Late Pliocene sea-ice expansion and its influence on diatom species turnover in the Southern Ocean

Abstract Fossil diatom records at the high latitude Southern Ocean are needed to clarify the detailed conditions under warmer-than-present global climate in the Piacenzian Stage (3.60–2.588 Ma), and to provide direct evidence of simultaneity between changes in environmental conditions and diatom species turnovers. In this study, fossil diatom records between 3.5 and 2.8 Ma were investigated at two sites located along a latitudinal gradient within the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean (offshore from Prydz Bay and south-east of the Kerguelen Plateau). Paleoceanographic changes were assessed from assemblage changes of extant diatom indicators. Fluctuations of their relative percentages were compared with those of extinct diatom species. Diatom assemblage between 3.5 and 3.1 Ma consisted of open ocean species which indicate warmer-than-present SST. Notable increases in sea-ice associated species were identified at 3.3 Ma and 3.1 Ma at both sites. Our results suggest sea-ice existence during short interval of 3.3 Ma and 3.1–2.8 Ma at studied area. At both sites, relative abundances of species which have first occurrence during the Piacenzian, increased at 3.2–3.1 Ma, conversely, those of species which have last occurrence during the Piacenzian decreased at the same period. These diatom records show a correlation with cooling at 3.1 Ma suggested from extant indicators and compositional changes in fossil diatoms at high latitude area of the Southern Ocean. This comparison can provide insights into the environmental effects on diatom evolutionary acceleration, which can help identify ecologies of extinct species.