(Table 1) Planktonic foraminiferal datum events of ODP Leg 166 sites@en

Planktonic foraminifers recovered from Leg 166 drilling showed a progression from well-preserved to poorly preserved specimens with increasing depth. The high carbonate production and shedding from the Great Bahama Bank diluted the pelagic components to the extent that planktonic foraminifers had scattered occurrences, particularly in the lower Pliocene and/or uppermost Miocene sections in Sites 1003-1005 and Site 1007. A reasonable planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphic framework was possible for these sites because samples from thin, clay-rich layers contained moderately to well-preserved specimens throughout the lower Pliocene to Miocene interval. Better preservation of the specimens occurred in these layers because they were dominated by terrigenous sedimentation. […]