Benthic foraminifera in sediment cores reflecting heavy metal pollution in Sorfjord, western Norway

Analysis of benthic foraminifera in two short sediment (15 and 53 m water depth) from heavy metalpolluted indicates that a faunal shift has taken , due to heavy metal enrichment. Both cores reveal upward transition from a moderately polluted environment by a Verneuilina media assemblage an extremely polluted environment represented an Eggerelloides scabrus assemblage. This faunal may result from an increased competitiveness some shallow water species in deeper water areas to environmental stress, at the expense of more marine forms which have stricter ecological requirements. total abundance of foraminifera d,ecreases in both cores, whereas species diversity ouly a minor decrease. The frequent occurrence abnormal and pyritized specimens is attributed to effects of pollution, and seven different modes of deformation are described.