Foraminifera and ostracoda in the St Andrew's Bay member (Forth Formation : Holocene), offshore Montrose

The St Andrew’s Bay Member from three localities off eastern Scotland were examined: two
vibrocores 56-03/586 and 56-03/587 and borehole 74/15. Microfaunal results are tabulated in
figures 1-6. From an ecostratigraphical point of view, and taking into account the radiocarbon
dates obtained, the cold water fauans of parasequence 2 are placed into the Younger Dryas
interstadial. The low Boreal to Lusitanian faunas of parasequence 3 are placed in the climatic
ameliaration immediately following the interstadial. By comparison with the Lusitanian to low
boreal faunas in Geordie Trough, parasequence 4 is postulated to have been deposited 4000-7000
years ago, although the highest part contains faunas comparable with the assemblages dated to
1158 years BP and younger, not very different from the radiocarbon date of 1782 years BP for
the base of parasequence 4 (although this date may be too young).