Pulsating Patches History and Analyses of Spatial, Seasonal, and Yearly Distribution of Living Benthic Foraminifera

Buzas, Martin A.; Hayek, Lee‐Ann C.; Jett, J. A.; Reed, Sherry A.

doi:10.5479/si.19436688.97

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 36 publications

(87 reference statements)

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“…In general, spatial and seasonal variabilities are due to the interaction between fauna, reproduction strategy, predation and food sources (Hayward et al ., 2011; Scott et al ., 2011; Buzas et al ., 2015). In this study, numerous burrows found in the sediments (especially in lower to middle zones) indicated that there was intense bioturbation by macrofauna such as fiddler crabs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intertidal zonation of live benthic foraminiferal assemblages from mangrove environments around south-west Penang Island, Peninsular Malaysia

et al. 2023

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Studies on benthic foraminifera were conducted in the mangrove forests of Teluk Tempoyak, Pulau Betong and Kuala Sungai Pinang, Penang Island, Peninsular Malaysia to examine species composition and distribution patterns in different intertidal zones. Twenty-eight live benthic foraminiferal species were successfully identified at the study locations, predominantly species with agglutinated tests. Assemblages in Pulau Betong and Teluk Tempoyak were dominated by similar species such as Ammonia aoteana, Elphidium hispidulum, Elphidium neosimplex and Trochammina inflata, while Kuala Sungai Pinang comprises a high number of Trochammina inflata and Arenoparrella mexicana. Three species, Aubignyna perlucida, Elphidium neosimplex and Elphidium sandiegoense, were recorded for the first time in Malaysian mangrove forests. Principal component analysis showed that sediment type and organic matter content were the dominant parameters that explained the variation of environmental gradient. Canonical correspondence analysis of these parameters with benthic foraminiferal species indicated that sand particles influenced distribution of the hyaline tests. Species with agglutinated tests were abundant in sediment with rich organic matter in combination with high silt and clay content. Species with hyaline tests dominated lower intertidal zones, while those with agglutinated tests inhabited the area from the middle to upper intertidal zones. This distribution pattern of benthic foraminiferal species mirrored patterns found at other local and global mangrove locations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intertidal zonation of live benthic foraminiferal assemblages from mangrove environments around south-west Penang Island, Peninsular Malaysia

et al. 2023

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“…Ecological studies of benthic foraminifera attempt to describe the main factors controlling foraminiferal communities, as well as their variability on different spatial and temporal scales (Buzas et al, 2015). The best described pattern concerns the spatial variability of their vertical distribution in open marine environments, on a 100 km scale.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…But other parameters, such as grain size, pH or organic carbon lability, could also have a significant impact. Estuarine foraminiferal faunas seem to show substantial patchiness at the metre scale at the sediment surface (Buzas, 1970;Hohenegger et al, 1989;Buzas et al, 2002Buzas et al, , 2015. At the decimetre scale, the rare studies performed on intertidal mudflats highlight that grain size and topography could be important controls (Lynts, 1966;.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These three studies show that foraminiferal densities present a patchy distribution. Buzas (1968) hypothesized that this could be due to individual reproduction, leading to very localized and intermittent density maxima, socalled "pulsating patches" (Buzas et al, 2015). Another field approach, at the centimetre scale, is to sample around inhabited burrows, using a non-regular sampling scale, by defining position, size and shape of each sample according to the burrow geometry.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Two-dimensional distribution of living benthic foraminifera in anoxic sediment layers of an estuarine mudflat (Loire estuary, France)

et al. 2015

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Abstract. We present a new rapid and accurate protocol to simultaneously sample benthic living foraminifera in two dimensions in a centimetre-scale vertical grid and dissolved iron and phosphorus in two dimensions at high resolution (200 μm). Such an approach appears crucial for the study of foraminiferal ecology in highly dynamic and heterogeneous sedimentary systems, where dissolved iron shows a strong variability at the centimetre scale. On the studied intertidal mudflat of the Loire estuary, foraminiferal faunas are dominated by Ammonia tepida, which accounts for 92 % of the living (CellTracker Green(CTG)-labelled) assemblage. The vertical distribution shows a maximum density in the oxygenated 0–0.4 cm surface layer. A sharp decrease is observed in the next 2 cm, followed by a second, well-defined maximum in the suboxic sediment layer (3–8 cm depth). The presented method yields new information concerning the 2-D distribution of living A. tepida in suboxic layers. First, the identification of recent burrows by visual observation of the sediment cross section and the burrowing activity as deduced from the dissolved iron spatial distribution show no direct relation to the distribution of A. tepida at the centimetre scale. This lack of relation appears contradictory to previous studies (Aller and Aller, 1986; Berkeley et al., 2007). Next, the heterogeneity of A. tepida in the 3–8 cm depth layer was quantified by means of Moran's index to identify the scale of parameters controlling the A. tepida distribution. The results reveal horizontal patches with a characteristic length of 1–2 cm. These patches correspond to areas enriched in dissolved iron likely generated by anaerobic degradation of labile organic matter. These results suggest that the routine application of our new sampling strategy could yield important new insights about foraminiferal life strategies, improving our understanding of the role of these organisms in coastal marine ecosystems.

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“…It is now known that benthic foraminifera show small-scale patchiness in their distribution so, ideally, replicate samples should be taken to assess these patterns (Gooday 2003). These patches vary though time and have been termed 'pulsating patches' (Buzas et al 2015). In addition, there is seasonal variation in input of POC to the seafloor even in the deep sea (Gooday 1988(Gooday , 2003 and this seasonality affects the size of the standing crop (see review by Jorissen et al 2007).…”

Section: Limitations Of the Foraminiferal Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Controls on the standing crop of benthic foraminifera at an oceanic scale

Jones¹,

Murray²

2017

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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At present, there is very little basin-scale information on patterns of standing crop in marine organisms or their structuring forces. Understanding modern patterns and controls on foraminifera is particularly critical because of their abundance and importance in benthic systems, as well as their role as palaeoceanographic proxies. Here, we examine for the first time basin-scale patterns and predictors of benthic foraminiferal standing crop from the shelf to abyssal deep sea in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas using a large database of 967 quantitative samples. Spatial regression analyses reveal that the flux of particulate organic matter is a major control on standing crop size across all depths investigated, with increasing food supply increasing fora mi ni feral standing crops. Other factors also play a role. Dissolved oxygen is significant at slope depths and negatively related to standing crop. Temperature and possibly salinity are locally significant factors in the abyss. This study demonstrates that productivity is important in describing foraminiferal standing crop at the basin scale, supporting its use as a palaeoceanographic proxy, but also demonstrates that other environmental variables are also likely important in controlling the standing crop and should be considered in reconstruction of Earth's past marine environment.

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Pulsating Patches History and Analyses of Spatial, Seasonal, and Yearly Distribution of Living Benthic Foraminifera

Cited by 13 publications

References 36 publications

Intertidal zonation of live benthic foraminiferal assemblages from mangrove environments around south-west Penang Island, Peninsular Malaysia

Intertidal zonation of live benthic foraminiferal assemblages from mangrove environments around south-west Penang Island, Peninsular Malaysia

Two-dimensional distribution of living benthic foraminifera in anoxic sediment layers of an estuarine mudflat (Loire estuary, France)

Controls on the standing crop of benthic foraminifera at an oceanic scale

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