Work

Elevated Tropical Sea Surface Temperatures During the Globally Warm Miocene Caused Heat Stress for Caribbean Coral Reefs

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT The warm Miocene (23.0–5.3 Ma) is considered a model case for the global climate of the near future. In view of the current coral reef crisis, studies on Miocene reefs can contribute to predictions regarding the stress resilience of today's reefs against global warming. A Late Miocene (6.2–5.5 Ma) reef coral fauna from Hispaniola Island (Caribbean) characterised by ecologically tolerant taxa was originally interpreted to reflect cool‐eutrophic waters. However, the associated planktonic foraminifer assemblage and new TEX86H–based temperature reconstructions document an oligotrophic shallow‐water environment harbouring 30–31°C. Thus, in conjunction with unusually low vertical growth rates and erratic trace element signatures of massive reef corals, the coral fauna documents critically high temperatures and a response to heat stress rather than cool upwelling. The findings demonstrate the relevance of understanding shallow‐water ecosystems from past warm periods for developing scenarios of a future, warmer world.

Source: Terra Nova

DOI: 10.1111/ter.12744

Authors: Thomas C. Brachert, Lorenz Schwark

Institutions: Leipzig University, Curtin University, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel

Language: English

Topic: Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Life below water, Climate action

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,540