An Analysis of Floridian Foraminifera in Past Hurricane Sediment.

Foraminifera are benthic microorganisms that are used as environmental proxies due to their sensitivity to changes in their surrounding living conditions. This study focuses on shifts in species abundance and diversity of foraminiferal assemblages from western Florida. This research has explored how Floridian hurricane activity and other related factors, including resuspended sediment contaminants, influenced these shifts. Samples were taken from vibracore PR-30, a sediment core taken along a barrier island, a location particularly vulnerable to hurricane events. These factors have all been analyzed in a comprehensive survey of the foraminifera present and XRF scans of potential contaminants in the sediment. We hypothesized that foraminiferal assemblages would decline in abundance and diversity in response to these factors. The preliminary data from a few of the samples has proven to be consistent in diversity and abundance with small variations between samples. This could suggest a strong resilience and ability to recover in Flordian ecosystems or that this period of time in the sediment had not yet experienced a severe weather event, leaving little data. More data collection and analysis will be necessary to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the vibracore foraminifera and the effects of hurricanes on marine ecosystems. The results of this study will help create a strengthened understanding of ecosystem resilience and recovery. As climatic events intensify, a strong understanding of the resilience of marine ecosystems will be key to understanding the long lasting effects caused by severe weather events.