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Foraminifera in the Sedimentary Record as Proxies of Climate Change,...
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Foraminifera in the Sedimentary Record as Proxies of Climate Change, Environmental Stress and Anthropogenic Impact

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Geological Oceanography".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 10985

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Anna Sabbatini

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Guest Editor
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell’Ambiente—DISVA, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
Interests: foraminifera; ecology; biocalcification; anthropogenic sedimentary record; emerging pollutants; polar biodiversity; paleoenvironmental reconstructions; actuopalentology; conservation paleobiology
Prof. Dr. Annachiara Bartolini

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Center for Research on Palaeontology, Muséum Nation d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
Interests: foraminifera; biocalcification; climatic proxies; environmental stress; palaeoenvironmental crises
Dr. Fabrizio Frontalini

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Professore Associato, Dipartimento di Scienze Pure e Applicate (DiSPeA), Università degli Studi di Urbino "Carlo Bo", 61029 Urbino, Italy
Interests: recent benthic foraminifera; bioindicators; biomonitoring; marine pollution; emerging pollutants; environmental micropaleontology; paleoenvironmental reconstructions; ecological quality status; molecular ecology; biotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Marine ecosystems have been progressively affected by new threats such as extreme weather events, ocean acidification, eutrophication, and anthropogenic contaminants due to global warming. Planktonic and benthic Foraminifera play a key role in reconstructing climatic and paleoceanographic changes through sedimentary record; on the other hand, the use of Foraminifera in environmental studies suggests their importance as valuable sentinel species in monitoring human activities. This Special Issue aims to share current knowledge on the effects of climate change and human activities (e.g., anthropogenic impacts and emerging pollutants) including the identification of a wide spectrum of methodological approaches (paleoenvironmental, geochemical, environmental and experimental ones) on Foraminifera at a biological, community, and ecosystem level. Paleoceanographic and paleoenvironmental research in the context of global change is facing rapid challenges, and the application of new technologies and new indicators will refine the accuracy of the use of Foraminifera for studies that address climate change. 
This Special Issue encourages contributions describing the use of Foraminifera to face climate change and anthropogenic impacts. We also support papers outlining new technologies and their application for addressing modern issues such as climate change, global warming, marine pollution, and biodiversity.
The Special Issue strongly encourages contributions from young researchers with a multidisciplinary approach.

Dr. Anna Sabbatini
Prof. Dr. Annachiara Bartolini
Dr. Fabrizio Frontalini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • foraminifera
  • climate change 
  • paleoceanography 
  • paleoenvironment 
  • anthropogenic impact 
  • emerging pollutants

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 4192 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Calibration of Benthic Foraminifera Elemental Ratios from the Northeastern Atlantic
by Sophie Sepulcre, Marion Tribondeau, Franck Bassinot, Meryem Mojtahid, Maria-Pia Nardelli, Pierre-Antoine Dessandier and Jérôme Bonnin
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(5), 736; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12050736 - 28 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1262
Abstract
On six different species of benthic foraminifera covering various microhabitats and recovered from the Northern Atlantic Ocean, we tested the potential of the Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios as proxies for paleoceanography. We performed analysis using two instruments (ICP-OES and ICP-MS) and compared results [...] Read more.
On six different species of benthic foraminifera covering various microhabitats and recovered from the Northern Atlantic Ocean, we tested the potential of the Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios as proxies for paleoceanography. We performed analysis using two instruments (ICP-OES and ICP-MS) and compared results obtained from living and dead specimens. Our results are in good agreement with previous published calibrations for Hoeglundina elegans, Uvigerina mediterranea, U. peregrina, Melonis barleeanum, and Globobulimina spp. However, we observed a strong variability between living and dead specimens, and between both instrumental approaches. We discuss the impact of the cleaning procedure, as well as the natural variability between samples recovered at different depths inside the sediment. No specific trend can be deciphered from our dataset, but we observed that species from the Uvigerina genus presented the lowest external reproducibility and the best agreement between living and dead specimens. We highlight that both species should not be mixed for analysis, since U. mediterranea presents lower values and a reduced range of variability compared to U. peregrina. We explored the temperature and the Δ[CO32−] as potential controls on the variability of both ratios from U. peregrina and showed that neither of these two parameters can be discarded. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foraminifera in the Sedimentary Record as Proxies of Climate Change, Environmental Stress and Anthropogenic Impact)
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14 pages, 4030 KiB  
Article
Deciphering Paleoceanographic Shifts Inferred from the Foraminiferal Record of the Western Svalbard Slope (Bellsund Drift) over the Past Century
by Viviana M. Gamboa Sojo, Caterina Morigi, Leonardo Langone and Renata G. Lucchi
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(4), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12040559 - 27 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1307
Abstract
The objective of this study was to reconstruct the last century’s climatic oscillations in the Arctic region around the Fram Strait using high-resolution analysis of foraminiferal assemblages as proxies for surface and deep-water mass properties. In this area, warm Atlantic water masses are [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to reconstruct the last century’s climatic oscillations in the Arctic region around the Fram Strait using high-resolution analysis of foraminiferal assemblages as proxies for surface and deep-water mass properties. In this area, warm Atlantic water masses are advected to the Arctic Ocean through the West Spitsbergen Current, representing the northernmost tip of the Global Thermohaline Circulation. The interaction between the cold Arctic and the warm Atlantic water masses significantly influences the entire foraminiferal community. Planktic species such as Neogloboquadrina pachyderma and Turborotalita quinqueloba are respectively used as indicators of cold Arctic water and warm Atlantic water masses. Among the main benthic species, Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi, Epistominella exigua, and Oridorsalis tener stand out, serving as proxies for the bottom water mass current velocity and paleoproductivity. The paleoenvironmental reconstruction obtained with the foraminiferal assemblages, together with data from satellite monitoring of the sea ice extent and the long-term record of the annual temperature of the West Spitsbergen Current measured over the last 50 years, support the evidence of a progressively rising heat influx into the Arctic Ocean due to an increasing Atlantic water inflow, forcing the consequent decay of the sea ice extent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foraminifera in the Sedimentary Record as Proxies of Climate Change, Environmental Stress and Anthropogenic Impact)
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13 pages, 1714 KiB  
Article
Benthic Foraminifera as Proxies of Paleoenvironmental Changes in the Sant’Elia-Foxi Canyon (Gulf of Cagliari, Italy, Western Tyrrhenian Sea)
by Carla Cristallo, Carla Buosi, Fabio Francescangeli, Vincent M. P. Bouchet, Antonio Schirone, Stella Tamburrino and Fabrizio Frontalini
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(1), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12010030 - 22 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1065
Abstract
Marine coastal areas are highly dynamic and fragile environments characterised by a complex interplay of biological, physical, and chemical factors. These areas are also affected by anthropogenic activities with the discharge of organic and inorganic contaminants that alters the quality of the environment. [...] Read more.
Marine coastal areas are highly dynamic and fragile environments characterised by a complex interplay of biological, physical, and chemical factors. These areas are also affected by anthropogenic activities with the discharge of organic and inorganic contaminants that alters the quality of the environment. In this work, the effects of anthropogenic activities (i.e., urban and industrial development) on benthic foraminifera have been investigated along the A2TM core collected from the Sant’Elia-Foxi Canyon (Gulf of Cagliari, Sardinia—western Tyrrhenian Sea). The Gulf of Cagliari has experienced intense urbanisation since the beginning of the twentieth century with the establishment of petrochemical complexes and harbour activities. The A2TM core, dating from 1907 to 2013, was analysed with an integrated approach that includes grain size, organic matter, and benthic foraminifera characterisation compared with geochemical characterisation. The variations in the composition of the benthic foraminiferal assemblages and the Margalef diversity index are related to the altered environmental conditions that reflect the historical development of the area and to the land-based activities surrounding the Gulf of Cagliari. The statistical analysis identifies two main intervals (i.e., the years 1907–1986 and 1986–2013) that are typified by different benthic foraminiferal assemblages and diversity values. Accordingly, the increases in organic matter content and both organic and inorganic contaminants are well mirrored by a major drop in foraminiferal diversity after 1973 and a major foraminiferal turnover after 1989. The composition of the benthic foraminiferal assemblages in the uppermost part of the core (i.e., 1989–2013) might suggest a lowering of the oxygen availability at the seafloor. These changes might be related to the increase in organic matter and the silty fraction in the same interval likely triggered by damming on land and wetland reclamation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foraminifera in the Sedimentary Record as Proxies of Climate Change, Environmental Stress and Anthropogenic Impact)
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22 pages, 8294 KiB  
Article
Distribution of Living Benthic Foraminifera in the Baffin Bay and Nares Strait in the Summer and Fall Periods: Relation with Environmental Parameters
by Calypso Racine, Jérôme Bonnin, Pierre-Antoine Dessandier and Jacques Giraudeau
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(11), 2049; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11112049 - 26 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1626
Abstract
Arctic climate warming leads to drastic changes in sea ice dynamics, hence impacting primary productivity but also the benthic communities. Therefore, to assess the response of living benthic foraminifera to contrasting Arctic environments, surface sediments from nine stations were collected during the summer [...] Read more.
Arctic climate warming leads to drastic changes in sea ice dynamics, hence impacting primary productivity but also the benthic communities. Therefore, to assess the response of living benthic foraminifera to contrasting Arctic environments, surface sediments from nine stations were collected during the summer of 2014 and fall of 2015 in the Baffin Bay and Nares Strait. Living standing stock are systematically low in the eastern and western Baffin Bay and much higher in the North Water Polynya and the Kane Basin located at the entrance and in the center of Nares Strait, respectively. High living benthic foraminiferal densities in the NOW reflect higher TOC while the highest density in the Kane Basin coincides with lower TOC but higher C/N and higher δ13Corg. The contribution of agglutinated species is on average very high for the whole study area and dominated by the species Adercotryma glomeratum, Lagenammina arenulata, and Reophax scorpiurus. Calcareous species, dominated by Nonionellina labradorica and Melonis barleeanus, are more abundant in the North Water Polynya and the Kane Basin. The very high living standing stock observed in the Kane Basin might be related to the northern position of the ice arch that summer during 2014 and therefore a particularly scarce sea ice cover might have allowed massive phytoplankton production during that season. In this study, the distribution of living benthic foraminifera is discussed according to several environmental parameters such as water masses, phytoplankton productivity, and organic matter fluxes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foraminifera in the Sedimentary Record as Proxies of Climate Change, Environmental Stress and Anthropogenic Impact)
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41 pages, 16079 KiB  
Article
An Integrative Taxonomic Survey of Benthic Foraminiferal Species (Protista, Rhizaria) from the Eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone
by Oceanne E. Himmighofen, Maria Holzmann, Inés Barrenechea-Angeles, Jan Pawlowski and Andrew J. Gooday
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(11), 2038; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11112038 - 24 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2017
Abstract
The abyssal Pacific Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ) hosts vast, commercially valuable seafloor deposits of polymetallic nodules. Foraminifera (testate protists) dominate benthic communities in this region. Here, we present a taxonomic survey, combining morphological and genetic data and focussing on mainly meiofauna-sized Foraminifera from [...] Read more.
The abyssal Pacific Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ) hosts vast, commercially valuable seafloor deposits of polymetallic nodules. Foraminifera (testate protists) dominate benthic communities in this region. Here, we present a taxonomic survey, combining morphological and genetic data and focussing on mainly meiofauna-sized Foraminifera from the eastern CCZ. Sequences obtained from >100 specimens, the majority photographically documented, were analysed phylogenetically. Most were single-chambered Monothalamea (‘monothalamids’), a high percentage of them squatters inhabiting empty tests of mainly multi-chambered Foraminifera. The first sequences for the monothalamid genus Storthosphaera were obtained, while specimens assigned to Gloiogullmia, Hippocrepinella and Vanhoeffenella yielded new sequences. Among multichambered taxa, high-throughput Illumina sequencing (HTS) revealed a second haplotype of the calcareous rotaliid Oridorsalis umbonatus, possibly representing a distinct species. Additional HTS sequences were obtained from the rotaliids Nuttallides umbonifer and Globocassidulina subglobosa, confirming their wide distributions. We also obtained the first sequences for Cribrostomoides subglobosa, showing that it branches separately from other members of this genus. The fact that many sequences did not correspond to known morphospecies reflects the scarcity of reference barcodes for deep-sea Foraminifera, particularly the poorly known but highly diverse monothalamids. We recommend using HTS of single specimens to reveal further unknown species. Despite extensive research, much remains to be learnt about the true scale of foraminiferal biodiversity in the CCZ. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foraminifera in the Sedimentary Record as Proxies of Climate Change, Environmental Stress and Anthropogenic Impact)
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22 pages, 3502 KiB  
Article
Response of Foraminifera to Anthropogenic Nicotine Pollution of Cigarette Butts: An Experimental Approach
by Anna Sabbatini, Francesca Caridi, Giovanni Birarda, Elisa Costanzi, Adolfo Amici, Giovanna Mobbili, Carla Buosi, Giovanni De Giudici, Daniela Medas and Alessandra Negri
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(10), 1951; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11101951 - 10 Oct 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1887
Abstract
The most often dispersed environmental pollutants that are released both directly and indirectly into the environment that may eventually reach aquatic ecosystems and contaminate aquatic biomes are cigarette butts (CBs). Toxicants such as nicotine, dangerous metals, total particulate matter, and recognized carcinogens can [...] Read more.
The most often dispersed environmental pollutants that are released both directly and indirectly into the environment that may eventually reach aquatic ecosystems and contaminate aquatic biomes are cigarette butts (CBs). Toxicants such as nicotine, dangerous metals, total particulate matter, and recognized carcinogens can be introduced and transported via CBs into aquatic ecosystems. The examination of the effects of synthetic nicotine on three different species of cultured benthic foraminifera was the focus of this study. Three foraminiferal species from three distinct biomineralization pathways were specifically examined for viability and cellular ultrastructure, including the calcareous perforate Rosalina globularis, the calcareous imperforate Quinqueloculina spp., and the agglutinated Textularia agglutinans. The survival rate, cellular stress, and decalcification were used to assess the toxicological effects of synthetic nicotine. We were able to analyze the reaction of major macromolecules and calcium carbonate to this pollutant using FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopy. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) study was performed to increase our understanding of nicotine bioavailability in the medium culture. Different acute experiments were performed at different dates, and all indicated that synthetic nicotine is acutely hazardous to all three cultured foraminiferal taxa at lethal and sublethal concentrations. Each species responded differently depending on the type of shell biomineralization. Synthetic nicotine enhances shell decalcification and affects the composition of cytoplasmic macromolecules such as lipids and proteins, according to the FTIR spectroscopy investigations. The lipid content rose at lethal concentrations, possibly due to the creation of vesicles. The proteins signal evidences general cellular dyshomeostasis. The integration among the acute toxicity assay, synchrotron, and chemical HPLC analyses provided a valuable approach for the assessment of nicotine as a biomarker of exposure to the toxicants associated with smoking and the impact of this emerging and hazardous material on calcifying marine species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Foraminifera in the Sedimentary Record as Proxies of Climate Change, Environmental Stress and Anthropogenic Impact)
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