Articles tagged with Micropaleontology
Researchers used clumped-isotope palaeothermometry to reconstruct large temperature fluctuations at depths of up to 4,000 meters in the Southern Ocean. These fluctuations occurred simultaneously with changes in oxygen isotopes and Earth's orbital eccentricity, suggesting a climatic forcing.
Researchers discovered fossilized bee nests in a Dominican Republic cave, containing pollen and matching modern bee nest structures. The nests, dated to around 20,000 years ago, were likely built by solitary bee species using saliva-dirt mixtures.
Researchers create a technique to model organic objects, creating photorealistic 3D images of complex shapes for autonomous sorting. This method improves robotic systems that sort microscopic marine fossils used in climate research.
A new study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences sheds light on how a 252-66 million-year-old 'marine revolution' influenced foraminifera diversity and survival. The study found that calcareous forams flourished after the MMR, becoming dominant types living today.
A team of researchers discovered that a 'tag-team' between the oceans and continents led to severe environmental crises, causing mass extinctions of marine species. The study found that chemical weathering pulses disrupted the oceans, leading to anoxic events that had profound impacts on marine ecosystems.
Researchers discovered diverse microfossils of ancient eukaryotes, including 10 previously undescribed species, that exhibit complex characteristics like cell walls made of bound fibers and tiny trapdoors. These findings suggest that early eukaryotes were already diverse and advanced, with some evidence pointing to an aerobic metabolism.
A team of scientists led by University of Alaska Fairbanks geology professor Sarah Fowell are collecting samples from beneath the sea floor to learn about vegetation and climate of region 25,000 years ago. The project will be shared via digital and social media channels.
Two studies by UPV/EHU researchers analyze recent and past oceanographic information off the Basque coast based on microfauna present in sediments. The research found that planktonic foraminifera assemblages are good indicators of ocean currents and water masses reaching the Basque continental shelf today.
Research suggests that rapid ocean warming could force plankton to move away from the tropics, negatively affecting marine food chains. The study used microfossils to track the history of zooplankton and found that tropical plankton populations lived in waters more than 2,000 miles from their current location 8 million years ago.
The discovery of two new palaeoscolecid worm species, Anguiscolex africanus and Wronascolex superstes, sheds light on the Ordovician period's marine life. The worms are found to be significantly larger than previously recorded specimens, hinting at 'polar gigantism' in response to Morocco's geographical location during that time.
A new study suggests that ray-finned fish diversified earlier than previously thought, accumulating small changes before the Carboniferous period. The fossil specimen Palaeoneiros clackorum shows features typical of younger species, indicating a more complex picture of species diversification.
A recent study by researchers at MARUM and ICBM found that plankton communities have migrated to higher latitudes since the last ice age, leading to the formation of new species assemblages. These changes occurred even after ocean temperatures stabilized, suggesting a non-uniform response to global warming.
Scientists found that variations in Earth's orbit drive cycles of higher and lower diversity in coccolithophore size and shape, with rhythms of 100 and 400 thousand years. This influence may have played a role in ancient climates and climate variations during past warm periods.
A groundbreaking analysis of the fossilized remains of Effigia, a 205-million-year-old herbivore, has cast doubt on the prevailing notion that it fed by pecking at plant material. Instead, researchers suggest that its unique beak and jaw structure would have allowed it to nibble at soft, vulnerable tissues like young shoots or ferns.
A new study measures the intensity of past methane release using sulfur isotopes in foraminifera shells, providing a novel tool for reconstructing geological records. The analysis reveals strong methane fluctuation responses to global warmings and hydrate dissociation.