Preliminary Investigations of the Recent Foraminifera of Baiona Bay, N.W. Spain

Abstract

Foraminiferal studies provide a key to understanding the dynamics of a shallow marine environment from Baiona Bay, N.W. Spain. Preliminary data describing the foraminiferal distributions and associated physical and oceanographic setting are presented. A new species list is provided for this region, which includes both autochthonous and allochthonous elements. Foraminiferal distributions within the bay are related to a number of measured environmental variables which include: water depth, exposure to wave activity, current velocities, sediment grain size, and sediment composition. The biofacies distribution appears to be closely related to the sediment input pattern into this bay.