Environmental Breadth Predicts Geographic Range and Longevity in Fossil Marine Genera
Author Information
Author(s): Heim Noel A., Peters Shanan E.
Primary Institution: Department of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
Hypothesis
Do endemic and cosmopolitan marine genera experience different macroevolutionary pressures due to differences in habitat breadth?
Conclusion
Wide environmental tolerances within a single region predict both broad geographic range and increased longevity in marine genera over evolutionary time.
Supporting Evidence
- Cosmopolitan genera have longer durations and wider geographic ranges than endemic genera.
- Genera that occupy more paleoenvironmental zones have greater survivorship.
- Sampling intensity does not account for the differences in duration and range between cosmopolitan and endemic genera.
Takeaway
Marine animals that can live in many different environments tend to live longer and spread out more than those that can only live in specific places.
Methodology
The study analyzed occurrences of marine genera from the Paleobiology Database and measured geographic range and environmental breadth.
Potential Biases
Sampling bias may affect the observed geographic ranges and durations of genera.
Limitations
The study is limited by the availability and density of paleontological data in the Paleobiology Database.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on 3303 endemic and 2716 cosmopolitan marine genera from North America and 3788 endemic and 3360 cosmopolitan marine genera from Europe.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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