Publications
High‐Resolution Lake Deposits Record Temperature Variability During the Middle Eocene Greenhouse in Central Europe
A previously unknown 'hyperthermal-like' global warming event was identified during the middle Eocene greenhouse period (47.5 million years ago) using high-resolution lake deposits from the Messel Pit Fossil Site, Germany. The study revealed that continental temperatures in Central Europe fluctuated between 21–28°C over a 430,000-year span, transitioning from a highly variable pattern to a more stable state. This shift may have been linked to orbital configurations or changes in the North Atlantic seaway. Researchers used terrestrial biomarkers preserved in maar sediments to reconstruct temperature variability under high atmospheric CO₂ conditions, providing critical insights into past climate dynamics. The findings align with concurrent marine isotopic excursions, underscoring the site's significance for understanding global climate events.
Variable Early Eocene continental hydroclimate in Central Europe?
Research at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Messel Pit Fossil Site (Germany) reveals that Early to Middle Eocene continental hydroclimate in Central Europe was more variable than previously assumed, with abrupt temperature shifts coinciding with potential changes in moisture conditions. Using highly-resolved biomarker-based paleoclimate data from the site's finely laminated lake sediments, scientists reconstructed mean annual air temperatures ranging from 14 to 22°C over ~640,000 years (~48.0-47.4 Ma). Short-term temperature excursions of 4-5°C were identified, alongside significant variations in hydrogen and carbon isotope values of leaf waxes, suggesting dynamic hydroclimatic conditions. This study provides the first detailed quantification of long-term Eocene cooling in a terrestrial Central European archive, offering critical insights for climate modeling and understanding past climate variability.
Messel
Messel Pit, a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Frankfurt am Main, Germany, offers unparalleled insights into a terrestrial ecosystem from Earth's last greenhouse climate phase during the Eocene, approximately 48 million years ago. This site preserves an extraordinary range of fossils—from algae to plants and animals—with remarkable detail, including iridescent insect coloration, bird plumage, reptile scales, and even organismic interactions such as predator-prey relations and reproductive behavior. The exceptional soft-tissue preservation at Messel is attributed to its oil shale sediment, which has a high water and organic content, enabling long-term conservation of vertebrate fossils through specialized transfer methods developed in the mid-20th century. Messel's species diversity in many groups surpasses that of similar areas today, making it a critical site for understanding life during a greenhouse climate.
Messel Pit UNESCO World Heritage Fossil Site in the UNESCO Global Geopark Bergstrasse-Odenwald, Germany – Challenges of Geoscience Popularisation in a Complex Geoheritage Context
Messel Pit, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its paleontological significance, faced existential threats from potential waste disposal plans. Its designation as Germany's first Natural World Heritage geosite marked a pivotal moment, driven by collaborative efforts to balance geoheritage preservation with sustainable development under the 2030 Agenda. The establishment of a visitor center, supported financially by the State of Hesse, became a cornerstone for geoscience popularization through exhibitions, guided tours, digital media, and geotourism products. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated innovation, leading to web-based games like 'Deathly Paradise' and video projects, further enhancing engagement. This study highlights the transformative potential of long-term collaboration between UNESCO entities—geosites and geoparks—as a model for international best practices in geoheritage conservation and public outreach.
The Messel Pit: Window into a Greenhouse World
The Messel Pit, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Germany, offers unparalleled insights into Earth's greenhouse ecosystems of the Eocene epoch. This fossil-rich deposit preserves an exceptional record of terrestrial organisms, providing a detailed snapshot of species diversity and ecological interactions under warm, equable conditions similar to those projected for future climate scenarios. The study leverages Messel's unique fossil preservation to reconstruct trophic chains and reproductive behaviors, demonstrating how modern groups of plants and animals evolved and interacted with their environment. By analyzing these ancient ecosystems as natural experiments, researchers can anticipate potential impacts of anthropogenic climate change, offering critical insights into the resilience and adaptability of life under extreme environmental conditions.
Palaeoamyda messeliananov. comb. (Testudines, Pan-Trionychidae) from the Eocene Messel Pit and Geiseltal localities, Germany, taxonomic and phylogenetic insights
A new combination, Palaeoamyda messeliana nov. comb., is proposed for soft-shell turtle specimens from the Eocene Messel Pit and Geiseltal localities in Germany, previously attributed to Trionyx messelianus or Rafetoides austriacus. This species is revealed as a sister taxon to the extant Asian soft-shell turtle Amyda cartilaginea, both belonging to the clade Chitrini. The study describes five well-preserved specimens, providing a revised diagnosis and integrating phylogenetic insights into Pan-Trionychidae. These fossils represent some of the most complete pan-trionychid skeletons known, offering significant taxonomic and evolutionary perspectives on this group.
Microscopical and elemental FESEM and Phenom ProX-SEM-EDS analysis of osteocyte- and blood vessel-like microstructures obtained from fossil vertebrates of the Eocene Messel Pit, Germany
This study reveals the exceptional preservation of osteocyte-like and blood vessel-like microstructures within fossilized bones from Eocene vertebrates at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Messel Pit, Germany. These microstructures, identified in turtles, crocodiles, and a pangolin, exhibit distinct chemical and physical characteristics, including a thin layer with mottled texture and striations, as well as microbial troughs on their surfaces. Iron (Fe) was notably abundant in these structures but absent from the bone matrix or collagen fibril-like microstructures. The findings suggest that soft-tissue elements, at least in their physical form, can be preserved in Messel fossils, paving the way for future investigations into biomolecule preservation, such as proteins or DNA.
Caught in the act: the first record of copulating fossil vertebrates
Fossilized pairs of the carettochelyid turtle Allaeochelys crassesculpta from the Eocene Messel Pit Fossil Site, Germany, represent the first recorded instances of fossil vertebrates caught in copulation. This discovery challenges assumptions about taphonomy and lake ecology at Messel. Unlike typical indirect behavioral inferences, these mating pairs suggest that the turtles initiated copulation in habitable surface waters before perishing when their skin absorbed toxins while sinking into deeper, lethal layers. The findings support a stratified volcanic maar lake model with distinct inhabitable and toxic zones, providing unprecedented insight into ancient vertebrate behavior and paleoenvironmental conditions.
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