Document of bibliographic reference 393393

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

Understanding marine biodiversity patterns and drivers: The fall of Icarus

Abstract

Biodiversity patterns are fundamental in our understanding of the distribution of life, ecosystem function, and conservation. In this concept analysis, A survey of the existing knowledge on marine biodiversity patterns and drivers across latitudes, longitudes, and depths indicates that none of the postulated patterns represent a rule. The paradigm of latitudinal gradients or bathymetric patterns of diversity vary across biogeographic regions or biodiversity components, kingdoms, or body sizes. The same holds true for the hypothesized longitudinal and cost-offshore patterns. Food availability and temperature influence all life forms and appear to be the most relevant factors shaping marine biodiversity. However, these drivers interact with many other variables such as spatial heterogeneity, ecological and physical processes creating a complex mosaic of shaping factors that limits any prediction. Climate change, with its implications for global primary productivity and temperature rise, can represent one of the major influences on future marine biodiversity. Understanding biodiversity emphasizes the need to complete the census of marine life in the next decade. The effort must use the most advanced technologies, develop holistic approaches and promote the integration of morphological- and genetic-based taxonomy to explore the biodiversity of organisms of all size classes, at large spatial scales and across habitat types, particularly open ocean and deep-sea ecosystems. Without this basic knowledge, coupled with identification of the drivers shaping the observed patterns, we will be unable to fill these knowledge gaps that are crucial for developing adequate conservation measures of marine biodiversity at global scale.

Bibliographic citation

Danovaro, R. (2024). Understanding marine biodiversity patterns and drivers: The fall of Icarus. Mar. Ecol. (Berl.) Online first: e12814. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/maec.12814

Topic

Marine

Is peer reviewed

true

Access rights

open access

Is accessible for free

true