<
https://theconversation.com/the-cradle-of-earths-rich-ocean-life-was-a-massive-coral-reef-system-20-million-years-ago-281539>
"New research published today in
Science Advances reveals that the largest
expansion of coral reefs in the past 100 million years happened about 20 to 10
million years ago, between Australia and Southeast Asia.
This vast reef system likely laid the foundations for the extraordinary
diversity of marine life we see today.
Coral reefs are among the most diverse ecosystems on Earth. They support about
a quarter of all marine species while covering less than 1% of the oceans. Yet
scientists have long grappled with the question of how such immense diversity
arose in the first place. Where did it begin, and what made it possible?
Our new study uncovers a turning point deep in Earth’s history – a time when
reefs didn’t just grow, but expanded on a scale far beyond anything we see
today. This expansion may have created the ecological space needed for modern
coral reef life to flourish."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
