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The revolution of crossdating in marine palaeoecology and palaeoclimatology
Black, B.A.; Andersson, C.; Butler, P.G.; Carroll, M.L.; DeLong, K.L.; Reynolds, D.J.; Schöne, B.R.; Scourse, J.; van der Sleen, P.; Wanamaker, A.D.; Witbaard, R. (2019). The revolution of crossdating in marine palaeoecology and palaeoclimatology. Biol. Lett. 15(1): 20180665. https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2018.0665
In: Biology Letters. Royal Society Publishing: London. ISSN 1744-9561; e-ISSN 1744-957X, more
Peer reviewed article  

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Authors  Top 
  • Black, B.A.
  • Andersson, C.
  • Butler, P.G.
  • Carroll, M.L., more
  • DeLong, K.L.
  • Reynolds, D.J.
  • Schöne, B.R.
  • Scourse, J.
  • van der Sleen, P.
  • Wanamaker, A.D.
  • Witbaard, R., more

Abstract
    Over the past century, the dendrochronology technique of crossdating hasbeen widely used to generate a global network of tree-ring chronologiesthat serves as a leading indicator of environmental variability and change.Only recently, however, has this same approach been applied to growthincrements in calcified structures of bivalves, fish and corals in the world’soceans. As in trees, these crossdated marine chronologies are well replicated,annually resolved and absolutely dated, providing uninterrupted multidecadalto millennial histories of ocean palaeoclimatic and palaeoecologicalprocesses. Moreover, they span an extensive geographical range, multipletrophic levels, habitats and functional types, and can be readily integratedwith observational physical or biological records. Increment width is themost commonly measured parameter and reflects growth or productivity,though isotopic and elemental composition capture complementary aspectsof environmental variability. As such, crossdated marine chronologiesconstitute powerful observational templates to establish climate–biologyrelationships, test hypotheses of ecosystem functioning, conduct multiproxyreconstructions, provide constraints for numerical climate models,and evaluate the precise timing and nature of ocean–atmosphere interactions.These ‘present–past–future’ perspectives provide new insightsinto the mechanisms and feedbacks between the atmosphere and marinesystems while providing indicators relevant to ecosystem-based approachesof fisheries management.

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