Our new study delivers the most extensive calibration to date of Patella caerulea (the Mediterranean limpet) as a recorder of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) across the Central and Eastern Mediterranean. The study combined laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for measuring Mg/Ca ratios with isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) to analyse oxygen isotope values (δ18O). By analysing 131 modern shells from 22 sites, we explored the relationship between magnesium-to-calcium (Mg/Ca) ratios and oxygen isotope values as palaeotemperature proxies.
This editorial introduces a special collection on Holocene palaeoclimate, showcasing interdisciplinary research that explores the interplay between human activity and climate over the past 11,700 years. Drawing on case studies from regions such as the Siberian Arctic, Singapore, Iberia, Bavaria, and Madagascar, it highlights how past climate reconstructions inform our understanding of variability, extremes, and resilience—offering crucial insights for predicting and mitigating the impacts of current and future climate change.