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Dramatic shift from simple to complex marine ecosystems occurred 250M years ago at mass extinction

The biggest mass extinction did more than eliminate species: It fundamentally changed the basic ecology of the oceans. Ecologically complex marine communities displaced simple communities, setting a pattern that has continued ever since.This striking change has escaped detection because previous research relied on single numbers -- such as the number of species alive at one time -- to track diversity. New research examines the relative abundance of marine life forms in communities over 540 million years.

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Keywords: dramatic, shift, simple, complex, marine, ecosystems, occurred, 250m, mass, extinction, ecosystem

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