Abstract. In this study we have applied different indices based on long-chain diols, i.e., the long-chain diol index (LDI) as a proxy for past SST, the diol index as an indicator of past upwelling conditions, and the nutrient diol index (NDI) as a proxy for nitrate and phosphate concentrations in seawater. The proxies were analyzed in marine sediments recovered at ODP Site 1234, located within the Peru–Chile upwelling system, with a ∼2 kyr resolution covering the last 150 kyr. We also generated TEX86H and U37K′ temperature and planktonic δ18O records, as well as total organic carbon (TOC) and accumulation rates (ARs) of TOC and lipid biomarkers (i.e., C37 alkenones, GDGTs, dinosterol, and loliolide) to reconstruct past phytoplankton production. The LDI-derived SST record covaries with TEX86H- and U37K′-derived SST records as well as with the planktonic δ18O record, implying that the LDI reflects past SST variations at this site. TOC and phytoplankton AR records indicate increased export production during the last interglacial (MIS 5), simultaneous with a peak in the abundance of preserved Chaetoceros diatoms, suggesting intensified upwelling during this period. The diol index is relatively low during the upwelling period, but peaks before and after this period, suggesting that Proboscia diatoms were more abundant before and after the period of upwelling. The NDI reveals the same trends as the diol index, suggesting that the input of nitrate and phosphate was minimal during upwelling, which is unrealistic. We suggest that the diol index and NDI should perhaps be considered as indicators for Proboscia productivity instead of upwelling conditions or nutrient concentrations.

Hydrogen isotope ratios of long-chain alkenones (δ 2 H C37 ratios) have been shown to correlate with salinity in several culture studies. However, it is uncertain how applicable the δ 2 H C37 -salinity relationship is to reconstruct past salinity. The δ 2 H C37 ratios were measured on sediments from a drill core (ODP site 1234) at the Chilean Margin covering the last~150 kyr. High δ 2 H C37 values corresponded to glacial time periods and interglacial periods are characterized by lower δ 2 H C37 values, aligning with δ 18 O ratios measured on planktonic foraminifera from the same core. Effects of parameters such as species composition, the δ 2 H-δ 18 O relationship used for ice volume corrections, and nutrient-or light-controlled growth rate, did not appear to significantly alter δ 2 H C37 ratios at ODP 1234. We used linear regression equations from batch culture experiments, marine surface sediments, and suspended particulate organic matter to quantitatively characterize salinity changes over the last~150 kyr at ODP 1234. However, most of these equations yielded larger salinity shifts than previously suggested, a phenomenon also observed for other δ 2 H C37 records. This suggests that the paleosensitivity of δ 2 H C37 ratios to salinity was larger in the geologic record than has been observed in any modern environment or laboratory settings, or that glacial to interglacial salinity shifts might have been larger than currently believed.

Abstract. The primary focus of this study is to test the applicability of different paleoenvironmental proxies based on long chain diols, i.e., the LDI as proxy for past SST, the Diol Index as indicator of past upwelling conditions and the NDI as quantitative proxy for nitrate and phosphate concentrations in seawater. The proxies were analyzed in marine sediments recovered at ODP Site 1234, located within the Peru-Chile upwelling system, with a ~ 2 kyr resolution, covering the last 150 kyrs, i.e., encompassing several glacial and interglacial periods. We also generated TEXH86 and UK´37 temperature and planktonic δ18O records, as well as TOC and accumulation rates (ARs) of TOC and lipid biomarkers (i.e., C37 alkenones, GDGTs, dinosterol and loliolide) to reconstruct past phytoplankton production. The LDI-derived SST record co-varies with TEXH86- and UK´37-derived SST records as well as with the planktonic δ18O record, implying that the LDI reflects past SST variations at this site. TOC and phytoplankton AR records indicate increased export production during the Last Interglacial (MIS 5), simultaneous with a peak in the abundance of preserved Chaetoceros diatoms, suggesting intensified upwelling during this period. The Diol Index is relatively low during the upwelling period, but peaks before and after this period, suggesting that Proboscia diatoms were more dominant before and after the period of upwelling. The NDI reveals the same variations as the Diol Index suggesting that the input of nitrate and phosphate was minimal during upwelling, which is unrealistic. We suggest that the Diol Index should perhaps be considered as an indicator for Proboscia (multiple species) productivity instead of upwelling per se, whereas the NDI likely reflects Proboscia alata productivity, and might therefore not be suitable as a more general paleonutrient proxy.