Nature Communications (Jan 2018)

Large-scale ocean connectivity and planktonic body size

  • Ernesto Villarino,
  • James R. Watson,
  • Bror Jönsson,
  • Josep M. Gasol,
  • Guillem Salazar,
  • Silvia G. Acinas,
  • Marta Estrada,
  • Ramón Massana,
  • Ramiro Logares,
  • Caterina R. Giner,
  • Massimo C. Pernice,
  • M. Pilar Olivar,
  • Leire Citores,
  • Jon Corell,
  • Naiara Rodríguez-Ezpeleta,
  • José Luis Acuña,
  • Axayacatl Molina-Ramírez,
  • J. Ignacio González-Gordillo,
  • Andrés Cózar,
  • Elisa Martí,
  • José A. Cuesta,
  • Susana Agustí,
  • Eugenio Fraile-Nuez,
  • Carlos M. Duarte,
  • Xabier Irigoien,
  • Guillem Chust

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02535-8
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 13

Abstract

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Body size is hypothesised to be a major determinant of β-diversity in passively-dispersing marine organisms. Here, Villarino et al. show that plankton body size determines rates of dispersal along marine currents, with shorter dispersal and higher species spatial turnover in larger organisms.