Distribution of Benthic Foraminiferal Assemblages on the Southern Campanian Continental Shelf

Benthic foraminifera in 250 samples collected on the Southern Campanian continental shelf were analysed. Q-mode cluster analysis resulted in the identification of six distinct foraminiferal assemblages, reflecting different environmental settings. The distribution of the assemblages shows a distinct zonation, that is manly attributed to grainsize and composition of sediment, bathymetry and to geographical distribution of the impact of the river supply. Cluster I (4-20 m), is related to the areas influenced by the rivers outflow on sandy-silt and very sandy silt substrates, dominated by
the species Ammonia beccarii and Eggerella scabra; cluster II (10-30 m), associated with vegetated environments and/or sandy and gravelly sandy substrates, presents a characteristic epiphytic fauna composed by Cibicides lobatulus, Rosalina bradyi and Rosalina obtusa; cluster III (10-50 m) shows a typical infralittoral assemblage mainly related to sandy silty and very sandy silty substrates, not directly affected by the rivers outflow, with the dominance of Ammonia tepida and Elphidium granosum; cluster IV related to silty sandy substrates of the Sorrento Peninsula shelf, is chracterised by Elphidium crispum and Cibicides lobatulus; cluster V (30-100 m) is composed by silty substrates with the dominance of the opportunistic species Valvulineria bradyana while cluster VI is characterized by an outer-shelf assemblage on silty bottoms, with prevalent Cassidulina carinata.