Calcareous nannofossils, palynomorphs and benthic foraminifera of section L´Arboudeysse

We propose that monsoonal activity resulting from precessional forcing and modulated by eccentricity-driven temperature changes represents the driving factor of OAE 1b formation in low latitudes.

With the onset of OAE 1b, increasingly warm and humid conditions, stronger winds and enhanced terrestrial input led to higher surface water productivity. Therefore, increased productivity is an important factor for OAE 1b formation in the Vocontian Basin. However, monsoonally forced productivity changes are a regional climate signal only.