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www.biogeosciences-discuss.net/5/3919/2008/
doi:10.5194/bgd-5-3919-2008
© Author(s) 2008. This work is distributed
under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Rapid reorganization in ocean biogeochemistry off Peru towards the end of the Little Ice Age
1Instituto del Mar del Perú (IMARPE), Dirección de Investigaciones Oceanográficas, Av. Gamarra y Gral. Valle, s/n, Chucuito, Callao, Peru
2Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UR Paléotropique, Bondy cedex, France
3Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA, USA
4Departamento de Geología, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
5Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Ensenada, Mexico
6Biological Sciences Department, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
7Laboratorio de Paleontología, Instituto Geológico Minero Metalúrgico, Lima, Peru
8Facultad de Recursos del Mar, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
9Laboratoire du Sciences de Climat et le Environnement, CEA/CNRS, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
10Institut des Sciences de la Terre (ISTO), Université de Orléans, Orléans, France
Abstract. Climate and ocean ecosystem variability has been well recognized during the twentieth century but it is unclear if modern ocean biogeochemistry is susceptible to the large, abrupt shifts that characterized the Late Quaternary. Time series from marine sediments off Peru show an abrupt centennial-scale biogeochemical regime shift in the early nineteenth century, of much greater magnitude and duration than present day multi-decadal variability. A rapid expansion of the subsurface nutrient-rich, oxygen-depleted waters resulted in higher biological productivity, including pelagic fish. The shift was likely driven by a northward migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the South Pacific Subtropical High to their present day locations, coupled with a strengthening of Walker circulation, towards the end of the Little Ice Age. These findings reveal the potential for large reorganizations in tropical Pacific climate with immediate effects on ocean biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem structure.
Discussion Paper (PDF, 1147 KB) Supplement (210 KB) Interactive Discussion (Closed, 4 Comments) Final Revised Paper (BG)
Notice on Discussion StatusCitation: Gutiérrez, D., Sifeddine, A., Field, D. B., Ortlieb, L., Vargas, G., Chávez, F., Velazco, F., Ferreira, V., Tapia, P., Salvatteci, R., Boucher, H., Morales, M. C., Valdés, J., Reyss, J.-L., Campusano, A., Boussafir, M., Mandeng-Yogo, M., García, M., and Baumgartner, T.: Rapid reorganization in ocean biogeochemistry off Peru towards the end of the Little Ice Age, Biogeosciences Discuss., 5, 3919-3943, doi:10.5194/bgd-5-3919-2008, 2008. Bibtex EndNote Reference Manager XML
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