Ostracoda and Foraminifera and environmental data taken 2017 from Keta Lagoon and Densu Estuary, Ghana

Ostracoda and Foraminifere were collected using a box corer with 20 x 20 cm penetration area. The uppermost cm of the sampled sediment was used for meiofauna analysis. We described the sediment and microhabitats including thickness of the oxygenated surface sediment, measured water depth with a hand-held echosounder, salinity, pH, oxygen concentration, redox-potential, and water temperature with a multi-probe and alkalinity with a titration test in the field during sampling. Samples were stained and fixed with ~70% ethanol with added Rose Bengal for staining protoplasm of foraminifers and sieved over a 63 µm mesh with tap water 3-5 days later. Abundance data rely on measuring sediment volume of the given sample. Sieve residues were dried at room temperature. Species counts are based on splits of the sediment residues >125 µm with the target of at least 300 specimens (foraminifer tests and ostracod valves) per sample. Shells with serious marks of transport like abrasion or corrosion, those recrystallised or filled with consolidated sediment are regarded as allochthonous and excluded trom species counts. Fragments representing less than a half test or valve are not counted. We distingished living and dead individuals by well preserved stained tests in Foraminifera and double-valved individuals with soft parts in Ostracoda. Heavy metal concentrations are measured via total digestion ICP-OES and ICP-MS.