Foraminiferal Ooze: Solution at Depths

Abstract

Samples of foraminiferal ooze were exposed to ocean water at various depths for 4 months, attached to the taut wire of a buoy in the central Pacific. Appreciable solution took place below 1000 meters and increased rapidly below 3000 meters and below 5000 meters. The fact that samples from different locations appear to dissolve at different rates suggests that the previous history of a sample determines its solubility. Solution is selective; it changes species composition, size distribution, content of damaged shells, and average particle weight of an assemblage.