Taxonomic study of agglutinated foraminifera of the Brazilian southeastern continental margin

• Grant number: 17/11200-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: August 27, 2017
• End date: September 05, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Geological Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Silvia Helena de Mello e Sousa
• Grantee: Silvia Helena de Mello e Sousa
• Host Investigator: Michael Kaminski
• Host Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: AGH University of Science and Technology, Poland

Abstract

The aim of the project is the taxonomic study of living agglutinated foraminifera species, present in the Campos and Santos basins, Brazilian southeastern margin. The study material consists of samples of surface (0-2 cm) and subsurface sediments (0-10 cm depth along sedimentary columns), collected in the continental slope of the Santos and Campos basins, between 400 m and 3,000 m water depth. The study material was collected during 03 oceanographic cruises (May to July 2008, January and February 2009, and December 2016). Preliminary analyses of benthic foraminifera in the Campos and Santos basins, carried out at the IOUSP in the Environmental Bioindicators Laboratory (LBA/IOUSP) have revealed a great abundance of agglutinated foraminifera species, mainly from 1,300 m depth towards deeper regions, some of them not described in the literature. The project will be carried out at the European Micropaleontological Reference Center, at the University of Science & Technology in Krakow, Poland. This center has a unique collection of type specimens and foraminifera assemblages from various locations in Europe, Deep Sea Drilling Projects (DSDP) and Ocean Drilling Projects (ODP) campaigns and various wells drilled by industries in the North Atlantic. In addition, the center has several renowned researchers and experts in agglutinated foraminifera, among them, Prof. Dr. Michael A. Kaminski. (AU)