Abstract
The foraminiferal flux from the shelf edge to the slope of the East China Sea was studied through conventional and time series sediment trap experiments during 27 October to 4 November, 1995. Well preserved planktic foraminifers, poorly preserved planktic foraminifers and benthic foraminifers were observed in both types of sediment traps. Such fact indicates that these foraminifers were suspended from the surface sediments. We also found that the benthic foraminiferal species in the surface sediments at the shelf edge and the uppermost slope site were captured by the sediment trap moored at the shelf edge station, and those in the surface sediment sites from the uppermost slope to the Okinawa Trough were captured by the traps at the uppermost slope station and the upper slope station. Furthermore, based on the foraminiferal flux observation by time series sediment traps at the continental slope, we infer that a great number of foraminifers from the surface sediments were suspended by internal tides, and then some of these foraminifers reached the sediment traps through lateral transportation.
