DISTRIBUTION OF BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA AND ITS BEARING ON MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS IN THE NORTH YELLOW SEA SURFACE SEDIMENTS

302 surficial sediment samples obtained from the North Yellow Sea in August 2006 were selected to study the distribution of benthic foraminifera and its relation to the modern marine environment. The benthic foraminiferal fauna was mainly composed of species with high tolerance towards low temperature and low salinity. Moreover, percentages of species were obviously larger than in other Chinese seas. 56 species/genera with relatively high abundances were chosen to carry out Q-mode factor analysis, 5 varimax factors were obtained, and they explain 84% of the total variance. Correlations between these factors and environmental parameters were established by mutual comparison. and told us that the sediment granularity is the most important environmental factor controlling the distribution of foraminifera in the North Yellow Sea,and the second are the sea water temperature and salinity.Water depth showed indistinct influence on the distribution of foraminifera.