1) Marine microfossils like foraminifera are useful for determining past ocean temperatures through isotopic analysis of their shells. Temperature controls the distribution, morphology, and ecology of microfossils.
2) Depth and latitude also impact microfossil assemblages. Colder deeper waters favor agglutinated tests while warmer shallow waters favor calcareous tests.
3) Case studies have used oxygen isotope ratios in foraminifera to reconstruct sea surface temperatures over geologic timescales and investigate regional climate variations. Reconstructed temperatures correlate with independent temperature proxies.