Hopping Hotspots: Global Shifts in Marine Biodiversity

Renema, Willem; Bellwood, David R.; Braga, Juan C.; Bromfield, Kate; Hall, Robert; Johnson, Kenneth G.; Lunt, Peter; Meyer, Christopher P.; McMonagle, Laura B.; Morley, Robert J.; O’Dea, Aaron; Todd, Jonathan A.; Wesselingh, Frank P.; Wilson, Martha; Pandolfi, John M.

doi:10.1126/science.1155674

Cited by 439 publications

(521 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…These phases coincide with a major realignment in the history of coral reefs, marked by an Eocene-Oligocene mass extinction event 45 , an expansion of coral reefs in the Indo-Australian Archipelago (IAA) 47 and a shift in tropical global biodiversity from the west Tethys to the IAA 48 . The rapid expansion of reefal taxa in the IAA 45,49 included fishes that exploit detritus-bearing algal turfs and fast-growing corals 44,45 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of long-toothed fishes and the changing nature of fish–benthos interactions on coral reefs

et al. 2014

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Interactions between fishes and the benthos have shaped the development of marine ecosystems since at least the early Mesozoic. Here, using the morphology of fish teeth as an indicator of feeding abilities, we quantify changes over the last 240 million years of reef fish evolution. Fossil and extant coral reef fish assemblages reveal exceptional stasis in tooth design over time, with one notable exception, a distinct long-toothed form. Arising only in the last 40 million years, these long-toothed fishes have bypassed the invertebrate link in the food chain, feeding directly on benthic particulate material. With the appearance of elongated teeth, these specialized detritivores have moved from eating invertebrates to eating the food of invertebrates. Over evolutionary time, fishes have slid back down the food chain.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of long-toothed fishes and the changing nature of fish–benthos interactions on coral reefs

et al. 2014

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“…Consequently, explanations for species distributions may require consideration of historical processes as well as contemporary environmental conditions. Within the Indo-Pacific, the influence of historical processes has received some attention in previous work: the region of highest species richness has shifted westwards over time, from the Mediterranean approximately 40 Ma to its present location in the IAA [21]. This suggests that the influence of long-term processes may be apparent in the structure of present-day Indo-Pacific biodiversity patterns.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Faunal breaks and species composition of Indo-Pacific corals: the role of plate tectonics, environment and habitat distribution

et al. 2013

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Species richness gradients are ubiquitous in nature, but the mechanisms that generate and maintain these patterns at macroecological scales remain unresolved. We use a new approach that focuses on overlapping geographical ranges of species to reveal that Indo-Pacific corals are assembled within 11 distinct faunal provinces. Province limits are characterized by co-occurrence of multiple species range boundaries. Unexpectedly, these faunal breaks are poorly predicted by contemporary environmental conditions and the present-day distribution of habitat. Instead, faunal breaks show striking concordance with geological features (tectonic plates and mantle plume tracks). The depth range over which a species occurs, its larval development rate and genus age are important determinants of the likelihood that species will straddle faunal breaks. Our findings indicate that historical processes, habitat heterogeneity and species colonization ability account for more of the present-day biogeographical patterns of corals than explanations based on the contemporary distribution of reefs or environmental conditions.

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“…This second phase was originally characterized by the presence of feeding forms with strong links to fast-growing, highly productive components of the reef benthos [8,9,18,20,21]. It also coincided with an expansion of carbonate platforms in the IAA, an increase in the importance of Acropora in reef systems, a movement of marine biodiversity to the IAA and the rapid cladogenesis of major reef fish groups [3,4,8]. Based on the evidence from surgeonfishes, this period also appears to mark the invasion of a new reef habitat by fishes: the reef crest and reef flat.…”

Section: (B) Modern Surgeonfishes and Rabbitfishes Exploit A New Reefmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These exceptionally well-preserved Eocene deposits (Ypresian/Lutetian boundary ca 50 Ma) were in the Tethys Sea close to the Eocene centre of marine biodiversity [3]. Although deposited in relatively deep calm water, the adjacent ecosystems appear to have included coastal systems, seagrass beds and coral-bearing hard grounds with connections to the open ocean [17,33].…”

Section: Materials and Methods (A) Materials Examinedmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fifty million years of herbivory on coral reefs: fossils, fish and functional innovations

et al. 2014

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The evolution of ecological processes on coral reefs was examined based on Eocene fossil fishes from Monte Bolca, Italy and extant species from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Using ecologically relevant morphological metrics, we investigated the evolution of herbivory in surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae) and rabbitfishes (Siganidae). Eocene and Recent surgeonfishes showed remarkable similarities, with grazers, browsers and even specialized, long-snouted forms having Eocene analogues. These long-snouted Eocene species were probably pair-forming, crevice-feeding forms like their Recent counterparts. Although Eocene surgeonfishes likely played a critical role as herbivores during the origins of modern coral reefs, they lacked the novel morphologies seen in modern Acanthurus and Siganus (including eyes positioned high above their low-set mouths). Today, these forms dominate coral reefs in both abundance and species richness and are associated with feeding on shallow, exposed algal turfs. The radiation of these new forms, and their expansion into new habitats in the Oligocene–Miocene, reflects the second phase in the development of fish herbivory on coral reefs that is closely associated with the exploitation of highly productive short algal turfs.

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Hopping Hotspots: Global Shifts in Marine Biodiversity

Cited by 439 publications

References 36 publications

Evolution of long-toothed fishes and the changing nature of fish–benthos interactions on coral reefs

Evolution of long-toothed fishes and the changing nature of fish–benthos interactions on coral reefs

Faunal breaks and species composition of Indo-Pacific corals: the role of plate tectonics, environment and habitat distribution

Fifty million years of herbivory on coral reefs: fossils, fish and functional innovations

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