Data from: Spatial and temporal patterns in echinoderm species and trait composition in the subtropical-to-temperate transition of eastern Australia

Subtropical biogeographic transition zones are undergoing large-scale
marine community re-assembly due to ocean warming. These zones host a
dynamic combination of tropical, subtropical and temperate taxa, many of
which exist at their range limits. However, only some of these taxa
undergo range shifts, making it difficult to predict future ecosystem
change. Traits associated with life-history, biology, and ecology may aid
in predicting which taxa are likely to redistribute. Considering the
importance of echinoderms on reefs globally, we present the first study of
echinoderm trait composition and diversity on reefs in a subtropical
biogeographic transition zone. Focusing on coral-dominated habitats in
eastern Australia (28°S to 31°S) over a decade (2010-2019) of significant
warming and marine heatwaves, we show that echinoderm diversity (31 taxa)
varied spatially, with tropical taxa more prevalent at lower latitudes and
subtropical taxa more abundant offshore. Functional richness and
divergence of sea urchins increased poleward, reflecting the high
prevalence of subtropical taxa with traits such as barrens-formation,
winter-spawning and long-lived planktotrophic larvae. Echinoderm
biodiversity patterns, community thermal index and functional composition
remained stable during this warming period, highlighting the importance of
biogeographic transition zones as sentinels for determining the traits
that promote stability or change in warming oceans.

受海洋变暖影响，亚热带生物地理过渡带正经历大规模的海洋群落重组。该类过渡带兼具热带、亚热带与温带类群，多数类群均处于其分布范围的边缘地带。然而仅有部分类群发生分布范围迁移，这使得未来生态系统变化的预测难度大幅提升。与类群生活史、生物学特性及生态学特征相关的性状，或可辅助预判哪些类群可能发生分布范围重新分布。鉴于棘皮动物（Echinoderm）在全球珊瑚礁生态系统中的重要生态功能，本研究针对亚热带生物地理过渡带内珊瑚礁的棘皮动物性状组成与多样性展开首次系统性调查。本研究聚焦澳大利亚东部（南纬28°至31°）以珊瑚为主导的栖息环境，覆盖经历显著变暖与海洋热浪的十年周期（2010-2019年）。结果显示，棘皮动物多样性（共计31个类群）存在空间异质性：热带类群在低纬度区域占比更高，而亚热带类群则在远海区域更为丰富。海胆的功能丰富度与功能分异度随纬度升高（向极地方向）逐渐增加，这反映出具有荒滩形成、冬季产卵及长寿命浮游幼体等性状的亚热带类群占比偏高。在本次变暖周期内，棘皮动物的生物多样性格局、群落热指数与功能组成均保持相对稳定，这凸显了生物地理过渡带作为生态哨兵的重要价值——其可用于识别能够在变暖海洋中维持群落稳定或驱动群落变化的关键性状。