MSGID: 1:317/3 64acdb3c   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Scientists discover 36-million-year geological cycle that drives   
   biodiversity    
    Tectonic changes alter sea levels that can create breeding grounds for   
   life    
      
     Date:   
         July 10, 2023   
     Source:   
         University of Sydney   
     Summary:   
         Movement in the Earth's tectonic plates indirectly triggers bursts   
         of biodiversity in 36 million-year cycles by forcing sea levels   
         to rise and fall, new research has shown.   
      
      
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   Movement in the Earth's tectonic plates indirectly triggers bursts of   
   biodiversity in 36-million-year cycles by forcing sea levels to rise   
   and fall, new research has shown.   
      
   Researchers including geoscientists at the University of Sydney believe   
   these geologically driven cycles of sea level changes have a significant   
   impact on the diversity of marine species, going back at least 250   
   million years.   
      
   As water levels rise and fall, different habitats on the continental   
   shelves and in shallow seas expand and contract, providing opportunities   
   for organisms to thrive or die. By studying the fossil record, the   
   scientists have shown that these shifts trigger bursts of new life   
   to emerge.   
      
   The research has been published in the journal Proceedings of the National   
   Academy of Sciences, led by Associate Professor Slah Boulila from Sorbonne   
   University in Paris.   
      
   Study co-author Professor Dietmar Mu"ller, from the School of   
   Geosciences at the University of Sydney, said: "In terms of tectonics,   
   the 36-million-year cycle marks alterations between faster and slower   
   seafloor spreading, leading to cyclical depth changes in ocean basins   
   and in the tectonic transfer of water into the deep Earth.   
      
   "These in turn have led to fluctuations in the flooding and drying up of   
   continents, with periods of extensive shallow seas fostering biodiversity.   
      
   "This work was enabled by the GPlates plate tectonic software, developed   
   by the EarthByte Group at the University of Sydney, supported by   
   Australia's National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy   
   (NCRIS) via AuScope."  The team based their findings on the discovery   
   of strikingly similar cycles in sea-level variations, Earth's interior   
   mechanisms and marine fossil records.   
      
   Scientists now have overwhelming evidence that tectonic cycles and global   
   sea level change driven by Earth's dynamics have played a crucial role   
   in shaping the biodiversity of marine life over millions of years.   
      
   "This research challenges previous ideas about why species have changed   
   over long periods," Professor Mu"ller said.   
      
   "The cycles are 36 million years long because of regular patterns   
   in how tectonic plates are recycled into the convecting mantle, the   
   mobile part of the deep Earth, similar to hot, thick soup in a pot, that   
   moves slowly."  Professor Mu"ller said the Cretaceous Winton Formation   
   in Queensland serves as a prime example of how sea-level changes have   
   shaped ecosystems and influenced biodiversity in Australia.   
      
   The formation, renowned for its collection of dinosaur fossils and   
   precious opal, provides a valuable window into a time when much of the   
   Australian continent was flooded.   
      
   As sea levels rose and fell, the flooding of the continent created   
   expanding and contracting ecological recesses in shallow seas, providing   
   unique habitats for a wide range of species.   
      
   "The Cretaceous Winton Formation stands as a testament to the profound   
   impact of these sea-level changes, capturing a snapshot of a time when   
   Australia's landscape was transformed and fascinating creatures roamed   
   the land," Professor Mu"ller said.   
      
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   Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Sydney. Note: Content   
   may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
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   Related Multimedia:   
       * Artist's_impression_of_Diluvicursor_pickeringi_during_the_early   
         Cretaceous   
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   Journal Reference:   
      1. Slah Boulila, Shanan E. Peters, R. Dietmar Mu"ller, Bilal U. Haq,   
      Nathan   
         Hara. Earth's interior dynamics drive marine fossil diversity   
         cycles of tens of millions of years. Proceedings of the National   
         Academy of Sciences, 2023; 120 (29) DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221149120   
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   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230710180454.htm   
      
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