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<p>Benthic foraminiferal assemblages were investigated as bioindicators of metal pollution and environmental gradients in Gorgan Bay, a semi-enclosed basin in the southeastern Caspian Sea. Surface sediment samples from fifteen stations were analyzed for species composition, sediment characteristics, water quality parameters, and heavy metal concentrations. Multivariate analyses revealed distinct spatial patterns in community structure, driven by both natural and anthropogenic factors. Total organic matter, water depth, mud content, and copper concentration emerged as the most influential variables, collectively accounting for 38.86–44.6% of the observed variation. The assemblage was dominated by <i>Ammonia beccarii caspica</i> (68%) and <i>Elphidium littorale caspicus</i> (22%), with rare taxa such as <i>Cornuspira</i> sp. exhibiting restricted distributions. These findings demonstrate that benthic foraminiferal communities in Gorgan Bay are sensitive to environmental gradients and metal contamination, supporting their utility as effective bioindicators in vulnerable coastal ecosystems under increasing anthropogenic pressure.</p>

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Benthic foraminiferal assemblages as bioindicators of metal pollution and environmental gradients in Gorgan Bay, Caspian Sea

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月9日

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  • H. Bagheri,
  • M. Taheri

摘要

Benthic foraminiferal assemblages were investigated as bioindicators of metal pollution and environmental gradients in Gorgan Bay, a semi-enclosed basin in the southeastern Caspian Sea. Surface sediment samples from fifteen stations were analyzed for species composition, sediment characteristics, water quality parameters, and heavy metal concentrations. Multivariate analyses revealed distinct spatial patterns in community structure, driven by both natural and anthropogenic factors. Total organic matter, water depth, mud content, and copper concentration emerged as the most influential variables, collectively accounting for 38.86–44.6% of the observed variation. The assemblage was dominated by Ammonia beccarii caspica (68%) and Elphidium littorale caspicus (22%), with rare taxa such as Cornuspira sp. exhibiting restricted distributions. These findings demonstrate that benthic foraminiferal communities in Gorgan Bay are sensitive to environmental gradients and metal contamination, supporting their utility as effective bioindicators in vulnerable coastal ecosystems under increasing anthropogenic pressure.