Dr. Thomas Wotte, Dipl.-Geol.
Institut für Geologie und Paläontologie
Lehrstuhl für Exogene Geologie und Sedimentologie
Corrensstraße 24
D-48149 Münster

Telefon: +49 (0)251 / 83-36125
Telefax: +49 (0)251 / 83-33933
E-Mail: thomas.wotte [at] uni-muenster.de

Uni-Zimmer-Nr.: 527

Education and Research Experiences

• 2011: Research Associate, Chair of Sedimentology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.


• 2008–2011: Postdoctoral Fellow, Chair of Historical Geology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.
• Project funded by the German Research Foundation: Sulphur isotope signature across the Early–Middle Cambrian boundary interval and its potential for the reconstruction of seawater and climate evolution, and the intercontinental correlation.


• 2003–2007: Ph.D., Department of Palaeontology, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg.
• Degree: Doctor rerum naturalium (“magna cum laude”).
• Topic of dissertation: The Early–Middle Cambrian Láncara Formation (Cantabrian Zone, NW Spain): Micropalaeontology and Facies Evolution of a Perigondwanan Ramp Depositional System.
• Project funded by the German Research Foundation: The microfauna of the Early-Middle Cambrian Láncara Formation (Cantabrian Mountains, NW-Spain): micropalaeontology, palaeobiogeography, and process dynamics at the Early–Middle Cambrian transition of western Gondwana.


• 2003: Scientific Assistant, Department of Palaeontology, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg.


• 1997–2003: Studies in Geology and Palaeontology, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg.
• Degree: Diplom-Geologe (MSc. equivalent).
• Major subjects: Palaeontology, Sedimentology, Petrology, General Geology, Applied and Historical Geology.
• Topic of diploma thesis: Facies architecture and environment analysis of selected Paleozoic reef mounds.
• Topic of mapping: Geological mapping of the topographic map 5241-SE Mülsen St. Niclas (Scale 1:10000).

Research Interests

I see my research and teaching as an interaction between traditional geological investigation and documentation methods and the pioneering of innovative high resolution techniques for understanding the Earth System and its evolution.

For nearly eight years I have been investigating mixed carbonate-siliciclastic successions in the Mediterranean, Siberia, Laurentia, China, and Middle East. Research interests are focused on the traditional Lower–Middle Cambrian and comprehend:

• facies analysis of marine mixed carbonate-siliciclastic successions,
• isotope geochemistry (S, C, O),
• palaeogeography, palaeoecology, and stratigraphy,
• micropalaeontology (small shelly fossils), and
• the reconstruction of marine ecosystems and depositional environments.

Teaching and Supervising Experiences

My teaching interests are a combination of lectures, seminars, practical courses, and excursions encompassing the teaching of basic geological and paleontological knowledge, but, also the practical documentation and interpretation of drillcore material and outcrops in the field. Students should be able to interpret the environmental conditions and the geological framework when investigating sedimentary rocks and/or fossils.

• Lectures:
• Introduction into Geological Maps, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.
• Evolution of the Earth System, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.
• Earth- and Life History (Cambrian-Ordovician), Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.
• Occassional lectures at the Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg in:
• Carbonate sedimentology, facies analysis, and environment reconstruction,
• Micropalaeontology and micropalaeontological preparation,
• Invertebrate Palaeontology, and
• Applied Palaeontology/Stratigraphy.


• Thesis supervision:
• Cording, A., 2009. Chemostratigraphie (δ¹³C) an Karbonaten der Unter-Mittekambrium Grenze, Genestosa Profil, Kantabrische Zone, NW-Spanien. BSc thesis, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.
• Biener, T., 2005. Facies analysis and palaeoecological reconstruction of the Upper Láncara Formation (Early to Middle Cambrian, Cantabrian Mountains, NW-Spain) and generation of an Internet-compatible database application for recordation of the taxonomic content. MSc thesis, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg.
• Biener, T., 2005. Geologische Revisionskartierung des Gebietes "Láncara de Luna" - Blatt 102 "Los Barrios de Luna". MSc mapping, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg.


• Field trips:
• Precambrian-Cambrian of Lusatia (E-Germany), 2 days.
• Palaeozoic of Northern Bohemia, 2 days.
• Palaeozoic of Thuringian Basin, 2 days.
• Devonian reef mounds of Belgium, 4 days.
• North- and Baltic Sea (focus on palaeontology, sedimentology, structural geology, and environment reconstruction; problems of coastal protection), 2 weeks.
• First-year mapping courses (Triassic of the Thuringian Basin), 2 weeks.

Funding History (all grants by the German Research Foundation)

• 2009: Funding of the renewal proposal WO 1215/4-3.
• 2007: Funding of the proposal WO 1215/4-1 & 4-2 (Sulphur isotope signature across the Early–Middle Cambrian boundary interval and its potential for the reconstruction of seawater and climate evolution, and the intercontinental correlation).
• 2006: Travel grant WO 1215/3-1 (Participation in the XI International Conference of the Cambrian Stage Subdivision Working Group, Adelaide, Australia).
• 2004: Travel grant WO 1215/1-1 (Participation in the IX International Conference of the Cambrian Stage Subdivision Working Group, Taebaek, South-Korea).

Professional Affiliations

• Since 2010: Member of the Geochemical Society.
• Since 2010: Member of the Working Groups of the Cambrian Stages 3 & 4.
• Since 2009: Corresponding member of the International Subcommission on Cambrian Stratigraphy.
• Since 2008: Member of the American Geophysical Union.
• Since 2002: Member of the German Palaeontological Society.

Professional Activities

• 2010–2011: Chair of the Mitarbeiterseminar at the Geological Institute.
• 2010: Swagelok operator training.
• 2009: MAT 253 DI/EA operator training.
• 2007: Organisation of the 77^th Annual Meeting of the German Paleontological Society, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg.
• Since 2004: Several-week field campaigns in Australia, China, France, Kazakhstan, Siberia, South-Korea, Spain, and USA.
• 2003–2007: Examiner in Paleontology and Stratigraphy, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg.
• 2001: Work experience in Permocarboniferous lake sediments, Börtewitz, Germany (focus on paleontology and sedimentology).
• 2000–2003: Student assistant at the Department of Paleontology, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg.
• 1999: Field campaign Eckfelder Maar, Germany (sampling and documentation of Eocene taxa).

Publications (April 2012)

Journal publications - in preparation, submitted, in review, accepted, in press:

• Wotte, T., Shields-Zhou, G.A., Strauss, H., (in review). Carbonate-associated sulfate: A critical review of the major extracting methods and a recommendation for a standard analytical protocol. Chemical Geology.
• Schneider, J.W., Wotte, T., Fischer, J., (in prep.). Disarticulated vertebrate and invertebrate remains from Upper Pennsylvanian ephemeral lakes of the Saale basin (E-Germany). Journal of Paleontology.

Journal publications (peer-reviewed):

• Wotte, T., Strauss, H., Fugmann, A., Garbe-Schönberg, D., 2012. Paired δ³⁴S data from carbonate-associated sulfate and chromium-reducible sulfur across the traditional Lower–Middle Cambrian boundary of W-Gondwana. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 85, 228–253. PDF
• Wotte, T., Strauss, H., Sundberg, F.A., 2011. Carbon and sulfur isotopes from the Cambrian Series 2–Cambrian Series 3 of Laurentia and Siberia. In: J. S. Hollingsworth, F. A. Sundberg, and J. R. Foster (eds), Cambrian Stratigraphy and Paleontology of Northern Arizona and Southern Nevada, The 16^th Field Conference of the Cambrian Stage Subdivision Working Group, International Subcommission On Cambrian Stratigraphy Flagstaff, Arizona, And Southern Nevada, United States. Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin 67, 43–63. PDF
• Wotte, T., 2009. Re-interpretation of a Lower–Middle Cambrian West Gondwanan ramp depositional system: a case study from the Cantabrian Zone (NW Spain). Facies 55 (3), 473–487. PDF
• Wotte, T., 2009. The youngest cambroclaves: Cambroclavus absonus from the Middle Cambrian of the Cantabrian zone (northwest Spain). Journal of Paleontology 83 (1), 128–134. PDF
• Wotte, T., Álvaro, J.J., Shields, G.A., Brown, B., Brasier, M., Veizer, J., 2007. C-, O-, and Sr-isotope stratigraphy across the Lower–Middle Cambrian transition of the Cantabrian zone (Spain) and the Montagne Noire (France), West Gondwana. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 256, 47–70. PDF
• Wotte, T., Mergl, M., 2007. Brachiopods from the Lower–Middle Cambrian Láncara Formation of the Cantabrian Mountains, Northwest Spain. Memoirs of the Association of Australasian Palaeontologists 33, 101–122. PDF
• Wotte, T., 2006. New Middle Cambrian molluscs from the Láncara Formation of the Cantabrian Mountains (north-western Spain). Revista Española de Paleontología 21 (2), 145–158. PDF
• Wotte, T., 2005. Facies distribution patterns of the upper member of the Láncara Formation in the Somiedo-Correcilla unit (Lower–Middle Cambrian, Cantabrian zone, NW Spain) with special respect to biofacial investigations. Geosciences Journal 9 (4), 389–402. PDF
• Wotte, T., 2004. Nachweis und fazielle Position von reef mounds im Unterkambrium von Doberlug-Torgau. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie (Abhandlungen) 233 (3), 397–422.
• Wotte, T., Elicki, O., Perejón, A., Moreno-Eiris, E., 2004. Facies distribution patterns and environment interpretation of the Upper Láncara Formation in the Esla Nappe (Cantabrian zone, NW Spain) by quantitative microfacies analysis. Freiberger Forschungshefte, C 502: Paläontologie, Stratigraphie, Fazies 12, 101–118. PDF
• Elicki, O., Wotte, T., 2003. Cambroclaves from the Cambrian of Sardinia (Italy) and Germany: constraints for the architecture of western Gondwana and the palaeogeographical and palaeoecological potential of cambroclaves. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 195, 55–71. PDF

Conference abstracts:

• Wotte, T., Strauss, H., Shields, G.A., 2011. Carbonate-associated sulfate: A seawater proxy with potential and weaknesses. 21^st Annual V.M. Goldschmidt Conference, Prague, Czech Republic, August, 14.–19.2011, Mineralogical Magazine 75, p. 2179.
• Wotte, T., 2011. A comparative study of carbon and sulfur isotopes from the Cambrian Series 2–Cambrian Series 3. In: J. S. Hollingsworth, F. A. Sundberg, and J. R. Foster (eds), Cambrian Stratigraphy and Paleontology of Northern Arizona and Southern Nevada, The 16^th Field Conference of the Cambrian Stage Subdivision Working Group, International Subcommission On Cambrian Stratigraphy Flagstaff, Arizona, And Southern Nevada, United States. Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin 67, pp. 310–311.
• Wotte, T., Strauss, H, Shields, G.A., 2011. Reconstruchting the Cambrian seawater temperature by using oxygen isotopes from phosphatic small shelly fossils. Münster Graduate School of Evolution Symposium, February 17^th–18^th, 2011, Abstracts, p. 36.
• Wotte, T., Strauss, H., Fugmann, A., Cording, A, Rabe, K., 2010. δ³⁴S isotopes from carbonate associated sulfate and chromium-reducible sulfur from the traditional Lower–Middle Cambrian. 20^th Annual V.M. Goldschmidt Conference, Knoxville Tennessee/USA, June, 13.–18.2010, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 74 (Supplement 1), p. A1141.
• Wotte, T., 2009. Sulphur isotope data from the traditional Lower–Middle Cambrian of Siberia and West Gondwana. 14^th International Field Conference of the Cambrian Stage Subdivision Working Group, Malyi Karatau Range, Southern Kazakhstan, August 24^th–September 2 ^nd, Abstracts, pp. 39–40.
• Wotte, T., Strauss, H., 2009. S isotope data from the undefined Cambrian Series 2 and Series 3 of Gondwana: Evidence for regional variations in the global sulphur cycle and/or proxies for a chemostratigraphic correlation? 19^th Annual V.M. Goldschmidt Conference, Davos/Switzerland, June, 21.–26.2009, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 73 (Supplement 1), p. A1453.
• Wotte, T., 2008. The evolution of a Lower–Middle Cambrian carbonate ramp: A comprehensive facies investigation from the Cantabrian zone (NW Spain). 26^th Regional Meeting of the International Association of Sedimentologists (IAS) held jointly with the SEPM-CES SEDIMENT 2008 – 23. Sedimentologen-Treffen Bochum, Germany, September 1–3, 2008, SDGG 58, p. 300.
• Wotte, T., 2008. S-isotope data from the Lower–Middle Cambrian boundary interval of the Cantabrian zone: A potential tool to support the intercontinental correlation? The 13^th International Field Conference of the Cambrian Stage Subdivision Working Group, The Siberian Platform, Western Yakutia, July 20^th–August 1^st, Abstracts, p. 76.
• Wotte, T., 2007. The Middle Cambrian fauna of the Cantabrian zone (NW Spain): palaeoenvironmental, palaeobiogeographical and biostratigraphical implications. 77. Jahrestagung der Paläontologischen Gesellschaft, Freiberg, Wissenschaftliche Mitteilungen des Institutes für Geologie der TU Bergakademie Freiberg, 177–178.
• Wotte, T., 2006. The Lower–Middle Cambrian fauna from the Cantabrian Mountains (north-western Spain): Palaeoenvironmental and palaeobiogeographical considerations. XI International Conference of the Cambrian Stage Subdivision Working Group, South Australia, Aug., 14.–24.2006, Abstracts, 41–42.
• Wotte, T., 2005. Environmental reconstruction of the Lower/Middle Cambrian Láncara Formation (Cantabrian Mountains, northwestern Spain): tectonical, bio- and lithofacial considerations. The Fourth International Symposium On The Cambrian System And The Tenth Field Conference Of The Cambrian Stage Subdivision Working Group, Acta Micropalaeontologica Sinica 22 (Supplement), p. 201.
• Wotte, T., 2005. Sr, C and O isotope geochemistry and chemostratigraphy of the carbonatic Lower/Middle Cambrian Láncara Formation (Cantabrian Mountains, northwestern Spain). The Fourth International Symposium On The Cambrian System And The Tenth Field Conference Of The Cambrian Stage Subdivision Working Group, Acta Micropalaeontologica Sinica 22 (Supplement), p. 202.
• Elicki, O., Wotte, T., 2004. Cambroclaves: insights from first Gondwanan occurrences. IX International Conference of the Cambrian Stage Subdivision Working Group, Taebaek/Korea, Sept., 16.-21.2004, Abstracts, p. 37.
• Wotte, T., 2004. Stratigraphical distribution pattern and paleoecology of a basal Middle Cambrian microfauna from the western Mediterranean (Cantabrian Mountains, northwestern Spain). IX International Conference of the Cambrian Stage Subdivision Working Group, Taebaek/Korea, Sept., 16.–21.2004, Abstracts, p. 30.
• Wotte, T., 2004. The microfauna of the Cambrian nodular limestones from the Cantabrian Mountains (Spain). IX International Conference of the Cambrian Stage Subdivision Working Group, Taebaek/Korea, Sept., 16.-21.2004, Abstracts, p. 63.
• Wotte, T., 2004. Palaeoecology and palaeobiogeographic relations of the microfauna of Cambrian nodular limestones from the Cantabrian Mountains (Northwestern Spain). 74. Jahrestagung der Paläontologischen Gesellschaft, Göttingen, Universitätsdrucke Göttingen, 259–260.
• Elicki, O., Wotte, T., 2003. Cambroclaves - Problematic Cambrian "small shelly fossils" from Gondwana´s European Shelf. 73. Jahrestagung der Paläontologischen Gesellschaft, Mainz, Terra Nostra 5/03, 41–42.
• Wotte, T., 2003. Nachweis von reef mounds im Unterkambrium von Doberlug-Torgau. 73. Jahrestagung der Paläontologischen Gesellschaft, Mainz, Terra Nostra 5/03, 170–171.

Miscellaneous:

• Wotte, T., 2007. The Early–Middle Cambrian Láncara Formation (Cantabrian Zone, NW-Spain): Micropalaeontology and Facies Evolution of a Perigondwanan Ramp Depositional System. PhD Thesis, 288 pp.
• Wotte, T., 2003. Facies architecture and environment analysis of exclusive Palaeozoic reef mounds. Diploma Thesis, 135 pp.
• Wotte, T., 2003. Geological mapping of the topographic map 5241-SE Mülsen St. Niclas (Scale 1:10000). Diploma Mapping, 74 pp.