Environmental stability on Earth allowed marine biodiversity to flourish

Modern ocean biodiversity, which is at its highest level ever, was achieved through long-term stability of the location of so-called biodiversity hotspots, regions of especially high numbers of species, scientists have found.

The findings, published today in Nature, were reached through a pioneering model that reconstructs the diversity of marine animals from their origin - some 550 million years ago- to the present, based on plate tectonics and environmental factors, mainly ocean temperature and food supply.