The Effects Of Submarine Springs On Meiobenthic Assemblages (Benthic Foraminifers, Ostracods And Molluscs) On The Coasts Of Aliaga (Izmir)

Many scientific researches have been done on different faunal assemblages in relation to the environmental condition from thermal sources located on the eastern Aegean Sea coast. Aliaga (Izmir) region has also thermal resources. These two thermal springs are closely located on the coast of Ilica Cape, northwest of Aliaga (Izmir) and northwest of Karaagac Cove. Their temperatures are 40 degrees C and 51 degrees C, respectively. The bottom deposits consist of rock fragments, gravel, sand, silt and clay units in the study area.In this research, 13 bottom sediment samples taken from different points and corresponding depths in the sea between the Ilica Cape and the Tasli Cape were examined. Heavy metal analysis in the sediment samples were done by using ICP-MS. In addition, the results of trace element analysis and total Alpha and Beta features in the samples taken from the sea surface and spring waters were evaluated. The aim is to interpret meiobenthic living conditions by investigating on the effect of thermal springs the benthic foraminifera, ostracod and mollusk assemblages in this region.It was observed that the typical Aegean Sea foraminifera fauna composed of 32 genera and 50 species predominated in the studied samples. An important peculiarity of the region is absence of amphistegina lobifera and peneroplid genera and species commonly observed in the Aegean coasts of Turkey. Widely known nineteen genera and twentyeight species from Ostracods were found in Mediterranean and Aegean Sea. Mollusc faunas consist of 9 genera and 10 species from gastropods, 14 genera and 14 species from bivalves.The other an important finding in the deposits are the presence of numerous gypsum crystals in sample A11. This finding is an indication of an old thermal source. Furthermore, distribution of zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), Cooper (Cu) and arsenic (As) as the heavy metals in the same sample were found to be the highest. In these examples, a few species of foraminifera and only one species from ostracods and bivalves were found.