Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Methods
- 3 Aspects of biology and basic ecology
- 4 Marginal marine environments
- 5 Shelf seas
- 6 Carbonate environments
- 7 Deep sea
- 8 Summary of living distributions
- 9 Taphonomic processes: formation of dead and fossil assemblages
- 10 Applications
- Glossary
- Appendix
- References
- Taxonomic Index
- General Index
1 - Introduction
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 August 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Methods
- 3 Aspects of biology and basic ecology
- 4 Marginal marine environments
- 5 Shelf seas
- 6 Carbonate environments
- 7 Deep sea
- 8 Summary of living distributions
- 9 Taphonomic processes: formation of dead and fossil assemblages
- 10 Applications
- Glossary
- Appendix
- References
- Taxonomic Index
- General Index
Summary
Objectives and strategy
Ecology is the study of the causes of patterns of distribution and abundance of organisms. It is concerned with interactions between individuals and their physical and chemical environment, interactions between individuals of the same species and between species. Ecology may be investigated through field studies, laboratory experiments and mathematical modelling. Foraminifera are generally small (< 1 mm) although some exceed 1 cm and most have a shell or test which may be preserved in the fossil record. These attributes make foraminifera extremely valuable as they provide not only a contemporary but also a historical record of previous environments. They are therefore of interest both to biologists and geologists.
The primary objective of this book is to present a state-of-the-art synthesis of ideas and data on foraminiferal ecology that will be of value to those carrying out new studies or wishing to interpret new data from modern or ancient environments. In this book similarities are stressed because it is very easy to overlook the broad picture if the focus is on small differences. All applications of benthic foraminifera involve an understanding of their ecology (Chapter 10).
Taxonomic scope of foraminifera
The foraminifera form an order (Foraminiferida) in the Phylum Protista: ‘Cytoplasmic body enclosed in a test or shell of one or more interconnected chambers …’ (Loeblich and Tappan, 1987, p. 7). It has recently been argued that there are naked forms (without a test) (Pawlowski et al., 1998) but such forms do not leave a fossil record.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Ecology and Applications of Benthic Foraminifera , pp. 1 - 6Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006
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