Paleotemperatures from Deep-Sea Corals: Overcoming 'Vital Effects'

Abstract

Other| February 01, 2000 Paleotemperatures From Deep-Sea Corals: Overcoming ‘Vital Effects’ JODIE E. SMITH; JODIE E. SMITH 1School of Geography and Geology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar HENRY P. SCHWARCZ; HENRY P. SCHWARCZ 1School of Geography and Geology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar MICHAEL J. RISK; MICHAEL J. RISK 1School of Geography and Geology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar TED A. McCONNAUGHEY; TED A. McCONNAUGHEY 2Biosphere 2, Columbia University, Oracle, AZ 85623 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar NATALIA KELLER NATALIA KELLER 3Institute of Oceanology, Moscow, Russia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information JODIE E. SMITH 1School of Geography and Geology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada HENRY P. SCHWARCZ 1School of Geography and Geology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada MICHAEL J. RISK 1School of Geography and Geology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada TED A. McCONNAUGHEY 2Biosphere 2, Columbia University, Oracle, AZ 85623 NATALIA KELLER 3Institute of Oceanology, Moscow, Russia Publisher: SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology Accepted: 15 Oct 1999 First Online: 03 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1938-5323 Print ISSN: 0883-1351 Society for Sedimentary Geology PALAIOS (2000) 15 (1): 25–32. https://doi.org/10.1669/0883-1351(2000)015<0025:PFDSCO>2.0.CO;2 Article history Accepted: 15 Oct 1999 First Online: 03 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation JODIE E. SMITH, HENRY P. SCHWARCZ, MICHAEL J. RISK, TED A. McCONNAUGHEY, NATALIA KELLER; Paleotemperatures From Deep-Sea Corals: Overcoming ‘Vital Effects’. PALAIOS 2000;; 15 (1): 25–32. doi: https://doi.org/10.1669/0883-1351(2000)015<0025:PFDSCO>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyPALAIOS Search Advanced Search Abstract Thirty-five azooxanthellate (non-photosynthetic) corals belonging to 18 species were collected at sites ranging from the Norwegian Sea to the Antarctic and of depths ranging from 10 to 5220 m. All specimens showed distinct, well-defined linear correlations between carbonate oxygen and carbon isotopic composition, with slopes ranging from 0.23 to 0.67 (mean 0.45 ± 0.9) and linear correlation r2 values that averaged 0.89. These pronounced isotopic disequilibria have, to date, rendered azooxanthellate corals unsuitable for use in paleothermometry. Most, but not all, of the heaviest skeletal δ18O values reached or approached equilibrium. If the isotopically-heavy ends of the δ18O vs δ13C regression lines reliably approximated isotopic equilibrium with seawater, these values could be used to estimate the temperature of the water in which the coral grew. The δ13C values of the heavy ends of each line, however, were always depleted compared to carbon isotopic equilibrium with ambient bicarbonate by varying amounts.Despite the disequilibria, a reliable method for obtaining paleotemperature data was obtained. It was found that, if a δ18O vs δ13C regression line from an individual coral could be generated, the δ18Oarag value corresponding to δ13Carag = δ13Cwater and corrected for δ18Owater was a linear function of temperature: δ18O = −0.25 T(°C) + 4.97. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.