Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

2008

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Oleinik, Anton E.

Abstract

Molluscan isotopic and biotic evidence was used to determine the paleotemperature of the Late Oligocene Arctic Ocean during an important period of climate change. Mollusks were collected from the Nuwok Member type section on the Arctic coast of Alaska. A systematic analysis was conducted to determine the position of Late Oligocene Arctic mollusks within a context of marine Cenozoic evolution and diversification. Oxygen stable isotope ratios of five fossil genera were used to calculate paleotemperatures and analyze growth histories. Taxa were selected to check for compatibility of results between fossil genera from the same environment. Oxygen stable isotope ratios of four recent high-latitude genera were analyzed for comparative purposes. Isotopically derived paleotemperatures represent the first documented quantitative temperatures for the Late Oligocene Arctic Ocean. Isotopic and systematic results give great insight into the extent and degree of Arctic cooling by the Late Oligocene and the origin of modem Arctic mollusks.

Extent

206 p.

Comments

Charles E. Schmidt College of Science|Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008.|Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Identifier

FA00000811

Format

pdf

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