Fluctuating monsoonal precipitation as revealed by foraminiferal variations in a core from shelf regime off Karwar (India)

Abstract

Variations in the percentage frequency of the foraminifera Cavarotalia annectens in the sediments collected by box core in the shelf region of Karwar, infront of the mouth of the Kalinadi river, India were used to map paleomonsoonal variations in this area. The percentage abundance of C. annectens in the total benthic foraminifera obtained for each sample and plotted against depth in core varied from 0 to 4.88%. In coastal areas, abundance of this species is inversely proportional to freshwater discharge. Hence its low frequency indicate higher discharge through rivers and thus better monsoons