Changes in growth patterns due to climate change
Researchers investigate changes in size of Jurassic belemnites

Date:
August 11, 2021
Source:
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Summary:
Geologists investigated the extent to which the growth of belemnites
and changes to their appearance depend on ecological reactions
and whether these changes are evidence of environmental crises
that could have a serious impact on the climate in future.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Geologists at Friedrich-Alexander-Universita"t Erlangen-Nu"rnberg (FAU)
joined forces with researchers from France, Berlin, and Portugal to
investigate the extent to which the growth of belemnites and changes
to their appearance depend on ecological reactions and whether these
changes are evidence of environmental crises that could have a serious
impact on the climate in future.


========================================================================== Marine ectotherms commonly respond to rapid warming by decreasing in
body size.

Belemnites, various species of cephalopods that are distant relatives
of today's squid, demonstrated this reaction in the Lusitanian basin
before they became extinct in that region around 183 million years ago.

The mechanisms behind the reaction were unknown until now. A study
has now proven that the growth of marine belemnites during a warming
event changed significantly. The researchers computed tomography to
scan examples of various species of belemnites to investigate changes
in their shape over various stages of development and how these changes correspond with environmental changes.

The study shows that there are differences between the reactions of
various species and stages of development. The increasing compactness
during various stages indicates varying ecological tolerances between
species that probably result from the indirect effects of warming such
as the scarcity of resources or increased calcification. The results
underline the importance of considering life history and phylogeny when investigating the effects of environmental stress factors on marine
organisms.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
University_of_Erlangen-Nuremberg. Note: Content may be edited for style
and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Paulina S. Na"tscher, Guillaume Dera, Carl J. Reddin, Patri'cia
Rita,
Kenneth De Baets. Morphological response accompanying size
reduction of belemnites during an Early Jurassic hyperthermal
event modulated by life history. Scientific Reports, 2021; 11 (1)
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93850-0 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210811131544.htm

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