Quaternary Climatic Record from the Antarctic Peninsula Region, Antarctica

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This is a two-year study to infer the environmental history of the antarctic peninsula region from an examination of sediment cores from the Amundsen and Bellingshausen Seas. Earlier analyses of benthic foraminifera distribution, sediment distribution, and water column profiles strongly suggested that the observed patterns are greatly influenced by oceanographic, climatic, and glacial conditions. Data on the present-day distribution of these patterns will provide new information on the microhabitat and geochemical associations between surface sediments and benthic foraminifera. The faunal-environmental associations observed in the modern setting will be used to formulate an interactive model using foraminiferal biofacies as indicators of oceanographic response to changing climatic conditions. This model will be used to infer paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic conditions in downcore sediments by observing both large-scale foraminiferal assemblage changes, and small-scale (possibly seasonal) laminations. Benthic invertebrates reflect the links between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and cryosphere, and have been used extensively to investigate paleoenvironmental problems. The sensitivity of benthic foraminifera to both chemical and physical conditions of bottom waters has been extensively demonstrated in the literature, and the group's well documented geological longevity has made it a valuable tool for the paleoclimatic analysis of core material.