Climate change impacts on latitudinal diversity gradients in reef corals (2013-2017)
Abstract
Through comparison of modern species distributions with those of a warmer Pleistocene interval, we will investigate the effects of a warmer ocean on global and regional latitudinal diversity gradients in reef-building corals. This comparison will allow us to test for 1) differential equatorial retraction/poleward expansion among taxonomic groups of corals, and 2) variability in sensitivity of reef coral species that differ in fundamental species characteristics such as mode of larval development. Our findings will provide a predictive capacity for understanding the effects of ongoing climate change on the biodiversity and biogeography of living coral reefs.
