The latitudinal biodiversity gradient through deep time.
Trends Ecol Evol
; 29(1): 42-50, 2014 Jan.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-24139126
ABSTRACT
Today, biodiversity decreases from equatorial to polar regions. This is a fundamental pattern governing the distribution of extant organisms, the understanding of which is critical to predicting climatically driven biodiversity loss. However, its causes remain unresolved. The fossil record offers a unique perspective on the evolution of this latitudinal biodiversity gradient (LBG), providing a dynamic system in which to explore spatiotemporal diversity fluctuations. Deep-time studies indicate that a tropical peak and poleward decline in species diversity has not been a persistent pattern throughout the Phanerozoic, but is restricted to intervals of the Palaeozoic and the past 30 million years. A tropical peak might characterise cold icehouse climatic regimes, whereas warmer greenhouse regimes display temperate diversity peaks or flattened gradients.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Biodiversidade
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Evolução Biológica
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Fósseis
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2014
Tipo de documento:
Article