Variations of opal accumulation rates and paleoproductivity over the past 12 Ma at ODP Site 1143,southern South China Sea

The biogenic silica analysis was performed on 463 samples from ODP 184 Site 1143, the southern South China Sea. The results show that the opal content and MAR evidently increased between 12.3 and 5.7 Ma, which was contemporary with the high carbonate and total MARs, reflecting the high biogenic productivity in the late Miocene.This demonstrates the occurrence of the late Miocene "Biogenie Bloom Event" in the southern South China Sea, corresponding to the late Miocene-early Pliocene "Biogenic Bloom Event" in the Indian-Pacific Ocean. The increases of opal content and MAR after the middle Pleistocene (about 0.7 Ma)is inferred to result from the enhanced upwelling and nutrient supply, which was induced by the intensified monsoon circulation after the "Mid-Pleistocene Revolution".