Production in benthic foraminiferids

Abstract

Four main factors control the annual production of benthic foraminiferids, namely, the initial size of the standing crop, the proportion of individuals which reproduce, the frequency of reproduction, and the number of new individuals resulting from each reproductive phase. Different combinations of these factors lead to the conclusion that there are four principal patterns of relationship between standing crop and annual production. A method is put forward for assessing production from samples collected at regular intervals from the same area. The periods of reproduction could then be established for each important species and the adults maturing from each period could be counted for inclusion in the production figures. The validity of the method has been discussed with reference to the published data of Boltovskoy (1964). It is concluded that reliable estimates of production will lead to the evaluation of the fertility and productivity of the sea floor, improve ecological interpretations, give information on life histories and intraspecific variability, improve the palaeoecological interpretation of fossil foraminiferids and give an estimate of the rate of sediment deposition under certain circumstances.