Margin
; Event: GeoB3914-3,
Northeast Brasilian Margin
; Event: GeoB3916-1,
Amazon Shelf/Fan
; Event: GeoB3918-1,
Amazon Shelf/Fan
; Event: GeoB3925-2,
Amazon Shelf/Fan
; Event: GeoB3935-1,
Atlantic Caribbean Margin
; Event: GeoB3938-2,
Atlantic Caribbean Margin
; Event: GeoB3939-1,
Atlantic Caribbean Margin
; Event: GeoB4304-1,
Midatlantic Ridge
; Event: GeoB4306-1,
Midatlantic Ridge
; Event: GeoB4307-1,
Midatlantic Ridge
; Event: GeoB4308-2,
Midatlantic Ridge
; Event: GeoB4311-1,
Midatlantic Ridge
; Event: GeoB4315-1,
Midatlantic Ridge
; Event: GeoB4319-11,
Northern Brasil Basin
; Event: GeoB4401-3,
Ceara Rise
; Event: GeoB4402-3,
Ceara Rise
; Event: GeoB4403-2,
Ceara Rise
; Event: GeoB4404-2,
Ceara Rise
; Event: GeoB4407-2,
Ceara Rise
; Event: GeoB4408-3,
Amazon Fan
; Event: GeoB4410-3,
Amazon Fan
; Event: GeoB4412-3,
Ceara Rise
; Event: GeoB4413-1,
Ceara Rise
; Event: GeoB4414-2,
Ceara Rise
; Event: GeoB4415-2,
Ceara Rise
; Event: GeoB4417-5,
Ceara Rise
; Event: GeoB4418-2,
Guayana continental slope
; Event: GeoB4419-5,
Guayana continental slope
; Event: GeoB4420-3,
Mid Atlantic Ridge
; Event: GeoB4421-2,
Mid Atlantic Ridge
; Event: GeoB4422-1,
Mid Atlantic Ridge
; Event: GeoB4424-2,
Mid Atlantic Ridge
;
Bibliographic Citations
Contacts
Annemiek Vinkoriginator
Helmut Willems
originator
metadata author
PANGAEA - Data Publisher for Earth & Environmental Science
email: info@pangaea.de
homepage: https://www.pangaea.de
Frank-Oliver Glöckner
administrative point of contact
Robert Huber
administrative point of contact