Integrating hotspot dynamics and centers of diversity: a review of Indo-Australian Archipelago biogeographic evolution and conservation

The Indo-Australian Archipelago (IAA) is the world's preeminent marine biodiversity hotspot, distinguished by its exceptional species richness in tropical shallow waters. This biodiversity has spurred extensive research into its evolutionary and biogeographic origins. Two prominent theoretical frameworks dominate explanations for the IAA's biodiversity: the "centers-of hypotheses" and the "hopping hotspot hypothesis". The "centers-of hypotheses" posits that specific regions serve as key sources of IAA biodiversity, either through the accumulation and overlap of species from external areas or via elevated rates of local speciation. In contrast, the "hopping hotspot hypothesis" asserts that biodiversity hotspots are dynamic, shifting across geological timescales in response to tectonic and environmental changes. This review synthesizes these contrasting perspectives into an integrated framework, the "Dynamic Centers Hypothesis, " which proposes that as biodiversity hotspots migrate over time, the IAA's role in generating and sustaining biodiversity has evolved, with varying contributions from different sources dominating distinct historical phases. By synthesizing the evidence for both hypotheses and incorporating recent findings, including fossil and phylogeography data, we propose the "Dynamic Centers Hypothesis" as a comprehensive and unifying explanation for the IAA's biodiversity. The review further explores biogeographic delineation, aligning tropical marine realms with the IAA's evolutionary trajectory, from its Tethyan roots to its modern Indo-West Pacific dominance. Looking forward, advances in DNA barcoding and genomics are uncovering vast cryptic diversity, revolutionizing our comprehension of IAA phylogeographic history. These discoveries underscore the imperative for a multidimensional conservation framework, integrating phylogenetic, and functional diversity, to preserve this biodiversity hotspot amid escalating global change.