Testing the deep-sea glacial disturbance hypothesis as a cause of low, present-day Norwegian Sea diversity and resulting steep latitudinal diversity gradient, using fossil records

Aim

Within the intensively-studied, well-documented latitudinal diversity gradient, the deep-sea biodiversity of the present-day Norwegian Sea stands out with its notably low diversity, constituting a steep latitudinal diversity gradient in the North Atlantic. The reason behind this has long been a topic of debate and speculation. Most prominently, it is explained by the deep-sea glacial disturbance hypothesis, which states that harsh environmental glacial conditions negatively impacted Norwegian Sea diversities, which have not yet fully recovered. Our aim is to empirically test this hypothesis. Specific research questions are: (1) Has deep-sea biodiversity been lower during glacials than during interglacials? (2) Was there any faunal shift at the Mid-Brunhes Event (MBE) when the mode of glacial–interglacial climatic change was altered?

Location

Norwegian Sea, deep sea (1819–2800 m), coring sites MD992277, PS1243, and M23352.

Time period

620.7–1.4 ka (Middle Pleistocene–Late Holocene).

Taxa studied

Ostracoda (Crustacea).

Methods

We empirically test the deep-sea glacial disturbance hypothesis by investigating whether diversity in glacial periods is consistently lower than diversity in interglacial periods. Additionally, we apply comparative analyses to determine a potential faunal shift at the MBE, a Pleistocene event describing a fundamental shift in global climate.

Results

The deep Norwegian Sea diversity was not lower during glacial periods compared to interglacial periods. Holocene diversity was exceedingly lower than that of the last glacial period. Faunal composition changed substantially between pre- and post-MBE.

Main conclusions

These results reject the glacial disturbance hypothesis, since the low glacial diversity is the important precondition here. The present-day-style deep Norwegian Sea ecosystem was established by the MBE, more specifically by MBE-induced changes in global climate, which has led to more dynamic post-MBE conditions. In a broader context, this implies that the MBE has played an important role in the establishment of the modern polar deep-sea ecosystem and biodiversity in general.