Mertens, K.N., Bringué, M., Van Nieuwenhove, N., Takano, Y., Pospelova, V., Rochon, A., de Vernal, A., Radi, T., Dale, B., Patterson, R.T., Weckström, K., Andrén, E., Louwye, S., Matsuoka, K. 2012. Process length variation of the cyst of the dinoflagellate Protoceratium reticulatum in the North Pacific and Baltic-Skagerrak region: calibration as annual density proxy and first evidence of pseudo-cryptic speciation. Journal of Quaternary Science. v. 27 (7), p. 734-744. DOI: 10.1002/jqs.2564
We investigated the process length variation of cysts of Protoceratium reticulatum in surface sediments from the North Pacific. Average process length showed a significant inverse relation to annual sea water density, σt annual =1000 + (3.5184 x average process length – 6.686) (R2=0.87). A sediment trap study from Effingham Inlet (British Columbia) shows the same relation of average process length to local sea water density variations. This calibration cannot be reconciled with a calibration from the Baltic-Skaggerak, accentuating the regional character of these calibrations.