Spatial and temporal patterns in echinoderm species and trait composition in the subtropical-to-temperate transition zone of eastern Australia.

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Main Authors: McLaren, Emily, Byrne, Maria, Pandolfi, John Michael, Berger, Maria, Sommer, Brigitte
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Proceedings. Biological sciences 2026
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author McLaren, Emily
Byrne, Maria
Pandolfi, John Michael
Berger, Maria
Sommer, Brigitte
author_facet McLaren, Emily
Byrne, Maria
Pandolfi, John Michael
Berger, Maria
Sommer, Brigitte
McLaren, Emily
Byrne, Maria
Pandolfi, John Michael
Berger, Maria
Sommer, Brigitte
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Spatial and temporal patterns in echinoderm species and trait composition in the subtropical-to-temperate transition zone of eastern Australia. McLaren, Emily Byrne, Maria Pandolfi, John Michael Berger, Maria Sommer, Brigitte Animals Echinodermata Biodiversity Australia Coral Reefs Climate Change Sea Urchins Ecosystem Tropical Climate Subtropical biogeographic transition zones are undergoing large-scale marine community re-assembly due to ocean warming. These zones host a dynamic combination of tropical, subtropical and temperate taxa, many of which exist at their range limits. However, only some of these taxa undergo range shifts, making it difficult to predict future ecosystem changes. Traits associated with life-history, biology and ecology may aid in predicting which taxa are likely to redistribute. Considering the importance of echinoderms on reefs globally, we present the first study of echinoderm trait composition and diversity on reefs in a subtropical biogeographic transition zone. Focusing on coral-dominated habitats in eastern Australia (28-31°S) over a decade (2010-2019) of significant warming and marine heatwaves, we show that echinoderm diversity (31 taxa) varied spatially, with tropical taxa more prevalent at lower latitudes and subtropical taxa more abundant offshore. Functional richness and divergence of sea urchins increased poleward, reflecting the high prevalence of subtropical taxa with traits such as barrens habitat formation, winter spawning and long-lived planktotrophic larvae. Echinoderm biodiversity patterns, community temperature index and functional composition remained stable during this warming period, highlighting the importance of biogeographic transition zones as sentinels for determining the traits that promote stability or change in warming oceans.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_42120035
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher Proceedings. Biological sciences
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Spatial and temporal patterns in echinoderm species and trait composition in the subtropical-to-temperate transition zone of eastern Australia.
McLaren, Emily
Byrne, Maria
Pandolfi, John Michael
Berger, Maria
Sommer, Brigitte
Animals
Echinodermata
Biodiversity
Australia
Coral Reefs
Climate Change
Sea Urchins
Ecosystem
Tropical Climate
Spatial and temporal patterns in echinoderm species and trait composition in the subtropical-to-temperate transition zone of eastern Australia. McLaren, Emily Byrne, Maria Pandolfi, John Michael Berger, Maria Sommer, Brigitte Animals Echinodermata Biodiversity Australia Coral Reefs Climate Change Sea Urchins Ecosystem Tropical Climate Subtropical biogeographic transition zones are undergoing large-scale marine community re-assembly due to ocean warming. These zones host a dynamic combination of tropical, subtropical and temperate taxa, many of which exist at their range limits. However, only some of these taxa undergo range shifts, making it difficult to predict future ecosystem changes. Traits associated with life-history, biology and ecology may aid in predicting which taxa are likely to redistribute. Considering the importance of echinoderms on reefs globally, we present the first study of echinoderm trait composition and diversity on reefs in a subtropical biogeographic transition zone. Focusing on coral-dominated habitats in eastern Australia (28-31°S) over a decade (2010-2019) of significant warming and marine heatwaves, we show that echinoderm diversity (31 taxa) varied spatially, with tropical taxa more prevalent at lower latitudes and subtropical taxa more abundant offshore. Functional richness and divergence of sea urchins increased poleward, reflecting the high prevalence of subtropical taxa with traits such as barrens habitat formation, winter spawning and long-lived planktotrophic larvae. Echinoderm biodiversity patterns, community temperature index and functional composition remained stable during this warming period, highlighting the importance of biogeographic transition zones as sentinels for determining the traits that promote stability or change in warming oceans.
title Spatial and temporal patterns in echinoderm species and trait composition in the subtropical-to-temperate transition zone of eastern Australia.
topic Animals
Echinodermata
Biodiversity
Australia
Coral Reefs
Climate Change
Sea Urchins
Ecosystem
Tropical Climate
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42120035/