Distribution of benthic foraminifera in Upper Quaternary sediments of the Deryugin Basin (Sea of Okhotsk)

Abstract

Benthic foraminifera are investigated in sediment core LV28-34-2 (53°51.971′N, 146°47.499′E, sea depth 1431 m, core length 965 cm). The distribution of foraminifera is studied in coarse-grained (>0.125 mm) sediment fractions of 191 samples taken with a step of 5 cm. The core covers the interval from oxygen isotope stage (OIS) 6 up to the Holocene. The foraminiferal assemblages of the penultimate (OIS 6) and last (OIS 5d-2) glaciations are characterized by low abundances and prevalence of Uvigerina auberiana. The specific structure of the OIS 6 assemblages differs from the last glaciation ones by the mass presence of Cassidulina teretis, which characterizes low temperatures and a high influx of organic matter to the sea floor. The major factor responsible for the weak development of benthic foraminifers during the glacial time is the deficiency of food resources. The foraminiferal assemblage of the interglacial optimum (OIS 5e) is composed of both calcareous and agglutinated species (Martinottiella communis).The inflow of Pacific waters was probably more intensive, the bioproductivity was higher, and the critical carbonate compensation depth was shallower at that time than during the glaciations. During the deglaciation, the quantity and structure of the foraminiferal assemblages reflected two pulses of warming (terminations 1B and 1A) with an intervenient cooling event (Younger Dryassic). The assemblages of warm periods were characterized by exclusively high foraminiferal abundances, which sharply decreased during the Younger Dryassic cooling. The specific structure of the foraminiferal assemblage during deglaciation was relatively uniform, being composed of only calcareous taxa typical of highly productive areas of the ocean. The paleoenvironmental conditions were similar to the conditions of the interglacial optimum (OIS 5e), although the preservation of calcareous tests is better. In the Holocene sediments, the concentration of benthic foraminifera is substantially lower than during the deglaciation, which is explainable by their dilution in the sediments by diatoms; the composition of the foraminiferal assemblages is similar to that of their glacial counterparts.