Identifying patterns and drivers of coral diversity in the Central Indo-Pacific marine biodiversity hotspot
2017
Biodiversity hotspots are increasingly recognized as areas of high taxonomic and
functional diversity. These hotspots are dynamic and shift geographically over time in
response to environmental change. To identify drivers of the origin, evolution, and
persistence of diversity hotspots, we investigated the diversity patterns of reef-building
corals (Scleractinia) in the Central Indo-Pacific, a marine biodiversity hotspot for the
last 25 Myr. We used the scleractinian fossil record (based on literature and a newly
acquired fossil collection) to examine the taxonomic and functional diversity of corals
from the Eocene to Pliocene. Our data identify potential drivers of coral diversity
through time (and space) in the Central Indo-Pacific by constraining the timing of
taxonomic turnover events and correlating them with known environmental changes. Increases
in taxonomic diversity, high origination rates, and changes in abundance of functional
character states indicate that the origin of the Central Indo-Pacific hotspot occurred
during the Oligocene, initially through proliferation of pre-existing taxa and then by
origination of new taxa. In contrast to taxonomic diversity, overall functional diversity
of Central Indo-Pacific reef-building corals remained constant from the Eocene to the
Pliocene. Our results identify global sea level as a main driver of diversity increase
that, together with local tectonics, regulates availability of suitable habitats.
Moreover, marine biodiversity hotspots develop from both the accumulation of taxa from
older biodiversity hotspots and origination of new taxa. Our study demonstrates the
utility of a combined literature-based and new collection approach for gaining new
insights into the timing, drivers, and development of tropical biodiversity hotspots.
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