Morphological response accompanying size reduction of belemnites during an Early Jurassic hyperthermal event modulated by life history

Nätscher P, Dera G, Reddin CJ, Rita P, de Baets K (2021)

Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Journal article, Report

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Scientific Reports Nature Publishing Group: Open Access Journals - Option B

Original Authors: Paulina S. Nätscher, Guillaume Dera, Carl J. Reddin, Patrícia Rita, Kenneth De Baets

Book Volume: 11

Article Number: 14480

Issue: 1

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93850-0

Open Access Link: https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93850-0

Abstract

One of the most common responses of marine ectotherms to rapid warming is a reduction in body size, but the underlying reasons are unclear. Body size reductions have been documented alongside rapid warming events in the fossil record, such as across the Pliensbachian-Toarcian boundary (PToB) event (~ 183 Mya). As individuals grow, parallel changes in morphology can indicate details of their ecological response to environmental crises, such as changes in resource acquisition, which may anticipate future climate impacts. Here we show that the morphological growth of a marine predator belemnite species (extinct coleoid cephalopods) changed significantly over the PToB warming event. Increasing robustness at different ontogenetic stages likely results from indirect consequences of warming, like resource scarcity or hypercalcification, pointing toward varying ecological tolerances among species. The results of this study stress the importance of taking life history into account as well as phylogeny when studying impacts of environmental stressors on marine organisms.

Authors with CRIS profile

Paulina Nätscher Lehrstuhl für Paläoumwelt Kenneth de Baets Lehrstuhl für Paläoumwelt

Additional Organisation(s)

Professur für Paläontologie (Schwerpunkt Faziesanalyse)

Related research project(s)

Size reductions during hyperthermal events: early warnings of environmental deterioration or signs of extinction? (EarlyWarn) Dec. 1, 2019 - Dec. 1, 2022

Involved external institutions

Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung / Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science DE Germany (DE) Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier FR France (FR) MARE (Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre) PT Portugal (PT)

How to cite

APA:

Nätscher, P., Dera, G., Reddin, C.J., Rita, P., & de Baets, K. (2021). Morphological response accompanying size reduction of belemnites during an Early Jurassic hyperthermal event modulated by life history. Scientific Reports, 11(1). https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93850-0

MLA:

Nätscher, Paulina, et al. "Morphological response accompanying size reduction of belemnites during an Early Jurassic hyperthermal event modulated by life history." Scientific Reports 11.1 (2021).

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