Reef-building cold-water corals (CWC) create 3D structures that provide essential shelter for various
organisms, making them vital biodiversity hotspots in the deep sea. In the context of human-induced
global warming understanding how natural climate cycles impact these precious ecosystems is crucial.
CWC are valuable paleoceanographic archives due to their unique characteristics. During the
biomineralization process, they incorporate elements into their skeletons in varying proportions
depending on the environmental conditions of the surrounding seawater. The longevity and
well-preserved nature of their aragonite skeletons can be accurately dated and by examining the isotopic
and elemental composition of these skeletons, it is possible to infer and reconstruct past climatic
conditions. Lophelia pertusa (LP) is a commonly used species for paleo reconstructions due to its global
distribution and distinctive morphology. While its live temperature range is generally believed to be
between 4-12°C, recent studies suggest it may have survived below 4°C during the Last Glacial
Maximum (LGM), indicating potential regional thermal adaptation over millennia. This study’s aim is to
better define LP's current and past temperature range in the Atlantic in the last 70 thousands years.
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