Foraminifera and other eukaryotic microfossil organisms play a crucial role in understanding the biology, ecology, and evolution of marine ecosystems across geological timescales. These organisms serve as key indicators for reconstructing past environments, deciphering ecosystem dynamics, and assessing the impacts of global change on marine systems. This session focuses on the biology and ecology of foraminifera and other microeukaryotes, exploring their functional roles in ecosystems, their responses to environmental changes, and their potential as proxies for past, present, and future ocean conditions.
We welcome contributions that investigate these organisms through diverse approaches, including laboratory experiments, field studies, genetic and molecular analyses, biomineralization studies, isotopic and geochemical techniques, and advanced data analysis methods such as machine learning and modelling. Studies addressing the role of microfossils in biotic evolution, ecosystem functioning, and their responses to natural laboratories (e.g., hydrothermal vents, cold seeps, or areas of rapid environmental change) are particularly encouraged.
By integrating biological, ecological, and geochemical perspectives, this session aims to advance our understanding of how foraminifera and other microfossil organisms respond to environmental variability, contribute to ecosystem processes, and provide insights into the dynamics of Earth’s systems. These insights are essential for reconstructing past ocean conditions, understanding present-day ecosystem functioning, and projecting future changes in marine environments.