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Metabolic tradeoffs control biodiversity gradients through geological time.

Authors :
Boag TH
Gearty W
Stockey RG
Source :
Current biology : CB [Curr Biol] 2021 Jul 12; Vol. 31 (13), pp. 2906-2913.e3. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 May 06.
Publication Year :
2021

Abstract

The latitudinal gradient of increasing marine biodiversity from the poles to the tropics is one of the most conspicuous biological patterns in modern oceans. <superscript>1-3</superscript> Low-latitude regions of the global ocean are often hotspots of animal biodiversity, yet they are set to be most critically affected by anthropogenic climate change. <superscript>4</superscript> As ocean temperatures rise and deoxygenation proceeds in the coming centuries, the volume of aerobically viable habitat is predicted to decrease in these zones. <superscript>5</superscript> <superscript>,</superscript> <superscript>6</superscript> In contrast to the slightly asymmetrical modern latitudinal biodiversity gradient, <superscript>7</superscript> compilations of fossil occurrences indicate peaks in biodiversity may have existed much further away from the equator in the past, with transitions between climate states hypothesized to explain this trend. <superscript>8-13</superscript> We combine a new compilation of fossil mollusc occurrences, paleotemperature proxies, and biogeographic data to reveal a non-monotonic relationship between temperature and diversity in the paleontological record over the last 145 million years. We derive a metabolic model that integrates the kinetic effects of temperature on biodiversity <superscript>14</superscript> with the recently described Metabolic Index that calculates aerobic habitat availability based on the effect of temperature on hypoxia sensitivity. <superscript>5</superscript> <superscript>,</superscript> <superscript>15</superscript> <superscript>,</superscript> <superscript>16</superscript> Although factors such as coastal habitat area and homeothermy are important, <superscript>17</superscript> <superscript>,</superscript> <superscript>18</superscript> we find strong congruence between our metabolic model and our fossil and paleotemperature meta-analysis. We therefore suggest that the effects of ocean temperature on the aerobic scope of marine ectotherms is a primary driver of migrating biodiversity peaks through geologic time and will likely play a role in the restructuring of biodiversity under projected future climate scenarios.<br />Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests.<br /> (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1879-0445
Volume :
31
Issue :
13
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Current biology : CB
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
33961786
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.021