Editorial Foreword for the thematic volume of 12 th INA. Recent advances in living coccolithophores and calcareous nannofossil studies In modern oceans, calcareous nannoplankton (< 63 mm) is mainly represented by coccolithophores (calcifying, unicellular marine algae). Together with calcareous dinoflagellates, they play a major role in the biological carbon pump and in the carbonate counter-pump (Rost and Riebesell, 2004).Fossil coccolithsare commonlyand continuously recordedin sediments since the Late Triassic (Bown, 1987),along with incertae sedis that can massively occur in rocks (schizospheres, nannoconids, discoasters, sphenoliths, etc.). Scientific advances on calcareous nannoplankton ecology and physiology, and nannofossil records are presented during the biennialmeetingof the International Nannoplankton Association (INA). The lastINA meeting washeld in the University of Lyon from the 7th to 13th September 2008. About 120 participants from 28 countries and five continents attended this meeting (Figs. 1 and 2). During the three days of talks and poster presentations, new insights into coccolithophore (paleo)oceanography and their contribution to pelagic sedi- mentation processes were presented as well as new develop- ments in biostratigraphy. Two other challenging sessions were: coccolithophore biology (genomic, physiology and ecology) and coccolithophores in a high-CO 2 world. These two sessions were introduced by three invited keynote speakers: Prof. Colin Brownlee reported on the physiological mechanisms involved in the coccolithophore calcification; Drs. Ross Rickaby and Gerald Langer presented results and modeling on coccolitho- phore response to the ongoing ocean acidification. The INA12 scientific committee attributed the INA Foundation awards to six Ph.D. students (Cristina Emanuela Casellato, talk; Mariem Saavedra-Pellitero, talk; GuillaumeSuan,talk; Alejandra Meja-Molina, poster; Letizia Reggiani, poster; Damien Carcel, poster) for the quality of their presentations. During the three days of postconference fieldtrip in the Vocontian basin (southeast France),stimulating discussions occurred about the contribution of calcareous nannofossils to the origin oflimestone-marl alternations, as wellas on the importance of nannofossils as indicators useful in deciphering environmental conditions during anoxic events. The fieldtrip visited some Cretaceous stratotype sections (for instance La Charce, the proposed Global Stratotype Section and Point the base of the Hauterivian; Reboulet, 2008) where nann biostratigraphy represents an important contribution to im age resolution. This thematic issue arises from some of the contributio presented during the meeting. The 12 papers published i issue are a good sample of the diversity of topics discuss during this event, and reflect the richness in terms of me and studied time intervals. Six papersdealwith different applications of high-resolution nannofossil biostratigraph Stefano and Sturiale, Fernando et al. and Tiraboschi and Erba show how nannobiostratigraphy can improve the ag control of stage boundaries, namely at the Miocene/Pliocene, Cenomanian/Turonian and Bajocian/Bathonian. The last s is also important for the definition of the Bas Auran section GSSP (SE France). The papers of Perilli et al. and Reggian al. also improvethe nannobiostratigraphy for the Lower Jurassic, allowing a good calibration to ammonite biohoriz (Perilli et al.) or correlation between proximal and distal sections in the same basin (Reggiani et al.). This last pap shows a different distribution of nannofossil taxa in unsta proximal settings with respect to areas distal from emerged lands. The contribution of Waga et al. is important to incr our knowledge about stratigraphy in a region that represents one of the most important oil and gas exploration areas, the northwestern part of the Black Sea region, which is still p known by the international community. The regional stages defined there are correlated to the international stages th nannofossil stratigraphy. Coccolith biometry has been analysed with two differen goals. Triantaphyllou et al. studied extant Emiliania huxle order to understand if the coccolith calcification is ecoph typic orgenotypic. Tiraboschiand Erba studied the pool Watznaueriacommunis-W. barnesiaeand they identified Watznaueria aff. communis, intermediate between the two former species. They interpret the succession in time of t three species as an evolutionary trend. Previous works re W. barnesiae to W. fossacincta: Lees et al. (2004,2006) considerthese two species as being the end-members of a Geobios 43 (2010) 1–3 0016-6995/$ – see front matter # 2010 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2009.12.001