Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

El Nin˜O Impact On Mollusk Biomineralization: Implications For Trace Element Proxy Reconstructions And The Paleo-Archeological Record, Alberto Pe´Rez-Huerta, Miguel F. Etayo-Cadavid, C Fred T. Andrus, Teresa E. Jeffries, Clifton Watkins, Shane C. Street, Daniel H. Sandweiss

Anthropology Faculty Scholarship

Marine macroinvertebrates are ideal sentinel organisms to monitor rapid environmental changes associated with climatic phenomena. These organisms build up protective exoskeletons incrementally by biologically-controlled mineralization, which is deeply rooted in long-term evolutionary processes. Recent studies relating potential rapid environmental fluctuations to climate change, such as ocean acidification, suggest modifications on carbonate biominerals of marine invertebrates. However, the influence of known, and recurrent, climatic events on these biological processes during active mineralization is still insufficiently understood. Analysis of Peruvian cockles from the 1982–83 large magnitude El Nin˜o event shows significant alterations of the chemico-structure of carbonate biominerals. Here, we show that …