Benthic Foraminiferal Distribution in the Red Sea coastal sediments, Shalateen Area, Egypt: Environmental Biomonitoring Implications

الملخص

The Red Sea coast is overcrowded by many international and local harbors, particularly Shalateen harbor, that imposes environmental threats on the marine biota. The Shalateen ecosystem is assessed using benthic foraminifera, a sensitive proxy to environmental change. This study investigated the relationship between ecological parameters and benthic foraminifera distribution in the Shalateen site, a coastal area on the Red Sea facing increasing environmental deterioration. A total of 17 stations were sampled, and their benthic foraminiferal contents were analyzed. The findings revealed enriched benthic foraminiferal assemblages, dominated by Miliolida and Rotaliida, where counted morphological deformities in foraminiferal tests were observed and counted. Siamese twins, wrong direction of coiling, and aberrant chambers are the depicted test abnormalities. They are higher in the miliolids than rotaliids. A statistical analysis identified two distinct foraminiferal assemblages; group 1 is associated with shallow, high-energy habitats with elevated salinity and carbonate content, while group 2 occupies deeper waters with higher organic matter and finer sediments. The environmental-based foraminiferal indices (FAI, FI, FMI and AEI) highlighted that the stations in the nearby harbor have higher environmental impacts than the offshore stations. These findings provide crucial baseline data for future environmental management and conservation efforts in this vulnerable ecosystem.