加勒比海珊瑚礁的发展是独立于珊瑚的多样性超过2800万年
Kenneth G Johnson1, Jeremy B C Jackson, Ann F Budd
1Department of Palaeontology, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK. K.Johnson@nhm.ac.uk
概括
珊瑚物种的多样性对珊瑚礁生长并不重要. 即使在多样性减少了50%之后,大型珊瑚礁也继续发展,挑战了关于珊瑚礁生态系统的先前假设.
科学领域:
- 海洋生物学 海洋生物学
- 古生物学的古生物学
- 生态系统科学 生态系统科学
背景情况:
- 珊瑚物种的多样性因地区而异,但珊瑚礁生长率似乎是一致的.
- 这表明,珊瑚的多样性可能不是珊瑚礁发展或生态系统功能的主要驱动因素.
- 多样性的区域差异可能源于长期的生物历史和环境因素.
研究的目的:
- 研究珊瑚多样性和珊瑚礁在地质时间尺度上的发展之间的关系.
- 确定高珊瑚物种多样性是否对于珊瑚礁的生长和持久性是必要的.
主要方法:
- 利用了新的和已发表的化石数据的组合.
- 分析了来自热带西部大西洋的平流图记录.
- 在过去的2800万年里,对照珊瑚多样性和珊瑚礁发展的变化.
主要成果:
- 发现珊瑚礁的发展与珊瑚物种多样性无关.
- 最广泛的珊瑚礁在珊瑚多样性减少 (低至50%) 的时期形成.
- 珊瑚大量灭绝的时期并没有阻碍珊瑚礁的生长.
结论:
- 高的珊瑚物种多样性不是珊瑚礁生长和持久性的先决条件.
- 即使珊瑚的多样性较低,生态系统功能和珊瑚礁的发展也可以保持.
- 过去的珊瑚礁开发挑战了物种丰富对珊瑚礁结构至关重要这一观念.
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