Full text

Turn on search term navigation

© 2023. This work is published under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

The reefs of the Vasalemma Formation, late Sandbian, Late Ordovician, of northern Estonia contain an exceptionally rich and abundant bryozoan fauna. They are an example of contemporaneous bryozoan-rich reefs known from around the world, representing the peak diversification interval of this group during the Ordovician. The diversification is associated with global climatic cooling and increasing atmospheric and sea water oxygenation. However, the mechanisms that led to the bryozoan diversification are poorly known. Here we estimate the bryozoan richness (α and γ diversity) and turnover (β diversity) at the level of samples, reefs, and formations in the Vasalemma Formation. The resulting richness and turnover values differ among the three observational levels and hence are scale dependent. A pattern with lowest between-reef turnover and relatively high between-sample turnover could be detected, reflecting high small-scale (within reef) heterogeneities in lithology and original bryozoan habitat. This is consistent with the hypothesis that small-scale substrate heterogeneity was the most important diversification driver in the Vasalemma Formation.

Details

Title
Diversity and spatial turnover of bryozoan assemblages in the reefs of the Vasalemma Formation (Late Ordovician), Estonia
Author
Kröger, Björn 1 ; Ernst, Andrej 2 ; Penny, Amelia 3 ; Nakrem, Hans Arne 4 ; Toom, Ursula 5 

 Finnish Museum of Natural History, PO Box 44, Fi-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland 
 Institut für Geologie, Universität Hamburg, Bundesstraße 55, 20146 Hamburg, Germany 
 Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, Sir Harold Mitchell Building and Dyers Brae, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, Scotland, UK 
 Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, PO Box 1172 Blindern, NO-0318 Oslo, Norway 
 Department of Geology, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia 
Pages
137
Publication year
2023
Publication date
2023
Publisher
Teaduste Akadeemia Kirjastus (Estonian Academy Publishers)
ISSN
17364728
e-ISSN
17367557
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2836030884
Copyright
© 2023. This work is published under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.