This dataset presents biomarker records from sediment core SL170 (MSM09/02-0455/13; 68°58.15′ N, 59°23.58′ W; 1078 m water depth), recovered from eastern Baffin Bay during the MSM09/02 expedition of R/V Maria S. Merian. The highly branched isoprenoid (IP25) and the open-water phytoplankton biomarker (dinosterol) were analysed to reconstruct past sea ice algal productivity and primary production, respectively, covering the period from ~17,000 to 10,000 years BP. The PDIP25 index was further calculated to provide semi-quantitative estimates of past sea ice cover. Biomarker analyses were carried out at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven.

This dataset includes concentrations of IP25 and dinosterol from sediment core SL170 (Baffin Bay), covering the period from 17,000 to 10,000 years BP. IP25 concentrations reflect sea ice algal productivity, while dinosterol serves as an indicator of open-water phytoplankton productivity. Based on these biomarker concentrations, the PDIP25 index was calculated to provide semi-quantitative estimates of past sea ice cover. For intervals in which either the IP25 or the dinosterol levels are zero or very low, the PDIP25 values are indeterminable and are not displayed in the data set.