Sea ice and productivity changes over the last glacial cycle in the Adélie Land region, East Antarctica, based on diatom assemblage variability

Abstract

Although diatoms can provide important palaeoenvironmental information about seasonal sea ice extent productivity, sea surface temperature, and ocean circulation variability, there are still relatively few studies analysing the last glacial cycle near the Antarctic continent. This study examines diatom assemblages over the last glacial cycle from core TAN1302-44, offshore Adélie Land, East Antarctica. Two distinct diatom assemblages were identified using principal component analysis (PC 1–PC 2). The PC 1 assemblage is characterised by Thalassiosira lentiginosa, Actinocyclus actinochilus, Eucampia antarctica, Azpeitia tabularis and Asteromphalus hyalinus and is associated with the interglacial, sedimentary Facies 1, suggesting that the MIS 5e and Holocene interglacials were characterised by seasonal sea ice environments with similar ocean temperature and circulation. The PC 2 assemblage is characterised by Fragilariopsis obliquecostata, Asteromphalus parvulus and Thalassiosira tumida and is associated with the glacial Facies 2. The variability of PC 2 indicates that, during the MIS 4–2 glacial and the last glaciation, there was an increase in the length of the sea ice season compared with that of the interglacial period, yet there was still no permanent sea ice cover. The initial increase of PC 2 at the start of the glaciation stage and then the gradual increase throughout late MIS 4–2 suggest that sea ice cover steadily increased, reaching a maximum towards the end of MIS 2. The increase in sea ice during glaciation and MIS 4–2 glacial is further supported by the increase in the Eucampia index (terminal/intercalary valve ratio), an additional proxy for sea ice, which coincides with increases in PC 2. Aside from the statistical results, the increase in the relative abundance of Thalassiothrix antarctica at 40 and 270 cm suggests that, during the last two deglacials, there was a period of enhanced nutrient delivery, which is inferred to reflect an increase in upwelling of Circumpolar Deep Water. Interestingly, the diatom data suggest that, during the last deglacial, the onset of increased Circumpolar Deep Water occurred after the loss of a prolonged sea ice season (decrease in PC 2) but before the ice sheet started to retreat (increase in IRD). Together, these results suggest the changes in sea ice season potentially influenced the ocean's thermohaline circulation and were important factors in driving the climate transitions. The results contribute to our understanding of the sea ice extent and ocean circulation changes proximal to East Antarctica over the last glacial cycle.