Coastal lagoons experience removal and leaching of metals due to seasonal fluctuation of salinity coupled with pH and dissolved oxygen variability. Benthic foraminifers are susceptible to seasonal variation in physicochemical conditions. Assessment of bioavailable fraction of selected metals in sediments along the salinity gradient of the largest brackish lagoon in Asia- Chilika was carried out. Further, population density and abnormality index of foraminifera in the sediments were calculated to understand the influence of bioavailable metal on benthic foraminifera. Metal concentrations were higher in the low salinity regions and decreased towards the high salinity regions. This suggests river discharge controls the metal input and distribution in the lagoon. Overall, metal concentrations are high in the residual fraction (F4) followed by interplay within the reducible (F2) or oxidizable (F3) fractions, except for Mn. The seasonal fluctuations of pH and cyclic oxygen deficiency intensified the leaching of Fe, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn in the bioavailable fraction in the low salinity region of the lagoon. The presence of metals in bioavailable fractions impacted the normal growth of the abundant Ammonia species. Despite low bioavailable metal concentrations, higher morphological abnormalities were observed in the high salinity regions due to higher energy conditions near the sea. Therefore, abnormalities in the benthic foraminifera are attributed to bioavailability of metals from sediments and natural stress conditions in the coastal lagoon environment.
Keywords: Abnormal tests; Diversity; Geochemical pooling; Metal contamination; Salinity gradient.
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