High species richness and lineage diversity of reef corals in the mesophotic zone
Muir, P.R.; Wallace, C.C.; Pichon, M.; Bongaerts, P. (2018). High species richness and lineage diversity of reef corals in the mesophotic zone. Proc. - Royal Soc., Biol. Sci. 285(1893): 20181987. https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.1987
In: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. The Royal Society: London. ISSN 0962-8452; e-ISSN 1471-2954, meer
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| Trefwoorden |
Biogeny > Phylogeny
Scleractinia [WoRMS]
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| Author keywords |
deep reef; refuge; faunal overlap |
| Auteurs | | Top |
- Muir, P.R.
- Wallace, C.C.
- Pichon, M.
- Bongaerts, P.
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| Abstract |
Coral reefs are increasingly threatened by thermal bleaching and tropical storm events associated with rising sea surface temperatures. Deeper habitats offer some protection from these impacts and may safeguard reef-coral biodiversity, but their faunas are largely undescribed for the Indo-Pacific. Here, we show high species richness of scleractinian corals in mesophotic habitats (30–125 m) for the northern Great Barrier Reef region that greatly exceeds previous records for mesophotic habitats globally. Overall, 45% of shallow-reef species (less than or equal to 30 m), 78% of genera, and all families extended below 30 m depth, with 13% of species, 41% of genera, and 78% of families extending below 45 m. Maximum depth of occurrence showed a weak relationship to phylogeny, but a strong correlation with maximum latitudinal extent. Species recorded in the mesophotic had a significantly greater than expected probability of also occurring in shaded microhabitats and at higher latitudes, consistent with light as a common limiting factor. The findings suggest an important role for deeper habitats, particularly depths 30–45 m, in preserving evolutionary lineages of Indo-Pacific corals. Deeper reef areas are clearly more diverse than previously acknowledged and therefore deserve full consideration in our efforts to protect the world's coral reef biodiversity. |
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