Study of recent foraminifers from Argentinean Continental Shelf (40º 30´ - 42ºS): ecological and environmental implications

BERNASCONI EMILIANA

Camboriu Santa Catarina

Congreso; 17º Congresso Latino-Americano de Ciências do Mar ? COLACMAR´2017; 2017

Alicmar

The foraminifers are single celled microorganisms belong to the Foraminifera Class. Their wide geographic distribution makes them very useful form environmental characterization. Their abundance and distribution are controlled by different parameters such as temperature, depth, salinity, dissolved oxygen and sediment type, among others. The aim of this study was to analyze the foraminiferal associations in recent sediments from a sector of Argentina?s continental shelf. The study area is located to south of Buenos Aires province and includes the inner and external zones of the San Matías gulf. Twelve samples of recent sediments were analyzed along a transect that includes stations from the internal zone to the external zone of the San Matías Gulf. All foraminifers were benthic represented manly by hyaline individuals. Forty species were identified. The distribution of foraminifer?s fauna and quantitative analysis described different environment from normal marine to marginal marine conditions and show signs of high energy.This study allowed distinguishes associations of foraminfers directly related with different parameters. The analysis showed that the type of sediment was the parameter with the greatest influence on determining environments. 3 zones were established: Zone I, characterized by deep and clayey; zone II, characterized by sandy sediments, zone III, characterized by sediments with higher gravel content.