A5073701097- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Myxozoan Parasites in Aquatic Species
- Marine and fisheries research
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Plant and animal studies
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Coastal and Marine Management
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Philosophy and History of Science
- Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
- Ocean Acidification Effects and Responses
- Marine animal studies overview
Museum of Boulder
2016-2025
University of Colorado Boulder
2016-2025
Smithsonian Institution
2013-2017
National Museum of Natural History
2013-2017
Museum für Naturkunde
2008-2013
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
2008-2013
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
2012
James Cook University
2012
Duke University
2011
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
2008
It has previously been thought that there was a steep Cretaceous and Cenozoic radiation of marine invertebrates. This pattern can be replicated with new data set fossil occurrences representing 3.5 million specimens, but only when older analytical protocols are used. Moreover, analyses employ sampling standardization more robust counting methods show modest rise in diversity no clear trend after the mid-Cretaceous. Globally, locally, at both high low latitudes, less than twice as Neogene...
Rarity is widely used to predict the vulnerability of species extinction. Species can be rare in markedly different ways, but relative impacts these forms rarity on extinction risk are poorly known and cannot determined through observations that not yet extinct. The fossil record provides a valuable archive with which we directly determine aspects lead greatest risk. Previous palaeontological analyses confirm associated risk, contributions types remain unknown because their have never been...
Anthropogenic rise in the carbon dioxide concentration atmosphere leads to global warming and acidification of oceans. Ocean (OA) is harmful many organisms but especially those that build massive skeletons calcium carbonate, such as reef corals. Here, we test recent suggestion OA not only declining calcification corals reduced growth rates reefs may also have been a trigger ancient crises mass extinctions sea. We analyse fossil record biogenic marine (1) assess timing intensity crises, (2)...
Marine taxa are threatened by anthropogenic impacts, but knowledge of their extinction vulnerabilities is limited. The fossil record provides rich information on past extinctions that can help predict biotic responses. We show over 23 million years, taxonomic membership and geographic range size consistently explain a large proportion risk variation in six major groups. assess intrinsic risk-extinction predicted paleontologically calibrated models-for modern genera these Mapping the...
Large-scale biodiversity gradients among environments and habitats are usually attributed to a complex array of ecological evolutionary factors. We tested the component such by compiling geologically oldest occurrences marine genera using sampling standardization assess if originations tended be clustered in particular environments. Shallow, tropical carbonate substrates all tend have harbored high origination rates. Diversity within these preferentially generated reefs, probably because...
The Last Interglacial (LIG; ca. 125,000 y ago) resulted from rapid global warming and reached mean temperatures exceeding those of today. LIG thus offers the opportunity to study how life may respond future warming. Using occurrence databases applying sampling-standardization, we compared reef coral diversity distributions between modern. Latitudinal patterns are characterized by a tropical plateau today but were pronounced equatorial trough during LIG. This is governed substantial range...
Functional specialization, or division of labour (DOL), parts within organisms and colonies is common in most multi-cellular, colonial social organisms, but it far from ubiquitous. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the evolutionary origins DOL; basic feature all them that functional differences can arise easily. These cannot many groups animals exhibit no DOL despite up 500 million years evolution. Here, I propose a new hypothesis, based on multi-level selection theory, which...
Understanding historical patterns of diversity dynamics is paramount importance for many evolutionary questions. The fossil record has long been the only source information on diversification, but molecular record, derived from time-calibrated phylogenies, becoming an important additional resource. Both and approaches have shortcomings biases. These well studied data much less so empirical comparisons between are lacking. Here, we compare diversification in scleractinian reef coral species....
Amid global challenges like climate change, extinctions, and disease epidemics, science society require nuanced, international solutions that are grounded in robust, interdisciplinary perspectives datasets span deep time. Natural history collections, from modern biological specimens to the archaeological fossil records, crucial tools for understanding cultural processes shape our world. At same time, natural collections low middle-income countries at-risk underresourced, imperiling efforts...
Molecular divergence time analyses often rely on the age of fossil lineages to calibrate node estimates. Most are now performed in a Bayesian framework, where calibrations incorporated as parametric prior probabilities ages. It is widely accepted that an ideal parameterization such should be based comprehensive analysis record clade interest, but there currently no generally applicable approach for calculating informative priors. We provide here simple and easily implemented method employs...
Colonial animals reconcile selection among organisms and colonies by limiting the evolutionary potential of organism.
Morphological complexity is a notable feature of multicellular life, although whether it evolves gradually or in early bursts unclear. Vascular plant reproductive structures, such as flowers, are familiar examples complex morphology. In this study, we use simple approach based on the number part types to analyze changes over time. We find that increased two pulses separated by ~250 million years stasis, including an initial rise Devonian with radiation vascular plants and pronounced increase...
Abundance is one of the primary factors believed to influence extinction yet little known about its relationship rates over geologic time. Using data from Paleobiology Database we show that abundance was an important factor in dynamics marine bivalve genera post-Paleozoic. Contrary expectations, our analyses reveal a nonlinear between and rates, with rare abundant exhibiting elevated those moderate abundance. This U-shaped pattern persistent feature post-Paleozoic history bivalves provides...
Differences in the relative diversification rates of species with variant traits are known as selection. Species selection can produce a macroevolutionary change frequencies by changing number possessing each trait over time. But is not only process that traits, phyletic microevolution within and phylogenetic evolution among species, tempo mode also frequencies. selection, phylogenetic, processes all contribute to large-scale trends, reinforcing or canceling other out. Even more complex...