Life and climate 140 million years ago

.Scientific title: MULTITASKING: AN INTEGRATIVE HIGH RESOLUTION PROJECT. Macro- and Microfossils, Isotopes, Litho-, Cyclo-, Magneto-and Biostratigraphy as Tools for Investigating the Lower Cretaceous within the Dolomites (Southern Alps, Northern Italy) - THE PUEZ AREA AS A NEW KEY REGION OF THE TETHYAN REALM

A 3-year projected funded by the Austrian Scientific Fund FWF (project P20018-N10) and led by Dr. Mag. Alexander LUKENEDER from the Vienna Natural History Museum began in 2008. It was a cooperation between the Vienna Natural History Museum and the South Tyrol Nature Museum. For this project, 22 scientists in 7 countries are investigating the climate and life in the area that is now the Dolomites during the Cretaceous period.

Brief abstract of project aims
.In the Lower Cretaceous period (145-100 million years ago), what is now the Mediterranean region was spread across various microplates in the middle of the Tethys Ocean between the African and European land masses. Today, there are Cretaceous deposits at many points across the Southern Alps and specifically in the Dolomites. The Puez region seems to take on a particularly crucial position within the Dolomites for this period.

In order to receive comprehensive, reliable results, various methods need to be used, such as isotopes and magneto- and cyclostratigraphy in conjunction with specific macrofossil groups, such as ammonites, belemnites and brachiopods and microfossil groups such as radiolaria, foraminifers and nannofossils. These links provide a clear image of fluctuations in sea level in the Lower Cretaceous and also allow conclusions to be reached about the palaeoclimate. The scientists are also anticipating more precise biostratigraphic and absolute age data.

 

The team
Project leader: Dr Alexander LUKENEDER, Vienna Natural History Museum

Dr. Daniela BOOROVA, Geological Survey of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava, Slovakia
Dr. Fabio FLORINDO, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), Rome, Italy
Dr. Ursula GÖHLICH, Vienna Natural History Museum, Austria
Dr. Peter A. HOCHULI, Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Zürich, Switzerland
Dr. Nico M. M. JANSSEN, Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum, Leiden, Holland
Dr. Andreas KROH, Vienna Natural History Museum, Austria
Dr. Evelyn KUSTATSCHER, Museum of Nature South Tyrol, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
Dr. Jiri KVACEK, National Museum, Prague, Czech Republic
Dr. Werner PILLER, Karl Franzens Universität Graz, Austria
Dr. Isabelle PRIMOLI SILVA, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Milan, Italy
Dr. Daniela REHÁKOVÁ, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
Dr. Felix SCHLAGINTWEIT, Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria
Dr. Ortwin SCHULTZ, Vienna Natural History Museum, Austria
Mag. Miroslava SMRECKOVA, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
Dr. Mario SPROVIERI, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Dr. Jaroslaw STOLARSKI, Institute of Paleobiology, Warsaw, Poland
Dr. Michael WAGREICH, Institut für Erdwissenschaften Wien, Vienna, Austria

Expert advisors
Dr. Adrian IMMENHAUSER, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany
Dr. Benno BAUMGARTEN, Museum of Nature South Tyrol, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
Dr. Lorenz KEIM, Amt für Geologie und Baustoffprüfung, Bolzano, Italy
Dr. Evelyn KUSTATSCHER, Museum of Nature South Tyrol, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
Dr. Christian ASPMAIR, Prissian, Italy
Dr. Helmut WEISSERT, ETH Zentrum, Zürich, Switzerland

Nature Park
Dr. Arthur KAMMERER, Amt für Naturparke, Bolzano, Italy
Dr. Valentin SCHROFFENEGGER, Amt für Naturparke, Bolzano, Italy