1
|
Song H, Wu Y, Dai X, Dal Corso J, Wang F, Feng Y, Chu D, Tian L, Song H, Foster WJ. Respiratory protein-driven selectivity during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. Innovation (N Y) 2024; 5:100618. [PMID: 38638583 PMCID: PMC11025005 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2024.100618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Extinction selectivity determines the direction of macroevolution, especially during mass extinction; however, its driving mechanisms remain poorly understood. By investigating the physiological selectivity of marine animals during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, we found that marine clades with lower O2-carrying capacity hemerythrin proteins and those relying on O2 diffusion experienced significantly greater extinction intensity and body-size reduction than those with higher O2-carrying capacity hemoglobin or hemocyanin proteins. Our findings suggest that animals with high O2-carrying capacity obtained the necessary O2 even under hypoxia and compensated for the increased energy requirements caused by ocean acidification, which enabled their survival during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. Thus, high O2-carrying capacity may have been crucial for the transition from the Paleozoic to the Modern Evolutionary Fauna.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haijun Song
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yuyang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xu Dai
- Biogéosciences, UMR 6282, CNRS, Université de Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Jacopo Dal Corso
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Fengyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Daoliang Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Li Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Huyue Song
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Skene KR. Systems theory, thermodynamics and life: Integrated thinking across ecology, organization and biological evolution. Biosystems 2024; 236:105123. [PMID: 38244715 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2024.105123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
In this paper we explore the relevance and integration of system theory and thermodynamics in terms of the Earth system. It is proposed that together, these fields explain the evolution, organization, functionality and directionality of life on Earth. We begin by summarizing historical and current thinking on the definition of life itself. We then investigate the evidence for a single unit of life. Given that any definition of life and its levels of organization are intertwined, we explore how the Earth system is structured and functions from an energetic perspective, by outlining relevant thermodynamic theory relating to molecular, metabolic, cellular, individual, population, species, ecosystem and biome organization. We next investigate the fundamental relationships between systems theory and thermodynamics in terms of the Earth system, examining the key characteristics of self-assembly, self-organization (including autonomy), emergence, non-linearity, feedback and sub-optimality. Finally, we examine the relevance of systems theory and thermodynamics with reference to two specific aspects: the tempo and directionality of evolution and the directional and predictable process of ecological succession. We discuss the importance of the entropic drive in understanding altruism, multicellularity, mutualistic and antagonistic relationships and how maximum entropy production theory may explain patterns thought to evidence the intermediate disturbance hypothesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Keith R Skene
- Biosphere Research Institute, Angus, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cribb AT, Formoso KK, Woolley CH, Beech J, Brophy S, Byrne P, Cassady VC, Godbold AL, Larina E, Maxeiner PP, Wu YH, Corsetti FA, Bottjer DJ. Contrasting terrestrial and marine ecospace dynamics after the end-Triassic mass extinction event. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20232232. [PMID: 38052241 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mass extinctions have fundamentally altered the structure of the biosphere throughout Earth's history. The ecological severity of mass extinctions is well studied in marine ecosystems by categorizing marine taxa into functional groups based on 'ecospace' approaches, but the ecological response of terrestrial ecosystems to mass extinctions is less well understood due to the lack of a comparable methodology. Here, we present a new terrestrial ecospace framework that categorizes fauna into functional groups as defined by tiering, motility and feeding traits. We applied the new terrestrial and traditional marine ecospace analyses to data from the Paleobiology Database across the end-Triassic mass extinction-a time of catastrophic global warming-to compare changes between the marine and terrestrial biospheres. We found that terrestrial functional groups experienced higher extinction severity, that taxonomic and functional richness are more tightly coupled in the terrestrial, and that the terrestrial realm continued to experience high ecological dissimilarity in the wake of the extinction. Although signals of extinction severity and ecological turnover are sensitive to the quality of the terrestrial fossil record, our findings suggest greater ecological pressure from the end-Triassic mass extinction on terrestrial ecosystems than marine ecosystems, contributing to more prolonged terrestrial ecological flux.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alison T Cribb
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Kiersten K Formoso
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- The Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - C Henrik Woolley
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- The Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - James Beech
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shannon Brophy
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Paul Byrne
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- The Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Victoria C Cassady
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Amanda L Godbold
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ekaterina Larina
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Philip-Peter Maxeiner
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yun-Hsin Wu
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- The Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Frank A Corsetti
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David J Bottjer
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Fang ZC, Li JL, Yan CB, Zou YR, Tian L, Zhao B, Benton MJ, Cheng L, Lai XL. First filter feeding in the Early Triassic: cranial morphological convergence between Hupehsuchus and baleen whales. BMC Ecol Evol 2023; 23:36. [PMID: 37550649 PMCID: PMC10408079 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-023-02143-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Modern baleen whales are unique as large-sized filter feeders, but their roles were replicated much earlier by diverse marine reptiles of the Mesozoic. Here, we investigate convergence in skull morphology between modern baleen whales and one of the earliest marine reptiles, the basal ichthyosauromorph Hupehsuchus nanchangensis, from the Early Triassic, a time of rapid recovery of life following profound mass extinction. Two new specimens reveal the skull morphology especially in dorsal view. The snout of Hupehsuchus is highly convergent with modern baleen whales, as shown in a morphometric analysis including 130 modern aquatic amniotes. Convergences in the snout include the unfused upper jaw, specialized intermediate space in the divided premaxilla and grooves around the labial margin. Hupehsuchus had enlarged its buccal cavity to enable efficient filter feeding and probably used soft tissues like baleen to expel the water from the oral cavity. Coordinated with the rigid trunk and pachyostotic ribs suggests low speeds of aquatic locomotion, Hupehsuchus probably employed continuous ram filter feeding as in extant bowhead and right whales. The Early Triassic palaeoenvironment of a restrictive lagoon with low productivity drove Hupehsuchus to feed on zooplankton, which facilitated ecosystem recovery in the Nanzhang-Yuan'an Fauna at the beginning of the Mesozoic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Chen Fang
- School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, P. R. China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Paleontology and Geological Environment Evolution, Wuhan Center of China Geological Survey, Wuhan, 430205, P. R. China
| | - Jiang-Li Li
- Hubei Institute of Geosciences, Hubei Geological Bureau, Wuhan, 430034, P. R. China
| | - Chun-Bo Yan
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Paleontology and Geological Environment Evolution, Wuhan Center of China Geological Survey, Wuhan, 430205, P. R. China
| | - Ya-Rui Zou
- Hubei Institute of Geosciences, Hubei Geological Bureau, Wuhan, 430034, P. R. China
| | - Li Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430078, P. R. China
| | - Bi Zhao
- Hubei Institute of Geosciences, Hubei Geological Bureau, Wuhan, 430034, P. R. China
| | - Michael J Benton
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Long Cheng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Paleontology and Geological Environment Evolution, Wuhan Center of China Geological Survey, Wuhan, 430205, P. R. China.
| | - Xu-Long Lai
- School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Qiao Y, Liu J, Wolniewicz AS, Iijima M, Shen Y, Wintrich T, Li Q, Sander PM. A globally distributed durophagous marine reptile clade supports the rapid recovery of pelagic ecosystems after the Permo-Triassic mass extinction. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1242. [PMCID: PMC9663502 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04162-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMarine ecosystem recovery after the Permo-Triassic mass extinction (PTME) has been extensively studied in the shallow sea, but little is known about the nature of this process in pelagic ecosystems. Omphalosauridae, an enigmatic clade of open-water durophagous marine reptiles, potentially played an important role in the recovery, but their fragmentary fossils and uncertain phylogenetic position have hindered our understanding of their role in the process. Here we report the large basal ichthyosauriform Sclerocormus from the Early Triassic of China that clearly demonstrates an omphalosaurid affinity, allowing for the synonymy of the recently erected Nasorostra with Omphalosauridae. The skull also reveals the anatomy of the unique feeding apparatus of omphalosaurids, likely an adaptation for feeding on hard-shelled pelagic invertebrates, especially ammonoids. Morphofunctional analysis of jaws shows that omphalosaurids occupy the morphospace of marine turtles. Our discovery adds another piece of evidence for an explosive radiation of marine reptiles into the ocean in the Early Triassic and the rapid recovery of pelagic ecosystems after the PTME.
Collapse
|
6
|
Cheng L, C. Moon B, Yan C, Motani R, Jiang D, An Z, Fang Z. The oldest record of Saurosphargiformes (Diapsida) from South China could fill an ecological gap in the Early Triassic biotic recovery. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13569. [PMID: 35855428 PMCID: PMC9288826 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Diversification following the end-Permian mass extinction marks the initiation of Mesozoic reptile dominance and of modern marine ecosystems, yet major clades are best known from the Middle Triassic suggesting delayed recovery, while Early Triassic localities produce poorly preserved specimens or have restricted diversity. Here we describe Pomolispondylus biani gen. et sp. nov. from the Early Triassic Nanzhang-Yuan'an Fauna of China assigned to Saurosphargiformes tax. nov., a clade known only from the Middle Triassic or later, which includes Saurosphargidae, and likely is the sister taxon to Sauropterygia. Pomolispondylus biani is allied to Saurosphargidae by the extended transverse processes of dorsal vertebrae and a low, table-like dorsal surface on the neural spine; however, it does not have the typical extensive osteoderms. Rather an unusual tuberous texture on the dorsal neural spine and rudimentary ossifications lateral to the gastralia are observed. Discovery of Pomolispondylus biani extends the known range of Saurosphargiformes and increases the taxic and ecological diversity of the Nanzhang-Yuan'an Fauna. Its small size fills a different ecological niche with respect to previously found species, but the overall food web remains notably different in structure to Middle Triassic and later ecosystems, suggesting this fauna represents a transitional stage during recovery rather than its endpoint.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Long Cheng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Paleontology and Geological Environment Evolution, Wuhan Center of China Geological Survey, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Benjamin C. Moon
- Palaeobiology Research Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Chunbo Yan
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Paleontology and Geological Environment Evolution, Wuhan Center of China Geological Survey, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Ryosuke Motani
- University of California Davis, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Dayong Jiang
- Peking University, Department of Geology and Geological Museum, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Zhihui An
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Paleontology and Geological Environment Evolution, Wuhan Center of China Geological Survey, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Zichen Fang
- China University of Geoscience, Wuhan, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Feng X, Chen ZQ, Benton MJ, Su C, Bottjer DJ, Cribb AT, Li Z, Zhao L, Zhu G, Huang Y, Guo Z. Resilience of infaunal ecosystems during the Early Triassic greenhouse Earth. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo0597. [PMID: 35767613 PMCID: PMC9242451 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo0597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Permian-Triassic mass extinction severely depleted biodiversity, primarily observed in the body fossil of well-skeletonized animals. Understanding how whole ecosystems were affected and rebuilt following the crisis requires evidence from both skeletonized and soft-bodied animals; the best comprehensive information on soft-bodied animals comes from ichnofossils. We analyzed abundant trace fossils from 26 sections across the Permian-Triassic boundary in China and report key metrics of ichnodiversity, ichnodisparity, ecospace utilization, and ecosystem engineering. We find that infaunal ecologic structure was well established in the early Smithian. Decoupling of diversity between deposit feeders and suspension feeders in carbonate ramp-platform settings implies that an effect of trophic group amensalism could have delayed the recovery of nonmotile, suspension-feeding epifauna in the Early Triassic. This differential reaction of infaunal ecosystems to variable environmental controls thus played a substantial but heretofore little appreciated evolutionary and ecologic role in the overall recovery in the hot Early Triassic ocean.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xueqian Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Zhong-Qiang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Michael J. Benton
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
| | - Chunmei Su
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - David J. Bottjer
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Alison T. Cribb
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Ziheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Geological Process and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Laishi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Geological Process and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Guangyou Zhu
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yuangeng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Zhen Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Yuan Z, Xu GH, Dai X, Wang F, Liu X, Jia E, Miao L, Song H. A new perleidid neopterygian fish from the Early Triassic (Dienerian, Induan) of South China, with a reassessment of the relationships of Perleidiformes. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13448. [PMID: 35602899 PMCID: PMC9121871 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Neopterygii is the largest clade of ray-finned fishes, including Teleostei, Holostei, and their closely related fossil taxa. This clade was first documented in the Early Carboniferous and underwent rapid evolutionary radiation during the Early to Middle Triassic. This article describes a new perleidid neopterygian species, Teffichthys elegans sp. nov., based on 13 well-preserved specimens from the lower Daye Formation (Dienerian, Induan) in Guizhou, China. The new species documents one of the oldest perleidids, providing insights into the early diversification of this family. The results of a phylogenetic analysis recover Teffichthys elegans sp. nov. as the sister taxon to Teffichthys madagascariensis within the Perleididae. T. elegans sp. nov. shares three derived features of Perleididae: the length of the anteroventral margin of the dermohyal nearly half the length of the anterodorsal margin of the preopercle; the anteroventral margin of the preopercle nearly equal to the anterior margin of the subopercle in length; and the anteroventral margin of the preopercle one to two times as long as the anterodorsal margin of the preopercle. It possesses diagnostic features of Teffichthys but differs from T. madagascariensis by the following features: presence of three supraorbitals; six pairs of branchiostegal rays; relatively deep anterodorsal process of subopercle; absence of spine on the posterior margin of the jugal; and pterygial formula of D26/P14, A22, C36/T39-41. The Perleidiformes are restricted to include only the Perleididae, and other previously alleged 'perleidiform' families (e.g., Hydropessidae and Gabanellidae) are excluded to maintain the monophyly of the order. Similar to many other perleidids, T. elegans sp. nov. was likely a durophagous predator with dentition combining grasping and crushing morphologies. The new finding also may indicate a relatively complex trophic structure of the Early Triassic marine ecosystem in South China.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Guang-Hui Xu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China,CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Fengyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaokang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Enhao Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Luyi Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Haijun Song
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
|
10
|
Sander PM, Griebeler EM, Klein N, Juarbe JV, Wintrich T, Revell LJ, Schmitz L. Early giant reveals faster evolution of large body size in ichthyosaurs than in cetaceans. Science 2021; 374:eabf5787. [PMID: 34941418 DOI: 10.1126/science.abf5787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Martin Sander
- Abteilung Paläontologie, Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany.,The Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Eva Maria Griebeler
- Institut für Organismische und Molekulare Evolutionsbiologie, Evolutionäre Ökologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 55099 Mainz, Germany
| | - Nicole Klein
- Abteilung Paläontologie, Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jorge Velez Juarbe
- Department of Mammalogy, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Tanja Wintrich
- Abteilung Paläontologie, Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany.,Anatomisches Institut, Universität Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Liam J Revell
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA.,Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Lars Schmitz
- The Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA.,W.M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Scripps, and Pitzer Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Smith CPA, Laville T, Fara E, Escarguel G, Olivier N, Vennin E, Goudemand N, Bylund KG, Jenks JF, Stephen DA, Hautmann M, Charbonnier S, Krumenacker LJ, Brayard A. Exceptional fossil assemblages confirm the existence of complex Early Triassic ecosystems during the early Spathian. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19657. [PMID: 34608207 PMCID: PMC8490361 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99056-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The mass extinction characterizing the Permian/Triassic boundary (PTB; ~ 252 Ma) corresponds to a major faunal shift between the Palaeozoic and the Modern evolutionary fauna. The temporal, spatial, environmental, and ecological dynamics of the associated biotic recovery remain highly debated, partly due to the scarce, or poorly-known, Early Triassic fossil record. Recently, an exceptionally complex ecosystem dated from immediately after the Smithian/Spathian boundary (~ 3 myr after the PTB) was reported: the Paris Biota (Idaho, USA). However, the spatiotemporal representativeness of this unique assemblage remained questionable as it was hitherto only reported from a single site. Here we describe three new exceptionally diverse assemblages of the same age as the Paris Biota, and a fourth younger one. They are located in Idaho and Nevada, and are taxonomic subsets of the Paris Biota. We show that the latter covered a region-wide area and persisted at least partially throughout the Spathian. The presence of a well-established marine fauna such as the Paris Biota, as soon as the early Spathian, indicates that the post-PTB biotic recovery and the installation of complex ecosystems probably took place earlier than often assumed, at least at a regional scale.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher P A Smith
- Biogéosciences UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000, Dijon, France.
| | - Thomas Laville
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CR2P, UMR 7207, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Fara
- Biogéosciences UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Gilles Escarguel
- LEHNA UMR 5023, CNRS, ENTPE, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Nicolas Olivier
- LMV, Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Emmanuelle Vennin
- Biogéosciences UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Nicolas Goudemand
- IGFL UMR 5242, CNRS, ENS de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69364, Lyon, France
| | | | | | - Daniel A Stephen
- Department of Earth Science, Utah Valley University, Orem, UT, 84058, USA
| | - Michael Hautmann
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich, 8006, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sylvain Charbonnier
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CR2P, UMR 7207, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 75005, Paris, France
| | - L J Krumenacker
- Department of Geosciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, 83209-8072, USA
| | - Arnaud Brayard
- Biogéosciences UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000, Dijon, France
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
A multiscale view of the Phanerozoic fossil record reveals the three major biotic transitions. Commun Biol 2021; 4:309. [PMID: 33686149 PMCID: PMC7977041 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01805-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothesis of the Great Evolutionary Faunas is a foundational concept of macroevolutionary research postulating that three global mega-assemblages have dominated Phanerozoic oceans following abrupt biotic transitions. Empirical estimates of this large-scale pattern depend on several methodological decisions and are based on approaches unable to capture multiscale dynamics of the underlying Earth-Life System. Combining a multilayer network representation of fossil data with a multilevel clustering that eliminates the subjectivity inherent to distance-based approaches, we demonstrate that Phanerozoic oceans sequentially harbored four global benthic mega-assemblages. Shifts in dominance patterns among these global marine mega-assemblages were abrupt (end-Cambrian 494 Ma; end-Permian 252 Ma) or protracted (mid-Cretaceous 129 Ma), and represent the three major biotic transitions in Earth’s history. Our findings suggest that gradual ecological changes associated with the Mesozoic Marine Revolution triggered a protracted biotic transition comparable in magnitude to the end-Permian transition initiated by the most severe biotic crisis of the past 500 million years. Overall, our study supports the notion that both long-term ecological changes and major geological events have played crucial roles in shaping the mega-assemblages that dominated Phanerozoic oceans. Rojas et al. present a new multi-scale model that reveals the three major biotic transitions of the Phanerozoic fossil record. This new model supports the hypothesis that both long-term ecological changes and major geological events played crucial roles in shaping ocean mega-assemblages through the Phanerozoic.
Collapse
|
13
|
Dal Corso J, Bernardi M, Sun Y, Song H, Seyfullah LJ, Preto N, Gianolla P, Ruffell A, Kustatscher E, Roghi G, Merico A, Hohn S, Schmidt AR, Marzoli A, Newton RJ, Wignall PB, Benton MJ. Extinction and dawn of the modern world in the Carnian (Late Triassic). SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/38/eaba0099. [PMID: 32938682 PMCID: PMC7494334 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba0099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The Carnian Pluvial Episode (Late Triassic) was a time of global environmental changes and possibly substantial coeval volcanism. The extent of the biological turnover in marine and terrestrial ecosystems is not well understood. Here, we present a meta-analysis of fossil data that suggests a substantial reduction in generic and species richness and the disappearance of 33% of marine genera. This crisis triggered major radiations. In the sea, the rise of the first scleractinian reefs and rock-forming calcareous nannofossils points to substantial changes in ocean chemistry. On land, there were major diversifications and originations of conifers, insects, dinosaurs, crocodiles, lizards, turtles, and mammals. Although there is uncertainty on the precise age of some of the recorded biological changes, these observations indicate that the Carnian Pluvial Episode was linked to a major extinction event and might have been the trigger of the spectacular radiation of many key groups that dominate modern ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Dal Corso
- School of Earth and Environments, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences Wuhan, Wuhan, China
| | - Massimo Bernardi
- MUSE-Science Museum, 38122 Trento, Italy
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
| | - Yadong Sun
- GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Haijun Song
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences Wuhan, Wuhan, China
| | - Leyla J Seyfullah
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, 1090 Wien, Austria
| | - Nereo Preto
- Department of Geosciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Piero Gianolla
- Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44100 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Alastair Ruffell
- School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Evelyn Kustatscher
- Museum of Nature South Tyrol, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Paleontology & Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80333 München, Germany
- SNSB-Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie, 80333 München, Germany
| | - Guido Roghi
- Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources (IGG-CNR), 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Agostino Merico
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), 28359 Bremen, Germany
- Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, Jacobs University Bremen, 28759 Bremen, Germany
| | - Sönke Hohn
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | | | - Andrea Marzoli
- Department of Geosciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Robert J Newton
- School of Earth and Environments, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Paul B Wignall
- School of Earth and Environments, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Michael J Benton
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Song H, Huang S, Jia E, Dai X, Wignall PB, Dunhill AM. Flat latitudinal diversity gradient caused by the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:17578-17583. [PMID: 32631978 PMCID: PMC7395496 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1918953117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is recognized as one of the most pervasive, global patterns of present-day biodiversity. However, the controlling mechanisms have proved difficult to identify because many potential drivers covary in space. The geological record presents a unique opportunity for understanding the mechanisms which drive the LDG by providing a direct window to deep-time biogeographic dynamics. Here we used a comprehensive database containing 52,318 occurrences of marine fossils to show that the shape of the LDG changed greatly during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction from showing a significant tropical peak to a flattened LDG. The flat LDG lasted for the entire Early Triassic (∼5 My) before reverting to a modern-like shape in the Middle Triassic. The environmental extremes that prevailed globally, especially the dramatic warming, likely induced selective extinction in low latitudes and accumulation of diversity in high latitudes through origination and poleward migration, which combined together account for the flat LDG of the Early Triassic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haijun Song
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, 430074 Wuhan, China;
| | - Shan Huang
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Enhao Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, 430074 Wuhan, China
| | - Xu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, 430074 Wuhan, China
| | - Paul B Wignall
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander M Dunhill
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT Leeds, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Allen BJ, Wignall PB, Hill DJ, Saupe EE, Dunhill AM. The latitudinal diversity gradient of tetrapods across the Permo-Triassic mass extinction and recovery interval. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201125. [PMID: 32546099 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The decline in species richness from the equator to the poles is referred to as the latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG). Higher equatorial diversity has been recognized for over 200 years, but the consistency of this pattern in deep time remains uncertain. Examination of spatial biodiversity patterns in the past across different global climate regimes and continental configurations can reveal how LDGs have varied over Earth history and potentially differentiate between suggested causal mechanisms. The Late Permian-Middle Triassic represents an ideal time interval for study, because it is characterized by large-scale volcanic episodes, extreme greenhouse temperatures and the most severe mass extinction event in Earth history. We examined terrestrial and marine tetrapod spatial biodiversity patterns using a database of global tetrapod occurrences. Terrestrial tetrapods exhibit a bimodal richness distribution throughout the Late Permian-Middle Triassic, with peaks in the northern low latitudes and southern mid-latitudes around 20-40° N and 60° S, respectively. Marine reptile fossils are known almost exclusively from the Northern Hemisphere in the Early and Middle Triassic, with highest diversity around 20° N. Reconstructed terrestrial LDGs contrast strongly with the generally unimodal gradients of today, potentially reflecting high global temperatures and prevailing Pangaean super-monsoonal climate system during the Permo-Triassic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bethany J Allen
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Paul B Wignall
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Daniel J Hill
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Erin E Saupe
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Skene KR. In pursuit of the framework behind the biosphere: S-curves, self-assembly and the genetic entropy paradox. Biosystems 2020; 190:104101. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2020.104101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
|
17
|
Li Q, Liu J. An Early Triassic sauropterygian and associated fauna from South China provide insights into Triassic ecosystem health. Commun Biol 2020; 3:63. [PMID: 32047220 PMCID: PMC7012838 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-0778-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The timing and pattern of biotic recovery from the Permo-Triassic Mass Extinction remains elusive. Here we report new material of the Early Triassic sauropterygian Lariosaurus sanxiaensis and associated fauna from the Jialingjiang Formation in Hubei Province, South China. Phylogenetic analysis based on a novel data matrix of sauropterygians recognizes L. sanxiaensis as a basal nothosaur. Stratigraphic congruence analysis shows that the new phylogenetic consensus tree matches to the stratigraphic distribution of sauropterygians very well. The diversified reptilian fauna and inferred simple food web in the Nanzhang-Yuan'an fauna where L. sanxiaensis was discovered suggest that the Triassic biotic recovery adopted a top-down pattern, in contrast to the prevailing view. Comparison with the Middle Triassic Luoping biota from the same carbonate platform suggests that the Triassic biotic recovery is delayed and healthy ecosystems were not established until the Middle Triassic in South China.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Jun Liu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.
- Institute of Geosciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, 53115, Germany.
- Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| |
Collapse
|