Global climate change critically impacts Mediterranean marine ecosystems. This presentation combines two complementary approaches to assess ecosystem vulnerability. Paleoclimatic reconstructions from Holocene records in the Adriatic Sea, using proxies such as the bivalve Chamelea gallina, document long-term hydroclimatic variability and its effects on benthic communities. In parallel, studies on the coral Balanophyllia europaea along natural CO₂ gradients demonstrate short-term biological responses to ocean acidification, showing increased skeletal porosity that preserves linear extension but reduces structural strength. Together, these findings highlight the importance of integrating paleoclimate evidence with contemporary organismal responses to better predict the impacts of anthropogenic climate change on the Mediterranean basin.
