Konglomerat fossiler Kleinsäugerknochen der Abteilung Quartärpaläontologie Weimar
©
S. Döring | Senckenberg Weimar

Quaternary Palaeontology | Weimar

Quaternary Small Mammals


The scientific field of the section is biodiversity and evolution of Quaternary small mammal assemblages, which are investigated in the framework of international research projects and collaborations.

Small mammals studies are an integral part of both research and rescue excavations organised in collaboration with the other sections of the research station and the technical staff.

The projects carried out in this section are included in the Senckenberg Research Fields RF III Biodiversity and Climate and RF IV Biodiversity and Earth System Dynamics.

 

This section is responsible for the microvertebrate collection, which comprises c. 18,000 Pleistocene and recent specimens/series. These fossils originate mainly from Quaternary sites in Thuringia (Untermassfeld, Voigtstedt, Süßenborn, Ehringsdorf, Taubach, Burgtonna). In addition to the small vertebrate collections, the curator is also partly responsible for the large mammal collections.

Similar topics

Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut Frankfurt Außenansicht
©
Adrian Giacomelli

Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum

Frankfurt am Main is the headquarters location of Senckenberg – Leibniz Institution for Biodiversity and Earth System Research (SGN). It is the home of the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, which also comprises the research stations Weimar, Gelnhausen, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Messel Pit.”

more
Bison
©
R.-D. Kahlke | Senckenberg Weimar

Quaternary Palaeontology

The object of research in Quaternary Palaeontology is the reconstruction of the living world and of the ecological conditions during the global climatic changes of the Ice Age (previous 2.6 million years).

more
Quartäre Großsäugetiere weimar
©
R.-D. Kahlke | Senckenberg Weimar

Quaternary Large Mammals

The Quaternary large mammals section continues a tradition of interregional Ice Age research, which has been in existence in Weimar since the second half of the 19th century.

More about Quaternary Large Mammals
Pflanzenfossilien aus frühpleistozänen Seeablagerungen bei Voigtstedt/Hackelsberg in Thüringen
©
F. Kienast | Senckenberg Weimar

Quaternary Macrofloras

The Quaternary macrofloras section was founded in 2008 in the course of an expansion of the palaeo-botanical research in Weimar. Botanical macro-remains provide detailed information on the local vegetation, environments and climate of the past.

More about Quaternary Macrofloras
Quartäre Mikrofloren Weimar
©
M. Stebich | Senckenberg Weimar

Quaternary Microfloras

The Quaternary plants section was established in 2000 when the Institute of Quaternary Palaeontology, Weimar, was joined with the Senckenbergische Naturforschende Gesellschaft. The section continues the traditions of palaeobotanical research in Weimar, based on the abundant plant remains of the Thuringian Travertine deposits.

More about Quaternary Microfloras
Präparatorin bei der Freilegung der Brustwirbelsäule eines 1,05 Millionen Jahre alten Bisons (Bison menneri) aus Untermassfeld als in situ-Präparat der Abteilung Quartärpaläontologie Weimar
©
S. Döring | Senckenberg Weimar

Excavation & Preparation

The working group undertakes systematic and rescue excavations and deals with the preparation and conservation of the resulting fossil material, in accordance with the current research projects of each section.

More about Quaternary Palaeontology | Excavation & Preparation
Blick auf die Grabung Untermaßfeld mit Graphikerin bei der Dokumentation der Funde in einem Planquadrat
©
Senckenberg Weimar

Documentation & Information

The library currently comprises approximately 21,000 books, reprints, journals, and maps mainly on Quaternary palaeontology. The responsibilities of the group comprise also photography, graphics and surveying work in the field, and the production of scientific graphics and photographs for publications and presentations.

More about Quaternary Palaeontology | Documentation & Information
Sammlungsmagazin_V
©
Senckenberg Weimar

Collections

The collections of the Senckenberg Research Station of Quaternary Palaeontology Weimar comprise a total of 85,691 fossils, including preparations and series (updated: January 2022). Major parts of this material are described in original publications.

More about Quaternary Palaeontology | Collections
©
R.-D. Kahlke | Senckenberg Weimar

Publications

For current publications see each section's website (Quaternary Large Mammal Section, Quaternary Small Mammal Section, Quaternary Macroflora Section, Quaternary Microflora Section). For further information about our publications please contact the library of the Research Station.

More about Quaternary Palaeontology | Publications