Foraminifera as Bioindicators of Water Quality: The FoRAM Index Revisited

Martina Prazeres, Michael Martinez-Colon, Pamela Hallock, Pamela Hallock Muller

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Coral reefs worldwide are degrading at alarming rates due to local and global stressors. There are ongoing needs for bioindicator systems that can be used to assess reef health status, the potential for recovery following destructive events such as tropical storms, and for the success of coral transplants. Benthic foraminiferal shells are ubiquitous components of carbonate sediment in reef environments that can be sampled at minimal cost and environmental impact. Here we review the development and application of the FoRAM Index ( FI ), which provides a bioindicator metric for water quality that supports reef accretion. We outline the strengths and limitations of the FI , and propose how it can be applied more effectively across different geographical regions.

Original languageAmerican English
JournalEnvironmental Pollution
Volume257
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1 2020

Keywords

  • Benthic foraminifera
  • Coral reefs
  • Monitoring
  • Environmental assessment

Disciplines

  • Life Sciences

Cite this