FORAMINIFERA AS A TOOL IN
PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL
RECONSTRUCTION AND ANALYSIS
PRESENTED BY
UCHECHUKWU, FORTUNE
EKENE
18/094144137
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
• Introduction
• Classification of Foraminifera
• Geologic history of Foraminifera
• Foraminifera and Palaeoenvironment
• Application of Foraminifera in Palaeoenvironment analysis
• Case Study
• Summary and Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
• The foraminifera are an important order of single celled
protozoa that live either on the sea floor or amongst the
marine plankton.
• The soft tissue (cytoplasm) of the foraminifera cell is largely
enclosed within a shell or test variously composed of
secreted organic matter (tectin), secreted minerals (calcite,
aragonite or silica) or of agglutinated particles. This test
consists of a single (unilocular) chamber or multiple
(multilocular) and each interconnected by an opening, the
foramen, or several openings (foramina).
• Foraminifera evolved in the Early Cambrian and are still
extant.
• Foraminifera are important as biostratigraphical indicators in
marine rocks of Late Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic age
because they are abundant, diverse and easy to study.
Fig 1. Guembelitrioidea
Premec Fucek et al., 2018- Oligocene Atlas php 17
pg. 189
CLASSIFICATION OF FORAMINIFERA: WALL STRUCTURE
Fig 2. Examples of wall structures in the foraminifera (diagrammatic, mainly based on
studies using scanning electron microscope). Brasier and Armstrong 2005, pg. 146
CLASSIFICATION OF FORAMINIFERA:
APERTURE
Fig 3. (a)–(g) Trochospiral tests with different kinds of aperture (ap). Brasier and Armstrong
2005, pg. 152
CLASSIFICATION OF FORAMINIFERA: CHAMBER
ARCHITECTURE
Fig 4. The evolutionary gradient in foraminiferid test morphospace, from
primitive (below) to advanced (above). Brasier and Armstrong. Pg. 151
CLASSIFICATION OF FORAMINIFERA: SCULPTURE
The external surface of a foraminifera test may
bear the following sculpture:
• Spines (spinose)
• Keels (carinate)
• Rugae (rugose)
• Fine striate (striate)
• Coarser costae (costate)
Fig 5. An imaginary planispiral foraminifer with some of the
different kinds of ornament, broken to show the internal
structure. British Geological Survey (BGS).
• Reticulate
FORAMINIFERA AND
PALAEOENVIRONMENT
Fig 6. Relationship between
Foraminifera and Palaeoenvironment.
B. Esrafili-Dizaji, 2021
GEOLOGIC HISTORY AND EVOLUTION
OF FORAMINIFERA: PHYLOGENY
Fig 7. Subordinal phylogeny of the Foraminiferida. Brasier and Armstrong 2005, pg.
181
APPLICATION OF FORAMINIFERA IN
PALAEOENVIROMENTAL RECONSTRUCTION
Fig 8. How benthic and planktonic foraminiferid abundance and general composition change
with depth and salinity. Some typical genera are shown. and Armstrong 2005, pg. 156
APPLICATION OF PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
AND RECONSTRUCTION
LIGHT AND ENERGY OF ENVIRONMENT BATHYMETRY
Inner shelf <20:>80
Middle shelf 10–60:90–40
Outer shelf 40–70 : 60–30
Upper cont. slope >70:<30
Fig 9. Change in shape of Amphistegina with light and energy Table 1. The proportion of planktic to benthic foraminifera
of the environment (data after Hallock and Glenn 1986) (in %) varies from the inner shelf to the continental slope
Saraswati 2016
APPLICATION OF FORAMINIFERA IN
PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL RECONSTRUCTION
OTHER CHARACTERISTICS ENVIRONMENT/
MICROHABITAT
MORPHOTYPES EXAMPLE
Planoconvex trochospiral, Large pores absent or on Well oxygenated Epifaunal Cibicides, Cibicidoides,
Rounded trochospiral, one side; low Gyroidina, Oridorsalis,
Biconvex trochospiral, surface/volume ratio Pyrgo
Milioline
Planoconvex, trochospiral, Small tests, thin hyaline Phytodetritus in open Epistominella,
Biconvex trochospiral, walls ocean Epifaunal Alabaminella,
Spherical Tapered, cylindrical Globoccassidulina
Tapered cylindrical, Pores evenly distributed Low oxygen and/or high Uvigerina, Trifarina,
Tapered flattened, organic matter Bolivina,
Rounded planispiral, Infaunal Pullenia,
Cylindrical planispiral Globobulimina,
Tapered cylindrical, Oxygenated and high Chilostomella,
Rounded planispiral, organic matter Infaunal Globobulimina,
Cylindrical planispiral Melonis, Uvigerina
CASE STUDY
Foraminiferal Distribution, Stratigraphy & Palaeoenvironment of the U-
12 Well, Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria
Ukpong, Aniediobong Jonah1 Anyanwu, Timothy Chibuike2
Fig 10. Map Showing the Approximate Location
of the Study Well, A; Inser-Map of Nigeria, B;
Map of the Niger Delta Depobelts
Geology of study area
• The delta developed at the triple junction of the Gulf
of Guinea, the South Atlantic Ocean and the Benue
depression at the point where South America
separate from Africa in the Upper Cretaceous (Burke
et al., 1971; Burke et al., 1972; Corridor et al., 2005).
• Growth faults were used to define “depobelts’, which
succeeded one another in time and space as the delta
prograded southward with each depobelt determining
a seaward sequential movement of the delta (Doust
and Omatsola, 1990).
• The Tertiary stratigraphy of the Niger Delta is divided
into three formations representing prograding
depositional environments; the Paleocene to Recent
pro-delta facies of the Akata Formation at the base,
overlain by the Eocene to Recent paralic facies of the
Agbada Formation which is capped by the Oligocene
to Recent fluvial facies of the Benin Formation.
Fig 11. Niger Delta Stratigraphic Column Showing the Three
Formations (After Corredor et al., 2005)
MATERIAL AND METHODS
• The materials used for this study were well logs
(Gamma Ray (GR) Log and Resistivity Log) and
ditch-cutting samples retrieved from interval
2008m - 3396m of the U-12 Well.
• The standard preparation techniques for
foraminiferal analysis which involved
disaggregation and washing of samples through a
63 micron mesh sieve, drying and picking of the
foraminifera and other micro fauna were used.
• The micro fauna recovered were identified to
genus and species levels where possible using
different foraminifera taxonomic scheme
• The sample materials left after the foraminiferal
recovery were used to describe the lithology of
the penetrated well section. This was done by
careful examination of the materials under a
binocular microscope.
• . The First and Last down hole occurrences (FDO
and LDO) of significant time-stratigraphic
Fig 12. Foraminiferal Distribution, Stratigraphy & foraminiferal species are special events used for
Palaeoenvironment Chart for the U-12 Well biozonation and age determination.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
• Paleobathymetry: Benthic foraminifera are important
tools used for the determination of the depositional
history of a sedimentary basin. The sediments of U-12
well (interval 2008m - 3396m ) were interpreted to
have fluctuated from non-marine through shallow
inner neritic, inner neritic, middle neritic to outer
neritic paleodepositional environment.
• The relative abundances of foraminiferal suborders
Textulariina (arenaceous), Miliolina, and Rotaliina
(hyaline calcareous) were plotted on triangular
diagrams of Murray (1973; 2006). The diagram
revealed a dominance of Rotaliina suborders which
suggest a normal marine salinity condition. The
dominance of the calcareous benthics (FOBC) with
over 99% of total foraminiferal recovery suggests an
open marine condition (Nagy et al, 1988). This high
Fig 13. Ternary Plot of Shell-Type Ratio with Dominance diversity and dominance of calcareous foraminiferal
of Hyaline Calcareous (Modified After Murray, 1973) assemblages is a possible indication of a transition
from brackish marginal marine habitats to open neritic
environmental conditions (Sen Gupta 1999).
CASE STUDY: CONCLUSION
The lithologic and foraminiferal study of the U-12
well revealed the penetration of the paralic
Agbada Formation comprising of sediments of Late
Eocene – Early Oligocene age. The P16/17-P18/19
planktonic foraminifera zones of Blow (1979) were
delineated for the studied well section,
Palaeoenvironmental analysis revealed that the
well sediments were deposited under the
prevalence of normal marine salinity, oxygenated
water and cool temperature conditions with the
paleobathymetry ranging from nonmarine through
shallow inner neritic, inner neritic, middle neritic
to outer neritic environment. It is hoped that the
results of this study will be useful for correlation,
Fig 14. Paleobathymmetry Chart (After Allen, 1965)
dating and stratigraphic characterization across
several fields in the Tertiary rocks of the Niger
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
• Foraminifera, single-celled marine organisms with calcareous or agglutinated shells, have long
been recognized as invaluable proxies for palaeoecological reconstruction and analysis.
• This work highlights their significant contributions to the understanding of ancient environments
and ecosystems when viewed from a geological past perspective.
• Over geological timescales, foraminifera have inhabited diverse marine environments, ranging
from coastal shallows to deep-sea abyssal plains.
• Their abundant fossil record, preserved in sedimentary layers, serves as a key resource for
palaeoecologists and geologists seeking to unravel the Earth's climatic and environmental history.
• In this work, we focused on the utilization of foraminifera as palaeoenvironmental indicators, with
emphasis on the past application of their morphological characteristics, and assemblage
compositions.
• These parameters offer valuable insights into various aspects of ancient ecosystems, such as
temperature, salinity, nutrient availability, and ocean circulation patterns.
• The past examination of foraminifera as a tool for palaeoecological reconstruction reaffirms their
relevance as an invaluable resource for understanding Earth's environmental history.
• As ongoing research continues to refine our methods, their potential to shed light on ancient
ecosystems and guide us in managing present and future ecological challenges becomes
increasingly evident.
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