Primary productivity and water mass reconstructions based on planktic Foraminifera reveal distinct interglacial/glacial variations for the past 208 ka in a mid-latitude Northeast Atlantic piston core. Average total planktic foraminiferal absolute frequencies and accumulation rates, which are interpreted to reflect primary productivity, are higher in interglacial than in glacial sediments. Low total planktic foraminiferal absolute frequencies and accumulation rates in 'Heinrich layers' are likewise interpreted to show low production of Foraminifera due to low surface ocean fertility. 'Heinrich layers' are enriched in ice-rafted debris, recording periods of massive iceberg production and rapid melting in the Northeast Atlantic. The dominance of... |