Dual clumped isotopes in foraminiferal calcite reveal kinetic bias in some species
Abstract
Clumped isotope (∆ 47 ) analyses of foraminifera provide a powerful means to reconstruct upper and bottom water temperatures, independent of seawater δ 18 O and elemental composition. We show statistically significant disequilibrium in the dual (∆ 47 -∆ 48 ) clumped isotope composition of some large benthic foraminifera, while other large benthic foraminifera plot within analytical uncertainty of ∆ 47 –∆ 48 equilibrium. This deviation suggests the influence of reaction kinetics, such as kinetic effects during CO 2 absorption or a combination of ion attachment/detachment effects at the solution-crystal interface and slight DIC disequilibrium. Measured core-top, planktic and deep-sea benthic foraminifera plot within the 95% confidence level of empirical ∆ 47 -∆ 48 equilibrium, although additional measurements are required to confidently exclude kinetic ∆ 47 -∆ 48 bias. Dual clumped isotope measurements of large benthic foraminifera from the Eocene of the Paris and Hampshire basins that conform with ∆ 47 -∆ 48 equilibrium (95% confidence level) further support existing evidence for surface ocean temperatures ~12–17 °C warmer than today.
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BibTeX
@article{davies2026dual,
title = {{Dual clumped isotopes in foraminiferal calcite reveal kinetic bias in some species}},
author = {Amelia Jane Davies and Marion Peral and Jonathan Erez and Adam Levi and David Evans and Oliver Friedrich and Thibaut Caley and Romi Nambiar and Douglas Coenen and Philip Tauxe Staudigel and Mattia Tagliavento and Miguel Bernecker and Jens Fiebig},
journal = {Communications Earth \& Environment},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1038/s43247-026-03770-y},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05761344v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Dual clumped isotopes in foraminiferal calcite reveal kinetic bias in some species
AU - Amelia Jane Davies
AU - Marion Peral
AU - Jonathan Erez
AU - Adam Levi
AU - David Evans
AU - Oliver Friedrich
AU - Thibaut Caley
AU - Romi Nambiar
AU - Douglas Coenen
AU - Philip Tauxe Staudigel
AU - Mattia Tagliavento
AU - Miguel Bernecker
AU - Jens Fiebig
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/08
JO - Communications Earth & Environment
DO - 10.1038/s43247-026-03770-y
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05761344v1
AB - Clumped isotope (∆ 47 ) analyses of foraminifera provide a powerful means to reconstruct upper and bottom water temperatures, independent of seawater δ 18 O and elemental composition. We show statistically significant disequilibrium in the dual (∆ 47 -∆ 48 ) clumped isotope composition of some large benthic foraminifera, while other large benthic foraminifera plot within analytical uncertainty of ∆ 47 –∆ 48 equilibrium. This deviation suggests the influence of reaction kinetics, such as kinetic effects during CO 2 absorption or a combination of ion attachment/detachment effects at the solution-crystal interface and slight DIC disequilibrium. Measured core-top, planktic and deep-sea benthic foraminifera plot within the 95% confidence level of empirical ∆ 47 -∆ 48 equilibrium, although additional measurements are required to confidently exclude kinetic ∆ 47 -∆ 48 bias. Dual clumped isotope measurements of large benthic foraminifera from the Eocene of the Paris and Hampshire basins that conform with ∆ 47 -∆ 48 equilibrium (95% confidence level) further support existing evidence for surface ocean temperatures ~12–17 °C warmer than today.
SN - 2662-4435
ER -