0000000000698907

AUTHOR

Benjamin Pierrat

Macroecology of Southern Ocean echinoids : distribution, biogeography and modelisation

What are the forcing factors and main patterns of species distribution? This question is the core of macroecological issues and is of particular interest in the present context of global warming. The main objectives of this thesis were to determine the current distribution patterns of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic echinoid species at the scale of the whole Southern Ocean and to highlight the forcing factors that control them. The ecological niche modelling of 19 echinoid species showed that distribution is mainly structured in two patterns: (1) a first one represented by species that are not limited to the south of the Polar Front and distributed from the Antarctic coasts to the sub-Antarctic…

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BIOGEOGRAPHY AND MACROECOLOGY OF ANTARCTIC AND SUB-ANTARCTIC ECHINOIDS USING A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM.

participant; Many features already show how Polar seas are impacted by present-day global warming. To cope with new climate-induced changes and survive, Antarctic and Subantarctic marine organisms can either migrate or adapt to new prevailing conditions. New biotic interactions between Southernmost species and Subantarctic invaders can be expected, as new biogeographical distributions have already been documented. Because they are biologically and ecologically well diversified, echinoids play an important part in Antarctic benthic communities. Moreover, symbioses associated to cidarid echinoids make them even more crucial for benthic diversity. The biogeographical mapping of Antarctic echin…

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Biogeographic processes in the Southern Ocean.

8 pages; International audience

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