Comparison and contrast of the environmental conditions in San Francisco Bay and Suisun Bay show the ecology of both bays to be dominated by tidal currents. In Suisun Bay the (1) water velocity, (2) salinity variations, (3) turbidity, (4) median diameter of sedimentary particles, (5) aeration of the water, and (6) proportion of channels versus tidal flats are greater than in San Francisco Bay.

Because of the greater variability of conditions in Suisun Bay, the foraminiferal fauna is less diversified, because there are only few genera able to tolerate great differences of most ecologic factors. Suisun Bay is characterized by a meager arenaceous fauna accompanied by a fairly diversified diatom flora. In contrast, the San Francisco Bay fauna is composed of a calcareous assemblage typical of shallow marine embayments.

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