Antarctic Science
- Antarctic Science / Volume 21 / Issue 05 / October 2009, pp 439-448
- Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2009
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0954102009990150 (About DOI), Published online: 16 June 2009
Biological Sciences
A new Antarctic foraminiferal species for detecting climate change in sub-Recent glacier-proximal sediments
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Abstract
Cribroelphidium webbi sp. nov. is the only adequately described sub-Recent elphidiid foraminifer from Antarctica. In Admiralty Bay (King George Island, South Shetland Islands), it is found at several locations within inner fiord setting at water depths between 33 and 165 m, but most commonly shallower than 100 m. In outer basins this foraminifer is absent. In the cores analysed, C. webbi sp. nov. is present in well-constrained sub-Recent horizons that are clearly related to climate warming and deglaciation. These horizons represent a diachronous facies marker rather than a single stratigraphic layer. Cribroelphidium webbi sp. nov. shows clear association with retreating tidewater glaciers, therefore it is an important sensitive glacier-proximal indicator. It appears that it shares similar ecologic affinities with Cribroelphidium excavatum clavatum, which is widely distributed throughout the Arctic.
(Received January 15 2009)
(Accepted March 27 2009)
Key wordsbenthic foraminifera; Cribroelphidium webbi sp. nov.; stable isotopes; tidewater glaciers; West Antarctica
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