Distribution of recent benthic foraminifera in the southern basin of the Venice lagoon (Italy): Statistical evaluation of taxa significance

摘要

The total benthic foraminiferal assemblage (living and dead) is analyzed for 95 samples collected in the southern basin of the Venice Lagoon [Chioggia Basin, Italy]. Quantitative results of the identified 48 species are statistically treated by correspondence an alysis and Fuzzy c-means cluster analysis to define both the zonal environmental similarities (biotopes) and the faunal similarities (biofacies). In this lagoon basin, the biotopes delineate the area of marine influence, areas of mixed sea/lagoon, and zones of greater hu- man impact that seem less heavily polluted with respect to the other two lagoon basins.