Trace-elemental data (Ba/Ca) of benthic foraminifers from core-top sediments of Gullmar Fjord, Swedish West coast

Dataset of Ba/Ca in Bulimina marginata and Nonionellina labradorica (CTG-labelled) acquired by Laser-Ablation Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry (LA ICP MS; Department of Geology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden). Comprises data of the three most-recently formed chambers (n, n-1 and n-2), as well as the proloculus area (p; B. marginata only). The specimens were collected from core-top samples of two sites in Gullmar Fjord, Swedish West coast, Sweden over a temporal gradient spanning the year 2018 and 2019. The data set is part of a study exploring the response of foraminiferal Ba/Ca to contrasting hydroclimatic conditions. A publication including this data is currently ongoing. Please contact the main author for further details ([e-mail]).

Gullmar Fjord was sampled in September 2018, February 2019 and June 2019 (R/V Oscar von Sydow and R/V Skagerak, respectively) at GF 117 (115–117 m; 58º19.695’N, 11º33.147’E) and GF 71 (69–71 m; 58º17.116’N, 11º30.546’E). Sediment cores were recovered with a GEMAX® twin-barrel corer (modified Gemini corer, 9 cm diameter, from Oy Kart AB, Finland). The top 1 cm of the cores were collected and CTG-labelled to identify living foraminifera. Bulimina marginata and Nonionellina labradorica specimens were selected and bleached (NaOCl 5%). Trace element concentrations of test walls were analysed using a Bruker Aurora Elite (quadrupole) ICP‐MS and a 193 nm Cetac Analyte G2 excimer laser installed with a two volume HelEx2 sample cell (Dept. of Geology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden). U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology SRM NIST610 was used as external calibration material with GeoReM (Geological and Environmental Reference Materials; Jochum et al., 2005) composition values (via http://georem.mpch-mainz.gwdg.de).