Geothermal activity helps life survive glacial cycles
The evolution and maintenance of diversity through cycles of past climate change have hinged largely on the availability of refugia. Geothermal refugia may have been particularly important for survival through past glaciations. Our spatial modeling of Antarctic biodiversity indicates that some terre...
| Published in: | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |
|---|---|
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
National Academy of Sciences
2014
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3992698 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24616489 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1321437111 |
| Summary: | The evolution and maintenance of diversity through cycles of past climate change have hinged largely on the availability of refugia. Geothermal refugia may have been particularly important for survival through past glaciations. Our spatial modeling of Antarctic biodiversity indicates that some terrestrial groups likely survived throughout intense glacial cycles on ice-free land or in sub-ice caves associated with areas of geothermal activity, from which recolonization of the rest of the continent took place. These results provide unexpected insights into the responses of various species to past climate change and the importance of geothermal regions in promoting biodiversity. Furthermore, they indicate the likely locations of biodiversity “hotspots” in Antarctica, suggesting a critical focus for future conservation efforts. |
|---|