Postglacial changes in sea-surface conditions, including sea-ice cover, summer temperature, salinity, and productivity were reconstructed from the analyses of dinocyst assemblages in core S2528 collected in the northwestern Barents Sea. The results show glaciomarine-type conditions until about 11,300 ± 300 cal yr BP and limited influence of Atlantic water at the surface into the Barents Sea possibly due to the proximity of the Svalbard-Barents Sea ice sheet. This was followed by a transitional period generally characterized by cold conditions with dense sea-ice cover and low-salinity pulses likely related to episodic freshwater or meltwater discharge, which lasted until 8700 ± 700 cal yr BP. The onset of “interglacial” conditions in surface waters was marked by a major change in dinocyst assemblages, from dominant heterotrophic to dominant phototrophic taxa. Until 4100 ± 150 cal yr BP, however, sea-surface conditions remained cold, while sea-surface salinity and sea-ice cover recorded large amplitude variations. By ~4000 cal yr BP optimum sea-surface temperature of up to 4°C in summer and maximum salinity of ~34 psu suggest enhanced influence of Atlantic water, and productivity reached up to 150 gC/m2/yr. After 2200 ± 1300 cal yr BP, a distinct cooling trend accompanied by sea-ice spreading characterized surface waters. Hence, during the Holocene, with exception of an interval spanning about 4000 to 2000 cal yr BP, the northern Barents Sea experienced harsh environments, relatively low productivity, and unstable conditions probably unsuitable for human settlements.

通过对巴伦支海西北部收集的 S2528 核心中的恐龙组合的分析，重建了海面条件的冰后变化，包括海冰覆盖、夏季温度、盐度和生产力。结果显示，直到大约 11,300 ± 300 cal yr BP 之前的冰洋型条件，以及可能由于靠近斯瓦尔巴-巴伦支海冰盖，大西洋水在表面进入巴伦支海的影响有限。随后是一个过渡期，其特点是寒冷条件，海冰覆盖密集，低盐度脉冲可能与间歇性淡水或融水排放有关，持续到 8700 ± 700 cal yr BP。地表水中“间冰期”条件的开始以恐龙组合的重大变化为标志，从显性异养到显性光养分类群。然而，直到 4100 ± 150 cal yr BP，海面条件仍然很冷，而海面盐度和海冰覆盖记录了大幅度的变化。约 4000 cal yr BP 夏季最佳海面温度高达 4°C，最大盐度约 34 psu 表明大西洋水的影响增强，生产力达到 150 gC/m2 /年。在 2200 ± 1300 cal yr BP 之后，伴随着海冰蔓延的明显冷却趋势是地表水的特征。因此，在全新世期间，除了跨越约 4000 至 2000 cal yr BP 的时间间隔外，北巴伦支海经历了恶劣的环境、相对较低的生产力和可能不适合人类居住的不稳定条件。