We are grateful to the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). The establishment of such a high-resolution stratigraphic framework for Leg 202 sediment records would have been impossible without the support of the DFG grants Ti240/12 and Ti240/13. This work also provided an excellent stratigraphic basis for ongoing studies within the DFG supported Research Unit "Impact of Gateways on ocean circulation, climate, and evolution." We thank the crew of the JOIDES Resolution and the Leg 202 science party for an exceptionally successful expedition. We especially would like to acknowledge the quick aid of Pieter Grootes and Nils Andersen from the Leibniz-Labor für Altersbestimmung und Isotopenforschung for measuring the benthic isotopes from Site 1236 during a time when our isotope laboratory faced severe mass spectrometer problems. Stimulating discussions with Jeroen Groeneveld, Dirk Nürnberg, and Joachim Schönfeld at different stages of this study were greatly appreciated. We thank Nicole Gau, Lulzim Haxhiaj, Agnes Heinemann, Anna Jesußek, Ulrike Nielsen, Janne Reppschläger, and Kerrin Wittmaack for a great deal of help in sample preparation and isotope measurements. The manuscript significantly benefited from reviews by Lorraine Lisiecki, Torsten Bickert, William Ruddiman, and Nick Shackleton.
This research used samples and/or data provided by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP). ODP is sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and participating countries under management of Joint Oceanographic Institutions (JOI), Inc.