For this Master thesis, the composition of benthic foraminifera found within 48 sediment samples, was studied. The derivation of the samples (33) is from a 3 m depth drilling core (EPN-P), located in the area of Epanomi, Thessaloniki and (15 samples) from a 2 m drilling core (MAM-2P), from Agios Mamas, Chalkidiki area. During the laboratory analysis the foraminifera were collected and counted and 14 benthic foraminifera species from 8 genera were identified. Quantitative analysis of the foraminifera was necessary, to specify their abundance and diversity though a sequence of micropaleontological indicators. Magnetic susceptibility measurements and radiocarbon datings were also performed. Specific changes of a benthic foraminifera assemblage on coastal environments are considered an indispensable paleontological tool, for the determination of the past sea level changes and detailed paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. In the last decades multiple studies on Holocene coastal plains (Triantaphyllou et al., 2003, 2010, 2021; Pavlopoulos et al., 2007, 2011; Evelpidou et al., 2010; Koukousioura et al., 2012, 2019, 2020; Koukousioura, 2012; Kouli et al., 2021) provided valuable information for the paleoenvironmental evolution. The quantitative analysis of foraminiferal fauna enabled separation of the EPN-P core into five sedimentary Units, representing distinct evolutionary stages of the area. For Unit 1, the high sand proportion, the low magnetic susceptibility values, the presence of gypsum crystals and few marine foraminiferal specimens, indicate an environment with marine influence and possible desiccations due to increased evaporation (Kjerfve et al., 1996). Unit 2 shows transient inputs from the land and sea and unstable hydrodynamic conditions due to the fluctuating sand and mud fractions. It represents a lagoonal environment with marine intrusions (miliolids and Bolivina spathulata) and constant freshwater contribution, considering the prevalence of Ammonia veneta, Haynesina germanica and charophytes. The increased presence of abnormal specimens certifies the fluctuating salinities in an unstable transitional lagoonal environment (Dimiza et al., 2012). In Unit 3, the association of the euryhaline (H. germanica, Haynesina sp., A. veneta) with the marine species (B. translucens, miliolids) indicate an open lagoonal environment with a permanent connection to the sea and periodical fresh-water inputs. The assemblages of Unit 2 and Unit 3 are comparable to the adjacent Paliouras lagoon Unit C (7600–6900 cal yr BP) (Koukousioura et al., 2019). Around ~6000 cal yr BP (Unit 4), the area shifts to a low energy closed lagoon, as suggested by the dominance of the oligohaline foraminiferal species, and the increase of magnetic susceptibility measurements. Similar environmental conditions were described in the upper part of Alykes Kitros and Lafrouda Thrace sequences (Koukousioura et al., 2012), as well as in Paliouras lagoon before 5900 cal yr BP (Koukousioura et al., 2019). Unit 5 is characterized by only few foraminiferal specimens which, in association with the high magnetic susceptibility values and the lithological determination, suggests the closing of the lagoon and the dominance of the terrestrial deposits in the area before ~4733 cal yr BP.

Σκοπός της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι η αναπαράσταση και εξέλιξη του ανατολικού Θερμαϊκού κόλπου βάσει της μελέτης των βενθονικών τρηματοφόρων από 48 συλλεχθέντα δείγματα. Τα δείγματα που μελετήθηκαν (33) προέρχονται από τη ρηχή γεώτρηση EPN-P (3 m βάθος) που πραγματοποιήθηκε στην περιοχή της Επανωμής και από τη γεώτρηση MAM-2P (2 m βάθος, 15 δείγματα), στη περιοχή του Αγίου Μάμα Χαλκιδικής. Τα τρηματοφόρα που εμπεριέχονταν σε κάθε δείγμα συλλέχθηκαν, μετρήθηκαν και προσδιορίστηκαν σε επίπεδο είδους. Υπολογίστηκαν επίσης δείκτες ποικιλότητας, αφθονίας, ο δείκτης A καθώς και οι δείκτες Μορφολογικής Διαφοροποίησης Τρηματοφόρων (FAI) και Παρακολούθησης Τρηματοφόρων (FMI). Κατά τη ποσοτική ανάλυση προσδιορίστηκαν 14 διαφορετικά είδη τρηματοφόρων τα οποία ανήκαν σε 8 γένη. Πραγματοποιήθηκαν επίσης μετρήσεις μαγνητικής επιδεκτικότητας και ραδιοχρονολογήσεις. Συγκεκριμένες μεταβολές στις συναθροίσεις των τρηματοφόρων στα παράκτια περιβάλλοντα θεωρούνται αναντικατάστατα παλαιοντολογικά εργαλεία για τον προσδιορισμό και την αναπαράσταση παλαιοπεριβαλλόντων. Τις τελευταίες δεκαετίες πραγματοποιήθηκαν πολυάριθμες μελέτες σε Ολοκαινικά παράκτια πεδία (Triantaphyllou et al., 2003, 2010, 2021; Pavlopoulos et al., 2007, 2010; Evelpidou et al., 2010; Koukousioura et al., 2012, 2019, 2020; Koukousioura, 2012; Kouli et al., 2021), οι οποίες παρείχαν σημαντικές πληροφορίες για την παλαιοπεριβαλλοντική τους εξέλιξη. Η ποσοτική ανάλυση επέτρεψε τον διαχωρισμό της γεώτρησης EPN-P σε πέντε ιζηματογενείς ενότητες, οι οποίες αντιπροσωπεύουν συγκεκριμένα εξελικτικά στάδια για την περιοχή. Στην Ενότητα 1, τα υψηλά ποσοστά άμμου σε συνδυασμό με τις χαμηλές τιμές μαγνητικής επιδεκτικότητας, την παρουσία κρυστάλλων γύψου και ελάχιστων τρηματοφόρων, προσδιορίζουν ένα περιβάλλον με θαλάσσια επίδραση και πιθανά επεισόδια ξήρανσης όγω εξάτμισης (Kjerfve et al., 1996). Στην Ενότητα 2 οι διακυμάνσεις στην αναλογία άμμου/ιλύος-αργίλου αντιστοιχούν σε παροδικές εισροές νερού τόσο από τη χέρσο όσο και από τη θάλασσα και συνεπώς ασταθείς υδροδυναμικές συνθήκες. Η συνάθροιση χαρακτηριστικών ευρύαλων (Ammonia veneta, Haynesina germanica) και θαλάσσιων βενθονικών τρηματοφόρων (miliolids and Bolivina spathulata), η παρουσία Χαροφύτων καθώς και η αυξημένη παρουσία ατόμων με μορφολογικές ανωμαλίες υποδεικνύουν συνθήκες μεταβαλλόμενης αλατότητας (Dimiza et al., 2012). Όλα τα παραπάνω συνθέτουν ένα ασταθές μεταβατικό περιβάλλον λιμνοθάλασσας με εισροές θαλάσσιων υδάτων και συνεχή συνεισφορά γλυκού νερού. Στην Ενότητα 3 οι συγκεντρώσεις των θαλάσσιων ειδών (B. translucens, miliolids) αυξάνονται παράλληλα με την ύπαρξη ευρύαλων ειδών (H. germanica, Haynesina sp., A. veneta). Το γεγονός αυτό σε συνδυασμό με τη λιθολογία και τις χαμηλές τιμές μαγνητικής επιδεκτικότητας είναι ενδεικτικά ενός περιβάλλοντος ανοιχτής λιμνοθάλασσας το οποίο βρίσκεται σε μόνιμη επικοινωνία με τη θάλασσα και έχει περιοδικές εισροές γλυκού νερού. Οι συναθροίσεις των Ενοτήτων 2 και 3 είναι παρόμοιες με την ενότητα C της παρακείμενης λιμνοθάλασσας του Πάλιουρα (7600-6900 cal yr BP). Πριν από  ~6000 cal yr BP (Ενότητα 4) η περιοχή μεταβάλλεται σε χαμηλής ενέργειας κλειστή λιμνοθάλασσα όπως προκύπτει από την απότομη αύξηση της μαγνητικής επιδεκτικότητας και την επικράτηση των ειδών που ζουν σε περιβάλλοντα χαμηλής αλατότητας. Παρόμοιες περιβαλλοντικές συνθήκες περιγράφονται στις ανώτερες ακολουθίες στις αλυκές του Κίτρους και στης Λαφρούδας της Θράκης (Koukousioura et al., 2012) καθώς και στης λιμνοθάλασσας του Πάλιουρα πριν ~5900 cal yr BP (Koukousioura et al., 2019). Η Ενότητα 5 χαρακτηρίζεται από ελάχιστα τρηματοφόρα το οποίο σε συνδυασμό με τις υψηλές τιμές μαγνητικής επιδεκτικότητας και τη λιθολογία υποδεικνύουν το κλείσιμο της λιμνοθάλασσας και την επικράτηση των χερσαίων αποθετικών διαδικασιών στην περιοχή πριν ~4733 cal yr BP και έπειτα.

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