Temperature-related body size change of marine benthic macroinvertebrates across the Early Toarcian Anoxic Event.

ABSTRACT: The Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (TOAE, Early Jurassic, ~182 Ma ago) was characterised by severe environmental perturbations which led to habitat degradation and extinction of marine species. Warming-induced anoxia is usually identified as main driver, but because marine life was also affected in oxygenated environments the role of raised temperature and its effects on marine life need to be addressed. Body size is a fundamental characteristic of organisms and is expected to decrease as a response to heat stress. We present quantitative size data of bivalves and brachiopods across the TOAE from oxygenated habitats in the Iberian Basin, integrated with geochemical proxy data (δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O), to investigate the relationship between changes in temperature and body size.

SUBMITTER: Piazza V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7069967 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature