论文部分内容阅读
The oxygen isotope ratios(d18O) preserved in marine sediments have been widely used to reconstruct past ocean temperatures. However, there remain significant uncertainties associated with this method, owing to assumptions about the d18 O of ancient seawater which affects the temperature inferred from sediment d18 O records. In this study, oxygen isotope compositions of phosphate in teeth and bones from five different modern cetacean species, including sperm whale, pygmy sperm whale, short-finned pilot whale, killer whale, and Cuvier’s beaked whale, and three fossil whales were determined. The data were used to assess whether the oxygen isotope ratios of biogenic phosphate(d18Op) from cetaceans are a reliable proxy for the oxygen isotopic composition of ocean water(d18Ow). The d18 Opvalues of modern cetaceans range from15.5 % to 21.3 %, averaging(19.6 %± 0.8 %)(n = 136).Using a greatly expanded global cetacean d18 Opdataset, the following regression equation is derived for cetaceans:d18Ow= 0.95317(±0.03293) d18Op- 17.971(±0.605),r = 0.97253. The new equation, when applied to fossil teeth and bones, yielded reasonable estimates of ancient seawater d18 Owvalues. Intra-tooth isotopic variations were observed within individual teeth. Among the selected species, the killer whale(O. orca) has the lowest d18 Opvalues and the largest intra-tooth d18 Opvariation, reflecting its habitat preference and migratory behavior. The results show that oxygen isotope analysis of phosphate in cetacean teeth and dense ear bones provides a useful tool for reconstructing the oxygen isotopic composition of seawater and for examining environmental preferences(including migratory behavior)of both modern and ancient whales.
The oxygen isotope ratios (d18O) preserved in marine sediments have been been widely used to reconstruct past ocean temperatures. However, there remain significant uncertainties associated with this method, owing to assumptions about the d18 O of ancient seawater which affects the temperature inferred from sediment d18 O records. In this study, oxygen isotope compositions of phosphate in teeth and bones from five different modern cetacean species, including sperm whale, pygmy sperm whale, short-finned pilot whale, killer whale, and Cuvier’s beaked whale, and three fossil whales were determined. The data were used to assess whether the oxygen isotope ratios of biogenic phosphate (d18Op) from cetaceans are a reliable proxy for the oxygen isotopic composition of ocean water (d18Ow). The d18 Opvalues of modern cetaceans range from 15.5% to 21.3 %, averaging (19.6% ± 0.8%) (n = 136). Using a limited expanded global cetacean d18 Opdataset, the following regression equation is derived for cetaceans: d1 The new equation, when applied to fossil teeth and bones, yielded reasonable estimates of ancient seawater d18 Owvalues. Intra-tooth isotopic variations were observed within individual teeth (8) O = 0.95317 (± 0.03293) d18Op- 17.971 (± 0.605) . Among the selected species, the killer whale (O. orca) has the lowest d18 Opvalues and the largest intra-tooth d18 Opvariation, reflecting its habitat preference and migratory behavior. The results show that oxygen isotope analysis of phosphate in cetacean teeth and dense ear bones provides a useful tool for reconstructing the oxygen isotopic composition of seawater and for examining environmental preferences (including migratory behavior) of both modern and ancient whales.