Environmental fluctuations in redox may reinforce rather than hinder evolutionary transitions, such that variability in near‐surface oceanic oxygenation can promote morphological evolution and novelty. Modern, low‐oxygen regions are heterogeneous and dynamic habitats that support low diversity and are inhabited by opportunistic and non‐skeletal metazoans. We note that several major radiation episodes follow protracted or repeating intervals (>1 million years) of persistent and dynamic shallow marine redox (oceanic anoxic events). These are also often associated with short‐lived mass‐extinction events (<0.5 million years) where skeletal benthic incumbents are removed, and surviving or newly evolved benthos initially inhabit transient oxic habitats. We argue that such intervals create critical opportunities for the generation of evolutionary novelty, followed by innovation and diversification.

中文翻译：

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创新而非复苏：动态氧化还原促进后生动物辐射

氧化还原的环境波动可能会加强而不是阻碍进化转变，因此近地表海洋氧化的变化可以促进形态进化和新颖性。现代的低氧地区是异质和动态的栖息地，支持低多样性，并居住着机会主义和非骨骼后生动物。我们注意到几个主要的辐射事件发生在持续和动态的浅层海洋氧化还原（海洋缺氧事件）的长期或重复间隔（> 100 万年）之后。这些也通常与短期的大规模灭绝事件（<50 万年）有关，其中骨骼底栖生物被移除，幸存或新进化的底栖动物最初栖息在短暂的含氧栖息地。