Deep-water corals indicate the Red Sea survived the last glacial lowstand

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Chakraborty, Morgan I.; Sharifi, Arash; Benzoni, Francesca; Tissot, Francois L. H.; Pourmand, Ali; Taviani, Marco; Howes, Bolton; Swart, Peter K.; Lu, Choajin; Rodrigue, Mattie; Purkis, Sam J.; Kennett, James
• 署名单位: University of Miami; King Abdullah University of Science & Technology; California Institute of Technology; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR); Istituto di Scienze Marine (ISMAR-CNR); Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-8514
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2415559122
• 发表日期: 2025-02-25
• 关键词: atlantis-ii deep; stable-isotope; temperature-dependence; clumped isotope; aqaba elat; gulf; LEVEL; sr; variability; nd

摘要

The Red Sea, a nascent ocean basin connected to the Indian Ocean via a shallow strait, is assumed to have experienced significant environmental changes during the last glacial period due to a sea- level drop likely exceeding 110 m. This study investigates the hypothesis that hydrodynamic restriction led to severe ecological impacts, including basin- wide extinction due to elevated salinity followed by a short time of oxygen depletion. Uranium-Thorium dating of deep- water corals (DWCs) from 26 northern Red Sea sites reveals coral growth during and after the Last Glacial sea- level lowstand, indicating tolerable seawater chemistry. Additional geochemical data show no significant difference in Red Sea chemistry or temperature between the Latest Pleistocene and Holocene. A meta- analysis of 27 deep- sea cores reveals that while planktonic foraminifera experienced local extinction, other microfossil groups seemingly persisted. These findings suggest that the Red Sea survived the last sea- level lowstand, challenging the paradigm of a complete ecological collapse and providing insights into the resilience of marine ecosystems.