Study of benthic foraminifera in the Sicilian Channel and their applicability as bio-indicators

Benthic forams are often used as bioindicators of environmental stress and pollution, due to their sensitivity to environmental variations. This study aims to detect benthic foraminiferal assemblages in the Sicily Channel and to apply them as bio-indicators of marine environment. An Atlas of benthic forams of the Sicily Channel was created, accompanied by a taxonomical study which highlighted how morphometry could be a classification supporting tool. The study of living coastal assemblages of benthic forams has shown the strong influence of grain-size and TOC on species distribution, as well as the influence of trace elements on the presence of opportunistic taxa. To reconstruct past Cd concentrations and temperatures at bottom water, Cd and Mg in U. mediterranea tests were analyzed, showing considerably high values, probably due to a high concentration of Cd in the porewater, and to the possible presence of another factor (i.e. salinity) influencing the inclusion of Mg in forams tests.