Lunar cycles and rainy seasons drive growth and reproduction in nummulitid foraminifera, important producers of carbonate buildups
- Author(s)
- Johann Hohenegger, Shunichi Kinoshita, Antonino Briguglio, Wolfgang Eder, Julia Wöger
- Abstract
Representatives of the foraminifer Nummulites are important in Earth history for timing Cenozoic shallow-water carbonates. Taphonomic complexity explains the construction of carbonate buildups, but reproduction and life span of the constructing individuals are unknown. During the 15-month investigation period, asexually reproduced schizonts and gamonts showed equal proportions in the first half of this period, whereas gamonts predominated in the second half. Oscillations in cell growth are mainly caused by light intensities during chamber construction when minor differences in water depth increase the photosynthetic rate of endosymbiotic diatoms during neap tides. The continuous reproduction rate of N. venosus throughout the year is increased in subtropical calms by higher summer temperatures and the marginal input of inorganic nutrients during rainy seasons. The expected life span of both gamonts and schizonts are 18 months.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Palaeontology
- External organisation(s)
- Tohoku University, Università degli Studi di Genova
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Volume
- 9
- Pages
- 1-16
- No. of pages
- 16
- ISSN
- 2045-2322
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44646-w
- Publication date
- 06-2019
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 105118 Palaeontology
- Keywords
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/18c0995a-63ff-41ac-9f82-358223c7c1b0