Unlocking foraminiferal genetic diversity on estuarine mudflats with eDNA metabarcoding.

Environmental biomonitoring is a prerequisite for efficient evaluation and remediation of ecosystem degradation due to anthropogenic pressure or climate change. Estuaries are key habitats subject to multiple anthropogenic and natural stressors. Due to these multiple stressors, the detection of anthropogenic pressure is challenging.

Scaling laws explain foraminiferal pore patterns.

Due to climate warming and increased anthropogenic impact, a decrease of ocean water oxygenation is expected in the near future, with major consequences for marine life. In this context, it is essential to develop reliable tools to assess past oxygen concentrations in the ocean, to better forecast these future changes. Recently, foraminiferal pore patterns have been proposed as a bottom water oxygenation proxy, but the parameters controlling foraminiferal pore patterns are still largely unknown.

Testing the applicability of a benthic foraminiferal-based transfer function for the reconstruction of paleowater depth changes in Rhodes (Greece) during the early Pleistocene.

We present paleo-water depth reconstructions for the Pefka E section deposited on the island of Rhodes (Greece) during the early Pleistocene. For these reconstructions, a transfer function (TF) using modern benthic foraminifera surface samples from the Adriatic and Western Mediterranean Seas has been developed. The TF model gives an overall predictive accuracy of ~50 m over a water depth range of ~1200 m.

Unexpected biotic resilience on the Japanese seafloor caused by the 2011 Tōhoku-Oki tsunami.

On March 11(th), 2011 the Mw 9.0 2011 Tōhoku-Oki earthquake resulted in a tsunami which caused major devastation in coastal areas. Along the Japanese NE coast, tsunami waves reached maximum run-ups of 40 m, and travelled kilometers inland.

Benthic foraminiferal biogeography: controls on global distribution patterns in deep-water settings.

Benthic foraminifera, shell-bearing protists, are familiar from geological studies. Although many species are well known, undescribed single-chambered forms are common in the deep sea. Coastal and sublittoral species often have restricted distributions, but wide ranges are more frequent among deep-water species, particularly at abyssal depths.

Comparison of benthic foraminifera and macrofaunal indicators of the impact of oil-based drill mud disposal.

We compare foraminifera and macrofauna as bio-indicators of oil-based drill mud disposal site off Congo. The most polluted sites are characterized by poor faunas, dominated by some very tolerant taxa. Slightly further from the disposal site, there is an area with strongly increased densities, heavily dominated by opportunistic taxa.

Widespread occurrence of nitrate storage and denitrification among Foraminifera and Gromiida.

Benthic foraminifers inhabit a wide range of aquatic environments including open marine, brackish, and freshwater environments. Here we show that several different and diverse foraminiferal groups (miliolids, rotaliids, textulariids) and Gromia, another taxon also belonging to Rhizaria, accumulate and respire nitrates through denitrification. The widespread occurrence among distantly related organisms suggests an ancient origin of the trait.