Ostracoda and paleoceanography

Ostracodes are mainly benthic Crustacea. They are commonly preserved in marine and marginal marine sediments and are used increasingly in Quaternary paleoceanography. The ecological sensitivity of ostracode species to temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen have allowed paleoceanographic reconstruction of important climate-related variables over timescales ranging from 10⁷ to 10² years. This chapter reviews recent advances in the application of ostracodes to the study of large-scale ocean and climate events caused by Cenozoic tectonic and climate changes with particular reference to Quaternary orbital forcing, thermohaline circulation, decadal and interannual (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) climate variability, and 20^th century anthropogenic factors.