Taphonomy of benthonic foraminifera from Bahia La Choya, Gulf of California : honors thesis [(HONRS 499)]

Abstract

Benthonic foraminifera are supposedly good indicators of paleoecologic conditions, but how accurate are they? We need to find out how much data is lost in the fossilation process. The goal of 'this study was to see if modern death assemblages accurately reflect preserved death assemblages and thus past environmental conditions. Benthonic foraminifera were picked from eight Modern samples and four Pleistocene samples. Six species had a prevalence in both the Modern and Pleistocene periods. A comparison between the Modern and Pleistocene faunas was done. Due to the concepts of time averaging, environmental action, temperature, salinity, and chemical activity (weathering), one can explain why the number of individuals of one species in the Pleistocene period varied from that in the Modern period. One needs to know first, how a certain species and what species are affected by the processes listed above before one can use a modern assemblage to relate to a later assemblage. A modern assemblage does riot relate directly to later assemblages. This was just a preliminary study which greatly needs to be expanded.