The early Cretaceous of Greenland: Climatic and biotic changes in the high latitudes

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Jörg Mutterlose
• Subject Area: Palaeontology
• Term: from 2007 to 2009
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 47612715

The climatic evolution of the early Cretaceous (Valanginian - Hauterivian) is currently interpreted in two different ways. The view of a generally warm-equable greenhouse world is questioned by a rather differentiated picture with cold snaps possibly even causing polar ice caps. These contradictions may have partly been caused by a lack of data from the high latitudes and relative poor biostratigraphic control. We therefore propose a multi proxy approach based in the high latitudes (north-east Greenland) to better understand the palaeoclimatic and palaeoceanographic evolution of the early Cretaceous. Based on a detailed biostratigraphic scheme (ammonites) we intend to a) understand the paleoecology and biogeography of calcareous nannofossils, b) study the biogeography of both ammonites and belemnites, c) evaluate the stable isotope record of belemnites, d) develop a Strontium isotope curve, and e) Interpret the Valanginian - Hauterivian interval with respect to its palaeoclimate and palaeoceanography.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants