The glacial ocean productivity hypothesis: the importance of regional temporal and spatial studies

摘要: Abstract Higher ocean productivity has often been proposed to explain lower atmospheric carbon dioxide during the last glacial episodes. But recent consideration of marine cores from different areas show that higher local can be postulated for interglacials as well periods. Based on detailed study two piston northwest Africa upwelling system, results presented here, including δ18O stratigraphy, organic contents and fluxes, Ti Al ratios grain size measurements, clearly indicate cases sedimentary records even co-exist within a single system. This regional heterogeneity is presumably attributed combined wind stress sea-level changes would induce in northern southern part These emphasize importance understand model response main kinds highly productive oceanographic systems which are spatially heterogeneous due complex continent-ocean interactions, or presence mobile hydrodynamic heterogeneities. For such an understanding it not necessary acquire huge amount core data throughout world ocean, but increase density regional-scale modelling efforts coastal equatorial areas, migration polar front.