Recent Foraminiferida and Ostracoda from Estuarine and shelf environments on the southeastern coast of Australia

The southeastern coastal zone of Australia includes several types of estuarine habitats, which are distinctly different from most northern hemisphere counterparts. These differences relate, in particular, to the extreme dryness of the continent, the extremely variable and small river discharges, and the microtidal conditions. Estuarine and shallow shelf environments along the coast of New South Wales exhibit a rich and well diversified foraminiferal and ostracod fauna, which have not yet been fully documented. Compared to the European or American coastlines, the taxonomy and ecology of the foraminiferid and ostracod fauna from the Australian shallow marine environment are poorly described and illustrated. Geological, environmental and marine science students working on these organisms are restricted to old publications with poor quality illustrations and inadequate descriptions. With universal use of the scanning electron microscope in the field of foraminiferid and ostracod studies, the need for a modern manual to overcome this shortage has encouraged the authors to publish the present book. The text is intended to cover both an introductory-level and a working manual on Recent Foraminiferida and Ostracoda. It does not assume any prior exposure to taxonomy or ecology of these organisms, it is expected to be useful in geological, environmental and marine science studies.