The Role of Abiotic Factors in the Distribution
of Benthic Foraminifers in the Tatar Strait

V. K. Annin

Pacific Oceanological Institute, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia

Received July 19, 2000; in final form, December 25, 2000

Abstract—The distribution of benthic foraminifers into two sublatitudinal profiles in the Tatar Strait was ana-
lyzed. Seventy-five foraminiferal species belonging to 44 genera were found. The patterns of the foraminifer
distribution over the two profiles significantly differ both in the species composition and in the structure of the
benthic foraminiferal assemblages inhabiting the continental and insular sublittoral zones. The contrast
between the temperature regime of the eastern part of the strait exposed to the warm Tsushima Current and its
western part affected by the cold Schrenk Current is responsible for the difference between the foraminiferal
assemblages formed at almost the same depths within the insular and continental sublittoral zones. The charac-
ter of the sediments and the regime of precipitation has an effect on the density of the foraminiferal population.
When suspended matter is accumulated within the lower parts of sublittoral slopes, a drop in the foraminiferal
abundance is observed.

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