Boreal earliest Triassic biotas elucidate globally depauperate hard substrate communities after the end-Permian mass extinction

The end-Permian mass extinction constituted the most devastating biotic crisis of the Phanerozoic. Its aftermath was characterized by harsh marine conditions incorporating volcanically induced oceanic warming, widespread anoxia and acidification. Bio-productivity accordingly experienced marked fluct...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific Reports
Main Authors: Zaton, Michal, Niedzwiedzki, Grzegorz, Blom, Henning, Kear, Benjamin P.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Univ Silesia, Fac Earth Sci, Bedzinska 60, PL-41200 Sosnowiec, Poland.;KNOW Leading Natl Res Ctr, Ctr Polar Studies, Sosnowiec, Poland. 2016
Subjects:
Biological Sciences
Biologiska vetenskaper
Other Earth and Related Environmental Sciences
Annan geovetenskap och miljövetenskap
Greenland
East Greenland
Online Access:http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:polar:diva-8764
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep36345
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Summary:The end-Permian mass extinction constituted the most devastating biotic crisis of the Phanerozoic. Its aftermath was characterized by harsh marine conditions incorporating volcanically induced oceanic warming, widespread anoxia and acidification. Bio-productivity accordingly experienced marked fluctuations. In particular, low palaeolatitude hard substrate communities from shallow seas fringing Western Pangaea and the Tethyan Realm were extremely impoverished, being dominated by monogeneric colonies of filter-feeding microconchid tubeworms. Here we present the first equivalent field data for Boreal hard substrate assemblages from the earliest Triassic (Induan) of East Greenland. This region bordered a discrete bio-realm situated at mid-high palaeolatitude (> 30 degrees N). Nevertheless, hard substrate biotas were compositionally identical to those from elsewhere, with microconchids encrusting Claraia bivalves and algal buildups on the sea floor. Biostratigraphical correlation further shows that Boreal microconchids underwent progressive tube modification and unique taxic diversification concordant with changing habitats over time. We interpret this as a post-extinction recovery and adaptive radiation sequence that mirrored coeval subequatorial faunas, and thus confirms hard substrate ecosystem depletion as a hallmark of the earliest Triassic interval globally.

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