Quantitative relationship between surface sedimentary diatoms and water depth in North-Central Bohai Bay, China

Abstract

To study the quantitative relationship between surface sedimentary diatoms and water depth, 67 surface samples were collected for diatom analysis on eight profiles with water depth variation from the muddy intertidal zone to the shallow sea area in North-Central Bohai Bay, China. The results showed that the distribution of diatoms changed significantly in response to the change in water depth. Furthermore, the quantitative relationship between the distribution of dominant diatom species, their assemblages, and the water depth was established. The water depth optima for seven dominant species such as Cyclotella striata/stylorum, Paralia sulcata, and Coscinodiscus perforatus and the water depth indication range of seven diatom assemblages were obtained in the study area above the water depth (elevation) of −10 m. The quantitative relationship between surface sedimentary diatoms and water depth provides a proxy index for diatom-paleo-water depth reconstruction in the strata in Bohai Bay, China.©2023 China Geology Editorial Office.