Pliocene Indonesian Throughflow change and planktic foraminiferal diversity in the eastern subtropical Indian Ocean

Abstract

The opening and closing of seaways due to plate tectonic movement strongly influenced the past oceanic circulation patterns which have their influence on the past climate and faunal record. The considerable restructuring of one such seaway, Indonesian seaway, took place during Pliocene (4-3 Ma). This would have changed the source of Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) from warm and saline south Pacific waters to the north Pacific cool and relatively fresh waters. In the present study, three indices of diversity (Shannon- Wiener Index; H(S), equitability; E? and alpha index; α) at ODP sites 762B and 763A in the eastern subtropical Indian Ocean are calculated to better understand the role of ITF on Pliocene surface hydrography and planktic foraminiferal diversity. A major interval of early Pliocene demonstrates more diverse fauna and low abundance of fertile taxa along with increased planktic Mg/Ca ratios. Strong influence of warm ITF waters due to broad and open seaway until the end of early Pliocene, increased the sea surface temperature (SST) and depth of thermocline in the Leeuwin current area of eastern subtropical Indian Ocean. This would have been responsible for more vertical niche partitioning of surface water and thus, higher planktic foraminiferal diversity. The significant decline in faunal diversity between critical interval of ~3.5 and 3 Ma (beginning of Late Pliocene) is suggested to be the response of fall in SST and increase in surface water productivity possibly due to relatively less influence of ITF waters in the eastern Indian Ocean as a consequence of significant constriction of Indonesian Seaway.