Benthic Foraminiferal Ecology: Indicators of Environmental Impacts

This book provides effective statistical analyses in benthic foraminiferal communities patterns and show solutions for sea-land processes and alterations caused by climate changes and other local (and global) environmental concerns. Our goal is to provide, through these chapters, the monitoring and forecasting of environmental impacts with accurate data. We identify global regions most subject to industrial pollution, contamination and sewage, identifying potential sites prone to accumulate organic matter, which effects erosion, deposition, ocean temperature and pH changes (warming, cooling, acidification), climate and sea-level changes. Benthic habitats, specifically foraminiferal (single celled microorganisms found in the water column and sediment) contribute to our understanding of local and global climate change that effect at risk communities. Derived through the accuracy of oceanographic climate science, allow us to predict with the intention to alleviate potential loss in coastal areas, which are, the most vulnerable to ocean warming, cooling, acidification, and sea-level rise impacts. We unravel the mystery of the Environmental Impacts and Climate Change, helping communities prepare, adjust, adapt, and minimize effects or remediate loss. We show how to pinpoint the most vulnerable and specific sites for economic and social damage and loss, using foraminifera, an inexpensive and easily handled proxy valuable for monitoring coastal and marine environmental stressors. The implications of those problems and the ability to forecast patterns on land are primary issues we address by studying marine sediment of beaches, estuaries, bays and deep water worldwide. Ecology, biology, life history, and taxonomy of modern Foraminifera allows us to examine the current and historical record of environmental change effects, and predict implications for future sea-level rise, and ocean patterns. The prediction of responses of interacting systems to these problems, and development of strategies is needed to inform leadership with the knowledge and data to effectively implement policy, making this book a very informative and significant contribution for researchers and decision makers.