Bryozoans are colonial animals that are widely distributed in marine benthic environments and play an important role in temperate and cold-water oceanic shelves as habitat providers. Morphologically and mineralogically diverse, bryozoans are important carbonate producers with an extensive fossil record, which makes them good indicators in environmental and (paleo) environmental research. Existing data, though insufficient, suggests that bryozoans can become a valuable tool in investigating present-day climate change. This paper reviews the major characteristics of bryozoans, their function in shallow oceanic areas worldwide, and their potential as proxy organisms in climate and ocean acidification research.
Fortunato H., in press. Bryozoans in climate and ocean acidification research: A reappraisal of an under-used tool. Regional Studies in Marine Science. Article.
