Latest Eocene to mid-late Oligocene calcareous nannoplankton assemblage relative abundance counts and coccolith size measurements: IODP Site U1553

Calcareous nannoplankton are a major group of calcifying marine phytoplankton. Their distribution, productivity and cellular morphological traits are important factors in the role of calcareous nannoplankton in marine ecosystem functions, including the production and export of organic and inorganic carbon. 

Using morphometric and assemblage data collected from latest Eocene to mid-late Oligocene sediments International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1553, Campbell Plateau in the high latitude southwestern Pacific Ocean, we reconstructed the size structure and associated biogeochemical traits (size-fractionated and total community particulate organic and inorganic carbon) of the community through the Oligocene to investigate the impact of climate-driven changes in community composition on calcareous nannoplankton biogeochemistry.

The datasets presented in this data record are associated with the manuscript:

Sheward, R. M., Herrle, J. O., Fuchs, J., Gibbs, S. J., Bown, P. R. and Eibes, P. M. Biogeochemical traits of a high latitude South Pacific Ocean calcareous nannoplankton community during the Oligocene, to be submitted to Paleoceanograpy and Paleoclimatology in June 2024.

This data record contain two primary datasets generated for this study:

1. assemblage composition (relative coccolith abundance) of the latest Eocene-earliest Oligocene calcareous nannoplankton community
2. morphometric data for the coccolith size of the ten most common morphogroups in the assemblage in this time interval (Chiasmolithus, Clausicoccus subdistichus, Coccolithus, Cyclicargolithus, Reticulofenestra, Sphenolithus, Discoaster and Zygrhablithus bijugatus).

Correspondence should be addressed to: Rosie Sheward (sheward@em.uni-frankfurt.de).