The present study aims to investigate the foraminiferal assemblages of the recent
samples in terms of abundance and diversity, to determine the bathymetrical and
the geographical distributions of the foraminiferal assemblages. This study
further intends to put forward the responses of foraminifers to environmental
factors (e.g. bathymetry, salinity, substrate, pollution, water currents, etc.) on the
distribution of foraminifers.
In this manner, foraminiferal fauna has been taxonomically identified and
quantitatively analyzed in the 34 grab samples distributed at depths from 18 m. to
190 m. collected from the Gulf of iskenderun. Counting 300 individuals from
each sample, the relative abundances of 151 benthic foraminiferal species
belonging to suborders of Rotaliina, Miliolina, Textulariina, Spirillinina and
Lagenina have been determined.
The relative abundances of samples are dominated by Ammonia tepida / Adelosina
cliarensis, Nonion sp.A, Textularia bocki, Reussella spinulosa, Cribroelphidium
poeyanum, Adelosina pulchella, Buccella granulata, Elphidium advenum and
Nonion depressulum that are also common in the western Mediterranean.
Furthermore, the Lessepsian migrants / Peneroplis pertusus, Septoloculina
angulata, Septloculina rotunda, Septoloculina tortuosa, Vertebralina striata and
Amphistegina lobifera are abundant in only southeastern part of the gulf.
Because of complex distribution scheme of benthic foraminifers, some statistical
analysis (Cluster Analysis, DCA and CCA) have been applied to relative
abundance (percentage) of the most abundant, ecologically important taxa in
order to visualize assemblages and their representative species. Two main
clusters, mainly controlled by CaCO3 and substrate, have been obtained. It is
recognized that the distribution of benthic foraminiferal assemblages are not
strongly depend on depth as it expected.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:METU/oai:etd.lib.metu.edu.tr:http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/3/12607725/index.pdf |
| Date | 01 August 2006 |
| Creators | Oflaz, Sabire Asli |
| Contributors | Altiner, Savinc Ozkan |
| Publisher | METU |
| Source Sets | Middle East Technical Univ. |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | M.S. Thesis |
| Format | text/pdf |
| Rights | To liberate the content for public access |
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