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Major sea level fall during the Pliocene M2 glaciation

Author

Listed:
  • Zifei Yang

    (Cardiff University)

  • Caroline H. Lear

    (Cardiff University)

  • Stephen Barker

    (Cardiff University)

  • Jonathan Elsey

    (Cardiff University)

  • Edward Gasson

    (University of Exeter)

  • Yair Rosenthal

    (Rutgers the State University)

  • Sophie M. Slater

    (Cardiff University)

  • Amy Thomas-Sparkes

    (Cardiff University)

Abstract

The extent of ice growth during the Pliocene M2 glaciation (~3.3 Ma) has been called into question, with benthic foraminiferal oxygen isotope records interpreted primarily as a cooling signal. Here we improve the benthic foraminiferal Mg/Ca paleothermometer, allowing bottom water temperature reconstructions with a precision of ±0.2-0.3°C (1 s.d.). Applying this approach to M2 implies a significant increase in ice volume (~55 m SLE) that was more tightly coupled to a drop in CO2 than to ocean temperature. We suggest that the M2 glaciation was driven by a reduction in northern hemisphere poleward heat transport, and amplified by a reduction in southern hemisphere poleward heat transport caused by restriction of the Indonesian Seaway. The cryosphere growth drove the atmospheric CO2 decrease, which likely contributed to the overall magnitude of ice growth. These results demonstrate the sensitivity of the cryosphere to changes in ocean heat transport in a similar to modern climate.

Suggested Citation

  • Zifei Yang & Caroline H. Lear & Stephen Barker & Jonathan Elsey & Edward Gasson & Yair Rosenthal & Sophie M. Slater & Amy Thomas-Sparkes, 2025. "Major sea level fall during the Pliocene M2 glaciation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-62446-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62446-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mark Maslin, 2016. "Forty years of linking orbits to ice ages," Nature, Nature, vol. 540(7632), pages 208-209, December.
    2. E. J. Rohling & G. L. Foster & K. M. Grant & G. Marino & A. P. Roberts & M. E. Tamisiea & F. Williams, 2014. "Sea-level and deep-sea-temperature variability over the past 5.3 million years," Nature, Nature, vol. 508(7497), pages 477-482, April.
    3. Gerald H. Haug & Ralf Tiedemann, 1998. "Effect of the formation of the Isthmus of Panama on Atlantic Ocean thermohaline circulation," Nature, Nature, vol. 393(6686), pages 673-676, June.
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