Population structure of the oldest known macroscopic communities from Mistaken Point, Newfoundland

A groundbreaking analysis of the population structure of Ediacaran organisms from Mistaken Point, Newfoundland, reveals that these ancient communities likely reproduced continuously and aseasonally. By examining size-frequency distributions of four taxa across five fossil surfaces using Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), researchers found single-cohort models with wide variance best explained the data. This suggests a 'continuous reproduction' model, where Ediacaran organisms lacked seasonal triggers for reproduction, possibly due to deepwater environmental conditions. The study provides critical insights into the life history and ecology of these oldest known macroscopic communities, challenging previous assumptions about their reproductive strategies.

Darroch, S. A. F., Laflamme, M., & Clapham, M. E. (2013). Population structure of the oldest known macroscopic communities from Mistaken Point, Newfoundland. Paleobiology, 39(4), 591–608. https://doi.org/10.1666/12051