Microfossils from loess of the Miaodao Islands, Bohai Sea

Abstract

Microfossils from the Malan Loess profiles, Miaodao Islands, have been quantitatively studied. The microfauna is composed mainly of benthic foraminifers together with a few planktonic foraminifers, ostracods, gastropods, bivalves and echinoid spines. With the exception of indigenous gastropods, benthic foraminifers, ostracods, bivalves and echinoid spines were transported from the north or northwest of the Bohai Sea in the glacial period by the prevailing winter monsoon, while planktonic foraminifers were probably driven from the Yellow Sea or even the northern East China Sea by southerly winds. The upward decrease of marine microfossil abundance and diversity in the Malan Loess profiles shows that the microfossil transportation occurred mainly at the beginning of the regression.