Open Access
Subscription Access
Open Access
Subscription Access
Benthic foraminifera as Proxy for Oxygen-Depleted Conditions off the Central West Coast of India
Subscribe/Renew Journal
In order to study the response of benthic foraminifera, especially the rectilinear bi- and Tri-Serial benthic foraminifera (RBF) to oxygen-Depleted conditions from the Arabian Sea off central west coast of India, 103 surface sediment samples collected from a water depth of 15m to 3300m were studied for the benthic foramini feral content. A total of 383 recent benthic foraminiferal species were identified. Out of the total 383 benthic foraminiferal species identified in the study area, 65 species belong to 18 rectilinear bi- and tri-serial benthic foraminifer genera. The RBF abundance remains consistently high (>40%) between 90 m to ∼1200 m water depth. The intermediate depth zone of increased abundance of RBFs coincides with the prominent intermediate water oxygen minimum zone of the Arabian Sea (upper boundary ∼100 m and lower boundary ∼1000 to 1250 m). The other significant abundance (>40%) of rectilinear benthic foraminiferal forms is reported from the water depth range &#∼60 m with the maximum abundance reaching ˜78% at the water depth of 56 m. This zone has also been reported to be affected by seasonal severe Oxygen-Depleted conditions. Therefore, we propose that the increased abundance of RBF may be used as an indicator of Oxygen-Depleted conditions in the Arabian Sea. This benthic foraminiferal response to oxygen-depleted conditions, especially from the shallow water depths is significant as it can be applied to document the geologic extent of shallow water Oxygen-Depleted conditions that have been suggested as a consequence of spurt in the anthropogenic activities in the coastal regions.
Keywords
Oxygen Minima Zone, Rectilinear Benthic Foraminifera, Deep And Shallow Water OMZ, Central West Coast Of India.
Subscription
Login to verify subscription
User
Font Size
Information
Abstract Views: 211
PDF Views: 2