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

化石记录提供了昆虫和植物相互作用的独特信息，其形式是反映昆虫攻击的各种叶片损害的诊断痕迹。这一记录为包括气候变化在内的环境变化的影响提供了关键证据，气候变化是当今人类的一个主要问题。在北前陆盆地的巴伐利亚部分，出露了上淡水磨拉石(OSM)中中新世河流体系的沉积物，分布着数十个砂砾石坑。最近可用的地层分辨率使得对在这里发现的大量化石植物群进行相当精确的年代测定，从而记录了空间和时间上的植被变化。本项目研究了中中新世气候变暖事件(MMTO)及其后续降温过程中生态系统气候-植被反馈的区域效应。具体地说，将基于五个经过充分研究的多叶植物化石来研究1500万到1200万年前的时期，分析取食路径的类型，从而分析植物和昆虫之间的相互作用。这些植物群中的大量个体和物种使人们能够更好地了解环境和气候信号，并保留了大量的草食模式，这肯定会允许更精确地重建生态相互关系。与目前对中新世的气候预测和重建的相似之处表明了这些问题的相关性。

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.