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SEAWATER TEMPERATURE RECORDS OF BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA IN BELEK, EAST ANTALYA, TURKEY

Şeyda Parlar

Abstract

The study includes the geochemical data of foraminifera in Pleistocene-Holocene aged marine sediments outcropping along the coasts of Gulf of Antalya and around the Belek, Kadriyeköy and Kumköy settlement places in the south of the Serik (eastern Antalya) in Turkey. The chemistry of benthic foraminifera tests can include records of seawater and provide data on environmental interpretation. For this purpose a total of 28 benthic forami nifera were selected from similar genus and species of benthic foraminifera and EDS anal ysis were carried out on these tests. 11 hyaline, 15 porcelain and 2 agglutinated benthi c foraminifera tests were examined in detail by using X-ray method. The changing of trace elements and oxide compound values of these foraminifera tests obtained by semi-quantitative analysis were observed. These analysis indicate that mo st of benthic foraminiferal tests have normal levels of heavy metals. But in just a few examples ha ve relatively high values of Pb, Fe, Mn,Cr, Ni, Zn, Hg and Cu. Especially high Pb, Zn ve Cu values, suggest that these high values may indicate the effects of river transport or industrial and anthropogenic activities. Besides the high CaO and relatively low SiO 2 contents of foraminifera tests verify that the majority of the foraminifer tests consist of CaO. The sample groups were discussed from surface to depth as recent marine surface sediments, upper, medium and lower levels of drilling, ancient marine surface sediments to see the change by depth. MgO, SnO 2 relatively decreases, Al 2O3, SiO 2, Cu 2O relatively increases, K 2O, CaO, Fe 2O3, ZnO, As 2O5, PbO 2 increases by depth. In EDS analysis agglutinant tests have high Al 2O3, K 2O and SiO 2 and relatively low CaO, Hyaline tests have high CaO and relatively low SiO2, porcelain tests have high CaO and relatively high MgO values. The high Al 2O3, K2O and SiO 2 are thought to arise from grains surrounding the agglutinant tests. The Mg/Ca ratios of tests of benthic fora minifera were used for determining the seawater temperature (SWT). SWT was calculated for each test types and each levels of the area. The avarage seawater temperat ure determined as 20,03 °C for hiyaline foraminifera tests as 38,69°C for porcellanaceous foraminifera and as 42,93°C for agglutinated foraminifera tests. Besides in recent marine surface sediments SWT ranges between 14,32-43,37 ºC, in the upper levels of drillings SWT ranges between 12,56- 41,11ºC, in the medium levels of drillings SWT ranges between 17,08-41,52 ºC, in the lower levels of drillings SWT ranges between 16,06-44,92ºC, the ancient marine surface sediments SWT ranges between 21,26-39,70ºC. All these data indicates that seawater temperature decreases by depth. In other words from past to present seawater temperature relatively increases in the Gulf of Antalya.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2011/s14.103

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