Biodiversity and faunal interchange: Bryozoans of Paratethys

Studies of reproductive strategies of bryozoa are not only of theoretical interest. Types and number of eggs, details of brooding, types of larvae (planktotrophic = feeding versus lecithotrophic = non-feeding larvae) are directly related to the time which larvae are spending in the water column and therefore also to the duration of their swimming period. This connects reproductive ecology directly with faunal migrations, biogeography and also with strategies of speciation. Studies to be performed within this project aim to investigate the reproductive strategies of selected taxa from the Indo-Pacific area (Maldivean Islands, Oman, Red Sea), yielding detailed knowledge of brooding patterns and larval biology and evaluation of possibilities of migration for different taxa of cheilostomate bryozoa. This will result in a detailed understanding of the distribution of Bryozoa in space and time aiming to investigate the origin and evolution of faunas in the Paratethys. Rich collections of bryozoan faunas from the Miocene being at our disposal, only rather limited supplementary field work will be necessary. Biostratigraphical data for these faunas will contribute to establish a definite basis for comparative studies of single faunal elements: a documentation of distribution patterns will be used to test the hypothesis worked out on the basis of biological studies as mentioned above. In this way important contributions to the reconstruction of ancient seaways on the basis of bryozoan material from the Early and Middle Miocene of the Paratethys, from Western Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Qom-formation of the Iran are to be expected. These studies should also explain the evident faunal differences between bryozoan faunas from Early Miocene and Middle Miocene in Central Europe. Cross-linking of biological studies and paleontological investigations will thus result in an essential contribution to our knowledge of faunal migrations in general and to basic aspects of the development of bryozoan faunas, existing under pressure of the global change. Realizing the great importance of this group of fossils for ecological studies our research will also contribute to a detailed knowledge of the development of ecosystems in the Paratethys.

Studies of reproductive strategies of bryozoa are not only of theoretical interest. Types and number of eggs, details of brooding, types of larvae (planktotrophic = feeding versus lecithotrophic = non-feeding larvae) are directly related to the time which larvae are spending in the water column and therefore also to the duration of their swimming period. This connects reproductive ecology directly with faunal migrations, biogeography and also with strategies of speciation. Studies to be performed within this project aim to investigate the reproductive strategies of selected taxa from the Indo-Pacific area (Maldivean Islands, Oman, Red Sea), yielding detailed knowledge of brooding patterns and larval biology and evaluation of possibilities of migration for different taxa of cheilostomate bryozoa. This will result in a detailed understanding of the distribution of Bryozoa in space and time aiming to investigate the origin and evolution of faunas in the Paratethys. Rich collections of bryozoan faunas from the Miocene being at our disposal, only rather limited supplementary field work will be necessary. Biostratigraphical data for these faunas will contribute to establish a definite basis for comparative studies of single faunal elements: a documentation of distribution patterns will be used to test the hypothesis worked out on the basis of biological studies as mentioned above. In this way important contributions to the reconstruction of ancient seaways on the basis of bryozoan material from the Early and Middle Miocene of the Paratethys, from Western Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Qom-formation of the Iran are to be expected. These studies should also explain the evident faunal differences between bryozoan faunas from Early Miocene and Middle Miocene in Central Europe. Cross-linking of biological studies and paleontological investigations will thus result in an essential contribution to our knowledge of faunal migrations in general and to basic aspects of the development of bryozoan faunas, existing under pressure of the global change. Realizing the great importance of this group of fossils for ecological studies our research will also contribute to a detailed knowledge of the development of ecosystems in the Paratethys.