Reading the past to predict future biodiversity: a deep-time perspective

人为调节对生态系统影响的程度正在迅速增加。迄今为止，这一领域的大多数研究都是基于短期观察或实验。通过研究澳大利亚东部3.2 - 2.65亿年前主要地质冰期的物种和生态系统对气候变化的响应特征，本研究将探讨海洋物种和生态群落如何响应反复的冰期/间冰期循环和相关的变暖/变冷气候变化。预期的发现将有助于更好地理解全球变暖/变冷气候制度、海平面、海水温度和化学变化以及物种和生态系统对这些驱动因素的反应之间的长期联系。

The extent of human-moderated impact on ecosystems is rapidly increasing. To date, most current research in this field is based on short-term observations or experiments. By examining the characteristics of species and ecosystem response to climate change from a major geological Ice Age ~320-265 million years ago in eastern Australia, this study will investigate how marine species and ecological communities evolved in response to repeated glacial/interglacial cycles and associated warming/cooling climate changes. Expected findings will help to better understand the long-term links between global warming/cooling climate regimes, sea levels, changing sea-water temperature and chemistry, and species and ecosystem responses to these drivers.