Foraminiferal patterns in deglacial sediment in the western Ross Sea, Antarctica

In turn, it is possible to improve our understanding of sedimentary facies that developed in glacimarine settings during the post-Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) deglaciation. We explore foraminiferal records from 18 sediment cores from the western Ross Sea largely from sites near paleo-grounding lines.

Based on general foraminiferal indices and radiocarbon dates, we identify environments and geomorphic settings from which high quality in situ foraminiferal data can be obtained, which is imperative for paleoenvironmental reconstructions and geochemistry on glaciated continental margins worldwide. We investigated post-LGM foraminiferal assemblages from distinct glacimarine environments, including those from proximal and more distal locations with respect to paleo-grounding lines as well as an unusual assemblage influenced by the drainage of subglacial meltwater into the ocean.