Understanding latitudinal variations in biodiversity is central for biogeography. Along the coasts of the Southeast Pacific, several taxa show inverse latitudinal patterns of biodiversity, i.e. increasing species numbers from lower to higher latitudes. A plausible explanation for these patterns is that fjords, formed during the Pleistocene glaciations, increased the diversity of available biotopes that allowed for higher diversity in high latitudes. Assessing this hypothesis requires us to analyze latitudinal patterns of functional diversity (which is intimately related to niche use) in the absence of fjords, i.e. earlier than their formation. Here we test if the fossil record before the generation of fjords shows higher functional diversity at lower than at higher latitudes (a ‘regular' functional diversity gradient).

中文翻译：

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智利中新世海洋软体动物功能多样性的纬度梯度

了解生物多样性的纬度变化是生物地理学的核心。沿着东南太平洋沿岸，几个分类群显示出生物多样性的逆纬度模式，即物种数量从低纬度向高纬度增加。对这些模式的一个合理解释是，在更新世冰川期形成的峡湾增加了可用生境的多样性，从而使高纬度地区具有更高的多样性。评估这个假设需要我们分析功能多样性的纬度模式（这与生态位使用密切相关）在没有峡湾的情况下，即在峡湾形成之前。在这里，我们测试峡湾形成之前的化石记录是否显示出低纬度地区的功能多样性高于高纬度地区（“常规”功能多样性梯度）。