--> Abstract: Using Benthic Foraminifera to Understand Seagrass Abundance, Salinity and Sea Level Variation in Florida Bay, by Jie Cheng and Collins Laurel; #90078 (2008)
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Using Benthic Foraminifera to Understand Seagrass Abundance, Salinity and Sea Level Variation in Florida Bay

Jie Cheng and Collins Laurel
Florida Intl. Univ., Miami, FL

Benthic foraminifera are well known to be good Previous HitpaleoenvironmentalNext Hit indicators. In this study, they are used as a proxy to understand how seagrass abundance, salinity and sea level varied over the past two hundred years. The study area is Florida Bay, a shallow, triangular, subtropical bay located at the south end of the Florida peninsula and part of Everglades National Park. Currently, scientists are trying to restore the ecosystems of South Florida to the original state, but this should be guided by a complete understanding of the natural range of variability that exists within the ecosystem.

Eight cores with an average length of 2 m collected from four locations in Florida Bay (Bob Allen Bank, Ninemile Bank, Trout Cove and Russell Key) were examined to obtain Previous HitpaleoenvironmentalNext Hit data from the benthic foraminiferal assemblages. The dating methods used in this study are 210Pb for the last 100-150 years, and 14 C for older samples. Benthic foraminifera were picked and identified from the cores. Seagrass abundance data are analyzed with cluster Previous HitanalysisNext Hit, while principle component Previous HitanalysisTop is used to analyze the data for salinity variation and sea level fluctuation. The integration of these data addresses the long-term natural variability in the marine ecosystem of Florida Bay.

 

AAPG Search and Discover Article #90078©2008 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas