Isotope offsets in marine diatom δ18O over the last 200 ka

Previous work has suggested that a species effect may be present in diatom oxygen isotope ratios (delta O-18(diatom)). While predominantly attributed to be a size-related species effect, currently the precise mechanism remains unknown. Here, two size fractions of diatoms (38-75 mu m and > 100 mu m) covering the last 200 ka are analysed for delta O-18 from ODP Site 882 in the North-West Pacific Ocean. Synchronous variations of up to 13 parts per thousand occur in both size fractions. However, large isotope offsets (mean = 2.02 parts per thousand) exist between the two fractions with no relationship between their magnitude and the overlying palaeoenvironmental conditions. In contrast to earlier work from the same site, no one size fraction is constantly higher or lower in delta O-18 relative to the other. As such, the dominant mechanism is most likely separate to the size effect previously detected. In addition, no relationship exists between the magnitude of the offsets and the species composition of the two size fractions. The presence of these isotope offsets imposes significant constraints upon the future use of delta O-18(diatom) in palaeoceanographic reconstructions and reiterates the need to extract and analyse only species- and size-specific diatom samples. (c) Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) copyright 2008. Reproduced with the permission of NERC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.