PALEOCLIMATIC AND PALEOCEANOGRAPHIC CHANGES AND THEIR IMPACT ON PLANKTIC FORAMINIFERA IN THE LIGURIAN SEA DURING THE LATE QUATERNARY

Planktic foraminifera are among the most powerful proxies for reconstructing past oceanographic and environmental conditions, as their calcareous shells simultaneously record ecological, geochemical, and morphometric responses to water mass properties. These microscopic organisms have the capacity to respond rapidly to environmental changes, making them ideal indicators of both shortterm variability and long-term climatic trends. Their abundance, species composition, shell chemistry, and morphological traits, integrate information about surface and subsurface conditions, enabling a multi-dimensional reconstruction of past ocean states. This study investigates the paleoceanographic evolution of the Ligurian Sea over the last 27.4 ka cal BP through high-resolution analyses of core NDT_22_2016. By combining planktic foraminiferal assemblages, Mg/Ca-based sea surface temperature (SST) reconstructions, and detailed morphometric measurements, we assess both surface and subsurface variability over glacial, deglacial, and Holocene intervals. The use of a robust age model, based on 17 calibrated radiocarbon dates, allows sub-millennial resolution, providing a highly detailed temporal framework to explore rapid climate fluctuations. Our multi-proxy approach reveals three main climatic phases in the Ligurian Sea during the late Quaternary: i) the glacial interval (27.4–14.7 ka cal BP) characterized by low sea surface temperatures, pronounced millennial-scale variability, and enhanced vertical mixing, consistent with stronger wind-driven circulation and changes in thermohaline structure; ii) the deglacial phase (14.7–11.7 ka cal BP) marked by abrupt warming episode, interrupted by short-lived cooling events such as the Younger Dryas, highlighting the sensitivity of the Ligurian Sea to regional and hemispheric climatic shifts; iii) the Holocene (11.7 ka cal BP–present) exhibiting generally warmer conditions, reduced variability, and persistent summer stratification. By integrating assemblage, geochemical, and morphometric data, this study presents the first highresolution multi-proxy reconstruction of late Quaternary variability in the Ligurian Sea. The results demonstrate how surface and subsurface conditions, as well as biological responses, evolved across the last 27.4 ka, providing a comprehensive perspective on climate-driven changes in this climatically sensitive region. Furthermore, these findings contribute to a broader understanding of Mediterranean paleoceanography, allowing comparisons with other Western Mediterranean records. Ultimately, combining morphological, geochemical, and ecological datasets demonstrates the power of a holistic, multi-proxy strategy in unravelling the complex interactions between climate, oceanography, and planktonic communities over millennial timescales.