Late Quaternary climatic variability in northern Patagonia Argentina – information from modern and fossil shells of Amiantis purpurata (Bivalvia, Veneridae)

BAYER, S. ; BREY, T.; BEIERLEIN, L.; GORDILLO, S.

Caernarfon

Encuentro; 3rd International Sclerocronology Conference; 2013

Bangor University

Amiantis purpurata is a typical warm-temperate water species distributed from southern Brazil to northern Patagonia, Argentina. Recent and well preserved fossil specimens were recovered from San Matías Gulf in northern Patagonia. Holocene (shell age 3630 ±100 years BP) and interglacial Pleistocene (MIS 5, 100 ka years BP) marine sediments were used for a comparative analysis of stable isotopic profiles (δ18O; δ13C). The values range of Pleistocene A. purpurata was from -0,93‰ to 0,85‰ for δ18O and from -1,02‰ to 1,9‰ for δ13C. Holocene shell was from -0,34‰ to 1,13‰ for δ18O and from 1,45‰ to 2,44‰ for δ13C. And Recent shell was from -0,66‰ to 1,56‰ for δ18O and from 0,7‰ to 2,6‰ for δ13C. The δ18O values indicate warmer waters in Pleistocene compared to Holocene and Recent. The intra-annual δ18O shell temperature is higher today (Δδ18ORecent=2,22‰) compared to the Holocene (Δδ18OHolocene=1,47‰) and the Pleistocene (Δδ18OPleistocene=1,76‰). Pleistocene δ13C range value was the widest (Δδ13CPleistocene=2,92‰), but Holocene (Δδ13CHolocene=0,98‰) and Recent (Δδ13CRecent=1,9‰) values were tighter and more positive than Pleistocene. This could be explained by changes in ocean circulation since San Matías Gulf would has been formed approaching 12 ka years BP (after MIS 5, Ponce et al. 2011 Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 103, 363–379). These shells showed a clear marine environment but with a difference in sea surface temperature and ocean circulation through geological time in northern Patagonia. Our findings indicate that A. purpurata is a suitable candidate for detailed paleoenvironment reconstructions in North Patagonia. Further analyses will show whether some notable events that occurred during the Holocene, such as the Neoglacial (early Holocene), the Hypsithermal (Middle Holocene) and the Little Ice Age (Late Holocene) have been recorded in fossil A. purpurata shells.