Articles | Volume 23, issue 13
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-4873-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-4873-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
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15 Jul 2026
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 15 Jul 2026
| 15 Jul 2026
Heterogeneity of tropical diversity and ecosystems: reefal meiofaunas in equatorial western and eastern African islands
Bonn Institute for Organismic Biologie, Paläontologie, Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Martin Langer
Bonn Institute for Organismic Biologie, Paläontologie, Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Chih-Lin Wei
Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
Moriaki Yasuhara
School of Energy and Environment and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Yeung Kin Man Academic Building, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
School of Biological Sciences and Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Editorial statement
This study uses advanced statistical modeling to identify regional isolation and the Mid-Atlantic Barrier as dominant drivers over local environmental selection in reefal meiofauna. The high endemism of the eastern Atlantic fauna provides an important missing piece for understanding tropical marine community assembly and dispersal filters across oceanic basins.
This study uses advanced statistical modeling to identify regional isolation and the...
Short summary
Oceanic islands hold great ecological value as they support endemic biodiversity and act as steppingstones of dispersal. We investigated benthic meiofaunas from two exotic tropical archipelagoes (São Tomé-Príncipe in western Africa and Zanzibar in eastern Africa) and revealed marked heterogeneity in their diversity and biogeographic patterns. High endemicity of the São Tomé-Príncipe fauna underlines the effectiveness of dispersal barriers and urges conservation of those vulnerable ecosystems.
Oceanic islands hold great ecological value as they support endemic biodiversity and act as...
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