Spatio-temporal distribution of ostracod species in saline inland lakes (Mansfeld lake area; Central Germany).

Ostracods are a diverse group of microcrustaceans with a ubiquitous distribution in a wide array of aquatic habitats and are common constituents of lake sediments. Inferences on the temporal-spatial distribution of ostracod species is a prerequisite for reconstructions of palaeoenvironmental conditions. This requires a precise knowledge not only about ecological preferences and specific life histories, but also the understanding how (local) ecological parameters affect ostracod species assemblages (abundance and composition).

Slow-growing reef corals as climate archives: A case study of the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum 40 Ma ago.

The skeletons of stony corals on tropical shallow-water reefs are high-resolution climate archives. However, their systematic use for unlocking climate dynamics of the geologic past is limited by the susceptibility of the porous aragonite skeleton to diagenetic alterations. Here, we present oxygen and carbon isotope time series (monthly resolution) from reef corals with an unusual unaltered preservation from the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO) "hyperthermal" (40 million years ago).