Ecology of benthic foraminifera of the eastern Aegean Sea coasts

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of benthic foraminifera in some field of the Turkish Aegean coasts have been investigated and the effects of ecological changes observed on these fauna in 2009-2014 period. Sediment samples from Alibey and Maden Islands (Balıkesir), Kuşadası (Aydın), Çeşme Ilıca Bay (Izmir) and northwestern coast of Karaburun Peninsula (Izmir) have been analysed. Similarities, as well as dissimilarities were observed between the assemblages from different locations. The Red Sea orginated alien foraminifer Amphistegina lobifera Larsen was found to form a very dense population around the south and west part of a submarine spring water in Kuşadası, where as it was replaced by Ammonia compacta Cushman and Elphidium crispum (Linné) assemblages on the northern and eastern parts. Euthymonacha polita (Chapman) has been first recorded in Kuşadası and it is also abundant in the Ilıca Bay. The Red Sea originated Coscinospira acicularis (Batsch) has also been first recorded in the Mediterranean from Ilıca Bay. Presence of the individuals with colored tests indicates the presence of heavy metals in spring waters. Aberrant aperture morphologies observed in some of the Vertebralina striata d’Orbigny individuals attracts attention. Therefore, abundance of individuals with colored tests, morphological deformities or togetherness, as well as the Red Sea originated species have indicated the special environmental and ecological conditions around the submarine springs. The main reasons for these ecological changes are salinity changes, the presence of heavy metals, thermal springs and cold-water springs. It is noteworthy that there is a different benthic foraminiferal living due to physical and chemical changes in the regions where different ecological conditions develop around the submarine thermal / cold water springs observed in these coastal regions.