OSTRACODA AND FORAMINIFERA RESPONSE TO A SEVERELY CONTAMINATED ENVIRONMENT: THE CASE OF THE EX MILITARY ARSENAL OF THE MADDALENA HARBOUR (SARDINIA, ITALY)

Benthic ostracod and foraminifer faunas have recently been used as environmental bio-indicators, especially in polluted environments where their sensitivity to pollutants may be expressed in particular with a modification in the assemblage (BERGIN et al., 2006; RUIZ, 2012). Disappearance, replacement or appearance of specific species, the occurrence of morphological anomalies, or the alteration of population dynamics could well be the evidence of stressed environments related to anthropogenic impacts (CHERCHI et al., 2009; FRONTALINI et al., 2009).