Dr. W. (Willem) Renema
benthic Foraminifera
- renema@naturalis.nl
- Phone
- +31 (0) 71 5687576
- Fax
- +31 (0)71 5687666
Research interests
The past is the key to the present
Although the Indo-West Pacific (IWP) houses the most diverse extant marine ecosystems, little attention has been paid to the Cenozoic history of these diverse biotas. Most of the work on the fossil record of this area dates back to the first half of the twentieth century. Restudying collection material, combined with additional fieldwork in the area has shown that the modern centre of marine biodiversity is a comparatively recent phenomenon.
During the Eocene large benthic foraminifera constituted an important fraction of the Indonesian sediment, yet both in total number of species in the area, morphological diversity and number of species per site the European and Northern African realm was more diverse. Only in the Oligocene larger foraminiferal diversity started to increase in the Indo-West Pacific. At the same time a change from a fauna dominated by immigrants from the western Tethys during the Eocene into a fauna with evolving lineages in the Indo-West Pacific is observed.
A key period is the Early-Middle Miocene. Although large benthic foraminifera diversity was already high during most of the Oligocene, zooxanthellate corals increase in diversity during this period, resulting in the first appearance of modern type coral reefs in the area.
Improving the stratigraphical knowledge of the Indonesian basins forms the basis of this project. This was achieved by combining data from planktonic foraminifera found in the same samples, or if these were not available from the same sections. In some cases additional data from dinoflagellates and Sr-istope dating were used.
At present we are in the process to organise a workshop on the Cenozoic history of the IWP centre of marine biodiversity together with Kenneth Johnson (NHM, London), Moyra Wilson (University of Durham) and John Pandolfi (University of Queensland). The aim of that workshop will be to come to broad, international research project with a multi-taxon approach to development of high diversity in the IWP.
The present is the key to the past
Diversity of larger benthic foraminifera is determined by the interplay of several parameters, among which nutrient availability, temperature and disturbance frequency (the frequency at which stressful events occur) are very important. Stressful events can be burial because of increased sedimentation rate, storms or bioturbation, but also breakage due to storms.
By comparing recent distribution patterns of species with historical data, other long-term processes affecting larger benthic foraminifera diversity can be determined. All these data help to improve the interpretation of patterns found in the fossil record.
Following the fieldwork on the Spermonde Shelf we found that variability at ecological time scales (here especially seasonallity) is important in attenuating the habitat partitioning of larger benthic foraminifera. In highly seasonal settings, such as the Spermonde Shelf with a monsoonal climate, especially the deep living species are affected. In the ever-wet Berau area (East-Kalimantan) seasonality is much less, and large benthic foraminifera occur down to a water depth of 120 m. Within the reef slope and lagoonal environment a large difference is observed. In reefs at the edge of the carbonate shelf, or reefs off the shelf, not only increased habitat partioning is observed, but also a totally new assemblage is found. The same assemblage was found in other off shore reefs, such as the Tukan Besi Islands.
Currently I am working on the large benthic foraminifera fauna of the Bay of Jakarta and the Thousand Islands, off Jakarta in Indonesia. This iarea is heavily affected by human polution in the nearshore zone. The whole Java Sea is a shallow coastal shelf with high terrestrial influence. The climate is monsoonal, but the difference between the wet and dry seasons is less extreme than in the Spermonde. Preliminary results show that diversity, especially in the reef flat habitats is higher than expected. Compared to the Spermonde, especially the Calcarinidae and Peneroplidae are more diverse.
The results of these studies have been used in a multi-taxon approach to marine biodiversity. Results from these studies show that 1) the distribution of large benthic foraminifera is mainly determined by environmental parameters, 2) LBF diversity co-varies with diversity in reef corals and sponges.
My overall aim of this project is to expand the geographical extend of this study to include a larger area, and to develop a monitoring tool using LBF in sediment cores. In order to do so we do not only need to understand the geographical variability, but also the 10-1000 year natural temporal variation in LBF communities. Only than we can discriminate between natural variation and temporal trends.
Publications
Naturalis RepositoryBooks
Renema, W. (ed.) 2007. Biogeography, Time and Place: Distributions, Barriers and Islands, Springer, Dordrecht.
book chapters
Renema, W. 2007. Fauna Development of Larger Benthic Foraminifera in the Cenozoic of Southeast Asia. In: Renema, W. (ed.) Biogeography, Time and Place: Distributions, Barriers and Islands, Springer, Dordrecht: 179-215.
Journal articles
Meijer, HJM, Donovan, SK & Renema, W. 2009. Major Dutch collections of Permian fossils from Timor amalgamated. Journal of Paleontology 83: 313.
Webster, JM, Braga J-C, Clague DA, Gallup C, Hein JR, Potts DC, Renema W, Riding R., Riker-Coleman K, Silver E & Wallace LM. 2009. Coral reef evolution on rapidly subsiding margins. Global and Planetary Change 66: 129–148.Renema, W., D. Bellwood, J.- C. Braga, K. Bromfield, R. Hall, K. G. Johnson, P. Lunt, C. P. Meyer, L. McMonagle, R. J. Morley, A. O’dea, J. A. Todd, F. P. Wesselingh, M. E.J. Wilson, and J. M. Pandolfi. 2008. Hopping hotspots: Global shifts in marine biodiversity. Science 321: 654-657
Renema, W. 2008. Habitat selective factors influencing the distribution of large benthic foraminifera assemblages over the Kepualauan Seribu. Marine Micropaleontology 68: 286-298.Renema, W., 2008. Internal structure of Miocene Pseudotaberina and its relation to Caribbean Archaiasins. Palaeontology 51 :71-79.
Cleary, D.F.R., and Renema, W., 2007. Relating species traits of foraminifera to environmental variables in the Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia. Marine Ecology Progress Series 334:73-82.
Leloux, J. and Renema, W., 2007. Types and originals of fossil Porifera and Cnidaria of Indonesia in Naturalis. NNM Technical Bulletin 10: 1-305.
Renema, W., 2006. Large benthic foraminifera from the deep photic zone of a mixed siliciclastic-carbonate shelf off East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Marine Micropaleontology58: 73-82.
Becking, L.E., Cleary, D.F.R., de Voogd, N.J., Renema, W., Beer, M. de, Soest, R.W.M. van, and Hoeksema, B.W., 2006. Beta diverstoy of tropical marine benthic assemblages in the Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia. Marine Ecology27: 76-88.
Webster, J.M., Clague, D.A., Braga, J.C., Spalding, H. , Renema, W., Kelley, C., Applegate, B., Smith, J.R., Paull, C.K., Moore, J.G. and Potts, D., 2006, Drowned coralline algal dominated deposits off Lanai, Hawaii; carbonate accretion and vertical tectonics over the last 30 ka. Marine Geology 225: 223-246.
Renema, W., 2005, Depth estimation using diameter-thickness ratios in larger benthic foraminifera. Leithaia 38:137-141.
Renema, W. and Hohenegger, J., 2005, Case 3262 Nautilus spengleri Gmelin, 1791 (currently Calcarina spengleri) and C. hispida Brady, 1876 (Foraminiferida): proposed conservation of usage of the specific names by the designation of a replacement neotype for C. spengleri. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature62(2): 64-67.
Renema, W. 2005, The genus Planorbulinella (Foraminiferida) in Indonesia. Scripta Geologica129: 137-146.
Renema, W. and Hohenegger, J., 2005, On the identity of Calcarina spengleri (Gmelin, 1791). Journal of Foraminiferal Research 35(1): 15-21
Cleary, D.F.R., Becking, L.E., Voogd, N.J. de, Renema, W., Beer, M. de, Soest, R.W.M. van and Hoeksema, B.W., 2005 Variation in the diversity and composition of benthic taxa as a function of distance offshore, depth and exposure in the Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science65: 557-570.
Donovan, S.K., Renema, W. and Pickerill, R.K., 2005. The ichnofossil Scolicia prisca de Quatrefages from the Paleogene of eastern Jamaica and fossil echinoids from the Richmond formation. Caribbean Journal of Science41(4):876-881.
Renema, W. & Donovan, S.K., 2004. Fossils explained 47 Benthic foraminifera. Geology Today20(6): 233-237
Webster, J.M., Wallace, L., Silver, E., Potts, D., Braga, J.C., Renema, W., Riker-Coleman, K. & C. Gallup. 2004. Coralgal composition of drowned carbonate platforms in the Huon Gulf, Papua New Guinea; implications for lowstand reef development and drowning. Marine Geology 204(1-2): 59-89.
Renema W., Racey, A. and Lunt, P., 2003. Paleogene nummulitid foraminifera from the Indonesian Archipelago: a review. Cainozoic Research2 (1-2) 23-78.
Renema, W., 2003. Larger foraminifera on reefs around Bali (Indonesia). Zoologische Verhandelingen345: 337-366.
Wesselingh, F.P., M.PE. Räsänen, G. Irion, H.P. Vonhof, R. Kaandorp, W. Renema, L. Romero Pittman & M. Gingras, 2002 Lake Pebas: a palaecological reconstruction of a Miocene, long-lived lake complex in western Amazonia. Cainozoic Research1: 35-81.
Wesselingh, F.P., Cadée, G.C. & Renema, W., 1999. Flying high: on the airborne dispersal of aquatic organisms as illustrated by the distribution histories of the gastropod genera Tryonia and Planorbarius. Geologie & Mijnbouw78: 165-174.
Renema, W., Hoeksema, B.W. & Van Hinte, J.E.., 2001. Larger benthic foraminifera and their distribution patterns on the Spermonde Shelf, South Sulawesi. Zoologische Verhandelingen334: 115-150
Renema, W. & Troelstra, S. R., 2001. Larger foraminifera distribution on a mesotrophic carbonate shelf in SW Sulawesi (Indonesia). Palaeogeografie, Paleoclimatologie, Paleoecologie175 (1-4): 125-147
Wesselingh, F.P., T. Meijer, R.H. de Bruyne, P. de Wolf, G.C. Cadee & W. Renema, 2001. Fossiele schelpen van het Texelse strand.- Spirula 321: 69-71.
Syrphidae
Renema, W., & Reemer, M., 2004. Twee soorten zweefvliegen erbij op de Nederlandse lijst (Diptera: Syrphidae). Nederlandse Faunistische Mededelingen20: 132-138
Reemer, M.& Renema, W., , 2004. Drie soorten zweefvliegen minder op de Nederlandse lijst (Diptera: Syrphidae). Nederlandse Faunistische Mededelingen20: 127-132.
Renema, W. & Wakkie, B. 2001. Het zweefvliegengenus Callicera in Nederland en Belgie (Diptera: Syrphidae). Nederlandse Faunistische Mededelingen14: 1-12
Smit, J., Renema, W. and Aartsen, B. van, 2001. De zweefvliegen Chrysotoxum intermedium and Chrysotoxum fasciolatum nieuw voor de Nederlandse fauna (Diptera: Syrphidae). Nederlandse Faunistische Mededelingen15: 117-122.
Renema, W., 2001. Drie maal is scheepsrecht, de zweefvlieg Chalcosyrphus eunotus terug op de Nederlandse lijst (Diptera: Syrphidae). Nederlandse Faunistische Mededelingen15: 111-116.
Smit, J., Reemer, M. and Renema, W., 2000. Vijf soorten van het zweefvliegengenus Cheilosia nieuw voor Nederland (Diptera: Syrphidae). Nederlandse Faunistische Mededelingen15: 123-139.
Reemer, M., B. van Aartsen, W. Renema, J. Smit & W. van Steenis, 2000. Bijzondere vondsten van zweefvliegen in Nederland (Diptera: Syrphidae). Nederlandse Faunistische Mededelingen12: 155-164
Thursday, January 7, 2010