Foraminifera of oxygen-depleted environments

Abstract

In summary, certain benthic Foraminifera from various water depths inhabit oxygen-poor and even anoxic environments. It is established that at least some foraminiferal species survive anoxia and even sulfidic conditions for periods up to a few weeks, but the tolerance of most species to oxygen depletion is unknown. Furthermore, the physiological mechanisms enabling foraminiferal species to survive exposure to anoxia and/or sulfidic conditions are not yet identified. The available data suggest, however, that all Foraminifera are aerobic for at least part of their life, and, in all likelihood, some species are facultative anaerobes. Obligate anaerobes have not been identified among foraminiferal species. The information necessary to understand the diverse aspects of foraminiferal adaptation to oxygen-depleted environments must come from experimental studies. Only with such biological information, it will be possible to construct more accurate databases for use in other disciplines such as paleoecology and paleoceanography.