*4.2. Planktonic Foraminifera Distribution Pattern*

The qualitative analysis revealed 19 planktonic foraminiferal species lumped into 14 groups: *G. ruber* f. alba, *G. ruber* f. rosea, *G. sacculifer* group, *G. bulloides* group, *G. siphonifera* group, *G. scitula*, *G. truncatulinoides*, *G. inflata*, *O. universa*, *T. quinqueloba*, *G. glutinata*, *G. rubescens*, *N. pachyderma*, *N. dutertrei*. The down-core stratigraphic distributions of their relative abundance are shown in Figure 3.

From the bottom of the core up to 153 cm, the fauna is characterized by high relative abundances of the species *G. ruber* f. alba (22–34%), *N. pachyderma* (10–40%), *T. quinqueloba* (3–30%), and *G. bulloides* gr. (8–33%). Additional components of the fauna are *N. dutertrei*, *G. glutinata*, and *G. scitula*. After the 153 cm, an abrupt decline in Neogloboquadrinids and *T. quinqueloba* can be observed, while *G. bulloides* follows an opposite trend with relative abundance of 33%. From that point up to 127 cm *N. pachyderma* and *N. dutertrei* reach their maximum abundances (45% and 15% respectively), whereas *T. quinqueloba* is still present but with low percentages (up to 10%). The relative abundance of *G. bulloides* does not exceed 16% and *G. ruber* f. alba is also present but with equally low frequency (lower than 20%). Between 127 cm and 100 cm the fauna is characterized by the dominance of *G. bulloides*, *N. pachyderma*, *N. dutertrei*, *G. ruber* f. alba, *G. glutinata*, and *G. rubescens*. Additional components, with lower percentages, are the species *T. quinqueloba* and *G. inflata*. The interval between 100 cm and 41.5 cm is characterized by a shift in fauna. Most of the species dominating the previous interval are decreasing or becoming absent (*T. quinqueloba*, Neogloboquadrinids, *G. glutinata* and *G. inflata*). Prevailing species of this interval are *O. universa* (44%), *G. ruber* f. rosea (38%), *G. bulloides* gr. (27%), *G. siphonifera* gr. (20%), and *G. sacculifer* gr. (14%). In the final segment of the core, from 41.5 cm to the top, the sampling presents poor resolution, but certain significant changes can be observed. The *G. ruber* f. alba, *G. inflata* and *G. truncatulinoides* present a peak (57%, 31%, and 7% respectively) and the relative abundances of *G. ruber* f. rosea, *O. universa*, and *G. siphonifera* gr. are decreasing. *N. pachyderma*, *G. inflata*, and *G. glutinata* are re-appearing, but with low percentages.
