Harmful algae and export production collapse in the equatorial Atlantic during the zenith of Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum warmth

2019/02/06 by Marlow J. Cramwinckel, Robin van der Ploeg, Peter K. Bijl +6 · 1 voice
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Algae #Climatology #Ecology #Geodesy #Geology #Geology and Paleoclimatology Research #Isotope Analysis in Ecology #Marine and coastal ecosystems #Oceanography #Zenith

paper · pdf · doi:10.1130/g45614.1

openalex publication_date 2019/02/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

Abstract New palynological, sedimentological, and geochemical records spanning the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO; ca. 40 Ma) in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean indicate that peak warming was associated with upper-ocean stratification, decreased export production, and possibly harmful algal blooms, followed by slight oxygen minimum zone expansion. Combining these findings with published MECO records suggests that export production collapse and benthos starvation during the zenith of MECO warmth were widespread in the Atlantic. Furthermore, comparison to records across the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (ca. 56 Ma) at the same site suggests a similar system response to warming, but with different impact on benthic communities.

Citations

• Hydrological and associated biogeochemical consequences of rapid global warming during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum
• Declining oxygen in the global ocean and coastal waters
• Synchronous tropical and polar temperature evolution in the Eocene
• Middle Eocene greenhouse warming facilitated by diminished weathering feedback

Discussions

• During past mass-extinctions toxic species took over our freshwater bodies AND the open oceans: Fun fact: today we do not even look as economic harm is caused along the coasts so why should we look in [bsky, 0 points, 5 comments]

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