Effects of Geologically Short-Lived Surface Water Perturbations on the Calcareous Nannoplankton as Exemplified by the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum and Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Event OAE1d

Calcareous nannoplankton are obligate photoautotrophs restricted to the photic zone in the open ocean. Disruptions to the chemical and physical structure of the surface water mass constitute the most important environmental stresses forcing evolutionary changes. Surface-water environmental perturbations in ancient oceans provide opportunities to test the effects of these stresses on ancient plankton communities. Here we present data from the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) at 55 Ma and mid-Cretaceous (late Albian) oceanic anoxic event (OAE) 1d at 98 Ma, and compare changes in nannoplankton communities, including extinctions and originations (taxonomic turnover) and temporary assemblage shifts, with the extent and rate of change in environmental variables including temperature, thermal stratification, carbon export and alkalinity. In the case of the PETM, high rates of taxonomic turnover affected both oligotrophic and mesotrophic species. These taxa were relatively minor parts of the total assemblages, however, and the numerically abundant species were not affected permanently. The event is associated with a wholesale assemblage shift, including common and rare taxa, that varies from one oceanic setting to another. Highest rates of turnover and assemblage shift occurred during intervals when the rate of change of environmental variables including temperature, stratification and carbon export is highest. Relatively minor perturbations in the structure of the upper surface water mass, such as that associated with OAE1d, led to selective extinction of morphologically specialized oligotrophic taxa that were dependent upon maintaining a fixed position in a stable, stratified water column. These taxa were relatively rare components of the late Albian assemblages. In addition, the environmental changes associated with the anoxic event were coincident with originations and extinctions of less specialized clades undergoing adaptive radiation. These examples suggest that geologically brief perturbations of the upper water column affect only rare taxa permanently, while the more common calcareous nannoplankton exhibit a remarkable resilience to the effects of all but the most extreme short-lived disruptions of the surface water mass.