Relationship of surface sediments and benthic foraminiferal distribution patterns in the Norwegian Channel (northern North Sea)

Abstract

Our study of the distribution of benthic foraminifers in surface sediment samples from the Norwegian Channel has shown that eight species and five different assemblages are important. The assemblages are dominated by Uvigerina peregrina, Bolivina skagerrakensis, Cassidulina laevigata, Elphidium excavatum and Bulimina marginata, respectively. Hyalinea balthica, Melonis barleeanum and Trifarina angulosa are also abundant. The first four assemblages and their dominant species can be related to certain water masses with known characteristics. Two species are related to certain types of substrate; M. barleeanum seems to prefer a fine-grained substrate, while T. angulosa occurs most abundantly where the content of silt and clay is low. B. skagerrakensis and H. balthica occur most abundantly in sediments with a high content of organic carbon, while T. angulosa shows inverse correlation to the organic carbon content.