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Changing surface ocean circulation caused the local demise of echinoid Scaphechinus mirabilis in Taiwan during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition

Changing surface ocean circulation caused the local demise of echinoid Scaphechinus mirabilis in Taiwan during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition
Changing surface ocean circulation caused the local demise of echinoid Scaphechinus mirabilis in Taiwan during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition
Abundant fossil specimens of Scaphechinus mirabilis, now occurring mostly in temperate waters, have been found in the Toukoshan Formation (Pleistocene) in Miaoli County, Taiwan. Environmental changes leading to its extirpation (local extinction) have thus far been elusive. Here, we reconstruct past environmental and oceanic conditions off northwest Taiwan by analyzing clumped isotopes, as well as stable oxygen isotopes, of well-preserved fossil echinoid tests collected from the Toukoshan Formation. Radiocarbon dates suggest that these samples are from Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3). Paleotemperature estimates based on clumped isotopes indicate that fossil echinoids were living in oceanic conditions that range from 9 to 14 °C on average, comparable with the estimate derived for a modern sample from Mutsu Bay, Japan. Notably, this temperature range is ~ 10 °C colder than today’s conditions off northwest Taiwan. The substantially lower temperatures during ~ 30 ka (MIS 3) compared to the modern conditions might be due to the rerouting of surface currents off northwest Taiwan when the sea level was ~ 60 m lower than today, in addition to the cooling caused by a lower atmospheric CO<jats:sub/>2 level during the Last Glacial Period. Colder waters brought here by the China Coastal Current (CCC) and the existence of shallow subtidal zones termed “Miaoli Bay” (mainly located in the present-day Miaoli county) during MIS 3 plausibly sustained generations of S. mirabilis, yielding tens of thousands of fossil specimens in the well-preserved fossil beds. The likely extirpation driver is the drastic change from a temperate climate to much warmer conditions in the shallow sea during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition.
2045-2322
Ho, Sze Ling
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Wang, Jia-Kang
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Lin, Yu-Jou
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Lin, Ching-Ren
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Lee, Chen-Wei
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Hsu, Chia-Hsin
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Chang, Lo-Yu
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Wu, To-Hsiang
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Tseng, Chien-Chia
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Wu, Hsiao-Jou
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John, Cédric M.
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Oji, Tatsuo
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Liu, Tsung-Kwei
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Chen, Wen-Shan
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Li, Peter
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Fang, Jiann-Neng
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Lin, Jih-Pai
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Ho, Sze Ling
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Wang, Jia-Kang
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Lin, Yu-Jou
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Lin, Ching-Ren
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Lee, Chen-Wei
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Hsu, Chia-Hsin
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Chang, Lo-Yu
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Wu, To-Hsiang
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Tseng, Chien-Chia
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Wu, Hsiao-Jou
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John, Cédric M.
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Oji, Tatsuo
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Liu, Tsung-Kwei
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Chen, Wen-Shan
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Li, Peter
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Fang, Jiann-Neng
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Lin, Jih-Pai
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Ho, Sze Ling, Wang, Jia-Kang, Lin, Yu-Jou, Lin, Ching-Ren, Lee, Chen-Wei, Hsu, Chia-Hsin, Chang, Lo-Yu, Wu, To-Hsiang, Tseng, Chien-Chia, Wu, Hsiao-Jou, John, Cédric M., Oji, Tatsuo, Liu, Tsung-Kwei, Chen, Wen-Shan, Li, Peter, Fang, Jiann-Neng and Lin, Jih-Pai (2022) Changing surface ocean circulation caused the local demise of echinoid Scaphechinus mirabilis in Taiwan during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. Scientific Reports, 12, [8204]. (doi:10.1038/s41598-022-11920-3).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Abundant fossil specimens of Scaphechinus mirabilis, now occurring mostly in temperate waters, have been found in the Toukoshan Formation (Pleistocene) in Miaoli County, Taiwan. Environmental changes leading to its extirpation (local extinction) have thus far been elusive. Here, we reconstruct past environmental and oceanic conditions off northwest Taiwan by analyzing clumped isotopes, as well as stable oxygen isotopes, of well-preserved fossil echinoid tests collected from the Toukoshan Formation. Radiocarbon dates suggest that these samples are from Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3). Paleotemperature estimates based on clumped isotopes indicate that fossil echinoids were living in oceanic conditions that range from 9 to 14 °C on average, comparable with the estimate derived for a modern sample from Mutsu Bay, Japan. Notably, this temperature range is ~ 10 °C colder than today’s conditions off northwest Taiwan. The substantially lower temperatures during ~ 30 ka (MIS 3) compared to the modern conditions might be due to the rerouting of surface currents off northwest Taiwan when the sea level was ~ 60 m lower than today, in addition to the cooling caused by a lower atmospheric CO<jats:sub/>2 level during the Last Glacial Period. Colder waters brought here by the China Coastal Current (CCC) and the existence of shallow subtidal zones termed “Miaoli Bay” (mainly located in the present-day Miaoli county) during MIS 3 plausibly sustained generations of S. mirabilis, yielding tens of thousands of fossil specimens in the well-preserved fossil beds. The likely extirpation driver is the drastic change from a temperate climate to much warmer conditions in the shallow sea during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition.

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Accepted/In Press date: 22 April 2022
Published date: 17 May 2022

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 503821
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/503821
ISSN: 2045-2322
PURE UUID: 379b0313-65f1-40b3-b879-3c2d44bfe85a
ORCID for Chia-Hsin Hsu: ORCID iD orcid.org/0009-0007-2540-5660

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Date deposited: 13 Aug 2025 16:52
Last modified: 22 Aug 2025 02:45

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Contributors

Author: Sze Ling Ho
Author: Jia-Kang Wang
Author: Yu-Jou Lin
Author: Ching-Ren Lin
Author: Chen-Wei Lee
Author: Chia-Hsin Hsu ORCID iD
Author: Lo-Yu Chang
Author: To-Hsiang Wu
Author: Chien-Chia Tseng
Author: Hsiao-Jou Wu
Author: Cédric M. John
Author: Tatsuo Oji
Author: Tsung-Kwei Liu
Author: Wen-Shan Chen
Author: Peter Li
Author: Jiann-Neng Fang
Author: Jih-Pai Lin

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