Abstract
The study about the distribution of benthic foraminifers in relationship with the type of substrate is presented. Samples of surface sediments from 15 to 60 m of depth from the southeast coast of the province of Buenos Aires (40º 30´ - 42ºS), Argentina were analysed. The foraminiferal assemblage was constituted by forty-eight species that belong to 22 genera. It was characterized mostly by the free-living style, epifaunal microhabitats, oxic levels and a detritivore trophic strategy. Based on statistical analysis, three zones were determinated: at 15 m depth , characterized mainly by Buccella peruviana (d´Orbigny), and species of Bolivina reflected a littoral environment with sandy sediments and the most important clay contribution, whereas it also presented the lowest oxygen levels were determinated; between 24-48 m depth, associted by Ammonia parkinsoniana (d´Orbigny), Buccella peruviana and Quinqueloculina seminula (Linné), this zone displayed an oxygenated environment with coarse grainsize from inner shelf where local water circulation may explain the high energy observed; and the last one located between 36 to 58 m of depth was characterized by Buccella peruviana, Ammonia parkinsoniana, Elphidium macellum (Fichtel & Moll), Cibicides dispars (d´Orbigny) and Cibicides aknerianus (d´Orbigny) regflecting an inner shelf environment with sandy sediments, the lowest water temperature and the highest oxygen levels.
References
Alperin, M., Bernasconi, E. & Cusminsky, G. (2008) Asociaciones de foraminíferos bentónicos actuales de la plataforma continental argentina (39º–43ºS y 58º–65º O) analizados con métodos estadísticos para datos composicionales. Ameghiniana, 45 (2), 443–461.
Alperin, M., Cusminsky, G. & Bernasconi, E. (2011) Benthic foraminiferal morphogroup assemblages in recent sediments of the Argentine Contienental Shelf (39º–43º S and 58º–65º W). Journal of Foraminiferal Research, 41 (2), 155–166.
https://doi.org/10.2113/gsjfr.41.2.155
Armstrong, H.A. & Brasier, M.D. (2008) Microfossils. 2º edition, Blackwell Publishing, 296 pp.
Ballesteros, A. & Bernasconi, E. (2019) Study of marsh foraminifera from marsh environmental from the coastal plain of Buenos Aires (Argentina) and its ecological implications. Zootaxa, 4560 (3), 522–540.
https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4560.3.5
Bernasconi, E. & Cusminsky, G. (2005) Distribución de Nonionella auris (d’Orbigny) (Foraminiferida) en el golfo San Matías, Provincia de Río Negro, Argentina. Ameghiniana, 42, 167–174.
Bernasconi, E. & Cusminsky, G. (2015) Study of the distribution of Elphidium aff. poeyanum (d’Orbigny) and Buccella peruviana (d’Orbigny) from the Colorado basin (South America): Holocene paleoenvironmental inferences. The Holocene, 25, 810–819.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683615571424
Bernasconi, E., Mansilla, M. & Cusminsky, G. (2018) Recent benthic foraminifers from the south Atlantic shelf of Argentina. Journal of Foraminiferal Research, 48 (3), 210–222.
https://doi.org/10.2113/gsjfr.48.3.210
Bernhard, J. (1986) Characteristic assemblages and morphologies of benthic foraminifera from anoxic, organic-rich deposits: Jurassic through Holocene. Journal of Foraminiferal Research, 16 (3), 207–215.
https://doi.org/10.2113/gsjfr.16.3.207
Bernhard, J., Sen Gupta, B. & Borne, P. (1997) Benthic foraminiferal proxy to estimate dysoxic bottom-water oxygen concentrations: Santa Barbara basin, U. S. Pacific continental margin. Journal of Foraminiferal Research, 27, 301–310.
https://doi.org/10.2113/gsjfr.27.4.301
Boltovskoy, E. (1954 a) Foraminíferos del Golfo San Jorge. Revista Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Naturales y Museo Argentino Bernardino Rivadavia, Ciencias Geológicas III, (3), 79–228.
Boltovskoy, E. (1954 b). Foraminíferos de la Bahía San Blas. Revista del Instituto Nacional de Investigaciónes de Ciencias Naturales y Museo Argentina Bernardino Rivadavia, 3, 247–300.
Boltovskoy, E. (1957) Foraminíferos del estuario del Río de La Plata y su zona de influencia. Revista del Instituto Nacional de Investigación de las Ciencias Naturales y Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia, 6 (1), 1–84. [B 1954A]
Boltovskoy, E. (1963) Foraminíferos y sus relaciones con el medio. Revista del Museo. Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia, Hidrobiología, 1 (2), 21–107.
Boltovskoy, E. (1966) Los Foraminíferos Recientes (Biología, métodos de estudio, aplicaciones oceanográficas). Eudeba, Buenos Aires, 510 pp.
Boltovskoy, E. (1976) Distribution of recent foraminifera of the South American region. In: Hedley, R.H. & Adams, C.G. (Eds.), Foraminifera. Vol. 2. Academic Press, London, pp. 171–236.
Boltovskoy, E. (1979) Paleoceanografia del Atlántico Sudoccidental desde el Mioceno, según estudios foraminiferológicos. Ameghiniana, 16, 357–389.
Boltovskoy, E. (1981) Masas de agua en el Atlántico Sudoccidental, in Atlas de Zooplancton del Atlántico Sudoccidental. INIDEP, Mar del Plata, 839 pp.
Boltovskoy, E. & Totah, V. (1985), Diversity, similarity and dominance in benthic foraminiferal fauna along one transect of the Argentine shelf. Revue de Micropaleontologie, 28 (1), 23–31.
Boltovskoy, E., Scott, D. & Medioli, F. (1991) Morphologic variations of benthic foraminiferal test in response to changes in ecological parameters: a review. Journal of Paleontology, 65 (2), 175–185.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022336000020394
Boltovskoy, E., Boltovskoy, D., Correa, D.N. & Brandini, F. (1996) Planktic foraminifera from the southwestern Atlantic (30º- 60º): species specific patterns in the upper 50 m. Marine Micropaleontology, 28, 53–72.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-8398(95)00076-3
Boltovskoy, E., Giussani, G., Watanabe, S. & Wright, R. (1980) Atlas of benthic shelf foraminifera to the southwest Atlantic. Dr. W. Junk bv Publishers, The Hague, 154 pp.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-9188-0
Brandt, D. (1989) Taphonomic grades as a classification for fossiliferous assemblages and implications for paleoecology. Palaios, 4 (4), 303–309.
https://doi.org/10.2307/3514554
Brock, G. (1999) Aplication of Foraminferida in earth sciences. Geoscience, 397 (4), 1–6.
Buzas, M.A. & Gibson, T.G. (1969) Species diversity: Benthonic Foraminifera in Western North Atlantic. Science, 163 (3862), 72–75.
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.163.3862.72
Calvo-Marcilese, L. & Langer, M. (2012) Ontongenetic morphogenesis and biogeographic patterns: Resolving taxonomic incongruences within “species” of Buccella from South American coastal waters. Revista Brasilera de Paleontología, 15, 23–32.
https://doi.org/10.4072/rbp.2012.1.02
Calvo-Marcilese, L. & Pratolongo, P. (2009) Foraminíferos de marismas y llanuras de marea del estuario de Bahía Blanca, Argentina: distribución e implicaciones ambientales. Revista Española de Micropaleontología, 41 (3), 315–332.
Caramés, A. & Malumián, N. (2000) Foraminíferos bentónicos del Cenozoico del pozo Estrella x-1, Cuenca del Colorado, plataforma continental Argentina: Ameghiniana, 37, 387–419.
https://doi.org/10.22179/REVMACN.1.131
Corliss, B.H. (1985) Microhabitats of benthic foraminifera within deep-sea sediments. Nature, 314, 435–438.
https://doi.org/10.1038/314435a0
Corliss, B.H. & Chen, C. (1988) Morphotype patterns of Norwegian Sea deep-sea benthic foraminifera and ecological implications. Geology, 16, 716–719.
https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1988) 016<0716:MPONSD>2.3.CO;2
Cortelezzi, C.R. & Mouzo, F.H. (1979) Estudio sedimentológico de testigos del Margen Continental Argentino sobre un perfil a los 40ª Lat. Sur. Sexto Congreso Geología Argentino, Buenos Aires, Actas, 11, 249–264.
Cushman, J.A. & Parker, F. (1931) Recent foraminifera from the Atlantic coast of South America. Proceeding of U. S. National Museum, 80 (3), 1–24.
https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.80-2903.1
Cusminsky, G., Martínez, D. & Bernasconi, E. (2006) Foraminíferos y ostrácodos de sedimentos recientes del estuario de Bahía Blanca, Argentina. Revista Española de Micropaleontología, 38 (2–3), 395–410.
Duleba, W., Debenay, J.P., Eichler, B.B. & De Mahiques, M.M. (1999) Holocene environmental and water circulation, changes: Foraminifer morphogroups evidence in Flamengo Bay (SP, Brazil). Journal of Coastal Research, 15 (2), 554–571.
Gary, A.C., Healy-Williams, N. & Ehrlich, R. (1989) Water-mass relationships and morphological variability in the benthic foraminifer Bolivina albatrossi Cushman, northern Gulf of Mexico. Journal of Foraminiferal Research, 19, 210–221.
https://doi.org/10.2113/gsjfr.19.3.210
Gelós, M.E. & Chaar, E. (1988) Estudio sedimentológico mineralógico de testigos de la plataforma continental Argentina entre los paralelos de 39º y 42º de latitud Sur. In: Segundas Jornadas Geológicas Bonaerenses. Actas, Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, p. 441–450.
Gelós, M.E. & Spagnuolo, J. (1992) Relación área de aporteambiente tectónico de las psamitas de la plataforma continental argentina entre los 39º y 43º de latitud sur y el golfo San Matías. Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina, 47, 141–146.
Gelós, E., Spagnuolo, J. & Schillizzi, R. (1988) Las unidades morfológicas de la costa norte del golfo San Matías y su evolución. Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina, 3, 315‒327.
Goldstein, S.T. (2002) Foraminifera: a biological review. In: Sen Gupta, B.K. (Ed.), Modern Foraminifera. 2nd Edition. Kluwer, Boston, Massachusetts, pp. 37–55.
https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48104-9_3
Guerrero, R. & Piola, A.R. (1997) Masas de agua en la Plataforma Continental. In: El Mar Argentino y sus recursos pesqueros, Contribución Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero—Inidep, Technical Report, 998, (1), 107–118.
Hayward, B., Grenfell, H., Cairns, G. & Smith, A. (1996) Environmental controls on benthic foraminiferal and thecamoebian associations in a New Zealand tidal inlet. Journal of Foraminiferal Research, 26, 150–171.
https://doi.org/10.2113/gsjfr.26.2.150
Hayward, B., Neil, H., Carter, R., Grenfell, H. & Hayward, J. (2002) Factors influencing the distribution patterns of recent sea benthic foraminifera, east of New Zealand, Southwest Pacific Ocean. Marine Micropaleontology, 46, 139–176.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-8398(02)00047-6
Heron-Allen, E. & Earland, A. (1932) Foraminifera: Part 1. In: The ice free area of the Falkland Island and adjacent seas. Discovery Republic, 4, pp. 291–460.
Kahn, G. & Watanabe, S. (1980) Foraminíferos bentónicos como indicadores de la corriente de Malvinas. Revista Española de Micropaleontología, 12, 169–177.
Kaiho, K. (1994) Benthic foraminiferal dissolved-oxygen index and dissolved-oxygen levels in the modern ocean. Geology, 22, 719–722.
https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1994)022%3C0719:BFDOIA%3E2.3.CO;2
Kaiho, K. (1999) Effect of organic carbon flux and dissolved oxygen on the benthic foraminiferal oxygen index (BFOI). Marine Micropaleontology, 37, 67–76.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-8398(99)00008-0
Laprida, C. & Bertels-Psotka, A. (2003) Benthic foraminifers and paleoecology of a Holocene Shelly concentration, Salado Basin, Argentina. Geobios, 36, 559–572.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-6995(03)00061-5
Laprida, C., García-Chapori, N., Violante, R. & Compagnucci, R. (2007) Mid-Holocene evolution and paleoenvironments of the shoreface-offshore transition, northeastern Argentina: New evidence based on benthic microfauna. Marine Geology, 240, 43–56.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2007.02.001
Laprida, C., Chandler, D.D.E., Mercau, J.R., Alvaro López, R. & Marcomini, S. (2011) Modern foraminifera from coastal settings in northern Argentina: implications for the paleoenvironmental interpretation of Mid Holocene littoral deposits. Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas, 28 (1), 45–64.
Loeblich, A.R. & Tappan, H. (1992) Present status of foraminiferal classification, in Studies in Benthic Foraminifera. In: Takayanagi, Y. & Saito, T. (Eds.), Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposiumon Benthic Foraminifera: Sendai, 1990 (Benthos ‘90). Tokai University Press, Tokyo, pp. 93–102.
Martos, P. & Píccolo, M.C. (1988) Hydrography of the Argentine continental shelf between 38º and 42º S. Continental Shelf Research, 8, 1043–1056.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-4343(88)90038-6
Martos, P., Reta, R. & Guerrero, R.A. (2004) El ambiente físico de las costas marplatenses: su clima y sus aguas. In: Boschi, E.E. & Cousseoau, M.B. (Eds.), La vida entre mareas: vegetales y animales de las costas de Mar del Plata, Argentina, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero-Inidep, Technical report, pp. 29‒42.
Mouzo, F. (1982) Geología Marítima y Fluvial. In: Cuántica, S.A. (Ed.), Historia marítima Argentina, Buenos Aires, 1, pp. 47–117.
Mouzo, F., Garza, M., Izquierdo, J. & Zibecchi, R. (1974) Contribución al conocimiento del substrato en un sector de la plataforma continental Argentina entre Mar del Plata y Bahía Blanca. Tercera Reunión Argentina de Ecología—Simposio. Evolución de la Plataforma continental y Regiones Costeras Durante el Pleistoceno—Holoceno, La Plata, Abstracts, 12, 1‒19.
Murray, J.W. (1991) Ecology and palaeoecology of benthic foraminifera. Logman Scientific & Technical, London, 397 pp.
Murray, J.W. (2006) Ecology and Palaeoecology of Benthic Foraminifera. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 426 pp.
Náñez, C. & Malumián, N. (2008) Foraminiferida. In: Camacho, H. (Ed.), Los Invertebrados Fósiles. Universidad Maimónides, Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara, Buenos Aires, pp. 65–100.
d´Orbigny, A. (1839) s.n. Voyage dans l’Amerique meridionale Foraminifers, 5, 1–86.
Ponce, F., Rabassa, J., Coronato, A. & Borromei, A.M. (2011) Palaeogeographical evolution of the Atlantic coast of Pampa and Patagonia from the last glacial maximum to the Middle: Holocene. Biological Journal of the Linnean, 103, 363–379.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01653.x
Sen Gupta, B.K. (1999) Systematics of modern Foraminifera. In: Sen Gupta, B.K. (Ed.), Modern Foraminifera. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp. 1–371.
https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48104-9_2
Sen Gupta, B.K. & Machain-Castillo, M.L. (1993) Benthic foraminifera in oxygen-poor hábitats. Marine Micropaleontology, 20, 183–201.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-8398(93)90032-S
Smart, C.W. (2002) Environmental applications of deep-sea benthic foraminifera. In: Haslett, S.K. (Ed.), Quaternary environmental micropalaeontology. Arnold Publishers, Londres, pp. 14–58.
Schmiedl, G., Mackensen, A. & Müller, P.J. (1997) Recent benthic foraminifera from the eastern South Atlantic Ocean: dependence on food supply and water masses. Marine Micropaleontology, 32 (3–4), 249–287.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-8398(97)00023-6
Sen Gupta, B.K. & Machain-Castillo, M.L. (1993) Benthic foraminifera in oxygen-poor habitats. Marine Micropaleontology, 20, 183–201.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-8398(93)90032-S
Ter Braak, C.J. & Smilauer, P. (1998) Canoco reference manual and user´s guide to Canoco for windows: Software for canonical community ordination. Microcomputer Power, Ithaca, New York, 352 pp.
Usera, J. & Blázquez, A. (1997) Influencia del substrato en la distribución de los foraminíferos bentónicos de la plataforma continental interna entre Valencia y Alicante (España). Revista Española de Microplaeontología, 29, 85‒104.
Wright, R. (1968) Miliolidae (Foraminíferos) recientes del Río Quequén Grande. Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales. Hidrobiología, 2 (7), 225–256.
Yanko, V., Arnold, A. & Parker, W.C. (2002) Effects of marine pollution on benthic foraminifera. In: Sen Gupta, B.K (Ed.), Modern Foraminifera. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 371 pp.