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<p>The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), located in the Western Tropical Pacific on the periphery of the Indo-Pacific Coral Triangle, which constitutes the epicenter of marine biodiversity since the early Miocene (about 25 MA), are recognized as a hotspot of terrestrial biodiversity. However, scientific data on the status of FSM’s marine ecosystems remain limited, hindering formal classification for purposes of conservation. Here, we present the taxonomic outcomes of a marine macrobenthos survey conducted in Chuuk Atoll between 2011 and 2014. Our inventory documents high species richness, particularly among cnidarians, followed by echinoderms, arthropods, mollusks, plathelminthes, annelids, nemerteans, sipunculans, and invertebrate chordates. These findings are discussed in comparison with marine biodiversity records from the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), where climate models project a narrowing of differences in sea surface temperature (SST) relative to the Western Tropical Pacific (WTP). Such shifts could alter current biogeographic and diversity patterns across the Pacific basin. This study provides a baseline for assessing the impacts of ocean warming, anthropogenic pressures, and variability in natural climate, such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, on tropical macrobenthic communities. Our results not only help advance the understanding of regional marine biodiversity, but also support the inclusion of FSM’s marine environments in future biodiversity hotspot designations.</p>

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Marine Macrobenthos Diversity of Chuuk Atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia, Western Tropical Pacific

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月8日

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  • Taihun Kim,
  • Anna B. Jöst,
  • Heung-Sik Park,
  • Dong Sung Kim,
  • Hyi-Seung Lee,
  • Do-Hyung Kang

摘要

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), located in the Western Tropical Pacific on the periphery of the Indo-Pacific Coral Triangle, which constitutes the epicenter of marine biodiversity since the early Miocene (about 25 MA), are recognized as a hotspot of terrestrial biodiversity. However, scientific data on the status of FSM’s marine ecosystems remain limited, hindering formal classification for purposes of conservation. Here, we present the taxonomic outcomes of a marine macrobenthos survey conducted in Chuuk Atoll between 2011 and 2014. Our inventory documents high species richness, particularly among cnidarians, followed by echinoderms, arthropods, mollusks, plathelminthes, annelids, nemerteans, sipunculans, and invertebrate chordates. These findings are discussed in comparison with marine biodiversity records from the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), where climate models project a narrowing of differences in sea surface temperature (SST) relative to the Western Tropical Pacific (WTP). Such shifts could alter current biogeographic and diversity patterns across the Pacific basin. This study provides a baseline for assessing the impacts of ocean warming, anthropogenic pressures, and variability in natural climate, such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, on tropical macrobenthic communities. Our results not only help advance the understanding of regional marine biodiversity, but also support the inclusion of FSM’s marine environments in future biodiversity hotspot designations.