Molluscan biostratigraphy of the Miocene and Chatt in the southern Herzogtum Lauenburg (Schleswig-Holstein)

A study was made of the marine molluscan fauna from 12 borings in the Schwarzenbek area. In the fossil rich facies underlying the 'Braunkohlensande', the Neochatt and Vierland faunal sequences could be described and used to define the Oligocene/Miocene boundary. The Neochatt, defined by Pectinidae, seems to be more closely related to the Miocene than previously thought. Nevertheless, a sufficient number of additional molluscan species are present for placing the Neochatt/Vierland boundary. Overlying the Braunkohlensande, the sandy Reinbek fauna as well as Glimmerton faunas of the Reinbek and Langenfelde stages could be described.

Macrofauna abundance and sediment characteristics during R/V Senckenberg cruise west of Sylt in september 2010

The continuously influence of human impacts on the seafloor and benthic habitats demands the knowledge of clearly defined habitats to assess recent conditions and to monitor future changes. In this study, a benthic habitat dominated by sorted bedforms was mapped in 2010 using biological, sedimentological and acoustic data. This approach reveals the first interdisciplinary analysis of macrofauna communities in sorted bedforms in the German Bight. The study area covered 4 km², and was located ca. 3.5 km west of island of Sylt. Sorted bedforms formed as sinuous depressions with an east west orientation. Inside these depressions coarse sand covers the seafloor, while outside predominantly fine to medium sand was found. Based on the hydroacoustic data, two seafloor classes were identified. Acoustic class 1 was linked to coarse sand (type A) found inside these sorted bedforms, whereas acoustic class 2 was related to mainly fine to medium sands (type B). The two acoustic classes and sediment types corresponded with the macrofauna communities 1 and 2. The Aoinides paucibranchiata-Goniadella bobretzkii community on coarse sand and the Spiophanes bombyx - Magelona johnstonii community on fine sand. A transitional community 3 (Scoloplos armiger - Ophelia community), with species found in communities 1 and 2, could not be detected by hydroacoustic methods. This study showed the limits of the used acoustic methods, which were unable to detect insignificant differences in the fauna composition of sandy areas.

Fossil record of Mollusca from Neogene sediments in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Über die Verbreitung, Gliederung und Ausbildung des Jungtertiärs im westlichen Schleswig-Holstein war bisher nicht viel bekannt. Am besten bearbeitet sind die glazial gestauchten Schollen von Morsum/Sylt. Eine Aufzählung erbohrter Miozänvorkommen mit nicht immer überzeugender Begründung lieferte H.-L. HECK 1935. S. THIELE (1941) hat die ihm bekannten Vorkommen hauptsächlich nach faziellen und petrographischen Gesichtspunkten bearbeitet. Er erkannte richtig die Stellung der Braunkohlensande. Die angekündigte palaeontologische Bearbeitung ist nicht erschienen. Eine allgemeine Übersicht über die Entwicklung des Jungtertiärs bringen W. WOLFE und H.-L. HECK 1949. W. HINSCH lieferte wertvolle Beiträge zur Molluskenfauna und zur Gliederung des Miozäns (1952, 1955). Über neue Vorkommen von Braunkohlen-Sanden berichtete E. DITTMER(1 956), eine erste Übersicht über neue Vorkommen der Hemmoorer Stufe gab derselbe Verfasser 1957.

Abundance and biomass of macrobenthos in the Black Sea during Mare Nigrum cruise S-RO1

Dataset containing macrobenthos data for samples collected during April 2008 in the North-West Black Sea (between 44°46' - 43°45' N latitude and 30° 11' - 29°35' E longitude). Macrobenthos sampling was done in 4 stations using a 0.14 m**2 Van Veen grab. Washing of the sample through two sieves - 1 mm and 0.25 mm mesh size; the material retained by the two sieves was examined at the binocular microscope; all animals were extracted, using fine tweezers and the species or group of species were identified and counted (in order to determine the density of populations); the larger organisms were measured and weighed (structure and biomass); for smaller organisms, the average wet weights inscribed in standard tables were used to calculate the biomass. Taxonomic identification was done at the GeoEcoMar by A. Teaca and T. Begun using the relevant taxonomic literature (Key-book for the identification of the Black Sea and Sea of Azov Fauna, 1968 -1972, Kiev - in Russian, V 1-4; BACESCU, M.C., MÜLLER, G. I., GOMOIU, M.-T., 1971 and BACESCU, M.C., MÜLLER, G. I., GOMOIU, M.-T., 1971-Benthic ecological research to Black Sea. Comparative quantitative and qualitative analyse of pontic benthic fauna. Marine Ecology, 4, 1-357 (in Romanian).