Giant bivalves (Tridacna gigas) as recorders of ENSO variability

We compare monthly resolved oxygen isotope records derived from a giant bivalve shell, Tridacna gigas and massive Porites corals collected along the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. This intercomparison study demonstrates that δ18O profiles obtained from these different aragonite-secreting organisms collected from within a 30 km range are correlated in great detail and record the timing and amplitude of seasonal and interannual (ENSO-related) variations in sea surface temperature (SST) and water isotopic composition which is closely related to rainfall. Furthermore, the T. gigas record is shown to be close to isotopic equilibrium with the local sea-water, in contrast to the corals which are approximately − 4‰ offset. These results reveal that living and fossil T. gigas clam shells have the potential to yield reliable records of past changes in seasonality and ENSO variability, as well as mean climate conditions. In particular, since the non-porous shells are generally more resistant to diagenesis than coral skeletons, they may provide robust estimates of past tropical climate for periods and locations where unaltered corals are absent.

Research highlights
► T. gigas δ18O profiles clearly record 87/88, 90–95 and 97/98 El Nino events.
► Coral & bivalve δ18O profiles show the same variability with a constant ~4‰ shift.
► Two corals taken 30 km from one another show the same δ18O variability.