The analyses of benthonic foraminifera in surface sediments for two-years (Oct. 2007-August 2009) and cores from Halifax Harbour (HH) were essential for short-term monitoring, and reference environment reconstruction for the remediation that started in 2008. The distribution of foraminifera in the surface sediments indicates a lateral environmental variation and positive correlation to the pollution rate in HH as the environmental purity increases seawards. The treated area, Inner Harbour, recorded a rapid environmental recovery during treatment period (2008), and reverted to its former characteristics after treatment stopped (early 2009). This recovery represented by an increase in both diversity (from <12 to >20 species) and abundance (from 120–880 to 1350-1750 individuals). Additionally, the assemblage during that period witnessed a decrease in opportunistic species (<50%), shell deformities (<11%), and inner linings (17%), and a significant increase in calcareous species. The assemblage in pre-impact environment, as inferred from cores, has a high diversity (>30 species) and abundance (>4000 individuals), a dominant calcareous record (>60%), and lower deformities (3-4%). The gradual environmental degradation due to organic enrichment in the harbour caused an increasing foraminiferal decimation to reach dramatic levels with the huge growth of Halifax city since late 1950s. This decimation led to dominance of opportunistic species (e.g., agglutinated forms such as Eggerella advena, and Reophax scottii), abundance of shell deformities, and complete absence of calcareous tests, leaving only their inner linings. Analysis of benthonic foraminifera in two cores from Sydney Harbour (SH) helped to compare contamination types in both areas (domestic in HH vs. industrial in SH). The domestic pollution in HH developed an agglutinated assemblage with low diversity, low abundance, and high ratios of inner linings. In SH the assemblage showed higher diversity (>22 species) and abundance (>4000 individuals), dominant calcareous record (>50%), and low inner linings (<10%) together with some species that had never been observed in such cold waters in Nova Scotia (Ammonia beccarii).

In 2005, box cores were collected throughout the Hudson Bay and Strait. A detailed micropaleontological data set has been generated from these cores for this study and is combined with geochemical and geochronological data to observe temporal and spatial oceanographic changes throughout the bay and strait. All of the cores show an increase in tintinnid species and agglutinated foraminifera, and coincident decreases in calcareous foraminifera in younger core sections. In general, these microfossil trends are correlated with higher organic matter content of the younger core sections. This results from a more extensive freshwater plume that causes lowered pH in the superficial sediments and conditions less favourable for the preservation of calcareous tests. Furthermore, with a 14C age constraint in one of the cores, the mid-Holocene depositional and paleoceanographic history is represented, and provides evidence of marine invasion by 7100 cal yrs BP.

The biostratigraphy and isotope stratigraphy of the upper Aptian to lower Cenomanian interval including oceanic anoxic events OAE1b, 1c and 1d are investigated in ODP Site 763, drilled on the Exmouth Plateau offshore northwest Australia. Benthic foraminifera suggest that Site 763 was situated in outer neritic to upper bathyal water depths (~150-600 m). OAEs of the Atlantic basin and Tethys are typically associated with organic carbon-rich black shales and δ13C excursions. However, OAEs at this high latitude site correlate with ocean acidification and/or pyrite formation under anoxic conditions rather than black shales. Ocean acidification maybe responsible for sporadic low abundances of planktic foraminifera compared to radiolarians and benthic foraminifera associated with increased volcanogenic CO2 production during the formation of the Southern and Central Kerguelen Plateaus. Sea surface temperature may have cooled to 11°C in the late Aptian but increased gradually during the Albian. The Aptian/Albian boundary is placed at a negative carbon isotope excursion associated with the lowest occurrence of Microhedbergella renilaevis, typically found within the Niveau Kilian black shale of OAE1b. Third-order sea level cycles, particularly in the middle Albian, produced cyclic changes in the abundance of inoceramid prisms that increased during inferred times of falling sea level. The late Albian OAE1c and OAE1d coincide with horizons of intense pyritization and the absence of all biocomponents suggesting the development of euxinia. Warm Tethyan waters reached the Exmouth Plateau during the latest Albian based on the presence of thermocline dwelling keeled planktic foraminifera including Planomalina buxtorfi.