Reviews and syntheses: Review of proxies for low-oxygen paleoceanographic reconstructions

Abstract. A growing body of observations has revealed rapid changes in both the total inventory and the distribution of marine oxygen over the latter half of the 20th century, leading to increased interest in extending oxygenation records into the past. The use of paleo-oxygen proxies has the potential to extend the spatial and temporal range of current records, constrain pre-anthropogenic baselines, provide datasets necessary to test climate models under different boundary conditions, and ultimately understand how ocean oxygenation responds beyond decadal-scale changes. This review seeks to summarize the current state of knowledge about proxies for reconstructing Cenozoic marine oxygen: sedimentary features, sedimentary redox-sensitive trace elements and isotopes, biomarkers, nitrogen isotopes, foraminiferal trace elements, foraminiferal assemblages, foraminiferal morphometrics, and benthic foraminiferal carbon isotope gradients. Taking stock of each proxy reveals some common limitations as the majority of proxies functions best at low-oxygen concentrations, and many reflect multiple environmental drivers. We also highlight recent breakthroughs in geochemistry and proxy approaches to constraining pelagic (in addition to benthic) oxygenation that are rapidly advancing the field. In light of both the emergence of new proxies and the persistent multiple driver problem, the need for multi-proxy approaches and data storage and sharing that adhere to the principles of findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability (FAIR) is emphasized. Continued refinements of proxy approaches and both proxy–proxy and proxy–model comparisons are likely to support the growing needs of both oceanographers and paleoceanographers interested in paleo-oxygenation records.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Biogeosciences
Published
2025-02-18
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-863-2025
Citations
16
Primary Topic
Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
22.11

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Reviews and syntheses: Review of proxies for low-oxygen paleoceanographic reconstructions

Yi Wang, Svetlana Radionovskaya, Jean Lynch‐Stieglitz, Robert F. Anderson et al.
16 citations
Biogeosciences
Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
22.11
article

Reviews and syntheses: Review of proxies for low-oxygen paleoceanographic reconstructions

Yi Wang, Svetlana Radionovskaya, Jean Lynch‐Stieglitz, Robert F. Anderson, Anya V. Hess, Christine Barras, Katrin Juliane Meissner, Alexandra Auderset, Sophie Nuber, Wanyi Lu, Dharma Reyes Macaya, Constance Choquel, Katrina Nilsson-Kerr, Rick Hennekam, Paula Diz, Simone Moretti, Christian Hallmann, Zeynep Erdem, Giulia Molina, Morgan Reed Raven, Kassandra M Costa, Helena L. Filipsson, Chandranath Basak, Sha Ni, Anja S Studer, Harold J. Bradbury, Jeroen Groeneveld, Yan Zhang, Martin Tetard, Xin‐Yuan Zheng, Catherine V. Davis, Kazuyo Tachikawa, Christopher J. Somes, Yuxin Zhou, Práxedes Muñoz, Allison W Jacobel, Julio Sepúlveda, Tyler Vollmer, I. L. Hendy, Raúl Tapia, Jorge Cardich, Nicolaas Glock, Xingchen Wang, Babette A. A. Hoogakker, Shuzhuang Wu, Felix J. Elling, Dalton Hardisty, Inda Brinkmann, Jonas Donnenfield, Stephanie Kusch, Jennifer L. Morford, Julia Gottschalk, Lélia Matos, Alexis Castillo, Sebastián Garrido, Madelyn Cook, Alfredo Martínez‐García, Abby Ren, Anjaly Govindankutty Menon
article en
16 citations

Abstract

Abstract. A growing body of observations has revealed rapid changes in both the total inventory and the distribution of marine oxygen over the latter half of the 20th century, leading to increased interest in extending oxygenation records into the past. The use of paleo-oxygen proxies has the potential to extend the spatial and temporal range of current records, constrain pre-anthropogenic baselines, provide datasets necessary to test climate models under different boundary conditions, and ultimately understand how ocean oxygenation responds beyond decadal-scale changes. This review seeks to summarize the current state of knowledge about proxies for reconstructing Cenozoic marine oxygen: sedimentary features, sedimentary redox-sensitive trace elements and isotopes, biomarkers, nitrogen isotopes, foraminiferal trace elements, foraminiferal assemblages, foraminiferal morphometrics, and benthic foraminiferal carbon isotope gradients. Taking stock of each proxy reveals some common limitations as the majority of proxies functions best at low-oxygen concentrations, and many reflect multiple environmental drivers. We also highlight recent breakthroughs in geochemistry and proxy approaches to constraining pelagic (in addition to benthic) oxygenation that are rapidly advancing the field. In light of both the emergence of new proxies and the persistent multiple driver problem, the need for multi-proxy approaches and data storage and sharing that adhere to the principles of findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability (FAIR) is emphasized. Continued refinements of proxy approaches and both proxy–proxy and proxy–model comparisons are likely to support the growing needs of both oceanographers and paleoceanographers interested in paleo-oxygenation records.

BiogeosciencesVol. 22(4)
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US), Boston College (US), Tulane University (US), Tongji University (CN), GNS Science (NZ), City College of New York (US), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg (DE), University of Minnesota (US), Georgia Institute of Technology (US), Oregon State University (US), American Museum of Natural History (US), North Carolina State University (US), University of Arizona (US), University of British Columbia (CA), Max Planck Society (DE), Minnesota State University, Mankato (US), Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (US), University of California, Santa Barbara (US), Universität Hamburg (DE), Central Michigan University (US), Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (US), National Taiwan University (TW), Franklin & Marshall College (US), University of Potsdam (DE), Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (US), Université du Québec à Rimouski (CA), Université Sorbonne Nouvelle (FR), University of Basel (CH), University of California, Santa Cruz (US), Lund University (SE), University of Colorado Boulder (US), Middlebury College (US), Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (PE), The Open University (GB), Aix-Marseille Université (FR), Université Nantes Angers Le Mans (FR), University of Cambridge (GB), Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute (PT), University of Michigan (US), Catholic University of the Maule (CL), Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research (NO), North Central State College (US), Universidad Católica del Norte (CL), Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Kiel (DE), UNSW Sydney (AU), Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (DE), Heriot-Watt University (GB), GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (DE), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR), Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute (PT), Centre de Recherche et d’Enseignement de Géosciences de l’Environnement (FR), Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NL), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE), Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (DE), ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science (AU), Safety Management Systems Aotearoa (New Zealand) (NZ), Hamburg Institut (Germany) (DE), Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géosciences (FR), GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences (DE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR), University of Southampton (GB), Centro de Ciências do Mar do Algarve, University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus (CA), University of Bergen (NO), Universidade de Vigo (ES), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (US), University of Algarve (PT), Columbia University (US), Okanagan University College (CA), University of Delaware (US), Michigan State University (US), Hamburg University of Technology (DE), Nantes Université (FR), University of Lausanne (CH)
National Science Foundation, UK Research and Innovation, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Vetenskapsrådet, National Science and Technology Council, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Openalex Percentile: Top 0%
Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
22.11
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.