SIGNIFICANCE OF CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN RIVER DISCHARGE AND PROLOCULUSSIZE OF BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA IN PALEOMONSOONAL STUDIES

Variations in the mean proloculus size (MPS) of the benthic foraminife ral species Rotalidium annectens were studied in a core collected off Karwar (20 m water depth), on the west coast of India. Comparison of d own-core variations in the MPS with rainfall (five-year average) over a period of 100 years from the catchment area of the Kali River shows a direct correlation. This implies that higher MPS values indicate hig h rainfall over the catchment area and thus confirms the earlier hypot hesis that the MPS is inversely related to salinity. The correspondenc e between MPS and rainfall shows a high potential in generating proxim ity data for the reconstruction of a paleo-precipitational history.