USING FORAMINIFERA AS BIOINDICATORS IN BUDD INLET, PUGET SOUND, WASHINGTON, USA

Abnormalities found among foraminifera can indicate an unstable ecosystem, however, it is unknown if these abnormalities are affected by seasonal changes. These abnormalities are primarily caused by large concentrations of heavy metals which can cause stress to ecosystems. There are shell abnormalities found in foraminiferal populations in Budd Inlet, Puget Sound from the summer months, but there haven’t been many studies on abnormalities within the winter foraminiferal populations. This study was conducted to see if winter populations had the same number of abnormalities as the summer population, or if there is something happening specifically to the summer populations that are causing these abnormalities. By removing foraminifera from sediment core samples, we were able to calculate the population size, abundance, and rate of abnormalities found in populations. Some preliminary data shows that there is a presence of shell abnormalities among foraminifera, but it is not as prolific as in the summer data. There is also less diversity and a much smaller population size among the winter populations. If the ecosystem is found to be unstable, it can eventually affect anything that utilizes that ecosystem.