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Alegret, Ortiz & Kaminski (eds.), 2012. Ninth International Workshop on Agglutinated Foraminifera, Abstract Volume
A baseline survey of agglutinated benthic macro-foraminifera in the Barents Sea,
Norway
Lindsay WILSON 1 , Sabine COCHRANE 1 and E. BJØRNBOM 2
1 Akvaplan-niva AS, Framsenteret, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
2 Eni Norge AS, P.O. Box 101 Forus, NO-4064 Stavanger, Norway.
e-mail: lindsay.wilson@akvaplan.niva.no
Industrial benthos surveys of the Barents Sea have largely excluded recovery of macro-scale
foraminifera primarily due to the time consuming nature of the traditional methods of
analyses. However, evidence shows that large tests are very predominant within the
macrofauna at a number of established survey sites. This study aims to provide an overview
of agglutinated benthic foraminifera in an environmentally sensitive area of high biodiversity.
Large benthic foraminifera (>1 mm) tests, of predominantly agglutinated composition,
have been recovered from grab samples from sampling stations in the south western Barents
Sea. The diversity and species abundance of living (rose-bengal) stained specimens are
determined to obtain a baseline survey for modern macrofauna activity.
The recovered agglutinated species consist predominantly of Hyperammina,
Rhabdammina, Saccorhiza ramosa, Astrorhiza and Saccamina, with species dominance
varying between stations. Morphotype habitat preferences are subsequently under
investigation and recently obtained sedimentological data will provide additional information
to the existing knowledge of water mass properties.
The large tests provide surfaces for surrounding benthic foraminifera with sponge
spicules incorporated in many of the tests. Future work will expand on this to explore the
potential interactions and relationships with the surrounding fauna.
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