Research

Research focus is the biodiversity and evolution of fossil insects. Insects are a vital part of the earth’s ecosystems, and their biodiversity and the evolution of their biodiversity is in large parts unknown. 

This lack of knowledge is even more true for fossil insects, but there are many fossil sites worldwide which yield very well preserved insects, which allow to address these questions.

Investigated fossils originate mostly from the Fossillagerstätte Messel (Germany), but also from Green River (USA), Baltic Amber, Menat (France)  and Enspel (Germany).

Research questions are systematics and taxonomy, morphology, paleobiogeography and paleoecology.

Examples for selected research projects:

• Investigations on hymenopterans and pollen grains associated with them, together with researchers from the university of Vienna, and others
• Investigation of fossil neuropterans from Baltic Amber and other fossil sites, together with a researcher from the Russian Academy of Sciences in Vladivostok, and others