Climatologists study fossil seashells in rock sediments primarily to analyze the chemical traces of alkenones and other isotopic compositions, which provide insights into past climate conditions. Alkenones are organic compounds produced by certain marine phytoplankton, and their ratios can indicate sea surface temperatures when the shells were formed. Additionally, they may also examine the ratio of isotopes such as oxygen and carbon in the shells, but specifically from your list, the most relevant study would focus on the chemical traces of alkenones.
To give a broader context, while the other methods like analyzing magnesium to calcium ratios in shells or strontium content can also provide information related to past environmental conditions, they are not as commonly emphasized as a direct study of alkenones in understanding ancient climate changes.
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