Coral reefs and carbonate platforms are valuable recorders of past sea level, climatic and environmental changes and are sensitive to subtle ecological changes affecting their environment. The aims of the proposed session concern the evaluation of the impact of rapid sea-level fluctuations (sea-level rise or sea-level fall) and coeval abrupt climatic and environmental changes (temperatures, salinities, nutrient concentrations etc.) on the architecture of reef systems and the composition of reef communities. A special attention will concern the characterization of thresholds in reef development patterns (“turn-on” vs “turn-off” phases of the carbonate factories) and in changes affecting reef communities. The past records of reef responses to sea-level, climatic and environmental changes will help to better understand how the carbonate systems are likely to respond to current and future global changes.