A numerically calibrated reference level (MP28) for the terrestrial mammal-based biozonation of the European Upper Oligocene

Mertz, D. P.; Renne, Paul R.; Wuttke, Michael; Mödden, Clemens

doi:10.1007/s00531-006-0094-6

Cited by 59 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…In contrast to the maar lake of Eckfeld where only general statements on climate change have been presented (Nickel 1996), the Enspel palynoflora shows cyclic fluctuations in the vegetation in the range of precession and obliquity (Herrmann 2007). In contrast to Messel, the age of the lake deposits of Enspel is younger (*24.7 Ma; Mertz et al 2007) and far outside the range of the Palaeogene greenhouse phase.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Short-term fluctuations in vegetation and phytoplankton during the Middle Eocene greenhouse climate: a 640-kyr record from the Messel oil shale (Germany)

Lenz

Wilde

Riegel

2010

Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch)

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The Palaeogene was the most recent greenhouse period on Earth. Especially for the Late Palaeocene and Early Eocene, several superimposed short-term hyperthermal events have been described, including extremes such as the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. Major faunal and floral turnovers in the marine and terrestrial realms were recorded in association with these events. High-resolution palynological analysis of the early Middle Eocene maar lake sediments at Messel, near Darmstadt, Germany, provides an insight into the dynamics of a climax vegetation during the Middle Eocene greenhouse climate in a time span without significant climatic excursions. Numerical techniques like detrended correspondence analysis and wavelet analysis have been applied to recognize cyclic fluctuations and long-term trends in the vegetation through a time interval of approximately 640 kyr. Based on the numerical zoning of the pollen diagram, three phases in the development of the vegetation may be distinguished. Throughout these phases, the climax vegetation did not change substantially in qualitative composition, but a trend towards noticeably less humid conditions probably in combination with a drop of the water level in the lake may be recognized. A shift in algal population from the freshwater dinoflagellate cyst Messelodinium thielepfeifferae to a dominance of Botryococcus in the uppermost part of the core is interpreted as a response to changes in acidity and nutrient availability within the lake. Time series analyses of pollen assemblages show that variations in the Milankovitch range of eccentricity, obliquity and precession can be distinguished. In addition, fluctuations in the sub-Milankovitch range are indicated. This demonstrates that floral changes during steady depositional conditions in the Middle Eocene of Messel were controlled by orbital forcing.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Short-term fluctuations in vegetation and phytoplankton during the Middle Eocene greenhouse climate: a 640-kyr record from the Messel oil shale (Germany)

Lenz

Wilde

Riegel

2010

Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch)

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“…They prefer open landscapes (including dunes) and show a nocturnal lifestyle (except during the spawning time), and live hidden in mostly self-dug burrows up to 2 m deep during daylight (Gasc et al 2004;Böhme 2002b). A prehallux (spade), which enhances burrowing ability in extant pelobatids, is not recorded in skeletons of the Late Oligocene Pelobates decheni from Enspel (MP 28, Mertz et al 2007;personal observations, M. Wuttke, Mainz, and Z. Rocék, Prag). Therefore, the presence of fossorial lifestyle for this population seems uncertain.…”

Section: The Sandelzhausen Environmentmentioning

confidence: 90%

Ectothermic vertebrates (Actinopterygii, Allocaudata, Urodela, Anura, Crocodylia, Squamata) from the Miocene of Sandelzhausen (Germany, Bavaria) and their implications for environment reconstruction and palaeoclimate

Böhme

2010

Paläontol. Z.

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The Early to Middle Miocene fossil locality Sandelzhausen has yielded 48 species of ectothermic vertebrates and thus represents one of the most diverse ectotherm faunas of Miocene age. Thirty-five taxa of fishes, amphibians and reptiles, including three new species: Pelobates fahlbuschi nov. sp. (Pelobatidae, the most abundant vertebrate), Tropidophorus bavaricus nov. sp. (Lygosominae) and Bavaricordylus molassicus nov. sp. (Cordylidae), are described. Three additional species are new, but are not named yet: Ranidae indet. nov. gen. et sp., Anguidae gen. indet. sp. nov. and Palaeoblanus sp. nov. (Amphisbaenidae). In order to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment and past hydrologic conditions, a new methodology (the tooth replacement method, TRM) is introduced, which allows for the detection of autochthonous components within freshwater fish taphocoenose. TRM is tested on 45 localities from the Upper Freshwater Molasse and gives reasonable results in agreement with other analytical approaches. It is therefore viewed as a reliable method to distinguish perennial from seasonal water conditions at the Sandelzhausen locality. Using the TRM it was demonstrated that the palaeohydrology of Sandelzhausen is characterized by a change from temporary water to permanent water conditions. During the period of temporary water conditions (units B to D1, lower part) the ecosystem was driven by seasonal inundations, and the remaining riparian pools have yielded no autochthonous fish population, but acted as spawning places for amphibians (amphibian pool). A mostly open habitat in the close vicinity, with sandy and non-groundwater-affected soils during the dry season, is suggested based on the absolute dominance of the spadefoot Pelobates fahlbuschi nov. sp. This ecosystem changed up-section (late part of unit D1 and during D2 and E) due to the establishment of permanent water conditions of riparian pond type, preserving an autochthonous Palaeocarassius/Channa fish population (fish pond). The reconstructed precipitation values suggest that the observed change in hydrologic conditions was probably driven by climate. The lower part of the section gives semi-arid/subhumid values, with 571 mm mean annual precipitation (MAP), whereas the upper part yields sub-humid/humid values of 847 mm MAP. The increase in precipitation by about 280 mm was perhaps caused by a less seasonal precipitation regime with concomitant higher regional groundwater tables during units D2 and E. Based on the occurrence of several thermophilous reptile species, and in agreement with palaeobotanical and oxygen isotope data, the climate of Sandelzhausen is interpreted as subtropical with mean annual temperatures from 18°C to 20.8°C, mean cold month temperatures from 12.6°C to 13.3°C and mean warm month temperatures from 25.1°C to 28.1°C.

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“…It contains laminated lacustrine deposits (black pelites) with, among others, fossil amphibians. These deposits were classified by Storch et al (1996) into mammal zone MP 28, and Mertz et al (2007) dated their age as 24.79-24.56 Ma. The lake was meromictic and eutrophic, had no outlet, and a mesophytic forest extended up to the lake margins (Wuttke and Poschmann 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Amphibia of Enspel (Late Oligocene, Germany)

Roĉek

Wuttke²

2010

Palaeobio Palaeoenv

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Amphibia from the Late Oligocene (MP 28) locality Enspel, Germany are represented by two caudates: a hyperossified salamandrid Chelotriton paradoxus and an indeterminate salamandrid different from Chelotriton in proportions of vertebral column. Anurans are represented by two forms of the genus Palaeobatrachus, one of which is nearly as large as P. gigas (now synonymized with P. grandipes). Pelobates cf. decheni, represented in this locality by three nearly complete adult skeletons and a large number of tadpoles, is the earliest record for the genus. Compared with later representatives of the genus, it does not yet possess specializations for burrowing. Ranidae are represented by two rather fragmentary and incomplete skeletons referred to as Rana sp. A comparatively large series of tadpoles was assigned to the Pelobatidae on the basis of tripartite frontoparietal complex. Most of them are premetamorphic larvae, and a few older ones are postmetamorphic, but they do not exceed Gossner stage 42.One specimen is a large premetamorphic tadpole (no rudimentary limbs) with a total body length of 147 mm. Anatomically, it can be equally assigned to Pelobates or to Eopelobates; the second possibility was excluded only on the basis of absence of adult Eopelobates in this locality.

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A numerically calibrated reference level (MP28) for the terrestrial mammal-based biozonation of the European Upper Oligocene

Cited by 59 publications

References 27 publications

Short-term fluctuations in vegetation and phytoplankton during the Middle Eocene greenhouse climate: a 640-kyr record from the Messel oil shale (Germany)

Short-term fluctuations in vegetation and phytoplankton during the Middle Eocene greenhouse climate: a 640-kyr record from the Messel oil shale (Germany)

Ectothermic vertebrates (Actinopterygii, Allocaudata, Urodela, Anura, Crocodylia, Squamata) from the Miocene of Sandelzhausen (Germany, Bavaria) and their implications for environment reconstruction and palaeoclimate

Amphibia of Enspel (Late Oligocene, Germany)

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