Environmental inferences based on benthic foraminifera in surface sediments from the Beagle Channel (Argentina): a multiproxy approach

BERNASCONI EMILIANA; CANDEL SOLEDAD; BORROMEI ANA

MARINE MICROPALEONTOLOGY

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2022

0377-8398

Micropaleontological analysis was performed on 22 samples of recent marinesediments from the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina) between 10 and 100m of depth. The most important foraminifera found in the channel were Cibicidoidesdispars (d´Orbigny), Buccella peruviana (d´Orbigny), Cibicides aknerianus (d´Orbigny),Cibicides fletcheri Galloway and Wissler, and Neoeponides bradyi (Le Calvez), whichinhabit in clayey?sandy marine sediments. The observed variations in diversity andabundance revealed shallow marine conditions, low-energy, and low to moderatesalinity, in the west sector and a deeper environment with normal marine conditions,high-energy, highly-oxygenated and cold seawater in the east sector of the channel.The study area is a complex scenario with numerous landforms that lead to theformation of micro-environments in which patchy distribution of foraminifera wasrecognized. This study based on foraminifera and the sedimentological analysissupports the previous palynological information from the channel, which also shows anincrease in number and diversity of dinocyst species reflecting the eastward changesof the marine environmental conditions due to the influence of the Atlantic.