Abstract
Oxygen isotope evidence indicates high but variable δ18O values in benthic foraminiferal calcite during the latest Miocene and earliest Pliocene. These high values may represent increases in global ice volume and associated sea-level fall. The δ18O record resembles glacial/interglacial cycles, but with only one-third the amplitude of the late Pleistocene signal. This variability may reflect instability in the Antarctic ice sheet, and palaeomagnetic correlation points to an isotopic event coinciding with the isolation and desiccation of the Mediterranean basin during the latest Messinian.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hsu, K. J., Cita, M. B. & Ryan, W. B. F. Init. Rep. DSDP. 13, 1203–1231 (1973).
Ryan, W. B. F. in Messinian Events in the Mediterranean (ed. Drooger, C. W.) 26–38 (North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1973).
Adams, C. G. et al. Nature. 269, 383–386 (1977).
Shackleton, N. J. & Kennett, J. P. Init. Rep. DSDP. 29, 801–807 ((1975).
Keigwin, L. D. Jr, Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 45, 361–382 (1979).
Loutit, T. S. & Kennett, J. P. Science. 204, 1196–1199 (1979).
Loutit, T. S., Mar. Micropaleont. 16, 1–27 (1981).
Ciesielski, P. F., Ledbetter, M. T. & Elwood, B. B. Mar. Geol. 46, 1–51 (1982).
Leonard, K. A., Williams, D. F. & Thunell, R. C. Init. Rep. DSDP. 72, (1983).
Shackleton, N. J. & Cita, M. B. Init. Rep. DSDP. 47, 433–445 (1979).
Cita, M. B. & Ryan, W. B. F., DSDP.47, 447–459 (1979).
Elmstrom, K. M. & Kennett, J. P. Init. Rep. DSDP. 90, 1361–1381 (1986).
Cita, M. B. in Late Neogene Epoch Boundaries (eds Tsunemasa, S. & Burckle, L. H.) 1–30 (Micropaleontology Press, New York, 1975).
Berggren, W. A., Kent, D. V. & Van Couvering, J. A. in Geochronology and the Geological Record (ed. Snelling, N. J.) (Geological Society of London, in the press).
Jenkins, D. G. & Srinivasan, M. S. Init. Rep. DSDP. 90, 795–834 (1986).
McKenzie, J. A., Mueller, P. & Mueller, D. Geol. Soc. Am. Abstr. Progm. 17, 659 (1985).
Barton, C. E. & Bloemendal, J. Init. Rep. DSDP. 90, 1273–1276 (1986).
Moore, T. C. Jr, Pisias, N. G. & Dunn, D. A. Mar. Geol. 46, 217–233 (1982).
Hamilton, N. Init. Rep. DSDP. 47, 463–477 (1979).
Kennett, J. P. N. Z. J Geol.Geophys. 10, 1051–1063 (1967).
Drewry, D. J. in Antarctic Glacial History and World Palaeoenvironments. (ed. Van Zinderen Bakker, E. M.) 25–32 (Balkema, Rotterdam, 1978).
Hayes, D. E. & Frakes, L. A. Init. Rep. DSDP. 28, 919–942 (1975).
Plafker, G., Bartsch-Winkler, S. & Overshine, A. T. Init. Rep. DSDP. 36, 857–867 (1977).
Mercer, J. H. A. Rev. Earth planet. Sci. 11, 99–132 (1983).
Mercer, J. H. in Palaeoecology of Africa Vol. 8 (ed. Van Zinderen Bakker, E. M.) 885–114 (Balkema, Rotterdam, 1973).
Kemp, E. M., Frakes, L. A. & Hayes, D. E. Init. Rep. DSDP. 28, 909–917 (1975).
Mercer, J. H. & Sutter, J. F. Paleogeogr. Paleoclimatol Paleoecol. 38, 185–206 (1982).
Mercer, J. H. Nature. 271, 321–325 (1978).
McKenzie, J. A. & Oberhansli, H. in South Atlantic Paleoceanography (eds Hsu, K. J. & Weissert, H. J.) 99–123 (Cambridge University Press, 1985).
Hsu, K. J. et al. Nature. 267, 399–403 (1977).
Hsu, K. J. et al. Init. Rep. DSDP. 42, 1053–1077 (1978).
Berggren, W. A. & Haq, B. U., Paleogeogr. Paleoclimatol. Paleoecol. 20, 67–129 (1976).
Kennett, J. P. et al. Am. J. Sci. 279, 52–69 (1979).
Kennett, J. P. & Watkins, N. D. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 85, 1385–1398 (1974).
Cita, M. B. & Ryan, W. B. F. Riv. Ital. Paleont. Stratigr. 84, 1051–1082 (1978).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hodell, D., Elmstrom, K. & Kennett, J. Latest Miocene benthic δ18O changes, global ice volume, sea level and the ‘Messinian salinity crisis’. Nature 320, 411–414 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/320411a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/320411a0
This article is cited by
-
Geological events and Pliocene climate fluctuations explain the phylogeographical pattern of the cold water fish Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) in China
BMC Evolutionary Biology (2014)
-
Palaeoceanography of the Miocene (Tortonian) deposits of the Pre-Apulian zone, western Greece, as recorded by foraminifer and stable isotope records
International Journal of Earth Sciences (2012)
-
Deep roots of the Messinian salinity crisis
Nature (2003)
-
Ferromanganese crusts as indicators for paleoceanographic events in the NE Atlantic
Geologische Rundschau (1996)
-
Reconstruction of glaciation over the past 6 Myr from ice-borne deposits in the Norwegian Sea
Nature (1991)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.