Middle Eocene to Pleistocene diatom biostratigraphy of Southern Ocean sediments from the Kerguelen Plateau, Leg 120

Abstract

The biostratigraphic distribution and abundance of lower Oligocene to Pleistocene diatoms is documented from holes drilled during ODP Leg 120. The occurrence of middle and upper Eocene diatoms is also documented but these are rare and occur in discrete intervals. The recovery of several Oligocene to Pleistocene sections with minimal coring gaps relatively good magnetostratigraphic signatures and mixed assemblages of both calcareous and siliceous microfossils makes the Leg 120 sites important biostratigraphic reference sections for the Southern Ocean and Antarctic continent. A high-resolution diatom zonation divides the last 36 m.y. into 45 zones and subzones. This zonation is built upon an existing biostratigraphic framework developed over the past 20 yr of Southern Ocean/Antarctic deep-sea coring and drilling. -from Authors