Occurrence, stratigraphic distribution and palaeoecology of Quaternary foraminifera from CRP-1

Foraminifera arc examined in twenty-six samples from a 44 metre succession of Quaternary glacial sediments recovered from the CRP-1 drillhole on Roberts Ridge, southwestern Ross Sea, Antarctica.11; situ marine assemblages were documented in at least three of the six lithostratigraphic units, and it is likely that the remaining three interbedcled clianiicton units are also marine in origin.Peak foraminiferal diversities arc documented in Unit 3.1 (73 species) and Unit 2.2 (32 species).Calcareous benthics dominate the assemblages, but may be accompanied by abundant occurrences of the planktonic A~eogloboquadrinapachyderma.Low diversity agglutinatedfaunas appear in theuppermost strata of Units 4.1 and 2.2.A close relationship between lithofacics and foraminiferal biofacies points to marine environments that alternated between proximity to and distance from active glaciers and iceshelf fronts, with associated variations in salinity, sea-surface ice cover and the levels of rainout from debris-laden ice.