Increase in marine provinciality over the last 250 million years governed more by climate change than plate tectonics

Kocsis Á, Reddin CJ, Scotese CR, Valdes PJ, Kießling W (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B: Biological Sciences Royal Society of London

Book Volume: 288

Journal Issue: 1957

DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1342

Abstract

Amidst long-term fluctuations of the abiotic environment, the degree to which life organizes into distinct biogeographic provinces (provinciality) can reveal the fundamental drivers of global biodiversity. Our understanding of present-day biogeography implies that changes in the distribution of continents across climatic zones have predictable effects on habitat distribution, dispersal barriers and the evolution of provinciality. To assess marine provinciality through the Phanerozoic, here we (a) simulate provinces based on palaeogeographic reconstructions and global climate models and (b) contrast them with empirically derived provinces that we define using network analysis of fossil occurrences. Simulated and empirical patterns match reasonably well and consistently suggest a greater than 15% increase in provinciality since the Mesozoic era. Although both factors played a role, the simulations imply that the effect of the latitudinal temperature gradient has been twice as important in determining marine provinciality as continental configuration.

Authors with CRIS profile

Ádám Kocsis Lehrstuhl für Paläoumwelt Carl James Reddin Lehrstuhl für Paläoumwelt Wolfgang Kießling Lehrstuhl für Paläoumwelt

Involved external institutions

Northwestern University US United States (USA) (US) University of Bristol GB United Kingdom (GB)

How to cite

APA:

Kocsis, Á., Reddin, C.J., Scotese, C.R., Valdes, P.J., & Kießling, W. (2021). Increase in marine provinciality over the last 250 million years governed more by climate change than plate tectonics. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B: Biological Sciences, 288(1957). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.1342

MLA:

Kocsis, Ádám, et al. "Increase in marine provinciality over the last 250 million years governed more by climate change than plate tectonics." Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B: Biological Sciences 288.1957 (2021).

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