The recent foraminifera and facies of the Bass Canyon: A temperate submarine canyon in Gippsland, Australia

Abstract

This study describes the foraminifera and facies of a large submarine canyon: the Bass Canyon, in the Gippsland Basin off the coast of southeastern Australia. The study incorporates facies analyses and interpretations of three types of foraminiferal distributional data: forms alive at time of collection, recently dead forms and relict forms. Four principle biofacies types occur: (1) middle shelf to shelf-break carbonate sand: (2) oxic upper to middle bathyal carbonate sand and gravel, with abundant bryozoans; (3) reduced oxic middle bathyal carbonate sand and gravel and (4) lower bathyal oxic muddy sand to Globigerina Ooze. Correspondence Analysis of the 61 parameters (percentage abundance o..