Living benthic foraminifera of the Florida-Hatteras slope: Distribution trends and anomalies

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 1982 Living benthic foraminifera of the Florida-Hatteras slope: Distribution trends and anomalies BARUN K. SEN GUPTA; BARUN K. SEN GUPTA 1Department of Geology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar DONALD P. STRICKERT DONALD P. STRICKERT 2Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, Texas 75222 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information BARUN K. SEN GUPTA 1Department of Geology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 DONALD P. STRICKERT 2Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, Texas 75222 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1982) 93 (3): 218–224. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1982)93<218:LBFOTF>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation BARUN K. SEN GUPTA, DONALD P. STRICKERT; Living benthic foraminifera of the Florida-Hatteras slope: Distribution trends and anomalies. GSA Bulletin 1982;; 93 (3): 218–224. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1982)93<218:LBFOTF>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The main part of the Florida-Hatteras slope and adjacent shelf edge, between the latitudes of Cape Fear and Daytona Beach, is strongly affected by the movements of the Gulf Stream. The area is nutrient-rich and supports a large assemblage of benthic foraminifera, of which 165 species were found living in samples collected in 4 seasons of 1977. The only major biotope boundary, recognized on the basis of aspects of diversity, dominance, and assemblage composition, coincides approximately with the 100-m isobath; no promounced latitudinal changes can be identified. The shallower biotope (shelf edge and upper slope) is characterized by Shannon-Wiener diversity values (H̄) of >2 and dominance of Planulina exorna, the deeper biotope (middle and lower slopes) by H̄ of < 2 and dominance of Bolivina lowmani. The abundance of another common species, Cassidulina subglobosa, shows a conspicuous increase on part of the shelf edge and on the upper and middle slopes, down to a depth of about 300 m. An impoverished fauna, dominated by Anomalina semipunctata, may be associated with a deep-water coral bank. Cluster analysis does not indicate any significant shift of the major biotope boundary during the year. Anomalously high foraminiferal densities, with a mean value of >3000/3-ml, on a small part of the upper slope off Daytona Beach are related to the effects of periodic upwelling. The substrate here has a high clay-silt, organic carbon, and hydrocarbon content. Bolivina subaenariensis, a rare species elsewhere, is locally abundant and is a dominant species in the foraminiferal biota. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.