International Journal of Molecular Zoology 2024, Vol.14, No.3, 128-140 http://animalscipublisher.com/index.php/ijmz 136 Figure 3 Variations in absolute abundance of mollusk species (numbers of individuals per 15 kg of sediment) (Adopted from Dong et al., 2020) Image caption: (a) and pollen percentage diagrams (b) during the last 26 kyr at the Jixian site, compared with the magnetic susceptibility record. Changes in temporal abundance of three mollusk ecological groups are shown in blue (cold-aridiphilous), green (cool-humidiphilous). and red (thermo-humidiphilous) (Adopted from Dong et al., 2020) 9.2 Integrative approaches to studying invertebrate evolution Integrative approaches that combine phylogenetic systematics with other methodologies are essential for a deeper understanding of invertebrate evolution. Phylogenetic systematics has already provided new insights into the life history evolution of marine invertebrates, challenging traditional assumptions and revealing the diversity of reproductive and developmental modes. Moreover, the use of DNA barcoding and integrative species delimitation has proven effective in identifying cryptic species and understanding the evolutionary relationships among invertebrates. For example, a study on photosynthetic sea slugs used DNA barcoding and morphological data to identify multiple candidate species within what were previously considered single species, demonstrating the utility of integrative approaches in uncovering hidden biodiversity (Krug et al., 2013). 9.3 Conservation and management implications The findings from molecular systematics and integrative approaches have significant implications for conservation and management. Understanding the molecular and genetic basis of species' responses to environmental stressors, such as microplastic ingestion, can inform conservation strategies. A systematic review of
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