High-resolution molecular abundance records for several marine biomarkers during the last glacial and Holocene have been generated for core MD05-2904 (19 degrees 27.32'N, 116 degrees 15.15'E, 2066 in water depth) from the northern South China Sea. The U-37(K') SST record indicates a 4.4 degrees C cooling during the Last Glacial Maximum for this site, consistent with previous reconstructions. The contents Of C-37 alkenones, dinosterol, brassicasterol, and C-30 alkyl diols are used as productivity proxies for haptophytes, dinoflagellates, diatoms, and eustigmatophytes, respectively. These records reveal that both individual phytoplankton group and total productivity increased by several factors during the LGM compared with those for the Holocene, in response to increased nutrient supply. However, the community structure based on biomarker percentages remained relatively stable during the last glacial-Holocene transition, although there were short-term oscillations.