Climate and Environmental Change in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Completed
This project documents paleoceanographic, climatic, and environmental changes in the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent land areas over the last 10,000 years. The paleoenvironmental data is used to determine rates of change in the past, and to better understand both the natural and anthropogenic factors that contribute to climate variability on inter-annual to millennial timescales.
Paleoclimate Reconstruction from Marine and Lake Sediments
Highly-resolved records of past climate variability are increasingly important in light of the current need to differentiate between natural and anthropogenic climate change. Studies concentrate on the Holocene, the last 10,000 years. Analysis of microfossils, trace metal geochemistry, stable isotope geochemistry, and biomarkers sediment cores is performed at sub-millennial to decadal resolution in sediment cores from lakes and the deep ocean.
Coral Reefs as Climate Archives
Coral reefs are sentinels of climate change, responding to changes in water temperature, ocean pH, pollution and land use change near the coasts. This part of the project ties in closely with the CREST Project within the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program, and aims to reconstruct changes temperature, ocean circulation, sea level and the history of reef formation.
Paleoceanographic Proxy Calibration
A sediment trap time series (2008-2018) in the northern Gulf of Mexico is used to assess environmental controls on sediment flux, microfossil assemblages and the biogeochemistry of both molecular and calcium carbonate fossils. This information is used to improve calibrations, quantify uncertainties, and better understand the strengths and limitations of different paleoceanographic proxies in the Gulf of Mexico.
Below are tasks and science projects associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Biological, Physical, And Chemical Data From Gulf of Mexico Core PE0305-GC1
Vibracore, Radiocarbon, Microfossil, and Grain-Size Data from Apalachicola Bay, Florida
Holocene evolution of Apalachicola Bay, Florida
Regionally coherent Little Ice Age cooling in the Atlantic Warm Pool
Evidence of multidecadal climate variability and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation from a Gulf of Mexico sea-surface temperature-proxy record
Seasonal Flux and Assemblage Composition of Planktic Foraminifera from the Northern Gulf of Mexico
The 20th-century development and expansion of Louisiana shelf hypoxia, Gulf of Mexico
The last 1000 years of natural and anthropogenic low-oxygen bottom-water on the Louisiana shelf, Gulf of Mexico
1400 yr multiproxy record of climate variability from the northern Gulf of Mexico
Record of the North American southwest monsoon from Gulf of Mexico sediment cores
Century-scale movement of the Atlantic Intertropical Convergence Zone linked to solar variability
Benthic foraminiferal census data from Gulf of Mexico cores (Texas and Louisiana continental shelf)
- Overview
This project documents paleoceanographic, climatic, and environmental changes in the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent land areas over the last 10,000 years. The paleoenvironmental data is used to determine rates of change in the past, and to better understand both the natural and anthropogenic factors that contribute to climate variability on inter-annual to millennial timescales.
Paleoclimate Reconstruction from Marine and Lake Sediments
Highly-resolved records of past climate variability are increasingly important in light of the current need to differentiate between natural and anthropogenic climate change. Studies concentrate on the Holocene, the last 10,000 years. Analysis of microfossils, trace metal geochemistry, stable isotope geochemistry, and biomarkers sediment cores is performed at sub-millennial to decadal resolution in sediment cores from lakes and the deep ocean.
Coral Reefs as Climate Archives
Coral reefs are sentinels of climate change, responding to changes in water temperature, ocean pH, pollution and land use change near the coasts. This part of the project ties in closely with the CREST Project within the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program, and aims to reconstruct changes temperature, ocean circulation, sea level and the history of reef formation.
Paleoceanographic Proxy Calibration
A sediment trap time series (2008-2018) in the northern Gulf of Mexico is used to assess environmental controls on sediment flux, microfossil assemblages and the biogeochemistry of both molecular and calcium carbonate fossils. This information is used to improve calibrations, quantify uncertainties, and better understand the strengths and limitations of different paleoceanographic proxies in the Gulf of Mexico.
- Science
Below are tasks and science projects associated with this project.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 41Biological, Physical, And Chemical Data From Gulf of Mexico Core PE0305-GC1
This paper presents benthic foraminiferal census data, and magnetic susceptibility, 210Pb , radiocarbon, and geochemical measurements from gravity core PE0305-GC1 (=GC1). Core GC1 was collected from the Louisiana continental shelf as part of an initiative to investigate the geographic and temporal extent of hypoxia, low-oxygen water, in the Gulf of Mexico. Hypoxia (AuthorsLisa E. Osterman, Peter W. Swarzenski, David HollanderVibracore, Radiocarbon, Microfossil, and Grain-Size Data from Apalachicola Bay, Florida
In 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey collected 24 vibracores within Apalachicola Bay, Florida. The vibracores were collected by using a Rossfelder electric percussive (P-3) vibracore system during a cruise on the Research Vessel (R/V) G.K. Gilbert. Selection of the core sites was based on a geophysical survey that was conducted during 2005 and 2006 in collaboration with the National Oceanic and AtmAuthorsD. C. Twichell, E.A. Pendleton, R. Z. Poore, L.E. Osterman, K.W. KelsoHolocene evolution of Apalachicola Bay, Florida
A program of geophysical mapping and vibracoring was conducted to better understand the geologic evolution of Apalachicola Bay. Analyses of the geophysical data and sediment cores along with age control provided by 34 AMS 14C dates on marine shells and wood reveal the following history. As sea level rose in the early Holocene, fluvial deposits filled the Apalachicola River paleochannel, which exteAuthorsLisa E. Osterman, David C. Twichell, Richard Z. PooreRegionally coherent Little Ice Age cooling in the Atlantic Warm Pool
[1] We present 2 new decadal-resolution foraminiferal Mg/Ca-SST records covering the past 6–8 centuries from the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM). These records provide evidence for a Little Ice Age (LIA) cooling of 2°C, consistent with a published Mg/Ca record from Pigmy Basin. Comparison of these 3 records with existing SST proxy records from the GOM-Caribbean region show that the magnitude of LIAAuthorsJ.N. Richey, R. Z. Poore, B.P. Flower, T. M. Quinn, D.J. HollanderEvidence of multidecadal climate variability and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation from a Gulf of Mexico sea-surface temperature-proxy record
A comparison of a Mg/Ca-based sea-surface temperature (SST)-anomaly record from the northern Gulf of Mexico, a calculated index of variability in observed North Atlantic SST known as the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), and a tree-ring reconstruction of the AMO contain similar patterns of variation over the last 110 years. Thus, the multidecadal variability observed in the instrumental recAuthorsR. Z. Poore, K. L. DeLong, J.N. Richey, T. M. QuinnSeasonal Flux and Assemblage Composition of Planktic Foraminifera from the Northern Gulf of Mexico
A year-long sediment-trap experiment was conducted in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) between January and December 2008 to study the flux and assemblage composition of planktic foraminifera from the region for comparison with concurrent hydrographic and climatic measurements. Ten species, or varieties, of planktic foraminifera constitute >80 percent of the assemblage: Globigerinoides ruber (pinkAuthorsKathy A. Tedesco, Jessica W. Spear, Eric Tappa, Richard Z. PooreThe 20th-century development and expansion of Louisiana shelf hypoxia, Gulf of Mexico
Since systematic measurements of Louisiana continental-shelf waters were initiated in 1985, hypoxia (oxygen content <2 mg L-1) has increased considerably in an area termed the dead zone. Monitoring and modeling studies have concluded that the expansion of the Louisiana shelf dead zone is related to increased anthropogenically derived nutrient delivery from the Mississippi River drainage basin, phyAuthorsL.E. Osterman, R. Z. Poore, P.W. Swarzenski, D.B. Senn, Steven F. DiMarcoThe last 1000 years of natural and anthropogenic low-oxygen bottom-water on the Louisiana shelf, Gulf of Mexico
The relative abundance of three species of low-oxygen tolerant benthic foraminifers, the PEB index, in foraminiferal assemblages from sediment cores is used to trace the history of low-oxygen bottom-water conditions on the Louisiana shelf. Analyses of a network of box cores indicate that the modern zone of chronic seasonal hypoxia off the Mississippi Delta began to develop around 1920 and was wellAuthorsL.E. Osterman, R. Z. Poore, P.W. Swarzenski1400 yr multiproxy record of climate variability from the northern Gulf of Mexico
A continuous decadal-scale resolution record of climate variability over the past 1400 yr in the northern Gulf of Mexico was constructed from a box core recovered in the Pigmy Basin, northern Gulf of Mexico. Proxies include paired analyses of Mg/Ca and δ18O in the white variety of the planktic foraminifer Globigerinoides ruber and relative abundance variations of G. sacculifer in the foraminifer aAuthorsJ.N. Richey, R. Z. Poore, B.P. Flower, T. M. QuinnRecord of the North American southwest monsoon from Gulf of Mexico sediment cores
Summer monsoonal rains (the southwest monsoon) are an important source of moisture for parts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Improved documentation of the variability in the southwest monsoon is needed because changes in the amount and seasonal distribution of precipitation in this semiarid region of North America influence overall water supply and fire severity. ComparisonAuthorsR. Z. Poore, M.J. Pavich, H. D. Grissino-MayerCentury-scale movement of the Atlantic Intertropical Convergence Zone linked to solar variability
The abundance of the planktic foraminifer Globigerinoides sacculifer in Gulf of Mexico (GOM) sediments is a proxy for the influx of Caribbean surface waters (the Loop Current) into the GOM. Penetration of the Loop Current into the GOM is related to the position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ): northward migration of the ITCZ results in increased incursion of the Loop Current into theAuthorsR. Z. Poore, T. M. Quinn, S. VerardoBenthic foraminiferal census data from Gulf of Mexico cores (Texas and Louisiana continental shelf)
No abstract available.AuthorsLisa E. Osterman, Kate Pavich, Jessica Caplan