Structural changes of herbivory during the Middle Miocene time interval in the Upper Freshwater Molasse (OSM)

中中新世上部淡水磨拉石（OSM）食草动物的结构变化

• 批准号: 523893203
• 负责人: Professor Dr. Torsten Wappler
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Standort Dresden
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Grants
• 资助国家: 德国
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/523893203?language=en
• 关键词: Structural; changes; herbivory; during; Middle

The fossil record provides unique information of the interactions of insects and plants in the form of a diversity of diagnostic traces of leaf damage reflecting insect attack. This record provides critical evidence for the impact of environmental change, including climate change, which is a major issue for mankind today. Within the Bavarian part of the North Foreland Basin, dozens of sand and gravel pits are located where sediments of a Middle Miocene fluvial system of the Upper Freshwater Molasse (OSM) are exposed. The more recently available stratigraphic resolution allows quite precise dating of the numerous fossil floras found here and thus a record of spatial and temporal vegetation changes. In this project, regional effects of climate-to-vegetation feedbacks of ecosystems during the Middle Miocene warming event (MMTO) and the subsequent cooling are investigated. Specifically, a period from 15 to 12 million years ago will be examined based on five well-studied fossil leafy floras, analyzing the types of feeding trails and thus the interactions between plants and insects. The high numbers of individuals and species in these floras allow a better understanding of environmental, climatological signals coupled with a significant variety of herbivory patterns preserved, which would definitely allow for more precise reconstructions of ecological inter-relationships. Parallels to current climate predictions and reconstructions for the Miocene show the relevance of such questions.

化石记录以反映昆虫攻击的叶子损伤的多种诊断痕迹的形式提供了昆虫和植物相互作用的独特信息。这一记录为环境变化的影响提供了关键证据，包括气候变化，这是当今人类面临的一个重大问题。在北前陆盆地的巴伐利亚部分，有数十个砂砾坑，上面暴露着上淡水磨拉石 (OSM) 中中新世河流系统的沉积物。最近可用的地层分辨率可以对这里发现的众多化石植物群进行相当精确的年代测定，从而记录植被的时空变化。在该项目中，研究了中中新世变暖事件（MMTO）和随后的降温期间生态系统气候对植被反馈的区域影响。具体来说，将根据五种经过充分研究的叶类植物化石来检查 15 至 1200 万年前的时期，分析进食路径的类型，从而分析植物和昆虫之间的相互作用。这些植物区系中大量的个体和物种使我们能够更好地了解环境、气候信号，再加上保存下来的多种食草动物模式，这肯定有助于更精确地重建生态相互关系。与当前中新世气候预测和重建的相似之处表明了这些问题的相关性。