scholarly journals Patterns of species range evolution in Indo-Pacific reef assemblages reveal the Coral Triangle as a net source of transoceanic diversity

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 20160090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean M. Evans ◽  
Caroline McKenna ◽  
Stephen D. Simpson ◽  
Jennifer Tournois ◽  
Martin J. Genner

The Coral Triangle in the Indo-Pacific is a region renowned for exceptional marine biodiversity. The area could have acted as a ‘centre of origin’ where speciation has been prolific or a ‘centre of survival’ by providing refuge during major environmental shifts such as sea-level changes. The region could also have acted as a ‘centre of accumulation’ for species with origins outside of the Coral Triangle, owing to it being at a central position between the Indian and Pacific oceans. Here, we investigated support for these hypotheses using population-level DNA sequence-based reconstructions of the range evolution of 45 species (314 populations) of Indo-Pacific reef-associated organisms. Our results show that populations undergoing the most ancient establishment were significantly more likely to be closer to the centre of the Coral Triangle than to peripheral locations. The data are consistent with the Coral Triangle being a net source of coral-reef biodiversity for the Indo-Pacific region, suggesting that the region has acted primarily as a centre of survival, a centre of origin or both. These results provide evidence of how a key location can influence the large-scale distributions of biodiversity over evolutionary timescales.

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Kowalewski ◽  
◽  
Kristopher M. Kusnerik ◽  
Daniele Scarponi ◽  
Fabio Trincardi ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusuke Yokoyama ◽  
Anthony Purcell

AbstractPast sea-level change represents the large-scale state of global climate, reflecting the waxing and waning of global ice sheets and the corresponding effect on ocean volume. Recent developments in sampling and analytical methods enable us to more precisely reconstruct past sea-level changes using geological indicators dated by radiometric methods. However, ice-volume changes alone cannot wholly account for these observations of local, relative sea-level change because of various geophysical factors including glacio-hydro-isostatic adjustments (GIA). The mechanisms behind GIA cannot be ignored when reconstructing global ice volume, yet they remain poorly understood within the general sea-level community. In this paper, various geophysical factors affecting sea-level observations are discussed and the details and impacts of these processes on estimates of past ice volumes are introduced.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.C. Pretorius ◽  
T.B. Hoareau

AbstractMolecular clock calibration is central in population genetics as it provides an accurate inference of demographic history, whereby helping with the identification of driving factors of population changes in an ecosystem. This is particularly important for coral reef species that are seriously threatened globally and in need of conservation. Biogeographic events and fossils are the main source of calibration, but these are known to overestimate timing and parameters at population level, which leads to a disconnection between environmental changes and inferred reconstructions. Here, we propose the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) calibration that is based on the assumptions that reef species went through a bottleneck during the LGM, which was followed by an early yet marginal increase in population size. We validated the LGM calibration using simulations and genetic inferences based on Extended Bayesian Skyline Plots. Applying it to mitochondrial sequence data of crown-of-thorns starfish Acanthaster spp., we obtained mutation rates that were higher than phylogenetically based calibrations and varied among populations. The timing of the greatest increase in population size differed slightly among populations, but all started between 10 and 20 kya. Using a curve-fitting method, we showed that Acanthaster populations were more influenced by sea-level changes in the Indian Ocean and by reef development in the Pacific Ocean. Our results illustrate that the LGM calibration is robust and can probably provide accurate demographic inferences in many reef species. Application of this calibration has the potential to help identify population drivers that are central for the conservation and management of these threatened ecosystems.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrine Maxwell ◽  
Hildegard Westphal ◽  
Alessio Rovere

<p>The Last Interglacial (LIG), as well as other warmer periods in the Earth’s geologic history, provides an analogue for predicted warming conditions in the near future. Analysis of sea-level indicators during this period is important in constraining regional drivers of relative sea-level change (RSL) and in modeling future trajectories of sea-level rise. In southeast Asia, several studies have been done to examine LIG sea-level indicators such as coral reef terraces and tidal notches. A synthesis of the state-of-the-art of the LIG RSL indicators in the region, meanwhile, has yet to be done. We reviewed over 50 published works on the LIG RSL indicators in southeast Asia and used the framework of the World Atlas of Last Interglacial Shorelines (WALIS) in building a standardized database of previously published LIG RSL indicators in the region. In total, we identified 38 unique RSL indicators and inserted almost 140 ages in the database. Available data from Indonesia, the Philippines, and East Timor points to variable elevation of sea-level indicators during the LIG highlighting the complex tectonic setting of this region. Variable uplift rates (from as low as 0.02 to as high as 1.1 m/ka) were reported in the study areas echoing various collision and subduction processes influencing these sites. Although several age constraints and elevation measurements have been provided by these studies, more data is still needed to shed more light on the RSL changes in the region. With this effort under the WALIS framework, we hope to identify gaps in the LIG RSL indicators literature in SE Asia and recognize potential areas that can be visited for future work. We also hope that this initiative will help us further understand the different drivers of past sea-level changes in SE Asia and will provide inputs for projections of sea-level change in the future.</p>


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 1067-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Colberg ◽  
Kathleen L. McInnes ◽  
Julian O'Grady ◽  
Ron Hoeke

Abstract. Projections of sea level rise (SLR) will lead to increasing coastal impacts during extreme sea level events globally; however, there is significant uncertainty around short-term coastal sea level variability and the attendant frequency and severity of extreme sea level events. In this study, we investigate drivers of coastal sea level variability (including extremes) around Australia by means of historical conditions as well as future changes under a high greenhouse gas emissions scenario (RCP 8.5). To do this, a multi-decade hindcast simulation is validated against tide gauge data. The role of tide–surge interaction is assessed and found to have negligible effects on storm surge characteristic heights over most of the coastline. For future projections, 20-year-long simulations are carried out over the time periods 1981–1999 and 2081–2099 using atmospheric forcing from four CMIP5 climate models. Changes in extreme sea levels are apparent, but there are large inter-model differences. On the southern mainland coast all models simulated a southward movement of the subtropical ridge which led to a small reduction in sea level extremes in the hydrodynamic simulations. Sea level changes over the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north are largest and positive during austral summer in two out of the four models. In these models, changes to the northwest monsoon appear to be the cause of the sea level response. These simulations highlight a sensitivity of this semi-enclosed gulf to changes in large-scale dynamics in this region and indicate that further assessment of the potential changes to the northwest monsoon in a larger multi-model ensemble should be investigated, together with the northwest monsoon's effect on extreme sea levels.


2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Maurizot ◽  
J. Collot ◽  
D. Cluzel ◽  
M. Patriat

AbstractThe Loyalty Ridge lies to the east and NE of the Norfolk Ridge. The three main Loyalty Islands (Maré, Lifou and Ouvéa) emerge from the ridge at the same latitude as Grande Terre. The islands are uniformly composed of carbonate deposits, except for Maré, where Middle Miocene intra-plate basalts and associated volcaniclastic rocks form restricted outcrops. Miocene rhodolith limestones constitute the bulk of the carbonate cover of the three islands. On Maré, these platform accumulations are locally topped by a dolomitic hardground, which, in turn, is covered by Pliocene–Pleistocene coral-bearing formations. These coral reef constructions are preserved as elevated rims over all three islands and define an atoll stage in their development. The Pleistocene–Holocene palaeoshoreline indicators include fringing bioconstructions and marine notches and record both eustatic sea-level changes and tectonic deformation. The ridge has been in the forebulge region in front of the active Vanuatu subduction zone since the Pliocene and each of the three islands has been uplifted and tilted to varying degrees. Offshore, the Loyalty Ridge continues northwards to the d'Entrecasteaux Zone and southwards to the Three Kings Ridge. Although typically volcanic, the nature of the deep Loyalty Ridge remains unknown.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerben de Jager ◽  
Dicky Harishidayat ◽  
Benjamin Emmel ◽  
Ståle Emil Johansen

<p>Clinoforms are aquatic sedimentary features commonly associated with strata prograding from a shallower water depth into a deeper water depth. They are very sensitive to changes in water depth, rapidly moving along the shelf in response to sea level changes.  By reconstructing the initial clinoform geometry of buried clinoforms, an estimate of the paleo water depth (PWD) can be made. When this is done for several subsequent clinoform sets the amounts and rates of bathymetric changes can be calculated.</p><p>Here we present a novel approach to estimate clinoform parameters and depositional depths for continental margin clinoforms using seismic reflections, wellbore and biostratigraphy data. Seismic interpretation of three relatively east-west regional full-stack seismic reflection data from the continental margin of the western Barents Sea revealed twelve Late Cenozoic horizons. The clinoform shapes have been restored by removing the effects of compaction and flexural isostasy (backstripping). This includes the effects of glacial/interglacial scenarios on horizons with strong glaciomarine seismic indications.</p><p>Based on the reconstructed clinoform geometries we use empirical relationships from literature between clinoform geometry and depositional depth to estimate PWD values. In these analyses it is possible to estimate the PWD of the upper rollover point and the toe point by measuring the bottomset height, foreset height and topset height. A sensitivity analysis study has also been done on several different scenarios, varying elastic thickness, decompaction and net to gross ratio. Comparison with biostratigraphic water depth estimates indicate that PWD estimates revealed from clinoform parameters give reliable results.</p><p>Any mismatch between the backstripped PWD values and the PWD values derived from the clinoform geometry can then be attributed to geological processes not included in the backstripping process. Among others, these could be explained by rifting, thermal effects in the lithosphere, faulting or eustatic sea level changes. This allows the quantification of the magnitude of these large-scale crustal processes through time.</p><p>We will demonstrate that this method can further constrain the PWD on the continental margin clinoform system and thus can help to improve the understanding of the interplay between sedimentary processes and large-scale crustal processes. Furthermore, the PWD estimates will be a reliable input for further analysis of source-to-sink and stratigraphic forward modeling studies as well as reservoir and source rocks prediction on the petroleum development and exploration.</p><p> </p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-François Legeais ◽  
Benoît Meyssignac ◽  
Yannice Faugère ◽  
Adrien Guerou ◽  
Michaël Ablain ◽  
...  

It is essential to monitor accurately current sea level changes to better understand and project future sea level rise (SLR). This is the basis to support the design of adaptation strategies to climate change. Altimeter sea level products are operationally produced and distributed by the E.U. Copernicus services dedicated to the marine environment (CMEMS) and climate change (C3S). The present article is a review paper that intends to explain why and to which extent the sea level monitoring indicators derived from these products are appropriate to develop adaptation strategies to SLR. We first present the main key scientific questions and challenges related to SLR monitoring. The different processing steps of the altimeter production system are presented including those ensuring the quality and the stability of the sea level record (starting in 1993). Due to the numerous altimeter algorithms required for the production, it is complex to ensure both the retrieval of high-resolution mesoscale signals and the stability of the large-scale wavelengths. This has led to the operational production of two different sea level datasets whose specificities are characterized. We present the corresponding indicators: the global mean sea level (GMSL) evolution and the regional map of sea level trends, with their respective uncertainties. We discuss how these products and associated indicators support adaptation to SLR, and we illustrate with an example of downstream application. The remaining gaps are analyzed and recommendations for the future are provided.


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