Phanerozoic biodiversity in space and time
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Earth Sciences
Abstract
Different numbers of species are found in different regions of the globe and in different environments. The tropics house incredible numbers of species, whereas polar environments house far fewer. This pattern of decreasing number of species from the equator to the poles is referred to as the latitudinal biodiversity gradient. The spatial distribution of life on Earth is well characterised today, but we know relatively little about how spatial patterns of biodiversity have varied over millions of years, during times in which Earth's climate and continents were dramatically different to today. This knowledge gap prevents us from understanding the causes of variation in richness among regions and environments, leaving a fundamental and unanswered question at the heart of biodiversity studies. We will characterise how latitudinal biodiversity gradients in the oceans have varied during the past 545 million years, using the rich fossil record of skeletonising marine invertebrates. This will allow us to ask what environmental factors control the distribution of biodiversity among regions and environments. These deep time patterns will provide important historical context for understanding the distribution of life on Earth, yielding unprecedented insight into the generation and maintenance of marine biodiversity. It will also help us to understand the long-term effects of major shifts in climate state, such as those occurring today, on biodiversity.
Publications
Antell GS
(2021)
Bottom-up controls, ecological revolutions and diversification in the oceans through time.
in Current biology : CB
Benson RBJ
(2021)
Biodiversity across space and time in the fossil record.
in Current biology : CB
Darroch S
(2022)
Integrating geographic ranges across temporal scales
in Trends in Ecology & Evolution
Fenton I
(2023)
Origination of the modern-style diversity gradient 15 million years ago
in Nature
Furness E
(2023)
The jigsaw model: a biogeographic model that partitions habitat heterogeneity from area
in Frontiers of Biogeography
Lyon C
(2022)
Climate change research and action must look beyond 2100.
in Global change biology
Saupe E
(2023)
Explanations for latitudinal diversity gradients must invoke rate variation
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Saupe EE
(2021)
Explanations for tropical diversity gradients are rooted in the deep past.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Title | PaleoReefs Database (PARED) |
Description | PARED has been developed by Prof. Wolfgang Kiessling since 1995 with the aim to collect data on Phanerozoic reefs in a standardized format and to use those data for tracing patterns and processes in reef development. PARED currently holds data on more than 4300 Phanerozoic reef sites with geological, geographical, and paleontological information on every reef. While mostly developed for research, the database is useful for tracing reefal oil reservoirs through time and space. This upload is a simplified version with only the main reef builders, their age, coordinates, paleocoordinates, and the primary reference. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The distribution of reefs will help to better constrain the distribution of marine biodiversity |
URL | https://zenodo.org/record/6037852 |
Description | Christmas STEM talk to school children |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | PI Saupe gave a lecture on the research being undertaken in this grant to school children at the Oxford Museum of Natural History about 'Using the past to conserve species today' |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Work featured in a temporary museum exhibit - Connected Planet - OUMNH |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Erin Saupe, PI, was featured talking about her research as part of the new 'Connected Planet' exhibit in the Oxford Museum of Natural History. The public can click on questions and hear PI Saupe respond to them. Her discussions focus on work completed for this grant. The exhibit is estimated to reach around 200,000 visitors. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |