RAPID GROWTH OF DEEP-SEA BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA

Although benthic foraminifera are important components of the marine b enthos and are widely used in paleoceanography for reconstructing deep - and bottom-water conditions, relatively little is known about their growth rates in the deep sea. Here we present data for two species, Bu liminella tenuata and Nonionella stella, from a coastal upwelling regi on that show abundance changes reflecting rapid growth of these taxa o ver a three month interval. Rapid growth indicates that the chemical c omposition of the calcareous foraminiferal test, which is used extensi vely in paleoceanography, may reflect environmental conditions over a relatively short interval (i.e., months). This observation suggests th at it will be possible to reconstruct seasonal environmental condition s in certain areas of the oceans such as coastal upwelling regions.