The response of benthic foraminifers to carbon flux and primary productionin the Arctic Ocean

We examine the quantitative composition of benthic foraminiferal assemblage s of Rose Bengal-stained surface samples from 37 stations in the Laptev Sea , and combine this data set with an existing data set along a transect from Spitsbergen to the central Arctic Ocean. Foraminiferal test accumulation r ates, diversity, faunal composition and statistically defined foraminiferal associations are analysed for Living (Rose Bengal-stained) and dead forami nifers. We compare the results of several benthic foraminiferal diversity i ndices and statistically defined foraminiferal associations, including Fish er's alpha and Shannon-Wiener diversity indices, Q-mode principal component analysis and correspondence analysis. Diversity and faunal density (standi ng stock) of living benthic foraminifers are positively correlated to troph ic resources. In contrast, the accumulation rate of dead foraminifers (BFAR ) shows fluctuating values depending on test disintegration processes. Fora miniferal associations defined by Q-mode principal component analysis and c orrespondence analysis are comparable. The factor values of the corresponde nce analysis allow a quantitative correlation between the foraminiferal fau na and the local carbon flux, which may be used as a tool to estimate chang es in primary productivity. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.