Evolution, Paläoökologie und Paläobiogeographie der Devonbryozoen von Europa und angrenzenden Gebieten
Final Report Abstract
The performed project comprises a comprehensive investigation of Devonian bryozoan faunas of Europe and North Africa. These faunas were an important component of the shallow-water communities of the Rheic Ocean. Compiled data bases on the distribution of the Devonian bryozoans from the studied area include 273 species which belong to 112 genera, from them 65 species and 11 genera are new. Bryozoan diversity shows two peaks: In the Lower Devonian (Emsian) and in the Middle Devonian (Givetian). In some areas (Rhenish Massif) the diversity dropped already during the Givetian, and the total bryozoan diversity in the Rheic Ocean reached the minimum in the Frasnian. The mass extinction in the Frasnian was caused apparently by deepening of the basin, which affected shallowwater communities. The radiation events of bryozoans in the Devonian are associated with fast morphological diversification of the group, which was apparently triggered by response to predator pressure and reduce of food supply. Bryozoans developed modifications which mainly served to protection and enhanced feeding. These modifications are clearly coupled with evolution of predators and phytoplankton during the Devonian. Bryozoan faunas in the Devonian of European region show distinct connections to the North American region during the Lower and Middle Devonian, and to eastern territories {Siberia, Kazakhstan, China) in the Upper Devonian. Three main migrations of bryozoan faunas in the area of the Rheic Ocean during the Devonian could be identified: 1) Lower Devonian (from Rheic Ocean to North America); 2) Middle Devonian migration in opposite direction; 3) upper Middle Devonian (Givetian) migration from the Rheic Ocean eastwards (to China, Kazakhstan, Transcaucasia and Siberia).
Publications
- (2005): Bryozoan involvement in fossil reefs - examples from Devonian reefs in southern Morocco. - International Conference "Devonian terrestrial and marine environments: from continent to shelf, Novosibirsk, July 25 - August 09, 2005; abstract
Ernst, A., Königshof, P. & Scholz, J.
- (2006): Devonische Bryozoen von Europa. - Zusammenfassungen der 76. Tagung der Paläontologischen Gesellschaft, Kiel, 2006: Paläontologie zwischen Land und Meer. Beihefte - Reports des Instituts für Geowissenschaften, Christian-AIbrechts Universität
Ernst, A.
- (2007): Devonian bryozoans of Europe: continuing research. - 7th Larwood Meeting, February 2, 2007, p. 15. Naples
Ernst, A.
- (2007): Devonian bryozoans of Europe: Diversity dynamics and palaeogeographical relations. - 14th Meeting of the International Bryozoology Association, July 2-7, 2007, p. 19. Boone, North Carolina, USA
Ernst, A.
- (2007): Devonische Bryozoen von Europa. - Zusammenfassungen der 77. Jahrestagung Tagung der Paläontolgischen Gesellschaft: „Fossile Ökosysteme" - 77. Jahrestagung der Paläontologischen Gesellschaft, Freiberg, 17.-19.9.2007
Ernst, A.
- (2007): Stenoiaemate bryozoans from the Middle Devonian of the Rhenish Slate Massif (Eifel, Germany). - Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen, 246 (2): 205-233
Ernst, A. & Schröder, S.
- (2008): Devonian Bryozoa of Europe: Diversity and palaeobiogeography - an overview. - 20th International Senckenberg Conference & 2nd Geinitz Conference: "From Gondwana and Laurussia to Pangaea: Dynamics of oceans and supercontinents" - Final Meetings of IGCP 497 & IGCP 499, Frankfurt, September 30. - October 10, 2008
Ernst, A.
- (2008): Diversity, palaeobiogeography and palaeoecology of the Middle Devonian Bryozoa of the Rhenish Slate Massif, Germany. - 7th Lanvood Meeting, May 23, 2008, Wien
Ernst, A.
- (2008): New data on the Middle Devonian Bryozoa of Germany. - In: Hageman, S.J., Key, M.M., Jr., and Winston, J.E. (eds.), Bryozoan Studies 2007: Proceedings of the 14th International Bryozoology Conference, Boone, North Carolina, July 1-8, 2007. Virginia Museum of Natural History Special Publication 15, pp. 29-36
Ernst, A.
- (2008): Non-fenestrate bryozoans from the Middle Devonian of the Eifel (western Rhenish Massif, Germany). - Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen, 250 (3): 313-379
Ernst, A.
- (2008): Paläobiogeographische Beziehungen mitteldevonischer Bryozoen des Rheinischen Schiefergebirges. - Zusammenfassungen der 78. Jahrestagung Tagung der Paläontolgischen Gesellschaft: Faszination Paläontologie, September 2008, Erlangen
Ernst, A.
- (2008): The role of bryozoans in fossil reefs - an example from the Middle Devonian of the Western Sahara. - Facies, 54: 613-620
Ernst, A. & Königshof, P.
- (2008): Trepostome and cryptostome bryozoans from the Koneprusy Limestone (Lower Devonian, Pragian) of Zlaty Küri (Czech Republic). - Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia, 114 (3): 329-348
Ernst, A.
- (2009): Morphology of some Devonian Fenestrata. - 8th Lanwood Meeting, May 23, 2008, Oslo
Ernst, A.
