Scientists uncover global distribution of marine biodiversity
Thursday, July 29, 2010 - 06:42
in Biology & Nature
In an unprecedented effort that will be published online on the 28th of July by the international journal Nature, a team of scientists mapped and analysed global biodiversity patterns for over 11,000 marine species ranging from tiny zooplankton to sharks and whales. The researchers found striking similarities among the distribution patterns, with temperature strongly linked to biodiversity for all thirteen groups studied. These results imply that future changes in ocean temperature, such as those due to climate change, may greatly affect the distribution of life in the sea. The scientists also found a high overlap between areas of high human impact and hotspots of marine diversity...