10.1594/PANGAEA.907351Cappelli, Elena Lo GiudiceElena Lo GiudiceCappelliClarke, Jessica LJessica LClarke0000-0002-7145-9367Smeaton, CraigCraigSmeaton0000-0003-4535-2555Davidson, KeithKeithDavidson0000-0001-9269-3227Austin, William ENWilliam ENAustin0000-0001-6544-3468PANGAEA2019Benthic foraminifera assemblagesEvent labelLatitude of eventLongitude of eventSample IDDEPTH, sediment/rockAmmonia spp.Ammoscalaria runianaBolivina skagerrakensisBolivina spathulataBolivina pseudoplicataBolivina pseudopunctataBolivina variabilisBuccella frigidaBuccella tenerrimaBulimina elongataBulimina gibbaBulimina marginataBuliminella elegantissimaCassidulina laevigataCassidulina obtusaCibicides spp.Cornuspira sp.Eggerelloides scaberElphidium aculeatumElphidium albiumbilicatumElphidium crispumElphidium gerthiElphidium incertumElphidium margaritaceumElphidium excavatumElphidium sp.Elphidium williamsoniEpistominella vitreaFissurina spp.Connemarella rudisGlobobulimina affinisHaplophragmoides sp.Haynesina germanicaHyalinea balthicaLagena clavataLagena semistriataLagena setigeraLamarckina heliotideaMiliolinella subrotundaNonion depressulumNonion porporatumNonionella turgidaOolina hexagonaOolina meloOolina sp.Oolina squamosaOolina williamsoniDiscanomalina sp.Patellina corrugataPlanorbulina distomaQuinqueloculina bicornisQuinqueloculina seminulumQuinqueloculina sp.Reophax fusiformisReophax scottiRosalina anomalaRosalina sp.Spirillina viviparaSpiroloculina rotundaSpiroplectinella wrightiiStainforthia fusiformisTextularia earlandiTrifarina angulosaTrochammina sp.Foraminifera, benthic indeterminataNumber of speciesvan Veen GrabCounting >63 µm fractionSupplementary Dataset10.5194/bg-2019-1251521 data pointstext/tab-separated-valuesCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 InternationalFjords have been described as hotspots for carbon burial, potentially playing a key role within the carbon cycle as climate regulators over multiple timescales. Nevertheless, little is known about the long-term fate of the carbon that may become stored in fjordic sediments. One of the main reasons for this knowledge gap is that carbon arriving on the seafloor is prone to post-depositional degradation, posing a great challenge when trying to discriminate between an actual change in carbon deposition rate and post depositional carbon loss. In this study, we evaluate the use of modern benthic foraminifera as bio-indicators of carbon content in six voes (fjords) on the west coast of Shetland. Benthic foraminifera are sensitive to changes in carbon content in the sediments, and changes in their assemblage composition therefore reflect synchronous variations in the quantity and quality of carbon reaching the seafloor. We identified four environments based on the relationship between benthic foraminiferal assemblages and carbon content in the sediments: 1) Land-locked regions influenced by riverine/freshwater inputs of organic matter, namely the head of fjords with a restricted geomorphology; 2) Stressed environments with a heavily stratified water column and sediments rich in organic matter of low nutritional value; 3) Depositional environments with moderate organic content and mild or episodic current activity; 4) Marginal to coastal settings with low organic content, such as fjords with an unrestricted geomorphology. We conclude that foraminifera potentially provide a tool to disentangle primary carbon signals from post-depositional degradation and loss of carbon because of their environmental sensitivity and high preservation potential in the sedimentary record.Supplement to: Cappelli, Elena Lo Giudice; Clarke, Jessica L; Smeaton, Craig; Davidson, Keith; Austin, William EN (2019): Organic carbon rich sediments: benthic foraminifera as bio-indicators of depositional environments. Biogeosciences Discussions, 1-26-1.582167-1.27726760.0476560.39075Clift Sound, ShetlandSand Sound, ShetlandOlna Firth, ShetlandAith Voe, ShetlandBusta Voe, ShetlandVaila Sound, Shetland