Distribution and ecology of benthic foraminifera in McMurdo sound, antarctica

Benthic foraminifera from Pine Island and Ferrero bays, Amundsen Sea

“…Higher similarity with the Ross Sea fauna was also noted among the 32 species used for statistical analyses, see Tables 3A and 4A, showing 55% and 64% of species shared between PIB on one side, and South Shetlands and Ross Sea, respectively, on the other. This closer relationship of foraminiferal assemblages from PIB with the Ross Sea maybe partly due to the fact that the studies from South Shetlands explored predominantly water−depths shal− lower than those from the recent study, while surveys from Ross Sea either reached greater water−depths (Ward 1984;Violanti 1996) or investigated assemblages from shallow−water depths but showing clear deep−water characteristics . Despite this bathymetric issue, it appears that the lower similarity of the PIB foraminifera with assemblages from South Shetlands may be a reality, as the latter is the warmest region of West Antarctica, significantly affected by strong cyclonic weather systems coming across the Drake Passage (King et al 2003).…”

“…Not much can be done about the earlier, but the latest may be addressed by analyzing only these studies with good illustrations, allowing verification of taxonomic assignments. Follow− ing this criterion, the assemblages from PIB are compared with foraminifera from Deception Island (Finger and Lipps 1981) and Admiralty Bay of King George Is− land Majewski et al 2007), both located within South Shetland Islands, as well as from McMurdo Sound (Ward 1984;Gooday et al 1996) and Terra Nova Bay (Violanti 1996) within Ross Sea.…”

“…More detailed studies have been carried out around the Antarctic Peninsula and in the Bellingshausen Sea (Ishman and Domack 1994), where foraminiferal assemblages related to CDW and Weddell Sea Transitional Water were recognized, as well as in the South Shetland Islands (Finger and Lipps 1981;Mayer 2000;Majewski et al 2007;Rodriguez et al 2010). Numerous studies on foraminiferal distribution and ecology have been also carried on in the Ross Sea area (Fillon 1974;Osterman and Kellogg 1979;Bernhard 1987;Ward et al 1987;Gooday et al 1996;Violanti 1996).…”

Aeolian sediment flux from sea ice into Southern McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

“…The samples were collected during various Victoria University expeditions and particle size data from these samples was generated via sieving at 0.5 phi intervals in the sand range and sedigraph or pipette analysis in the mud range (Ward, 1984;Macpherson, 1986). These data have been converted to microns and presented as size frequency curves and summary statistics to be comparable with the laser sizer data from our aeolian samples (Fig.…”

Molecular data reveal high taxonomic diversity of allogromiid Foraminifera in Explorers Cove (McMurdo Sound, Antarctica)

“…However, foraminiferal assemblages of Explorers Cove and adjacent McMurdo Sound deep water dier considerably in their species composition (Ward et al 1987). The foraminiferal fauna from Explorers Cove resembles that found in deep sublittoral areas in the northern hemisphere (Gooday et al 1996).…”