Lunar cycles and rainy seasons drive growth and reproduction in nummulitid foraminifera, important producers of carbonate buildups

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 investigat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2019-06, Vol.9 (1), p.8286-8286, Article 8286
Main Authors: Hohenegger, Johann, Kinoshita, Shunichi, Briguglio, Antonino, Eder, Wolfgang, Wöger, Julia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbonates
Carbonates - metabolism
Cell growth
Diatoms - metabolism
Foraminifera - metabolism
Foraminifera - physiology
Investigations
Laboratories
Life span
Moon
Nutrients
Oscillations
Rain
Reproduction
Reproduction - physiology
Schizonts
Seawater - chemistry
Sediments
Symbiosis - genetics
Taphonomy
Temperature
Weather
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Summary: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.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-019-44646-w