Model for Quantitatively Estimating Marine Biogeographic Provinciality——A Case Study of the Permian Marine Biogeography Provincialism

The relationship between the number, position and orientation of lithosphericplates and marine biogeographic provinciality may be quantified since the spatial distribution oforganisms is primarily controlled by latitude-related temperature gradients and geographicalbarriers-two dynamic biogeographic determinants whose variation is closely related to thespatial disposition of continents and oceans. This paper modifies Schopf s (1976) model forquantitatively estimating shallow marine provinciality in recognition of latitude-related tem-perature gradients as the primary biogeographical factor. A test of the modified model againstmodern marine zoogeography reveals high consistency between them. Using this modified mod-el and the Permian palaeogeographical reconstruction maps of Scotese and McKerrow (1990),fifteen shallow benthic marine provinces are estimated to be Early and Late Permian in agerespectively. A comparison of the estimated Permian marine provinciality with previouslyrecognised empirical provincial patterns reveals a high degree of congruity, which may implythat there existed moderate to high latitudinal thermal gradients during the Permian, a levelprobably similar to that of the present world.

Model for Quantitatively Estimating Marine Biogeographic Provinciality—A Case Study of the Permian Marine Biogeography Provincialism

The relationship between the number, position and orientation of lithosphericplates and marine biogeographic provinciality may be quantified since the spatial distribution oforganisms is primarily controlled by latitude-related temperature gradients and geographicalbarriers-two dynamic biogeographic determinants whose variation is closely related to thespatial disposition of continents and oceans. This paper modifies Schopf s (1976) model forquantitatively estimating shallow marine provinciality in recognition of latitude-related tem-perature gradients as the primary biogeographical factor. A test of the modified model againstmodern marine zoogeography reveals high consistency between them. Using this modified mod-el and the Permian palaeogeographical reconstruction maps of Scotese and McKerrow (1990),fifteen shallow benthic marine provinces are estimated to be Early and Late Permian in agerespectively. A comparison of the estimated Permian marine provinciality with previouslyrecognised empirical provincial patterns reveals a high degree of congruity, which may implythat there existed moderate to high latitudinal thermal gradients during the Permian, a levelprobably similar to that of the present world.