Benthic foraminiferal associations in the Miocene of Southern Poland

Abstract

Distributional patterns of more than 50 most common benthic foraminiferal genera of the Polish Badenian to Sarmatian (Miocene) are studied semi-quantitatively by factor analysis of correspondences. They appear. independent one of another and do not permit recognition of any consistent ecological communities. 'The multi-species (or better, multi-genus) method appears therefore' as the only valid benthic-foraminifer-based paleoecological approach to paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Six distinct associations are recognized among the Polish Miocene foraminifers, and called after their most typical genera; these are the Asterigerina, ·Quinqueloculina, Valvulineria, Robulus, Florilus, and Sphaeroidina associations. The former three associations prevail under shallow-water conditions, while the others are indicative of deeper-water environments. The Asterigerina association is recognized for typical of seagrass or kelp beds. The Quinqueloculina association typical of the Sarmatian deposits appears indicative of very high availability of the calcium carbonate.