Reassessment of the global distribution and diversity of modern planktonic foraminifera from the FORCIS database

Chaabane, Sonia; Schiebel, Ralf; Meilland, Julie; Brummer, Geert-Jan A.; Mortyn, P. Graham; Sulpis, Olivier; Chalk, Thomas B.; Giraud, Xavier; Howa, Helene; Kuroyanagi, Azumi; Beaugrand, Gregory; de Garidel-Thoron, Thibault

doi:10.5194/jm-45-195-2026

Articles | Volume 45, issue 1

https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-45-195-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-45-195-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 45, issue 1

Research article

|

24 Mar 2026

Research article |

| 24 Mar 2026

Reassessment of the global distribution and diversity of modern planktonic foraminifera from the FORCIS database

Sonia Chaabane, Ralf Schiebel, Julie Meilland, Geert-Jan A. Brummer, P. Graham Mortyn, Olivier Sulpis, Thomas B. Chalk, Xavier Giraud, Helene Howa, Azumi Kuroyanagi, Gregory Beaugrand, and Thibault de Garidel-Thoron

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-45-195-2026-supplement

Data sets

The FORCIS database: A global census of planktonic Foraminifera from ocean waters S. Chaabane et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12724286

Size normalizing planktonic Foraminifera abundance in the water column S. Chaabane et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10750545

Model code and software

Reassessment of the global distribution and diversity of modern planktonic Foraminifera (FORCIS) — Analysis code Sonia Chaabane et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17780226

Short summary

Using the FORCIS database, we mapped the distribution of planktonic goraminifera that record past ocean conditions. Our study reveals that these species mostly inhabit the upper ocean and thrive in waters ranging from −2 °C to over 31 °C. Their range is shifting, with species once limited to warm regions now appearing in cooler areas and smaller species increasing in number. This work refines our view of their biogeography and how climate change is reshaping ocean life.