Paleoecology vs taphonomy: Unraveling the molecular fossil record of the Mesoproterozoic Lakhanda Lagerstätte (SE Siberia, Russia)

中元古代末期的拉格斯特湖(1025-1010 Ma；俄罗斯西伯利亚东南部)提供了一个难得的机会，可以一窥早期的真核生态系统。它包含丰富的真核亲缘关系的身体化石和同生分子化石，允许进行详细的古生态研究。尽管有明显的遗体化石记录，但真核生物(甾烷)的分子化石很少见，这是中元古代记录的典型特征。到目前为止，还不清楚这是反映了古生态信号，还是由于蚕丝偏倚所致。该项目旨在通过对分子化石组合(沥青和干酪根)的详细分析，研究拉坎达拉格斯特湖的古生态和挖掘学。结合沉积学和古生物学证据，所获得的数据将为早期真核生物的地质记录提供重要的背景信息，并为了解其生态系统提供新的线索。

The terminal Mesoproterozoic Lakhanda Lagerstätte (1025-1010 Ma; SE Siberia, Russia) provides a rare glimpse into early eukaryotic ecosystems. It contains abundant body fossils of eukaryotic affinity and syngeneitic molecular fossils, allowing for detailed paleoecological investigations. Despite the apparent body fossil record, molecular fossils of eukaryotes (steranes) are rare, a typical characteristic of the mesoproterozoic record. As yet it is not clear whether this reflects a paleoecological signal or is due to a taphonomic bias. This project aims at investigating the paleoecology and taphonomy of the Lakhanda Lagerstätte by conducting detailed analyses of molecular fossil assemblages (bitumen and kerogen). Together with sedimentological and paleontological evidence, the obtained data will provide important background information on the geological record of early eukaryotes, and shed new light on their ecosystems.