Biogeochemical controls on palaeoceanographic environmental proxies: a review

Scientific observations of our oceans and climate go back no more than a couple of hundred years. Most of our information about the evolution of Earth's ocean-climate system relies instead on proxies – primarily measurements of sediment components that respond to changes in environmental parameters. This paper provides an overview of some of the most important biological and geochemical proxies and outlines their contribution to our understanding of the ocean-climate system. We also discuss some of the challenges that need to be overcome to obtain accurate records. These include: better understanding of the controls on the mechanisms of biomineralization; the impacts of post-depositional dissolution and diagenesis on primary proxy relationships; proxy validation; and analytical considerations.