Macroecology of Southern Ocean echinoids : distribution, biogeography and modelisation

• Main Author: Pierrat, Benjamin
• Other Authors: Biogéosciences UMR 6282 (BGS), Université de Bourgogne (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Bourgogne, Bruno David, Thomas Saucède
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: French
• Published: HAL CCSD 2011
• Subjects: Southern Ocean; Echinoids; Macroecology; Ecological niche modelling; Biogeography; Macroécologie; Modèles de niche écologique; Biogéographie; Échinides; Océan Austral; [SDV.SA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences; [SDV.BA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Austral; West Antarctic Ice Sheet; Antarc*; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: https://theses.hal.science/tel-00717643; https://theses.hal.science/tel-00717643/document; https://theses.hal.science/tel-00717643/file/these_PIERRAT_Benjamin_2011.pdf

What are the forcing factors and main patterns of species distribution? This question is the core of macroecological issues and is of particular interest in the present context of global warming. The main objectives of this thesis were to determine the current distribution patterns of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic echinoid species at the scale of the whole Southern Ocean and to highlight the forcing factors that control them. The ecological niche modelling of 19 echinoid species showed that distribution is mainly structured in two patterns: (1) a first one represented by species that are not limited to the south of the Polar Front and distributed from the Antarctic coasts to the sub-Antarctic and cold temperate areas, and (2) a second one with species restricted to the Antarctic area. Within these two main patterns, five sub-patterns were also identified that depend on differences in the latitudinal and depth range of species groupings. In addition to this approach of biogeography by ecological niche modelling, a similarity analysis of echinoid, bivalve and gastropod fauna between bioregions of the Southern Ocean was performed at species and genus levels. This analysis reveals faunal connections between southern South America and sub-Antarctic areas in echinoids and bivalves, along with a partition between the East and West Antarctic. On the contrary, sub-Antarctic gastropod fauna show Antarctic rather than South American affinities and the Antarctic form a sole and unique province in this clade. These differences between clades are interpreted as the result of distinct biogeographic and evolutionary histories between echinoids and bivalves on the one hand, and gastropods on the other hand. The proposed hypothesis is that clades developped different evolutionary responses to the environmental changes that occurred during the Cenozoic. Finally, in the three clades, trans-Antarctic faunal connections are shown and interpreted as a result of West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapses and the setting up of trans-Antarctic ...