Preface for "Tropical Large Benthic Foraminifera: Adaption, Extinction, and Radiation"

The purpose of this special issue is to bring together recent advances in the field of research on LBF (Large Benthic Fora- minifera) for those working on the topic and also to the broader bio-geological community. Here we give a brief overview on the development of the term LBF, state of knowledge on key moments in evolutionary history, current systematics, paleo- ecology, stratigraphy, and sketch possible future directions of LBF research. Perhaps our view is biased, but in our percep- tion, LBF research is maturing into a rich multidisciplinary dis- cussion. The field has a strong geological foundation, yet there are still so many unknowns regarding the past, present and fu- ture responses of LBF to environmental factors. There is a lot of room for scientific breakthroughs, in particular when inte- grating both geological and biological approaches. We enjoyed putting this issue together and hope it is a springboard for fu- ture ideas.