Measurements of Sr/Ca of benthic foraminifera show a linear decrease with water depth which is superimposed upon significant variability identified by analyses of individual foraminifera. New data for Cd/Ca support previous work in defining a contrast between waters shallower and deeper than similar to 2500 m. Measured element partition coefficients in foraminiferal calcium carbonate relative to sea water (D) have been described by means of a one-box model in which elements are extracted by Rayleigh distillation from a biomineralization reservoir that serves for calcification with a constant fractionation factor (alpha), such that D = (1 - f(alpha))/(1 - f), where f is the proportion of Ca remaining after precipitation. A modification to the model recognises differences in element speciation. The model is consistent with differences between D-Sr, D-Ba and D-Cd in benthic but not planktonic foraminifera. Depth variations in D for Sr and Ba are consistent with the model, as are differences in depth variation of D, in calcitic and aragonitic benthic foraminifera. The shallower depth variations may reflect increasing calcification rates with increasing water depth to an optimum of about 2500 m. Observations of unusually lower D-Cd for some deep waters, not accompanied by similar D-Sr or D-Ba, may be because of dissolution or a calcification response to a lower carbonate saturation state.
