DISTRIBUTION OF CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSILS IN THE SURFACE SEDIMENTS OF THE SOUTHERN YELLOW SEA

Calcareous nannofossil analysis have been carried out for 47 surface sediment samples taken from the southern parts of the Yellow Sea(120.5°~125.5°E,31.8°~37°N). The results show that the nannofossils are dominated by the typical marginal assemblages of Emiliania hexleyi and Gephyrocapsa oceanica. The total abundance of calcareous nannofossils varies between 0 and 1451, and is controlled by the water depth and the Yellow Sea Warm Current. The distribution of E.huxleyi and G.oceanica shows a different pattern. E.huxleyi has a similar distribution with the total abundance of nannofossils:higher abundance in the central area and lower abundance in the coastal area. G.oceanica, however, is more abundant in the western coastal area, but less in the sediments far from the coast.These results indicate that the distribution of E.huxleyi were controlled mainly by the water depth and the Yellow Sea Warm Current, and the distribution of G.oceanica is probably linked to the seawater nutrient.