Bathyal ostracode diversity in the Santos Basin, Brazilian southeast margin: Response to late Quaternary climate changes

Abstract

Faunal and geochemical aspects of Quaternary deep sea ostracodes from three cores in the Santos Basin, Brazilian Southeast continental margin, are studied. The assemblages have similarities to others, not only from the Atlantic but also those found in the Pacific ocean. Geochemical analyses of trace elements in ostracodes and stable isotopes in foraminifers were employed to assess environmental changes and oceanographic events over a period of approximately 30 Ka. Both faunistic and geochemical data were considered together to determine the relationship between faunal turnovers and Late Quaternary events, such as the LGM and the Pleistocene/ Holocene limit.