Utilizing benthic foraminifera to explore the environmental condition of the Laizhou Bay (Bohai Sea, China).

Through the analysis of benthic foraminifera in the soft bottom sediments of the Laizhou Bay - Yellow River Delta system, this study characterized the foraminiferal biotopes and explored the possibility of obtaining an index of ecological quality comparable with other estuarine and coastal environments of the world. Five foraminiferal biotopes have been identified and their distribution patterns highlight the ecological stress from the marine-fluvial water mixing and pollution. The foraminiferal species were analyzed as a function of organic carbon gradients, and the main species were assigned to four ecological groups based on their sensitivity/tolerance towards an increasing stress gradient.

Benthic foraminifera as proxies of pollution: The case of Guanabara Bay (Brazil).

Due to economic importance of Guanabara Bay, a multidisciplinary approach was adopted to investigate 88 surficial sediment samples in order to use the benthic foraminifera as indicators for the characterization of environmental variations. Grain-size analyses indicate that bottom sediments of the inner part of the bay are mainly muddy while those close to the entrance of the bay are sandy. Geochemical data show high concentration of heavy metals mainly in the northern region of the bay.