Niche Evolution and Phylogenetic Community Paleoecology of Late Ordovician Crinoids

Fossil crinoids from the Bromide fauna of Oklahoma (Sandbian,Upper Ordovician) are well-suited for studying community paleoecology and niche partitioning over a ~5 million-year period. Major axes defining niche differentiation include filtration fan density, food size selectivity, and body size, and niche occupation is strongly controlled by phylogeny. Ecological strategies were relatively static at high taxonomic scales, but niche differentiation and specialization increased in most subclades. The transition between the early-middle Paleozoic Crinoid Evolutionary Faunas was underway by the Katian due to ecological drivers and was not triggered by the Late Ordovician mass extinction.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 75 pages
Publication date: 26 May 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Fossil crinoids hold immense potential for conducting comprehensive deep-time studies on community paleoecology and niche partitioning. By integrating ecomorphological trait and phylogenetic data, this Element provides a comprehensive summary of the niche occupation and community paleoecology of crinoids from the Bromide fauna of Oklahoma, spanning the Sandbian and Upper Ordovician periods. The authors examine patterns of community structure and niche evolution over a remarkable ~5 million-year timeframe by comparing them with the Brechin Lagerstätte, also from the Upper Ordovician Katian period. They identify filtration fan density, food size selectivity, and body size as primary axes that define niche differentiation, with phylogeny exerting a strong influence on niche occupation. While ecological strategies remained relatively static at high taxonomic scales throughout the study interval, niche differentiation and specialization witnessed significant increases in most subclades. Notably, changes in disparity and species richness indicate that the transition between the early-middle Paleozoic Crinoid Evolutionary Faunas had already commenced by the Katian, driven by ecological factors rather than solely by the Late Ordovician mass extinction.

Fossil crinoids are exceptionally suited to deep-time studies of community paleoecology and niche partitioning.

By merging ecomorphological trait and phylogenetic data, this Element summarizes niche occupation and community paleoecology of crinoids from the Bromide fauna of Oklahoma (Sandbian, Upper Ordovician).

Patterns of community structure and niche evolution are evaluated over a ~5 million-year period through comparison with the Brechin Lagerstätte (Katian, Upper Ordovician).

The authors establish filtration fan density, food size selectivity, and body size as major axes defining niche differentiation, and niche occupation is strongly controlled by phylogeny.

Ecological strategies were relatively static over the study interval at high taxonomic scales, but niche differentiation and specialization increased in most subclades.

Changes in disparity and species richness indicate the transition between the early-middle Paleozoic Crinoid Evolutionary Faunas was already underway by the Katian due to ecological drivers and was not triggered by the Late Ordovician mass extinction.

Weight: 96g
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 9 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108810012