Temporal latitudinal-gradient dynamics and tropical instability of deep-sea species diversity.

ABSTRACT: A benthic microfaunal record from the equatorial Atlantic Ocean over the past four glacial-interglacial cycles was investigated to understand temporal dynamics of deep-sea latitudinal species diversity gradients (LSDGs). The results demonstrate unexpected instability and high amplitude fluctuations of species diversity in the tropical deep ocean that are correlated with orbital-scale oscillations in global climate: Species diversity is low during glacial and high during interglacial periods. This implies that climate severely influences deep-sea diversity, even at tropical latitudes, and that deep-sea LSDGs, while generally present for the last 36 million years, were weakened or absent during glacial periods. Temporally dynamic LSDGs and unstable tropical diversity require reconsideration

SUBMITTER: Yasuhara M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2799869 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature