Utilization of foraminifers species as indicators of marine influence in Guanabara Bay, RJ, Brazil

Abstract

This paper deals with the characterization of Guanabara Bay region using benthic foraminifera assemblages as an attempt to establish marine sensitive indicator species. Four fixed hydrographic stations were performed in winter during neap tide to obtain stratification-circulation water parameters besides the twenty six surface sediment samples used to evaluate absolute and relative frequency of foraminiferal species. It was possible to correlate the foraminiferal species to physical parameters as salinity, temperature, intensity and direction of currents from different water masses and defined Cassidulina subglobosa and Discorbis spp as marine indicator species in the bay region.