Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Holocene foraminifera, climate, and decelerating rise in sea level on the mud patch, southern New England continental shelf

April 15, 2024

We examined Holocene benthic foraminiferal biofacies, % planktonic foraminifera, and lithofacies changes from New England mud patch cores and present a relative sea-level (RSL) record to evaluate evolution of these rapidly deposited (30–79 cm/kyr) muds. Sandy lower Holocene sections are dominated by Bulimina marginata. The mud patch developed from 11–9 ka as RSL rise slowed from 10 to 7 mm/yr; mud deposition began when the cores (69 to 91 m modern) were inundated below storm wave base. An Elphidium-B. marginata fauna developed at ca. 7–6 ka as RSL rise slowed from approximately 7 to 2 mm/yr. A Globobulimina fauna developed at 3 ka as RSL rise slowed to 1 mm/yr, reflecting lower O2 conditions. Single specimen δ18O analyses of Globobulimina show ∼1‰ variations over the past 3 kyr, reflecting a shelf bottom water seasonal cycle of 4–5°C, and a temperature minimum during the Little Ice Age with warming since.

Publication Year 2024
Title Holocene foraminifera, climate, and decelerating rise in sea level on the mud patch, southern New England continental shelf
DOI 10.61551/gsjfr.54.2.172
Authors Kenneth G. Miller, James V. Browning, Lloyd D Keigwin, Jason Chaytor, Emily Schneider, Matthew Richtmyer, W. John Schmelz
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Journal of Foraminiferal Research
Index ID 70254099
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center; Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program
Was this page helpful?