375
Keywords Benthic foraminifera · Oil spill · Deepwater Horizon · Ixtoc 1 ·
Benthic impact
23.1 Background: Benthic Foraminifera Distribution
in the Gulf of Mexico
Benthic foraminifera are single-celled protists, which are abundant throughout the
global oceans from coastal to abyssal depths (Sen Gupta 1999). Benthic foraminifera have been utilized widely as bioindicators of anthropogenic environmental
stressors such as coastal pollution (Nigam et al. 2006) and estuarine and openmarine petroleum contamination (Morvan et al. 2004; Mojtahid et al. 2006;
Denoyelle et al. 2010; Brunner et al. 2013; Lei et al. 2015).
Many surveys and reviews of benthic foraminifera have been conducted throughout the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) (Phleger and Parker 1951; Parker 1954; Culver and
Buzas 1983; Poag 1984; Denne and Sen Gupta 1991; Sen Gupta and Aharon 1994;
Buzas et al. 2007; Lobegeier and Sen Gupta 2008; and Bernhard et al. 2008; Poag
2015). Phleger and Parker (1951) identified six benthic foraminifera depth facies in
the northwestern GoM based on the overlap of species, with depth boundaries of
approximately 100 m, 200 m, 500 m, 1000 m, and 2000 m water depth. They attributed these facies changes primarily to changes in the physical properties of the
overlying water such as temperature (Phleger and Parker 1951). Throughout the
entire GoM, Poag (2015) identified 45 facies based on the predominance of genera
and 5 additional geographically isolated biofacies distinguished by characteristic
genera. Species distribution patterns for benthic foraminifera in the southern GoM
reveal their association with depth, water masses, substrate, and other environmental patterns (Diego-Casimiro 1989; Mata-Mendoza 1982, 1987; Machain-Castillo
et al. 2010). Previous studies have also documented the benthic foraminifera
assemblages associated with natural petroleum and methane seeps in the northern
GoM (Sen Gupta and Aharon 1994; Lobegeier and Sen Gupta 2008). Important
calcareous taxa near natural hydrocarbon seeps between 500 and 1000 m water
depth included Bolivina ordinaria and Gavelinopsis translucens, Eponides turgidus, Uvigerina peregrina, Nonionella iridea, Bolivina ordinaria, Bolivina lowmani, Bolivina albatrossi, Bulimina aculeata, and Epistominella exigua (Sen Gupta
and Aharon 1994; Lobegeier and Sen Gupta 2008). These resources provide context in which to assess variability and dominant taxa of benthic foraminifera
following oil spills.
23 Impact and Resilience of Benthic Foraminifera in the Aftermath of the Deepwater…
Keywords Benthic foraminifera · Oil spill · Deepwater Horizon · Ixtoc 1 ·
Benthic impact
23.1 Background: Benthic Foraminifera Distribution
in the Gulf of Mexico
Benthic foraminifera are single-celled protists, which are abundant throughout the
global oceans from coastal to abyssal depths (Sen Gupta 1999). Benthic foraminifera have been utilized widely as bioindicators of anthropogenic environmental
stressors such as coastal pollution (Nigam et al. 2006) and estuarine and openmarine petroleum contamination (Morvan et al. 2004; Mojtahid et al. 2006;
Denoyelle et al. 2010; Brunner et al. 2013; Lei et al. 2015).
Many surveys and reviews of benthic foraminifera have been conducted throughout the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) (Phleger and Parker 1951; Parker 1954; Culver and
Buzas 1983; Poag 1984; Denne and Sen Gupta 1991; Sen Gupta and Aharon 1994;
Buzas et al. 2007; Lobegeier and Sen Gupta 2008; and Bernhard et al. 2008; Poag
2015). Phleger and Parker (1951) identified six benthic foraminifera depth facies in
the northwestern GoM based on the overlap of species, with depth boundaries of
approximately 100 m, 200 m, 500 m, 1000 m, and 2000 m water depth. They attributed these facies changes primarily to changes in the physical properties of the
overlying water such as temperature (Phleger and Parker 1951). Throughout the
entire GoM, Poag (2015) identified 45 facies based on the predominance of genera
and 5 additional geographically isolated biofacies distinguished by characteristic
genera. Species distribution patterns for benthic foraminifera in the southern GoM
reveal their association with depth, water masses, substrate, and other environmental patterns (Diego-Casimiro 1989; Mata-Mendoza 1982, 1987; Machain-Castillo
et al. 2010). Previous studies have also documented the benthic foraminifera
assemblages associated with natural petroleum and methane seeps in the northern
GoM (Sen Gupta and Aharon 1994; Lobegeier and Sen Gupta 2008). Important
calcareous taxa near natural hydrocarbon seeps between 500 and 1000 m water
depth included Bolivina ordinaria and Gavelinopsis translucens, Eponides turgidus, Uvigerina peregrina, Nonionella iridea, Bolivina ordinaria, Bolivina lowmani, Bolivina albatrossi, Bulimina aculeata, and Epistominella exigua (Sen Gupta
and Aharon 1994; Lobegeier and Sen Gupta 2008). These resources provide context in which to assess variability and dominant taxa of benthic foraminifera
following oil spills.
23 Impact and Resilience of Benthic Foraminifera in the Aftermath of the Deepwater…