Life Under Pressure: Physiological Constraints to Life in the Deep Ocean

Zones of high species turnover in invertebrates indicate biodiversity bottlenecks at a shelf-slope and a slope-abyss transition. High-pressure effects on living systems result from temperature-induced shifts in chemical reactions. Increased pressure and decreased temperature reduce the fluidity of bio-membranes requiring adaptations in membrane structure and composition. Combined temperature–pressure effects can be antagonistic and allow – or prevent – depth range extensions in invertebrates.