Revisiting the rare earth elements in foraminiferal tests

From data taken from eight core tops in the southeast Pacific, we conclude that the REEs in planktonic foraminifera are, indeed, useful as a proxy for upper ocean water mass and mixed layer biogenic productivity. Alternatively, the REEs in benthic foraminifera are useful as a proxy for carbon flux to the sea floor. These proxies should be robust down core unless the sediments have undergone anoxic diagenesis, which stabilizes Fe carbonate thus overprinting the primary REE signature. However, it is clear from REE distributions in foraminiferal tests if anoxic conditions have occurred.