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Based on Nationally Determined Contributions concurrent with Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) 2-4.5, the IPCC predicts global warming of 2.1–3.5 ∘C (very likely range 10–90th percentile) by 2100 CE. However, global average temperature is a poor indicator of regional warming and global climate models (GCMs) require validation with instrumental or proxy data from geological archives to assess their ability to simulate regional ocean and atmospheric circulation, and thus, to evaluate their performance for regional climate projections. The south-west Pacific is a region that performs poorly when GCMs are evaluated against instrumental observations. The New Zealand Earth System Model (NZESM) was developed from the United Kingdom Earth System Model (UKESM) to better understand south-west Pacific response to global change, by including a nested ocean grid in the south-west Pacific with 80 % greater horizontal resolution than the global-scale host. Here, we reconstruct regional south-west Pacific sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) for the mid-Pliocene warm period (mPWP; 3.3–3.0 Ma), which has been widely considered a past analogue with an equilibrium surface temperature response of +3 ∘C to an atmospheric CO2 concentration of ∼350–400 ppm, in order to assess the warming distribution in the south-west Pacific. This study presents proxy SSTs from seven deep sea sediment cores distributed across the south-west Pacific. Our reconstructed SSTs are derived from molecular biomarkers preserved in the sediment – alkenones (i.e. U37K′ index) and isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (i.e. TEX86 index) – and are compared with SSTs reconstructed from the Last Interglacial (125 ka), Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP) outputs and transient climate model projections (NZESM and UKESM) of low- to high-range SSPs for 2090–2099 CE. Mean interglacial equilibrium SSTs during the mPWP for the south-west Pacific sites were on average 4.2 ∘C (1.8–6.1 ∘C likely range) above pre-industrial temperatures and show good agreement with model outputs from NZESM and UKESM under mid-range SSP 2–4.6 conditions. These results highlight that not only is the mPWP an appropriate analogue when considering future temperature change in the centuries to come, but they also demonstrate that the south-west Pacific region will experience warming that exceeds that of the global mean if atmospheric CO2 remains above 350 ppm.

Nioghalvfjerdsbrae, or 79∘ N Glacier, is the largest marine-terminating glacier draining the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS). In recent years, its ∼ 70 km long fringing ice shelf (hereafter referred to as the 79∘ N ice shelf) has thinned, and a number of small calving events highlight its sensitivity to climate warming. With the continued retreat of the 79∘ N ice shelf and the potential for accelerated discharge from NEGIS, which drains 16 % of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS), it has become increasingly important to understand the long-term history of the ice shelf in order to put the recent changes into perspective and to judge their long-term significance. Here, we reconstruct the Holocene dynamics of the 79∘ N ice shelf by combining radiocarbon dating of marine molluscs from isostatically uplifted glaciomarine sediments with a multi-proxy investigation of two sediment cores recovered from Blåsø, a large epishelf lake 2–13 km from the current grounding line of 79∘ N Glacier. Our reconstructions suggest that the ice shelf retreated between 8.5 and 4.4 ka cal BP, which is consistent with previous work charting grounding line and ice shelf retreat to the coast as well as open marine conditions in Nioghalvfjerdsbrae. Ice shelf retreat followed a period of enhanced atmospheric and ocean warming in the Early Holocene. Based on our detailed sedimentological, microfaunal, and biomarker evidence, the ice shelf reformed at Blåsø after 4.4 ka cal BP, reaching a thickness similar to present by 4.0 ka cal BP. Reformation of the ice shelf coincides with decreasing atmospheric temperatures, the increased dominance of Polar Water, a reduction in Atlantic Water, and (near-)perennial sea-ice cover on the adjacent continental shelf. Along with available climate archives, our data indicate that the 79∘ N ice shelf is susceptible to collapse at mean atmospheric and ocean temperatures ∼ 2 ∘C warmer than present, which could be achieved by the middle of this century under some emission scenarios. Finally, the presence of “marine” markers in the uppermost part of the Blåsø sediment cores could record modern ice shelf thinning, although the significance and precise timing of these changes requires further work.

Analyses of observational data (from year 1870 AD) show that sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies along the pathway of Atlantic Water transport in the North Atlantic, the Norwegian Sea and the Iceland Sea are spatially coherent at multidecadal timescales. Spatially coherent SST anomalies are also observed over hundreds of thousands of years during parts of the Pliocene (5.23–5.03, 4.63–4.43, and 4.33–4.03 Ma). However, when investigating CMIP6 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 6) SSP126 (Shared Socioeconomic Pathway) future scenario runs (next century) and other Pliocene time intervals, the following three additional SST relations emerge: (1) the Norwegian Sea SST anomaly is dissimilar to the North Atlantic and the Iceland Sea SST anomalies (Pliocene; 4.93–4.73 and 3.93–3.63 Ma), (2) the Iceland Sea SST anomaly is dissimilar to the North Atlantic and the Norwegian Sea SST anomalies (Pliocene; 3.43–3.23 Ma), and (3) the North Atlantic SST anomaly is dissimilar to the SST anomalies of the Norwegian and Iceland seas (future trend). Hence, spatially non-coherent SST anomalies may occur in equilibrium climates (Pliocene), as well as in response to transient forcing (CMIP6 SSP126 low-emission future scenario). Since buoyancy is a key forcing for the inflow of Atlantic Water to the Norwegian Sea, we investigate the impacts of buoyancy forcing on spatial relations between SST anomalies seen in the North Atlantic and the Norwegian and Iceland seas. This is done by performing a range of idealized experiments using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model (MITgcm). Through these idealized experiments we can reproduce three out of four of the documented SST anomaly relations: being spatially coherent under weak to intermediate freshwater forcing over the Nordic Seas, the Iceland Sea being dissimilar to the North Atlantic and the Norwegian Sea under weak atmospheric warming over the Nordic Seas, and the North Atlantic being dissimilar to the Norwegian and Iceland seas under strong atmospheric warming over the Nordic Seas. We suggest that the unexplained SST anomaly relation, when the Norwegian Sea is dissimilar to the North Atlantic and the Iceland Sea, may reflect a response to a weakened Norwegian Atlantic Current compensated for by a strong Irminger Current or an expanded East Greenland Current.

Nioghalvfjerdsbrae, or 79° N Glacier, is the largest marine-terminating glacier draining Northeast Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS). In recent years, it’s ~70 km-long fringing ice shelf (hereafter referred to as 79° N ice shelf) has thinned, and a number of small calving events highlight its sensitivity to climate warming. With the continued retreat of 79° N ice shelf and the potential for accelerated discharge from NEGIS, which drains 16 % of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS), it has become increasingly important to understand the long-term history of the ice shelf in order to put the recent changes into perspective and to judge their long-term significance. Here we reconstruct the Holocene dynamics of 79° N ice shelf by combining radiocarbon dating of marine mollusc from isostatically uplifted glacimarine sediments with a multi-proxy investigation of two sediment cores recovered from Blåsø, a large epishelf lake 2–13 km from the current grounding line of 79° N Glacier. Our reconstructions suggest that the ice shelf retreated between 8.5 and 4.4 cal. ka. BP, which is consistent with previous work charting grounding line and ice shelf retreat to the coast, and open marine conditions in Nioghalvfjerdsbrae. Ice shelf retreat followed a period of enhanced atmospheric and ocean warming in the Early Holocene. Based on our detailed sedimentological, microfaunal and biomarker evidence the ice shelf reformed at Blåsø after 4.4 cal. ka BP, reaching a thickness similar to present by 4.0 cal. ka BP. Reformation of the ice shelf coincides with decreasing atmospheric temperatures, increased dominance of Polar Water, a reduction in Atlantic Water and (near) perennial sea-ice cover on the adjacent continental shelf. Together with available climate archives our data indicate that 79° N ice shelf is susceptible to collapse when mean atmospheric and ocean temperatures are ~2 °C warmer than present, which could be achieved by the middle of this century under some climate model scenarios. Finally, the presence of ‘marine’ markers in the uppermost part of the Blåsø sediment cores could record modern ice shelf thinning, although the significance and precise timing of these changes requires further work.

A range of future climate scenarios are projected for high atmospheric CO2 concentrations, given uncertainties over future human actions as well as potential environmental and climatic feedbacks. The geological record offers an opportunity to understand climate system response to a range of forcings and feedbacks which operate over multiple temporal and spatial scales. Here, we examine a single interglacial during the late Pliocene (KM5c, ca. 3.205±0.01 Ma) when atmospheric CO2 exceeded pre-industrial concentrations, but were similar to today and to the lowest emission scenarios for this century. As orbital forcing and continental configurations were almost identical to today, we are able to focus on equilibrium climate system response to modern and near-future CO2. Using proxy data from 32 sites, we demonstrate that global mean sea-surface temperatures were warmer than pre-industrial values, by ∼2.3 ∘C for the combined proxy data (foraminifera Mg∕Ca and alkenones), or by ∼3.2–3.4 ∘C (alkenones only). Compared to the pre-industrial period, reduced meridional gradients and enhanced warming in the North Atlantic are consistently reconstructed. There is broad agreement between data and models at the global scale, with regional differences reflecting ocean circulation and/or proxy signals. An uneven distribution of proxy data in time and space does, however, add uncertainty to our anomaly calculations. The reconstructed global mean sea-surface temperature anomaly for KM5c is warmer than all but three of the PlioMIP2 model outputs, and the reconstructed North Atlantic data tend to align with the warmest KM5c model values. Our results demonstrate that even under low-CO2 emission scenarios, surface ocean warming may be expected to exceed model projections and will be accentuated in the higher latitudes.

The initiation and evolution of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet are relatively poorly constrained. International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 341 recovered marine sediments at Site U1417 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). Here we present alkenone-derived sea surface temperature (SST) analyses alongside ice-rafted debris (IRD), terrigenous, and marine organic matter inputs to the GOA through the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene. The first IRD contribution from tidewater glaciers in southwest Alaska is recorded at 2.9 Ma, indicating that the Cordilleran Ice Sheet extent increased in the late Pliocene. A higher occurrence of IRD and higher sedimentation rates in the GOA during the early Pleistocene, at 2.5 Ma, occur in synchrony with SSTs warming on the order of 1 ∘C relative to the Pliocene. All records show a high degree of variability in the early Pleistocene, indicating highly efficient ocean–climate–ice interactions through warm SST–ocean evaporation–orographic precipitation–ice growth mechanisms. A climatic shift towards ocean circulation in the subarctic Pacific similar to the pattern observed during negative Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) conditions today occurs with the development of more extensive Cordilleran glaciation and may have played a role through increased moisture supply to the subarctic Pacific. The drop in atmospheric CO2 concentrations since 2.8 Ma is suggested as one of the main forcing mechanisms driving the Cordilleran glaciation.

As a high-nutrient and low-chlorophyll region, the modern Gulf of Alaska (GoA) is strongly impacted by the limitation of iron. Paleostudies along the Alaskan slope have mainly focused on reconstructing environmental conditions over the past 18 ka. Based on micropaleontological, biogeochemical, and sedimentological parameters, we explore a sediment record covering the past 54 ka at Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Site U1419 to understand the impact of orbital- and suborbital-scale climate variability on productivity and sea-surface conditions. Close to the Cordilleran Ice Sheet (CIS), Site U1419 is ideally located to elucidate how the evolution of a large ice mass and glacial processes affected orbital- and suborbital-scale changes in nutrients (e.g., iron) supply. Meltwater discharge from the northern CIS impacted sea surface dynamics of GoA coastal waters. The corresponding increases in bulk biogenic concentrations during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 and MIS 2 (54–17 ka) suggests a direct impact from iron fertilization. The lack of a consistent relationship between productivity and SST suggests that cooling of surface waters was not the dominant control on primary producers. The inundation of the subaerially exposed continental shelf during the last deglacial (17–10 ka) warming could have served as a major micronutrient source, accounting for a deglacial peak in production. Low productivity after the last deglaciation suggests reduced iron availability, which we link to reduced meltwater inputs from smaller ice masses onshore. Our multiproxy approach reveals a more comprehensive picture of late Quaternary productivity variations compared to earlier studies along the Alaskan margin. The impact of tidewater glaciers and meltwater discharge on past marine productivity and nutrient budget dynamics of high-latitude coastal regions is discussed.

As a high-nutrient and low-chlorophyll region, the modern Gulf of Alaska (GoA) is strongly impacted by the limitation of iron. Paleostudies along the Alaskan slope have mainly focused on reconstruc...

The Mid-Pleistocene transition (MPT) took place between 1,200 Ma and 800 ka (still debated). During this transition, the Earth’s orbitally paced ice age cycles intensified, lengthened from ∼40 000 (∼40 ky) to ∼100 ky, and became distinctly asymmetrical while Earth’s orbital variations remained unchanged. Although orbital variations constitute the first order forcing on glacial-interglacial oscillations of the late Quaternary, they cannot explain alone the shifts in climatic periodicity and amplitude observed during the MPT. In order to explain the MPT, long-term evolution of internal mechanisms and feedbacks have been called upon, in relation with the global cooling trend initiated during the Cenozoic, the expansion of Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheet and/or the long-term decline in greenhouse gases (particularly CO2). A key point is therefore to accurately reconstruction of oceanic temperatures to decipher the processes driving climate variations.In the present work, we studied the marine sediment core MD96-2048 taken from south Indian Ocean (26*10’482’’ S, 34*01’148’’ E) in the region of the Agulhas current. We compared 5 paleothermometers: alkenone, TEX86, foraminiferal- transfer function, Mg/Ca and clumped isotope. Among these approaches, carbonate clumped-isotope thermometry (∆47) only depends on crystallization temperature, and the ∆47 relationship with planktonic foraminifer calcification temperature is well defined. Since Mg/Ca is not only controlled by temperature but is also affected by salinity and pH. The classical d18O in planktic is dependent on SST and d18Osw, which is regionally correlated with the salinity in the present-day ocean. Assuming that the present-day d18Osw-salinity relation was the same during the MPT, we are able to separate changes in d18Osw from temperature effects and reconstruct past salinity. Combining d18O, Mg/Ca and ∆47 on planktonic foraminifera allow in theory to reconstruct SST, SSS and pH.Here, we measured d18O, Mg/Ca and ∆47 on the shallow-dwelling planktonic species Globigerinioides ruber ss. at the maximal of glacial and interglacial periods over the last 1.2 Ma. Our set of data makes it possible to estimate the long-term evolution of SST, salinity and pH (and thus have an insight into the atmospheric CO2 concentration) across the MPT. Frist, strong differences are observed between the 5 derived-SST: the alkenone and TEX86 recorded the higher temperatures than the other SST proxies. Alkenone derived-SST do not show glacial-interglacial variations within the MPT. The Mg/Ca and transfer function derived-SST show a good agreement each other, while the clumped-isotope derived-SST are systematically colder than the other derived-SST. Then, our ∆47-SST, salinity and pH results clearly show that amplitude of glacial-interglacial variations was insignificant between 1.2 and 0.8 Ma (within the MPT) and increased after the MPT. Finally, we also discussed the potential to use this unique combination of proxies to reconstruct changes of atmospheric CO2 concentration.

Strong ground motions from major earthquakes trigger tens of thousands of landslides in mountain landscapes initiating a sediment cascade that ultimately elevates sediment and carbon fluxes in rivers. The magnitude and duration of the fluvial response to earthquake-induced landsliding is relevant for quantifying post-earthquake hazard, landscape evolution and carbon cycling but remains poorly constrained in many mountain settings because post-earthquake sediment cascades are rarely captured by instrumental data series. The sedimentary record may provide a valuable archive of the landscape response to earthquakes in the absence of instrumental data but requires the signature of post-earthquake sediment cascades to be reliably identified and quantified. Here we use sedimentary archives of lakes adjacent to the Southern Alps, New Zealand to reconstruct earthquake-induced erosion in response to great earthquakes on the range bounding Alpine Fault; the timing, location and magnitude of which have been well constrained by independent paleoseismic data. High-resolution chronology combined with volumetric reconstructions of lacustrine sedimentary fills based on a dense network of sediment cores from two lakes fed by range front catchments allow sediment and carbon fluxes to be quantified over millennial timescales. The volumetric reconstructions show earthquake-induced landsliding increased suspended sediment and organic carbon (OC) transfers from the mountain belt by more than an order of magnitude immediately after each earthquake. While elevated fluxes persisted for decades, the majority of sediment and OC was exported within the first five to ten years after each large earthquake. In total, the last four Mw>8 earthquakes on the Alpine Fault have driven sediment and OCtransfers that equate to ~40% of the total flux over the last millennium. Further, biomarkers encoded in the OC allow the location and depth of earthquake-triggered landslides to be reconstructed. The Southern Alps case study demonstrates that post-earthquake sediment cascades in mountain catchments are reliably recorded in the sedimentary record. These records provide unprecedented insights into post-earthquake hazard in settings where major earthquakes have not occurred during the period of instrumental observation.

Landslides are a dominant mechanism of erosion in mountain landscapes. Widespread triggering of landslides by large storms or earthquakes can lead rapid changes in short-term erosion rates. If landslides occur repeatedly in particular parts of a mountain range, then they will dominate the evolution of that section of the landscape and could leave a fingerprint in the topography. Despite this recognition, it has proved difficult to examine shifts in the focus of landslide erosion through time, mainly because remote sensing approaches from single events to a few decades at most. Here we turn to the depositional record of past erosion, attempting to track landslide occurrence and the provenance of eroded material using a novel combination of the isotopic and molecular composition of organic matter (bulk C and N isotopes, molecular abundance and isotopic composition) deposited in Lake Paringa, fed by catchments proximal to the Alpine Fault, New Zealand. In the modern day forest, we find correlations between elevation, soil depth and the bulk δ13C values of the organic matter and the carbon preference index of n-alkanes. We find large shifts in these measurements in the lake core. Using an empirical model based on modern soil samples we suggest that the erosion provenance shifts dramatically after each of four large Alpine Fault earthquakes in the last one thousand years. These shifts in inferred erosion altitude match shifts in the hydrogen isotope composition of long-chain n-alkanes (plant wax biomarkers) and the inferred shifts in depth track changes in organic matter radiocarbon activity and nitrogen isotope composition, lending support to our model. The combination of bulk isotopic composition and biomarker ratios has the potential to track erosion provenance in other settings. In the Lake Paringa record, we find that post-seismic periods eroded organic matter from a mean elevation of 722 +329/-293 m at the headwaters of source catchments and supplied 43% of the sediment in the core, while inter-seismic periods sourced organic matter primarily from lower elevations (459 +256/-226 m). These results demonstrate that repeated large earthquake consistently focus erosion at high elevations, while inter-seismic periods appear less effective at modifying the highest parts of the topography.

A range of future climate scenarios are projected for high atmospheric CO2 concentrations, given uncertainties over future human actions as well as potential environmental and climatic feedbacks. The geological record offers an opportunity to understand climate system response to a range of forcings and feedbacks which operate over multiple temporal and spatial scales. Here, we examine a single interglacial during the late Pliocene (KM5c, ca. 3.205 +/- 0.01 Ma) when atmospheric CO2 concentrations were higher than pre-industrial, but similar to today and to the lowest emission scenarios for this century. As orbital forcing and continental configurations were almost identical to today, we are able to focus on equilibrium climate system response to modern and near-future CO2. Using proxy data from 32 sites, we demonstrate that global mean sea-surface temperatures were warmer than pre-industrial, by ~2.3 ºC for the combined proxy data (foraminifera Mg/Ca and alkenones), or by ~3.2ºC (alkenones only). Compared to the pre-industrial, reduced meridional gradients and enhanced warming in the North Atlantic are consistently reconstructed. There is broad agreement between data and models at the global scale, with regional differences reflecting ocean circulation and/or proxy signals. An uneven distribution of proxy data in time and space does, however, add uncertainty to our anomaly calculations. The reconstructed global mean sea-surface temperature anomaly for KM5c is warmer than all but three of the PlioMIP2 model outputs, and the reconstructed North Atlantic data tend to align with the warmest KM5c model values. Our results demonstrate that even under low CO2 emission scenarios, surface ocean warming may be expected to exceed model projections, and will be accentuated in the higher latitudes.

A range of future climate scenarios are projected for high atmospheric CO2 concentrations, given uncertainties over future human actions as well as potential environmental and climatic feedbacks. The geological record offers an opportunity to understand climate system response to a range of forcings and feedbacks which operate over multiple temporal and spatial scales. Here, we examine a single interglacial during the late Pliocene (KM5c, ca. 3.205 ± 0.01 Ma) when atmospheric CO2 concentrations were higher than pre-industrial, but similar to today and to the lowest emission scenarios for this century. As orbital forcing and continental configurations were almost identical to today, we are able to focus on equilibrium climate system response to modern and near-future CO2. Using proxy data from 32 sites, we demonstrate that global mean sea-surface temperatures were warmer than pre-industrial, by ~ 2.3 ºC for the combined proxy data (foraminifera Mg/Ca and alkenones), or by ~ 3.2 ºC (alkenones only). Compared to the pre-industrial, reduced meridional gradients and enhanced warming in the North Atlantic are consistently reconstructed. There is broad agreement between data and models at the global scale, with regional differences reflecting ocean circulation and/or proxy signals. An uneven distribution of proxy data in time and space does, however, add uncertainty to our anomaly calculations. The reconstructed global mean sea-surface temperature anomaly for KM5c is warmer than all but three of the PlioMIP2 model outputs, and the reconstructed North Atlantic data tend to align with the warmest KM5c model values. Our results demonstrate that even under low CO2 emission scenarios, surface ocean warming may be expected to exceed model projections, and will be accentuated in the higher latitudes.

Geology is the science of how the Earth functions and has evolved and, as such, it can contribute to our understanding of the climate system and how it responds to the addition of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere and oceans. Observations from the geological record show that atmospheric CO2 concentrations are now at their highest levels in at least the past 3 million years. Furthermore, the current speed of human-induced CO2 change and warming is nearly without precedent in the entire geological record, with the only known exception being the instantaneous, meteorite-induced event that caused the extinction of non-bird-like dinosaurs 66 million years ago. In short, whilst atmospheric CO2 concentrations have varied dramatically during the geological past due to natural processes, and have often been higher than today, the current rate of CO2 (and therefore temperature) change is unprecedented in almost the entire geological past.\ud \ud The geological record shows that changes in temperature and greenhouse gas concentrations have direct impacts on sea-level, the hydrological cycle, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and the acidification and oxygen depletion of the oceans. Important climate phenomena, such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the monsoons, which today affect the socio-economic stability and food and water security of billions of people, have varied markedly with past changes in climate.\ud Climate reconstructions from around the globe show that climate change is not globally uniform, but tends to exhibit a consistent pattern, with changes at the poles larger than elsewhere. This polar amplification is seen in ancient warmer-than-modern time intervals like the Eocene epoch, about 50 million years ago and, more recently, in the Pliocene, about 3 million years ago. The warmest intervals of the Pliocene saw the disappearance of summer sea ice from the Arctic. The loss of ice cover during the Pliocene was one of the many rapid climate changes observed in the record, which are ften called climate tipping points. The geological record can be used to calculate a quantity called Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity, which is the amount of warming caused by a doubling of atmospheric CO2, after various processes in the climate system have reached equilibrium. Recent estimates suggest that global mean climate warms between 2.6 and 3.9°C per doubling of CO2 once all slow Earth system processes have reached equilibrium.\ud The geological record provides powerful evidence that atmospheric CO2 concentrations drive climate change, and supports multiple lines of evidence that greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are altering the Earth’s climate. Moreover, the amount of anthropogenic greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere means that Earth is committed to a certain degree of warming. As the Earth’s climate changes due to the burning of fossil fuels and changes in land-use, the planet we live on will experience further changes that will have increasingly drastic effects on human societies. An assessment of past climate changes helps to inform policy decisions regarding future climate change. Earth scientists will also have an important role to play in the delivery of any policies aimed at limiting future climate change.

The southeast Atlantic Ocean is dominated by two major oceanic systems: the Benguela Upwelling System, one of the world's most productive coastal upwelling cells and the Agulhas Leakage, which is important for transferring warm salty water from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. Here, we present a multi-proxy record of marine sediments from ODP Site 1087. We reconstruct sea surface temperatures (U37 K′ and TEX86 indices), marine primary productivity (total chlorin and alkenone mass accumulation rates), and terrestrial inputs derived from southern Africa (Ti/Al and Ca/Ti via XRF scanning) to understand the evolution of the Southeast Atlantic Ocean since the late Pliocene. In the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene, ODP Site 1087 was situated within the Benguela Upwelling System, which was displaced southwards relative to present. We recognize a series of events in the proxy records at 3.3, 3.0, 2.2, 1.5, 0.9 and 0.6 Ma, which are interpreted to reflect a combination of changes in the location of major global wind and oceanic systems and local variations in the strength and/or position of the winds, which influence nutrient availability. Although there is a temporary SST cooling observed around the initiation of Northern Hemisphere glaciation (iNHG), proxy records from ODP Site 1087 show no clear climatic transition around 2.7 Ma but instead most of the changes occur before this time. This observation is significant because it has been previously suggested that there should be a change in the location and/or strength of upwelling associated with this climate transition. Rather, the main shifts at ODP Site 1087 occur at ca. 0.9 Ma and 0.6 Ma, associated with the early mid-Pleistocene transition (EMPT), with a clear loss of the previous upwelling-dominated regime. This observation raises the possibility that reorganisation of southeast Atlantic Ocean circulation towards modern conditions was tightly linked to the EMPT, but not to earlier climate transitions.

Accepted manuscript version. Published version available at https://doi.org/10.1130/G39904.1. Fertilization of the ocean by eolian dust and icebergs is an effective mechanism to enhance primary productivity. In particular, high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll (HNLC) areas where phytoplankton growth is critically iron-limited, such as the subarctic Pacific Ocean and the Southern Ocean, are proposed to respond to increases in bioavailable Fe supply with enhanced phytoplankton productivity and carbon export to the seafloor. While Fe-fertilization from dust is widely acknowledged to explain a higher export production during glacial periods in the Southern Ocean, paleoceanographic records supporting links between productivity and eolian dust and/or icebergs in the North Pacific are scarce. By combining independent proxies indicative of ice-sheet dynamics and ocean productivity from a single marine sedimentary record (Integrated Ocean Drilling Program [IODP] Site U1417), we present a comprehensive data set of phytoplankton response to different fertilization mechanisms in the subarctic northeast Pacific between 1.5 and 0.5 Ma, including the Mid Pleistocene Transition. Importantly, the timing of the fertilization events is more strongly controlled by local ice-sheet extent than by glacial-interglacial climate variability. Our findings indicate that fertilization by glacigenic debris results in productivity events in HNLC areas adjacent to ice sheets, and that this mechanism may represent an important, yet rarely considered, driver of phytoplankton growth.

Lacustrine carbonate deposits with spherulitic facies are poorly understood, but are key to understanding the economically important “Pre-Salt” Mesozoic strata of the South Atlantic. A major barrier to research into these unique and spectacular facies is the lack of good lacustrine spherulite-dominated deposits which are known in outcrop. Stratigraphy and petrography suggest one of the best analogue systems is found in the Carboniferous of Scotland: the East Kirkton Limestone. Here we propose a hydrogeochemical model that explains why the CaCO3, SiO2, Mg-Si-Al mineral suite associated with spherular radial calcite facies forms in alkaline lakes above basaltic bedrock. Demonstrating links between igneous bedrock chemistry, lake and spring water chemistry and mineral precipitation, this model has implications for studies of lacustrine sediments in rift basins of all ages. Using empirical and theoretical approaches, we analyze the relationship between metal mobilization from sub-surface volcaniclastic rocks and the potential for precipitation of carbonate minerals, various Mg-bearing minerals and chalcedony in a lacustrine spherulitic carbonate setting. This suite of minerals is most likely formed by in-gassing of CO2 to a carbon-limited alkaline spring water, consistent with the reaction of alkali igneous rocks in the subsurface with meteoric groundwater. We suggest that an analogous system to that at East Kirkton caused development of the ‘Pre-Salt’ spherulitic carbonate deposits.

Large earthquakes shape mountain landscapes at high elevations., Widespread triggering of landslides by large storms or earthquakes is a dominant mechanism of erosion in mountain landscapes. If landslides occur repeatedly in particular locations within a mountain range, then they will dominate the landscape evolution of that section and could leave a fingerprint in the topography. Here, we track erosion provenance using a novel combination of the isotopic and molecular composition of organic matter deposited in Lake Paringa, New Zealand. We find that the erosion provenance has shifted markedly after four large earthquakes over 1000 years. Postseismic periods eroded organic matter from a median elevation of 722 +329/−293 m and supplied 43% of the sediment in the core, while interseismic periods sourced from lower elevations (459 +256/−226 m). These results are the first demonstration that repeated large earthquakes can consistently focus erosion at high elevations, while interseismic periods appear less effective at modifying the highest parts of the topography.

Molecular fossils (biomarkers) are abundant in organic rich natural archives such as peats and lignites (fossilized peat), where their distribution is governed by their biological source, environmental factors, such as temperature and pH, and diagenetic reactions. As a result, biomarkers in peat have become an important toolto study past variations in vegetation, environment and climate in terrestrial settings, as well as biogeochemistry on time-scales of hundreds to millions of years ago. In recent years, significant progress has been made in understanding the controls on biomarker distributions, especially those derived from microorganisms and peat- forming plants, allowing for example, the quantification of past temperature and vegetation history during peat formation. Herein, we provide a review of a range of commonly applied biomarker proxies in peats, discuss the latest proxy developments, and explore the potential of using biomarkers in peat and lignite as paleoenvironmental proxies. We provide a framework for biomarker analyses in peat and identify possible future research directions.

Mumiyo deposits form in the vicinity of snow petrel (Pagodroma nivea) nesting sites and consist of fossil stomach oil (mumiyo), guano, and minerogenic material. Here we evaluate mumiyo deposits from the inland mountain ranges of central Dronning Maud Land as high‐resolution archives for paleoenvironmental reconstructions in Antarctica. Investigation of internal structures and chemical composition shows that the lamination reflects progressive sedimentation, despite the irregular outer morphology of the deposits. Detailed radiocarbon analysis demonstrates that stratigraphies are intact: 14C ages become successively younger upwards in the deposits. Fatty acid and n‐alcohol composition was determined on samples from eight mumiyo deposits. Dominance of low molecular weight compounds (C14 to C18) points to a dietary signal; however, the relatively low proportions of unsaturated compounds compared to fresh stomach oils indicates some postdepositional degradation. We found marine diatoms in the mumiyo, which potentially provide a proxy for sea ice conditions in the foraging habitat of the petrels. Age ranges of the investigated deposits suggest occupation of the analyzed sites by snow petrels from 17 ka to >58 ka. Changes in deposition rates point to higher occupation frequency in Petermann Range from 46 to 42 ka compared to the late marine isotope stage 3 and the Last Glacial Maximum.

The Pliocene (5.3–2.6 Ma) is often described as a relatively stable climatic period, with warm temperatures characterizing high latitudes. New suborbital resolved stable isotope records from Ocean Drilling Program Hole 642B in the eastern Nordic Seas document that the Pliocene was not a stable period characterized by one climate. Rather, seven distinct climate phases, each lasting between 150,000 and 400,000 years, are identified and characterized in the time interval 5.1–3.1 Ma. Four of the transitions between the defined climate phases occurred close to an eccentricity minimum and a minimum in amplitude of change for Northern Hemisphere summer insolation, while two occurred around an eccentricity maximum and a maximum in amplitude in insolation change. Hence, a low-frequency response of the Nordic Seas to insolation forcing is indicated. In addition, paleogeographic and related paleoceanographic changes, expansion of the Arctic sea ice cover, and onset of Northern Hemisphere glaciation were important factors behind the evolving Pliocene low-frequency variability in the eastern Nordic Seas. It is likely that the identified climate phases and transitions are important beyond the Nordic Seas, due to their association with changes to both insolation and paleogeography. However, a strong and variable degree of diagenetic calcite overgrowth is documented for the planktic foraminifera, especially influencing the planktic δ18O results; the absolute values and amplitude of change cannot be taken at face value.

Diet seems to be a key factor driving diversity and isolation among killer whale populations. Killer whales at Marion Island, Southern Ocean, have been observed preying on seals and penguins but are also know to depredate Patagonian toothfish from longline fishing vessels. However, their diet is poorly known especially when they occur offshore. We analysed carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in 32 skin samples collected from 24 killer whales. Adult males showed higher δ15N values than adult females or subadults indicating that they occupy a higher relative trophic level. There were no significant differences in δ13C among 8 social units, but δ15N differed significantly and 2 social units which have been observed depredating Patagonian toothfish had higher δ15N values. The inshore presence of killer whales at Marion Island was a significant predictor of their δ13C values, but not of δ15N values. This suggests some foraging north of Marion Island, potentially on lower trophic level prey. We also analysed tissue samples from seal, penguin and Patagonian toothfish prey and used available values for Antarctic fur seals. Results show that killer whales around Marion Island are apex predators, but that they do not feed exclusively on other high trophic level predators such as elephant seals, fur seals, and Patagonian toothfish. Killer whales had δ15N values similar to those of Patagonian toothfish and adult male elephant seals, implying that the diet of killer whales at Marion Island includes some lower trophic level prey such as cephalopods or fishes.

Erosion, sediment production, and routing on a tectonically active continental margin reflect both tectonic and climatic processes; partitioning the relative importance of these processes remains controversial. Gulf of Alaska contains a preserved sedimentary record of the Yakutat Terrane collision with North America. Because tectonic convergence in the coastal St. Elias orogen has been roughly constant for 6 My, variations in its eroded sediments preserved in the offshore Surveyor Fan constrain a budget of tectonic material influx, erosion, and sediment output. Seismically imaged sediment volumes calibrated with chronologies derived from Integrated Ocean Drilling Program boreholes show that erosion accelerated in response to Northern Hemisphere glacial intensification (∼ 2.7 Ma) and that the 900-km-long Surveyor Channel inception appears to correlate with this event. However, tectonic influx exceeded integrated sediment efflux over the interval 2.8-1.2 Ma. Volumetric erosion accelerated following the onset of quasi-periodic (∼ 100-ky) glacial cycles in the mid-Pleistocene climate transition (1.2-0.7 Ma). Since then, erosion and transport of material out of the orogen has outpaced tectonic influx by 50-80%. Such a rapid net mass loss explains apparent increases in exhumation rates inferred onshore from exposure dates and mapped out-of-sequence fault patterns. The 1.2-My mass budget imbalance must relax back toward equilibrium in balance with tectonic influx over the timescale of orogenic wedge response (millions of years). The St. Elias Range provides a key example of how active orogenic systems respond to transient mass fluxes, and of the possible influence of climate-driven erosive processes that diverge from equilibrium on the million-year scale.

Rapid ground accelerations during earthquakes can trigger landslides that disturb mountain forests and harvest carbon from soils and vegetation. Although infrequent over human timescales, these co-seismic landslides can set the rates of geomorphic processes over centuries to millennia. However, the long-term impacts of earthquakes and landslides on carbon export from the biosphere remain poorly constrained. Here, we examine the sedimentary fill of Lake Paringa, New Zealand, which is fed by a river draining steep mountains proximal to the Alpine Fault. Carbon isotopes reveal enhanced accumulation rates of biospheric carbon after four large earthquakes over the past ~1,100 years, probably reflecting delivery of soil-derived carbon eroded by deep-seated landslides. Cumulatively these pulses of earthquake-mobilized carbon represent 23 ± 5% of the record length, but account for 43 ± 5% of the biospheric carbon in the core. Landslide simulations suggest that 14 ± 5 million tonnes of carbon (MtC) could be eroded in each earthquake. Our findings support a link between active tectonics and the surface carbon cycle and suggest that large earthquakes can significantly contribute to carbon export from mountain forests over millennia. Large earthquakes export significant carbon from mountain forests over millennia, according to analyses of sediments mobilized by earthquake-triggered landslides in New Zealand.

During the Last Interglacial, global mean sea level reached approximately 6 to 9 m above the present level. This period of high sea level may have been punctuated by a fall of more than 4 m, but a cause for such a widespread sea-level fall has been elusive. Reconstructions of global mean sea level account for solid Earth processes and so the rapid growth and decay of ice sheets is the most obvious explanation for the sea-level fluctuation. Here, we synthesize published geomorphological and stratigraphic indicators from the Last Interglacial, and find no evidence for ice-sheet regrowth within the warm interglacial climate. We also identify uncertainties in the interpretation of local relative sea-level data that underpin the reconstructions of global mean sea level. Given this uncertainty, and taking into account our inability to identify any plausible processes that would cause global sea level to fall by 4 m during warm climate conditions, we question the occurrence of a rapid sea-level fluctuation within the Last Interglacial. We therefore recommend caution in interpreting the high rates of global mean sea-level rise in excess of 3 to 7 m per 1,000 years that have been proposed for the period following the Last Interglacial sea-level lowstand.

The past two million years of eastern African climate variability is currently poorly constrained, despite interest in understanding its assumed role in early human evolution1–4. Rare palaeoclimate records from northeastern Africa suggest progressively drier conditions2,5 or a stable hydroclimate6. By contrast, records from Lake Malawi in tropical southeastern Africa reveal a trend of a progressively wetter climate over the past 1.3 million years7,8. The climatic forcings that controlled these past hydrological changes are also a matter of debate. Some studies suggest a dominant local insolation forcing on hydrological changes9–11, whereas others infer a potential influence of sea surface temperature changes in the Indian Ocean8,12,13. Here we show that the hydroclimate in southeastern Africa (20–25° S) is controlled by interplay between low-latitude insolation forcing (precession and eccentricity) and changes in ice volume at high latitudes. Our results are based on a multiple-proxy reconstruction of hydrological changes in the Limpopo River catchment, combined with a reconstruction of sea surface temperature in the southwestern Indian Ocean for the past 2.14 million years. We find a long-term aridification in the Limpopo catchment between around 1 and 0.6 million years ago, opposite to the hydroclimatic evolution suggested by records from Lake Malawi. Our results, together with evidence of wetting at Lake Malawi, imply that the rainbelt contracted toward the Equator in response to increased ice volume at high latitudes. By reducing the extent of woodland or wetlands in terrestrial ecosystems, the observed changes in the hydroclimate of southeastern Africa—both in terms of its long-term state and marked precessional variability—could have had a role in the evolution of early hominins, particularly in the extinction of Paranthropus robustus.

International audience; Over the past 3.5 million years, there have been several intervals when climate conditions were warmer than during the pre-industrial Holocene. Although past intervals of warming were forced differently than future anthropogenic change, such periods can provide insights into potential future climate impacts and ecosystem feedbacks, especially over centennial-to-millennial timescales that are often not covered by climate model simulations. Our observation-based synthesis of the understanding of past intervals with temperatures within the range of projected future warming suggests that there is a low risk of runaway greenhouse gas feedbacks for global warming of no more than 2 °C. However, substantial regional environmental impacts can occur. A global average warming of 1–2 °C with strong polar amplification has, in the past, been accompanied by significant shifts in climate zones and the spatial distribution of land and ocean ecosystems. Sustained warming at this level has also led to substantial reductions of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, with sea-level increases of at least several metres on millennial timescales. Comparison of palaeo observations with climate model results suggests that, due to the lack of certain feedback processes, model-based climate projections may underestimate long-term warming in response to future radiative forcing by as much as a factor of two, and thus may also underestimate centennial-to-millennial-scale sea-level rise.

The Southeast Atlantic Ocean is an important component of global ocean circulation, as it includes heat and salt transfer into the Atlantic through the Agulhas leakage as well as the highly productive Benguela upwelling system. Here we reconstruct sea surface temperatures (SSTs) from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1087 in the Southeast Atlantic to investigate surface ocean circulation patterns during the late Pleistocene (0–500 ka). The UK′37 index and dinoflagellate cyst assemblages are used to reconstruct SSTs, δDalkenone is used to reconstruct changes in sea surface salinity, and mass accumulation rates of alkenones and chlorine pigments are quantified to detect changing marine export productivity. The greatest amplitude of SST warming precedes decreases in benthic δ18O and therefore occurs early in the transition from glacials to interglacials. The δDalkenone, as a salinity indicator, increases before SSTs, suggesting that the pattern of Agulhas leakage is more complex than suggested by SST proxies. Marine isotope stage (MIS) 10 shows an anomalous pattern: it is marked by a pronounced increase in chlorine concentration, which may be related to enhanced/expanded Benguela upwelling reaching the core site. We find no evidence of an absence of Agulhas leakage throughout the record, suggesting that there is no Agulhas cutoff even during MIS 10. Finally, the ODP Site 1087 record shows an increasing strength of Agulhas leakage towards the present day, which may have impacted the intensity of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. As a result, the new analyses from ODP Site 1087 demonstrate a complex interaction between influences of the Benguela upwelling and the Agulhas leakage through the late Pleistocene, which are inferred here to reflect changing circulation patterns in the Southern Ocean and in the atmosphere.

The Late Pliocene has been proposed as a possible analogue for understanding future climate change and for testing climate models. Previous work has shown that during the Pliocene the major upwelling systems were relatively warm, and that this meant they were either inactive, contracted, or were upwelling warmer waters than present. Here, we examine evidence from a site located on the margins of the modern Benguela Upwelling system to test whether the upwelling cells had migrated or contracted relative to present during the Pliocene. We applied several organic geochemistry proxies and foraminiferal analyses to reconstruct the Pliocene history of ODP Site 1087 (31°28′S, 15°19′E, 1374 m water depth), including the UK37′ and TEX86 indices (for reconstructing sea surface temperatures), phytoplankton biomarker concentrations and stable isotope ratios (for estimating export primary productivity, and for oxygen isotope statigraphy), and planktonic foraminifera assemblage abundances (for inferring water mass changes). These proxies show that, between 3.5 and 3.0 Ma, the southern Benguela region was cooler than the northern Benguela region by 5 °C, the latter being where the main upwelling cells are found today. From the multiproxy data obtained, we also infer that more extensive upwelling was present in the southern Benguela region during the Pliocene than at present, and that the Benguela Upwelling cells shifted northwards after the Pliocene epoch as a result of changes in the local wind field. We also find evidence that the Benguela Upwelling was sensitive to the pronounced cooling during the M2 and KM2 glacial stages, potentially associated with the expansion of sea ice and cooling in Antarctica in the Late Pliocene.

When investigating past peatland processes and related carbon cycle dynamics, it is essential to identify and separate different peat environments: bogs, fens and permafrost, and their historical plant assemblages. Bog peat layers contain relatively well-preserved plant material for palaeoecological examination, whereas fen and permafrost peats are often highly humified, which in turn constrains reconstructions of past plant assemblages. Here, we analysed the chemical composition of arctic peat plateau plants to create a local reference training-set of plant biomarkers. We then combined palaeobotanical, biogeochemical and chronological analyses to one permafrost peat sequence collected from the East European Russian tundra (67°03′N, 62°57′E) to investigate past peatland dynamics and to evaluate the performance of the biomarker method in a highly decomposed permafrost environment. The results show that the chronologically constrained macrofossil analysis provided most of the essential information about the peatland succession. However, a more robust reconstruction of the past peatland dynamics was achieved by combining palaeobotanical and biogeochemical data sets. The similarity of the lipid biomarker distributions of the arctic and boreal peatland plants also implies that any established modern biomarker training-set of peatland plants could be applied universally to palaeoecological studies on peat sediments.

The Pliocene was a time of global warmth with small sporadic glaciations, which transitioned towards the larger-scale Pleistocene glacial–interglacial variability. Here, we present high-resolution records of sea surface temperature (SST) and ice-rafted debris (IRD) in the Norwegian Sea from 5.32 to 3.14 Ma, providing evidence that the Pliocene surface conditions of the Norwegian Sea underwent a series of transitions in response to orbital forcing and gateway changes. Average SSTs are 2 °C above the regional Holocene mean, with notable variability on millennial to orbital timescales. Both gradual changes and threshold effects are proposed for the progression of regional climate towards the Late Pliocene intensification of Northern Hemisphere glaciation. Cooling from 4.5 to 4.3 Ma may be linked to the onset of poleward flow through the Bering Strait. This cooling was further intensified by a period of cool summers due to weak obliquity forcing. A 7 °C warming of the Norwegian Sea at 4.0 Ma suggests a major increase in northward heat transport from the North Atlantic, leading to an enhanced zonal SST gradient in the Nordic Seas, which may be linked to the expansion of sea ice in the Arctic and Nordic Seas. A warm Norwegian Sea and enhanced zonal temperature gradient between 4.0 and 3.6 Ma may have been a priming factor for increased glaciation around the Nordic Seas due to enhanced evaporation and precipitation at high northern latitudes.

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. The oceanic gateways of the Drake Passage and the Agulhas Current are critical locations for the inflow of intermediate-depth water masses to the Atlantic, which contribute to the shallow return flow that balances the export of deep water from the North Atlantic. The thermohaline properties of northward flowing intermediate water are ultimately determined by the inflow of water through oceanic gateways. Here, we focus on the less well-studied “Cold Water Route” through the Drake Passage. We present millennially-resolved bottom current flow speed and sea surface temperature records downstream of the Drake Passage spanning the last 25,000 yr. We find that prior to 15 ka, bottom current flow speeds at sites in the Drake Passage region were dissimilar and there was a marked anti-phasing between sea surface temperatures at sites upstream and downstream of the Drake Passage. After 14 ka, we observe a remarkable convergence of flow speeds coupled with a sea surface temperature phase change at sites upstream and downstream of Drake Passage. We interpret this convergence as evidence for a significant southward shift of the sub-Antarctic Front from a position north of Drake Passage. This southward shift increased the through-flow of water from the Pacific, likely reducing the density of Atlantic Intermediate Water. The timing of the southward shift in the sub-Antarctic Front is synchronous with a major re-invigoration of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, with which, we argue, it may be linked.

Glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) are membrane-spanning lipids from Bacteria and Archaea that are ubiquitous in a range of natural archives and especially abundant in peat. Previous work demonstrated that the distribution of bacterial branched GDGTs (brGDGTs) in mineral soils is correlated to environmental factors such as mean annual air temperature (MAAT) and soil pH. However, the influence of these parameters on brGDGT distributions in peat is largely unknown. Here we investigate the distribution of brGDGTs in 470 samples from 96 peatlands around the world with a broad mean annual air temperature (-8 to 27 degrees C) and pH (3-8) range and present the first peat-specific brGDGT-based temperature and pH calibrations. Our results demonstrate that the degree of cyclisation of brGDGTs in peat is positively correlated with pH, pH = 2.49 x CBTpeat + 8.07 (n = 51, R-2 = 0.58, RMSE = 0.8) and the degree of methylation of brGDGTs is positively correlated with MAAT, MAAT(peat) (degrees C) = 52.18 x MBT'(5me) - 23.05 (n = 96, R-2 = 0.76, RMSE = 4.7 degrees C). These peat-specific calibrations are distinct from the available mineral soil calibrations. In light of the error in the temperature calibration (similar to 4.7 degrees C), we urge caution in any application to reconstruct late Holocene climate variability, where the climatic signals are relatively small, and the duration of excursions could be brief. Instead, these proxies are well-suited to reconstruct large amplitude, longer-term shifts in climate such as deglacial transitions. Indeed, when applied to a peat deposit spanning the late glacial period (similar to 15.2 kyr), we demonstrate that MAAT(peat) yields absolute temperatures and relative temperature changes that are consistent with those from other proxies. In addition, the application of MAAT(peat) to fossil peat (i.e. lignites) has the potential to reconstruct terrestrial climate during the Cenozoic. We conclude that there is clear potential to use brGDGTs in peats and lignites to reconstruct past terrestrial climate. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Past vegetation assemblages, preserved in peat layers, are one of the key proxies when reconstructing historical peatland dynamics. Northern peatlands can be divided into two main types: fens and bogs. Compared with bog peat, the fen peat is usually more decomposed because of different eco-hydrological conditions and effective humification processes. A high level of decomposition hampers reliable identification of plant remains and constrains palaeoecological approaches. Biogeochemical studies on bog plants and bog peat have shown that plant group–specific biomarkers can be applied to identify fossil plants or plant groups from peat, given the identification of plant group–specific markers in living fen plants. In this study, we applied plant macrofossil, biomarkers and multivariate statistical analyses to two mid-boreal peat sequences to investigate whether biomarkers can be applied to distinguish fen and bog environments and whether plant-specific biomarkers can be identified from fen peat. Macrofossil analyses clearly separate dry bog hummocks, moist lawns and wet fen habitats apart. Corresponding division emerged when the biomarker data were combined with the macrofossil data. Moreover, we succeeded to separate bog and fen habitats apart by the changes in n-alkane and the n-alkane ratio distributions along the cores. The fen–bog transition zone was indicated by high sterol and triterpenoid concentrations and changes in degradation measures. However, it remains a challenging task to attain species-level information of past plant assemblages from highly humified fen peat layers based on biomarkers only.

A feature of Pliocene climate is the occurrence of “permanent El Niño-like” or “El Padre” conditions in the Pacific Ocean. From the analysis of sediment cores in the modern northern Benguela upwelling, we show that the mean oceanographic state off Southwest Africa during the warm Pliocene epoch was also analogous to that of a persistent Benguela “El Niño”. At present these events occur when massive southward flows of warm and nutrient-poor waters extend along the coasts of Angola and Namibia, with dramatic effects on regional marine ecosystems and rainfall. We propose that the persistent warmth across the Pliocene in the Benguela upwelling ended synchronously with the narrowing of the Indonesian seaway, and the early intensification of the Northern Hemisphere Glaciations around 3.0–3.5 Ma. The emergence of obliquity-related cycles in the Benguela sea surface temperatures (SST) after 3 Ma highlights the development of strengthened links to high latitude orbital forcing. The subsequent evolution of the Benguela upwelling system was characterized by the progressive intensification of the meridional SST gradients, and the emergence of the 100 ky cycle, until the modern mean conditions were set at the end of the Mid Pleistocene transition, around 0.6 Ma. These findings support the notion that the interplay of changes in the depth of the global thermocline, atmospheric circulation and tectonics preconditioned the climate system for the end of the warm Pliocene epoch and the subsequent intensification of the ice ages.

mid-Pleistocene climate transition (MPT) is defined by the emergence of high amplitude, quasi-100 ka glacial-interglacial cycles from a prior regime of more subtle 41 ka cycles. This change in periodicity and amplitude cannot be explained by a change in 'external' astronomical forcing. Here, we review and integrate published records of sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) to assess whether a common global expression of the MPT in the surface ocean can be recognized, and examine our findings in light of mechanisms proposed to explain climate system reorganization across the MPT. We show that glacial-interglacial variability in SSTs is superimposed upon a longer-term cooling trend in oceanographic systems spanning the low-to high-latitudes. Regional variability exists in the timing of the onset and magnitude of cooling but, in most cases, a long-term cooling trend begins or intensifies from similar to 1.2 Ma (Marine Isotope Stage, MIS, 35-34). The SST cooling accompanies a long-term trend towards higher global ice volume as recorded in benthic foraminifera delta O-18, but predates a step-like increase in delta(18)Oat similar to 0.9 Ma (MIS 24-22) that is argued to reflect expansion of continental ice-sheets. The strongest expression of Pleistocene cooling is found during glacial stages, whereas minor or negligible trends in interglacial temperatures are identified. However, pronounced cooling during both glacial and interglacial maxima is evident at 0.9 Ma. Alongside the long-term SST cooling trends, quasi-100 ka cycles begin to emerge in both the SST and delta O-18 records at 1.2 Ma, and become dominant with the expansion of the ice-sheets at 0.9 Ma. We show that the intensified glacial-stage cooling is accompanied by evolving pCO(2), abyssal ocean ventilation, atmospheric circulation and/or dust inputs to the Southern Ocean. These changes in diverse environmental parameters suggest that glacial climate boundary conditions evolved across the MPT. In turn, these modified boundary conditions may have altered climate sensitivity to orbital forcing by placing pre-existing ice-sheets closer to some threshold of climate-ice sheet response.

In groundwater-fed fen peatlands, the surface biomass decays rapidly and, as a result, highly humified peat is formed. A high degree of humification constrains palaeoecological studies because reliable identification of plant remains is hampered. Organic geochemistry techniques as a means of identifying historical plant communities have been successfully applied to bog peat. The method has also been applied to fen peat, but without reference to the composition of fen plants. We have applied selected organic geochemistry methods to determine the composition of the neutral lipid fractions from 12 living fen plants, to investigate the potential for the distributions to characterize and separate different fen plants and plant groups. Our results show correspondence with previous studies, e.g. C23 and C25n-alkanes dominating Sphagnum spp. and C27 to C31 alkanes dominating vascular plants. However, we also found similarities in n-alkane distributions between Sphagnum spp. and the below ground parts of some vascular plants. We tested the efficiency of different n-alkane ratios to separate species and plant groups. The ratios used for bog studies (e.g. n-C23/n-C25 and n-C23/n-C29) did not work as consistently for fen plants. Some differences in sterol distribution were found between vascular plants and mosses; in general vascular plants had a higher concentration of sterols. When distributions of n-alkanes, n-alkane ratios and sterols were all included as variables, redundancy analysis (RDA) separated different plant groups into their own clusters. Our results imply that the pattern for bog biomarkers cannot directly be applied to fen environments. Nevertheless, they encourage further testing to determine whether or not the identification of plant groups, plants or plant parts from highly humified peat is possible by applying fen species-specific biomarker proxies.

The mid-Brunhes Event (MBE) represents a step-like increase, between Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 13/11, in the intensity of interglacial warmth. A transect of palaeoclimatic records in the North Atlantic from 40°N to the Nordic Seas indicates strong differences in the expression of the MBE within this region. Between 40 and 56°N sea surface and air temperature records suggest that all interglacials of the past 800 000 years were characterized by similar levels of warmth, so there is no evidence for an MBE in these latitudes of the North Atlantic. North of 56°N there is increasing evidence for interglacials MIS 19–13 being cold relative to MIS 11–1. As most records of long-term interglacial diversity suggest the MBE is a global event the North Atlantic is clearly anomalous. Furthermore, the strong spatial difference in temperature conditions during interglacials MIS 19–13 in the North Atlantic means that the temperature gradient across this region would have been enhanced, in fact effectively doubled in magnitude, during this interval.