DEFORMED BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA IN MODERN SEDIMENTS OF LIAODONG BAY AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

A total of 305 samples acquired from 10 cores of the Liaodong Bay of the Bohai sea are quantitatively analyzed, and identified are 10 species within 8 genera of foraminifera with malformation characteristics. The species with abnormal shell forms can be categorized into 5 groups, i.e. the group with abnormal chamber, the group with abnormal aperture, the group with abnormal umbilicus, the group with abnormal coil and the group with abnormal test. The statistical descriptions of the deformed foraminiferal types would enrich the knowledge of foraminifera in the sea. This study also focuses on the comparison of different sedimentary settings in the Liaodong Bay. It shows that contamination gradually decreases from the coast to offshore, in congruent with the human impacts on the marine environments.