ELSEVIER Marine Micropaleontology 38 (2000) 229–246 www.elsevier.com/locate/marmicro Foraminiferal response to Holocene environmental changes of a tidal estuary in Victoria, southeastern Australia Longyin Li a,L , Stephen Gallagher b , Brian Finlayson a a Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC3052, Australia b School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia Received 3 May 1999; revised version received 21 October 1999; accepted 28 November 1999 Abstract The Holocene strata in the Anderson Inlet area in Victoria can be stratigraphically divided into four units, Unit I, Unit II, Unit III, and Unit IV. Unit I and Unit IV lack fossils and were deposited in non-marine, probably fluvial environments. Unit II and Unit III contain abundant foraminifera with molluscs, ostracods and bryozoans. Foraminiferal analysis suggests that Unit III was formed in a partially sheltered marine environment, while the high plankton content and relatively high diversity of benthic species in Unit II indicate that this unit was deposited in an open bay at water depths possibly less than 5 m. The foraminiferal data are integrated with radiocarbon dates to arrive at the following Holocene palaeoenvironmental history in this area: (1) low alluvial plain stage (10,000–7000 yr B.P.); (2) open bay environment stage (7000–5500 yr B.P.); (3) partially sheltered marine environment stage (5500–4500 yr B.P.); (4) alluvial plain and coastal lagoon environment stage (since about 4500 yr B.P.). The foraminiferal fauna show a clear response to these palaeoenvironmental changes. Globigerina bulloides can be used as an indicator for cold water marine environments. The high concentration of this species in these middle Holocene sediments shows a strong cold water influence on the coastal environments which reduced the effect of regional warm currents during this period. The Holocene palaeoenvironmental changes in the area were controlled by the Holocene sea-level fluctuations associated with the deglaciation history during this period. Similar integrated studies of shallow to marginal marine strata in southern Africa, America and New Zealand will lead to a better understanding of Holocene relative sea-level change and the interplay between Holocene cold and warm water regimes in the Southern Hemisphere.  2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Holocene; foraminifera; palaeoenvironment; stratigraphy; tidal estuary; Australia 1. Introduction The Anderson Inlet in southeast Australia pre- serves marine sediments that were deposited fac- ing the Southern Ocean during the Holocene. This detailed microfossil study reveals information on L Corresponding author. Tel.: C61-3-9344-7815; Fax: C61-3- 9344-4972; E-mail: l.li3@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au Holocene palaeoenvironmental changes relating to sea-level fluctuations and changing ocean conditions. Similar analyses of other marginal to fully marine strata elsewhere in the Southern Hemisphere will lead to a better understanding of Holocene relative sea-level change and oceanic processes. The Anderson Inlet is a tidal estuary, situated on the eastern Victorian coastline approximately 100 km southeast of Melbourne in southeast Australia 0377-8398/00/$ – see front matter  2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII:S0377-8398(00)00004-9