Arctic and Western North Atlantic shallow marine diversity patterns: A comparison of controlling factors

Abstract

Shallow marine biodiversity patterns are governed by complicated combinations of environmental factors, and our understanding on the controlling mechanisms remains limited. Here we used ostracodes as a model system to look for the controlling factors on biodiversity patterns in shallow marine environments in the western North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean continental shelves. We analyzed ostracode biodiversity from 558 sites in the western Atlantic to the Arctic and revealed a negative diversity gradient from the tropics to the Arctic. Regression models and model-averaging results of the latitudinal diversity patterns showed that bottom water temperature is a significant controlling factor of ostracode diversity, whereas bottom water salinity, bottom water pH, bottom water dissolved oxygen, and surface primary productivity may not be. Using the same modelling approach, we will further analyze the Arctic Ocean-wide diversity pattern, which was believed to be controlled by temperature, surface productivity and salinity in other study. We will compare the various factors, which are believed to influence longitudinal diversity variability in the circum-Arctic Ocean, as well as the those that influence latitudinal diversity patterns in North Atlantic Ocean.