Use of benthic foraminifera as proxy of environmental assessment during the Holocene in the northern region of Santos Basin

• Grant number: 23/14751-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2023
• End date: October 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Geological Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Michel Michaelovitch de Mahiques
• Grantee: Giullia Tambasco do Amaral
• Host Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/14356-5 - The Santos Bifurcation: present and past, AP.PFPMCG.TEM

Abstract

Benthic foraminifera are considered good environmental bioindicators due to their high abundance in the sediment, high species diversity, relatively short life cycle and wide geographic distribution. In addition these organisms are very sensitive to environmental conditions, and thus they live in specific ecological conditions, comprising a very useful tool as bioindicators of current and past environments. This project proposes the application of benthic foraminifera faunal analysis to assess environmental changes during the Holocene. The study material will consist of sediments collected by gravity corer, representing the last 8000 years.