Abstract—We reconstruct paleoproductivity changes during the past 37 kyr BP, from the southern South China Sea. We used productivity proxies such as planktonic and benthic foraminiferal stable isotope, total organic carbon, the relative abundance of Globigerina bulloides, and absolute abundance of planktonic foraminifera. The comparison between productivity proxies and previously published records suggest that 13C records of planktonic and benthic foraminifera responds better to surface water productivity changes and represent as a suitable proxy for paleoproductivity reconstructions. The faunal and geochemical proxies suggest that productivity in the South China Sea was higher during the Heinrich stadial. The planktonic and benthic 13C signals suggest overall low productivity, before the LGM (~24-22 kyr BP) and then increase subsequently. Furthermore, our records show that organic carbon content in the sediment has an oceanic origin and preservation of the organic matter depends on the sedimentation rates.

Index Terms—Paleoproductivity, Stable isotopes, Total organic carbon, South China Sea

Cite:Dhanushka Devendra, Rong Xiang, Vidusanka Thilakanayaka, Pavani Vithana, Sazal kumar, and Zhang Lingzhi, "Paleoproductivity Changes in the Southern South China Sea from the Last Glacial to the Holocene: Evidence from Stable Isotopes and Total Organic Carbon," International Journal of Geology and Earth Science, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 1-14, June 2019. doi: 10.18178/ijges.5.2.1-14