*Hiroshi Kitazato1
(1.Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT))
Keywords:foraminifers, habitat segregation, seascape in the sea
Benthic foraminifers dwell in bottom environments with habitat segregations. For instance, benthic foraminiferal species live on algal species according to exixting microhabitats such as fronds or thali of algae, or sediments in between fronds. Benthic foraminiferal species that are living with microhabitat segregations show specific characteristics such as feeding behaviors, living positions and test growth patterns according to microhabitat specific environmental characters . These characters are strongly affected by microhabitat specific microenvironments. During my presentation, I will compile group of microhabitats and their microenvironmental characters (Kitazato, 1994). Then, I try to explain how microhabitats segregation relate strongly with habitat specific adaptational tactics of foraminiferal species.
These landscape ecological approaches may have made clear species specific functional ecology of foraminiferal species groups.