FORAMINIFERAL ASSOCIATIONS IN WANGANUI BIGHT AND QUEEN-CHARLOTTE SOUND, NEW-ZEALAND

Eight benthic foraminiferal associations are recognised in Wanganui Ei ght and Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand, based on cluster analysis of census data from 52 sediment samples. Distribution of the four asso ciations in Wanganui Eight correlates with increasing water depth: Elp hidium charlottense/Haynesina depressula/Patellinella inconspicua asso ciation (17-27 m); Patellinella inconspicua/Quinqueloculina suborbicul aris association (20-42 m); Cassidulina carinata/Miliolinella subrotun data association (42-66 m); and Cassidulina carinata/Bulimina submargi nata (72-109 m). The four associations in Queen Charlotte Sound are: Q uinqueloculina seminula/Elphidium advenum/Haynesina depressula in sand y shallows (0.5-7 m); Epistominella vitrea/Haynesina depressula in sha llows of the outer Sound (4-12 m); Elphidium vellai/Haynesina depressu la in the mouth of the Sound (9-25 m); and Nonionella flemingi/Notouot alia finlayi in a muddy, sheltered basin (25-42 m). The most important physical factors influencing benthic foraminiferal distribution patte rns in these two areas appear to be the characteristics of the water ( e.g., temperature, turbidity, salinity) and factors that vary with wat er depth (e.g., wave and current energy, substrate, light penetration food availability). Species diversity (alpha, H) and the relative abun dance of planktic foraminiferal tests are mostly greater in the open s ea conditions of Wanganui Eight than in Queen Charlotte Sound. In Wang anui Eight both generally increase with increasing depth, although the re is a local diversity peak at 70-80 m depth.