Abstract

BETANCUR, Maria Julliet  and  MARTINEZ, Ignacio. RECENT BENTHONIC FORAMINIFERA IN DEEP-SEA SEDIMENTS OF THE PANAMA BASIN (COLOMBIAN PACIFIC), AS INDICATORS OF PRODUCTIVITY AND OXYGENATION. Bol. Invest. Mar. Cost. [online]. 2003, vol.32, n.1, pp.93-123. ISSN 0122-9761.

Thirteen deep-sea samples (core-tops) from the Panama Basin, Colombian Pacific, were analysed for benthonic foraminifera in the >150mm size fraction. Based on the microfaunal content, three zones are recognised in the Panama Basin: (1) northern euphrophic region (~8^o to 5,5^oN), characterized by a high concentration of organic matter flux to the seafloor, oxygenated sediments, and influence of the Panama Bight and the Costa Rica Dome upwelling systems, (2)  mesotrophic region (~5,5 to 2^oN), characterized by low fluxes of organic carbon to the seafloor, oxygenated sediments, terrigenous influence and fluctuations of the upwelling systems of the basin, and (3) southern euphotic region (south of ~2^oN), characterized by a larger organic carbon flux to the seafloor, low oxygen content (disoxia) and influence of the Equatorial Divergence.

Keywords : Benthonic foraminifera; Eastern Equatorial Pacific; Panama Basin; Deep-sea sediments; Micropaleontology; Oxygenation.

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