Foraminifera microfossils as a Proxy for Environmental Conditions in the Canadian Arctic

Abstract

Foraminifera are microscopically small, marine organisms with a shell which preserves easily in the geological record. Therefore, they are used as prime indicators for environmental conditions such as temperature and salinity in both past and present settings. The project presented here aims to use foraminifera as a proxy for the environments of Arctic Canada. Sediment samples from and below the seabed were obtained during an expedition onboard the CCGS Amundsen icebreaker in Aug-Sep 2016. Aside from classifying the foraminifera populations, these samples will also be used for stable isotope analyses of oxygen and carbon, allowing for greater inference of overall environmental conditions both past and present. Results of this research will also contribute to an atlas of foraminifera for Arctic Canada.

Discipline: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Anna  Pieńkowski