Intertidal foraminifera in the Spartina patens floral zone of the LaHave Estuary, Canada: A baseline for assessing organic pollution remediation

There were no significant correlations between %C, %N and the mean foraminiferal densities of species. The mean population densities per 10 cm3 of E. macrescens differed between sites, (a) MPPP, (b) Dayspring and Upper LaHave, and (c) East LaHave forming non-overlapping subsets that will need to be monitored separately. Trochammina inflata mean population densities were distinct only at East LaHave. Miliammina fusca population densities presented a peculiar pattern, MPPP and East LaHave forming one group, and the intervening Dayspring and Upper LaHave sites forming another. The transformed mean proportions per site of E. macrescens and T. inflata were not significantly correlated with %C or %N, but those of M. fusca were positively correlated with both. It may be that high trace metal concentrations near Bridgewater are affecting foraminiferal distributions and abundances. This must be taken into account when using the benthic foraminiferal assemblage to assess the impact of the organic pollution remediation.