Ostracod Assemblages and Environmental Change in Marine Ecosystems
Summary
Ostracods are minute bivalved crustaceans whose calcareous shells preserve exceptionally well in marine sediments, rendering them invaluable indicators of environmental change. Assemblages of ostracod species respond rapidly to variations in temperature, salinity, oxygenation and substrate composition, making them sensitive recorders of both modern and palaeoenvironmental shifts. In contemporary settings, shifts in species composition and shell morphology reveal impacts of ocean warming, acidification and pollution, while in Quaternary sediments fossil ostracods reconstruct sea‐level fluctuations and basin connectivity. Integrative approaches combining ecological surveys, geochemical analysis of shell chemistry and multivariate statistical techniques have advanced understanding of how ostracod biofacies map onto environmental gradients. These developments underpin practical applications in coastal monitoring, climate reconstruction and assessment of anthropogenic stressors, highlighting the global significance of ostracod assemblage studies for marine ecosystem management.
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Ostracod Assemblages and Environmental Change in Marine Ecosystems publication trend
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Technical terms
Assemblage: A community of co‐occurring species whose composition reflects environmental conditions.
Bioindicator: A species or group whose presence, absence or abundance signals changes in environmental quality.
Biofacies: A spatial or temporal unit of sediment defined by its characteristic fossil assemblage.
Palaeoecology: The study of past ecosystems and environmental conditions through fossil evidence.
Sea‐level proxy: A biological or geochemical indicator used to infer past changes in sea level.
References
- Sight and blindness: The relationship between ostracod eyes, water depth, and light availability in the Arctic Ocean. Limnology and Oceanography (2024).
- Ostracods as pollution indicators in Lap An Lagoon, central Vietnam. Environmental Pollution (2021).
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