Foraminiferal species distributions and sedimentological dynamics of the Knysna Estuary, South Africa

Abstract

Although the status of the Knysna Estuary is considered to be in an acceptable environmental condition, pressures of development and tourism in the area are likely to cause substantial deterioration. Investigating the microfossil assemblages in the Knysna Estuary is imperative, since foraminifera serve as essential ecological indicators, and can be used to monitor the health of the ecosystem during development, as they are extremely sensitive to any environmental changes. The Knysna Estuary is well suited for investigating microfossil assemblages, since it has the richest fauna of the larger benthic invertebrates of any of the South African estuaries and it is open to the sea throughout the year.