Trace Metal Proxies in Non-spinose Planktic Foraminifera: Environmental Calibrations and Incorporation Processes

这项研究由加州大学戴维斯分校的一组研究人员领导，旨在为控制浮游有孔虫中常见地球化学指标的环境和生物过程提供基本的理解。具体来说，这项工作将侧重于改进和开发新的校准方法，以了解两种古海洋学上重要的浮游有孔虫物种（无棘的N. duterte和N. pachyderma）的代理行为。这些物种生活在地下水域以及极地和亚极地纬度，对重建过去的分层、温跃层深度、上升流强度、生产力、季风变率、ENSO动力学和高纬度过程的变化具有重要意义。利用高分辨率的微量分析技术（激光icp - ms、电子探针和NanoSIMS）、稳定同位素示踪剂和受控有孔虫培养实验，研究人员将分离出影响浮游有孔虫外壳组成的关键过程。这些实验的目的是利用所获得的机制理解来改进对环境条件的古海洋学重建的解释。本研究的广泛影响包括改进了古海洋学和古气候界广泛使用的地球化学指标的校准。这些研究人员积极参与研究生和青年科学家的教学和指导工作，其中一些人得到了该项目的支持。

This research, led by a team of researchers at the University of California - Davis, seeks to provide fundamental understanding of the environmental and biological processes that control common geochemical proxies in planktonic foraminifera. Specifically, the work will focus on improving and developing new calibrations for and understanding proxy behavior in two paleoceanographically important planktonic foraminifer species (the non-spinose N. dutertrei and N. pachyderma). These species inhabit subsurface waters and polar and subpolar latitudes, and are important in reconstructing past variations in stratification, thermocline depth, upwelling intensity, productivity, monsoon variability, ENSO dynamics, and high latitude processes. Using high-resolution microanalytical techniques (laser-ICP-MS, electron microprobe, and NanoSIMS) together with stable isotope tracers and controlled foraminiferal culture experiments, the researchers will isolate the impacts of key processes that can affect the shell composition of planktonic foraminifera. The goal of these experiments is to use the mechanistic understanding gained to improve interpretations of paleoceanographic reconstructions of environmental conditions.The broader impacts of this research include improved calibrations of geochemical proxies widely used by the paleoceanography and paleoclimate communities. The researchers are actively involved in teaching and mentoring both graduate students and young scientists, and several are supported through this project.