Benthic foraminifera variability

In order to estimate paleoceanographic nutrient levels, and thereby explore links between nutrient variability, atmospheric CO2 and climate change, a range of nutrient proxies have been developed. The ratio of cadmium (Cd) to calcium (Ca) in benthic foraminifera has been used as a proxy for dissolved phosphate, based on the observation that dissolved cadmium and phosphate concentrations are linearly correlated in modern oceanic waters (Boyle, 1988). While the basis of the Cd PO4 relationship is not understood, from either a biochemical or geochemical standpoint (e.g., Cullen et al., 2003),... 

Gooday, A. J. RatHBURN, a. E. 1999. Temporal variability in living deep-sea benthic foraminifera. Earth Science Reviews, 46, 187-212. 

Licari, L. Mackensen, a. 2005. Benthic foraminifera off West Africa (1°N to 32°S) do live assemblages from the topmost sediment reliably record environmental variability Marine Micropaleontology, 55, 205-233. 

Fontanier, C., Mackensen, a., Jorissen, F. j., Anschutz, P., Eicari, L. Griveaud, C. 2006. Stable oxygen and carbon isotopes of live benthic foraminifera from the Bay of Biscay microhabitat impact and seasonal variability. Marine Micropaleontology, 58, 159-183. 

Geologists require proxy indicators of important environmental variables in order to reconstruct ancient oceans. Benthic foraminifera provide good proxies for seafloor parameters because they are widely distributed, highly sensitive to environmental conditions, and abundant in Cenozoic and Cretaceous deep-sea sediments (note that deep-sea... 

---