Substrate Characteristics and Benthic Foraminiferal Distribution from the Gulf of Mannar, Off Tiruchendur, Southeast Coast of Tamilnadu, India

V. Kumar¹, R. Vijayan^1, , T. Gangaimani² and S. Jeevanandam³

¹Department of Geology National College, Bharathidasan University, Trichy-01

²Department of Civil MAM College, Engneering and Technology, Trichy-105

³Department of Geology Kajamalai Campus, Bharathidasan University, Trichy-23

Cite this paper:
V. Kumar, R. Vijayan, T. Gangaimani and S. Jeevanandam. Substrate Characteristics and Benthic Foraminiferal Distribution from the Gulf of Mannar, Off Tiruchendur, Southeast Coast of Tamilnadu, India. Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences. 2019; 7(6):255-262. doi: 10.12691/aees-7-6-7

Abstract

To document the relationship between the substrate characteristics and benthic foraminiferal occurrence in the inner shelf of Gulf of Mannar, off Tiruchendur, sediment samples were collected and studied from 27 stations along three traverses, having depths ranging from 1.5 to 18.5 metres. Surface sediments were collected during May and October in the year 2016 representing summer and pre monsoon respectively and thus the total samples amounted to 54. The traverses are made between south off Veerapandianpatinam and off Alanthalai. During the study 105 foraminiferal species belonging to 40 genera, 29 families, 15 super families and 4 sub orders have been recorded. Among them, 5 have been identified as widespread and abundantly occurring living species since they are found in all the samples collected and studied. The distribution and diversity of foraminiferal fauna are correlated with the substrate characteristics. Their living and total population (living + dead) is relatively higher in the summer (May) than in pre monsoon (October). It has been observed that the living foraminiferal population shows an increase with respect to depth. Siltysand substrate, higher concentration of CaCo3 (< 25%) and moderate organic matter (1.0 – 2.3%) in the substrate are the congenial ecological condition favouring abundance of the living foraminiferal population in the inner shelf off Tiruchendur coast.

Keywords:
substrate characteristics ecology recent benthic foraminifera gulf off Tiruchendur

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	Ragothaman, V., Kumar, V. Recent foraminifera off the coast of Rameshwaram, Pail Bay, Tamil Nadu. Bull. Geol. Min. Met. Soc. India 1985, 52, 97-121.
[2]	Kumar, V. 1988. Ecology and Distribution of Recent Benthic Foraminifera from the Palk Bay, Off Rameshwaram, TN (Ph.D. thesis). Baratidasan University, Tiruchirappalli.
[3]	Kumar, V., Manivannan, V., Priya, R. 1998. Epiphytic foraminifera and its relation to algae in the Palk Bay off Rameshwaram. In: Proc. XVI Indian coll. Micropal. Strait. NIO, Goa.
[4]	Kumar, V., Manivannan, V., Ragothaman, V. 1996. Spatial and temporal variations in foraminiferal abundance and their relation to substrate characteristics in the Palk Bay, off Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu. In: Proc, XV Indian coll. Micropal.Strati., pp. 393-402.
[5]	Babu, K. R and Prabhakaran 2014. Taxonomy and Distribution of Recent Benthic Foraminifera from the Inner Shelf of Gulf of Mannar, off Tuticorin, South East Coast of India. Journal of Environment and Earth Science 4, No.22, 2014.
[6]	Suresh Gandhi, M., Sonia Nathan, A. 2014. Benthic foraminifera and geochemical studies with influence on pollution studies along the coast of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu-ITS. India Arab J. Geosci. 7, 917-925.
[7]	Suresh Gandhi, M., Kasilingam, K., Arumugam, T., Lalthansangi, Rajeswara Rao, N. 2017. Distribution of Benthic foraminifera, sediment characteristics, and environmental conditions in and around Manalmelkudi Spit, Palk Strait, Tamil Nadu, East coast of India. Ind. J. Geo. Mar. Sci. 46 (4), 519-533.
[8]	Sherif M. El Baz. 2017 Recent Benthic Foraminifera as ecological indicators in Manzala Lagoon,Egypt. Revue de micropaléontologie xxx (2017) xxx–xxx
[9]	Luisa Bergamin et al 2019. Benthic foraminifera in a coastal marine area of the eastern Ligurian Sea (Italy): Response to environmental stress. Ecological Indicators 96 (2019) 16-31.
[10]	Kasilingam, K., Suresh Gandhi, M., Rajeshwara Rao, N. 2019. Textural characteristics and ecology of near shore benthic foraminifera from Kottaipattinam to Kodiyakarai, Palk Strait, Southeast Coast of India.
[11]	Sreenivasulu, G and Praseetha B.S 2019. Benthic foraminifera as potential ecological proxies for environmental monitoring in coastal regions: A study on the Beypore estuary, Southwest coast of India Marine. Pollution Bulletin 138, 341-351.
[12]	Walton, W.R. 1964 b. Ecology of benthic foraminifera in the Tamapasarasota Bay area, Florida.
[13]	Leoblich, A.R., Jr., and Tappan, H. 1988. Foraminiferal genera and their classification: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, vols. 1&2, pp. 1-970+1-212, pls 846.
[14]	Walton, W.R. 1952. Techniques for recognition of living foraminifera. Contr. Cushman Found. Journ. Foram. Res., vol.3, pp. 56-60.
[15]	Cushman, J.A. 1959. “Foraminifera” their classification and economic use. Harvard. Univ. press. 4th ed., 605p, pts. 1-55.
[16]	Krumbein, W.C. and Pettijohn, F.J. 1938. Manual of sedimentary petrography. D. Appleton Century Co., Inc. New York, 549p.
[17]	Trefethen, J.M. 1950. Classification of sediments. Amer. Jour. Sci., vol.248, pp.55-62
[18]	Jackson, M.L. 1967. Soli chemical analysis. Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 498p.
[19]	Piper, C.S. 1947. Soil and Plant Analysis. University of Adelaide Press, Adelaide, 368p.
[20]	Jayaraju, N., Reddappa Reddy, K. 1995. Foraminiferal ecosystem in relation to coastal estuarine sediments of Kovalam Tuticorin, South India. Jour. Geol. Soc. India, 46: 565-573.
[21]	Manivannan, V., Kumar. V., Ragothaman, V and Hussain, Sk. Md. 1996. Calcium carbonate – A major factor in controlling foraminiferal population in Gulf of Mannar, off Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu. Proc. Contr. XV Ind. Colloq. Micropal. Strat., Dehra Dun, 381-385.
[22]	Venkata Rao, T and Subba Rao, M. 1974. Recent foraminifera of Suddagedda estuary, east coast of India; Micropal. 20(4): 398-419, pls. 1-3.
[23]	Buzas, M. A. 1965. The distribution and abundance of forminifera in Long Island Sound. Smith. Misc. Collections, 49(1) publ. 4604, 1-89 pls. 1-4.
[24]	He, Y., Hu, L. Y., Wang, K.L. 1965. Quaternary Foraminifera in the Eastern part of Jiangsu. Memories of the Institute of Geology and Paleontology. Academia Sinica, Science Press, 4: 51-162. (In Chinese).
[25]	Bradshaw, J.S. 1957. Laboratory studies on the rate of growth of the foraminifer “Strebulus beccarii (Linne) var. tepida Cushman”. Jour. Paleontology, vol. 31, pp. 1138-1147.
[26]	Cifelli, R. The morphology and structure of Ammonia beccarii (Linne). Cushman Foundation for Foraminieral Research, Contribution 13, 1962 119-126, pls. 121, 122, text-figs. 111-117.
[27]	Seibold, I.. Mmmonia Brunnich (Foram.) und verwandte arten aus dem Indischen Ozean. Palaont. Zeitschr., Stuttgart 45, 1971 41-52, pl. 45-47.
[28]	Zheng, S., Cheg, T.-c., Wang, X., Fu, Z. The Quaternary Foraminifera of the Dayuzhang Irrigation Area, Shandong Province, and a Preliminary attempt at an Interpretation of its Depositional Environment. Studia Marina Sinica 13, 1978 16-88. (in Chinese).
[29]	Wang, P.X. et al. Papers on Marine Micropalaeontology. China Ocean Press, Beijing 1980 204 pp. (in Chinese).
[30]	d’ Orbigny, A. Foraminifers fossils du Bassin Tertiare de Vienne (Austriche), Paris, 1846. 303p.