Macroevolution of paleobiogeographicalx network robustness during the Phanerozoic

The Phanerozoic witnessed substantial paleogeographical and biotic evolution, shown by the dynamics of its paleobiogeography. This paper aims to analyze the dynamics of paleobiogeography from the viewpoint of paleobiogeographical networks. A relatively new method and direction for studying paleobiogeographical networks, namely, paleobiogeographical network robustness, is applied. Paleobiogeographical network robustness can reflect the degree of biogeographic connectivity or, rather, biogeographic isolation and provinciality. The results show that the five mass extinctions had different effects on paleobiogeographical network robustness at a temporal resolution (∼10 Myr). The observed increase in paleobiogeographical network robustness from the Cambrian to the Early Carboniferous may be due to marine ecosystem shifts (e.g., the Ordovician Plankton Revolution and the Devonian Nekton Revolution). These biological factors appear to offset the decrease in robustness typically associated with continental convergence. During this era, we would expect that a decrease in the continental fragmentation index could reduce paleobiogeographical network robustness. From the Early Jurassic to the Cenozoic, the increasing paleobiogeographical network robustness might be linked to the Mesozoic Marine Revolution and the breakup of Pangea. In this study, through Bayesian linear regression analysis and calculation of correlation coefficients, we evaluated the potential impacts of biodiversity, temperature, the continental fragmentation index, and sea level on paleobiogeographical network robustness. Our findings indicate that on the long timescale of the Phanerozoic, biodiversity and the continental fragmentation index positively influence paleobiogeographical network robustness, whereas the impacts of temperature and sea level are not significant. • The global paleogeographical network robustness throughout the entire Phanerozoic was calculated for the first time. • Two long-term macroevolutionary patterns of increased paleogeographical network robustness were discovered. • The relationship between different environmental factors and paleogeographical network robustness was analysed.