Diatom records: Antarctic waters

• Main Authors: Stickley, Catherine Emma, Pike, Jennifer, Jones, V.
• Other Authors: Elias, Scott A.
• Format: Book Part
• Language: unknown
• Published: Elsevier 2007
• Subjects: QE Geology; Antarctic; McMurdo Dry Valleys; Southern Ocean; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/9870/; https://doi.org/10.1016/B0-44-452747-8/00237-4

The nutrient-rich Southern Ocean is the world's richest source of biogenic opal, resulting in a circum-Antarctic ‘siliceous ooze belt’, and there have been numerous studies of Quaternary Antarctic diatoms. The occurrences and applications of Quaternary diatoms from the Southern Ocean and Antarctic freshwater systems are discussed in this chapter, and the applications that have widespread importance for Antarctic paleoceanography and climate studies are summarized. Using the latest information, we focus on diatom biogeography in surface sediments, reconstructing past sea-surface temperatures and sea-ice patterns (including oceanic frontal migrations), bottom water tracers, and biostratigraphy. Holocene records of nonmarine diatoms are found in lakes on the Antarctic continent, such as near the coast and in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, one of the coldest and driest places on earth. They are also found in ancient ice-cores. The uses of fossil diatoms in Antarctic lakes and ice-cores for climate and ecosystem change studies are also summarized.