Non-linear variation with salinity of Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios in water and aragonitic bivalve shells and implications for paleosalinity studies

doi:10.1016/0031-0182(82)90063-3

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

Volume 38, Issues 1–2, May 1982, Pages 45-56

https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-0182(82)90063-3 Get rights and content

Abstract

Fresh water and sea water usually differ considerably in their Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios. This suggests that these ratios in fossil shells could be used to determine paleosalinities. Calculation of the Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios in mixtures of sea water and average fresh water using a mixing equation shows that the ratios first increase rapidly with salinity to about 100% but subsequently remain nearly constant. The source of most of the Ca, Sr, and Mg in mixtures of fresh and sea water is the sea water, thus except at low salinities the trace element to Ca ratio of mixtures differs little from that in sea water. Analysis both of waters across a spectrum of salinities and of aragonitic mollusc shells growing in water of various salinities conforms to the predicted pattern. However, trace element to Ca ratios offer potential for paleosalinity determination in waters of salinity below about 100%.

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Non-linear variation with salinity of Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios in water and aragonitic bivalve shells and implications for paleosalinity studies

Abstract

Deep-Sea Res.

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol.

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

Mar. Geol.

Strontium uptake in shell aragonite from the freshwater gastropodLimnaea stagnalis

Science

Salinity, species, and age effect on the trace element chemistry of nine molluscan species (abstr.)

Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Progr.

Variations in Molluscan Shell Chemistry With Environment, Species, and Time of Burial

The Skeletal Trace Element Chemistry of Freshwater Bivalves

Effect of environmental gradients in the Rappahannock River estuary on the molluscan fauna

Diagenetic stability of temperature-sensitive skeletal properties inMytilus from the Pleistocene of California

Bull. Geol. Soc. Am.

Approaches to biogeochemistry

On some aspects of the chemical evolution of cave waters

J. Geol.

Environmental Influences on Trace Element Concentrations in Some Modern and Fossil Oysters

Use of chemical composition of freshwater clamshells as indicators of paleohydrologic conditions

Ecology

Strontium and magnesium in water and inCrassostrea calcite

Science

Geochemische Untersuchungen an rezenten marinen Molluskenschalen

Neues Jahrb. Mineral