Ancient single-celled organisms called foraminifera may protect coastlines from stormy weather in the coming era of warmer and more acidic oceans, according to a new study.

That’s because the microscopic shelled creatures, called forams for short, each produce about .4 pounds of calcium carbonate per square foot of ocean floor. Calcium carbonate is the limestone material that forms the bedrock of coral reefs and comprises about 4 percent of the Earth’s crust.