Response of eastern Indian Ocean (ODP Site 762B) benthic foraminiferal assemblages to the closure of the Indonesian seaway

Pliocene-Pleistocene deep sea benthic foraminifera from ODP Site 762B in the eastern Indian Ocean were examined to understand the tectonically/climatically induced palaeoceanographic changes. In addition to already published data on this site by Rai & Singh (2001), some more faunal parameters were considered in the present work. Characteristic benthic foraminiferal assemblages as well as more diverse fauna during the early Pliocene (before 3.5 Ma) reflected relatively oligotrophic and warm bottom water conditions. At the beginning of the late Pliocene (i.e. ~ 3 ± 0.5 Ma) relative abundances of Uvigerina proboscidea, infaunal taxa and high productivity taxa increased, whereas faunal diversity showed a distinct decline, suggesting the development of pronounced upwelling resulting in higher surface water productivity. The strongly reduced inflow of warm and oligotrophic water masses as the South Equatorial Current (SEC) from the South Pacific to the eastern Indian Ocean due to the effective closure of the Indonesian seaway increased the surface water productivity. The closing of the Indonesian seaway during the late Pliocene was also responsible for the cessation of the warm, southward-flowing Leeuwin Current (LC) and the greater influence of the cold, deep and northward-flowing Western Australian Current (WAC) in the eastern Indian Ocean.