Palaeobotany

© Kerp

Main research themes:

  • Systematics, biology and ecology of late Palaeozoic and Mesozoic plants based on compressions and anatomically preserved material
  • The evolution of terrestrial ecosystems, especially in relation to large-scale geological developments
  • Cuticular analysis
  • Palynology and mesofossil analysis
  • Reconstruction of fossil plants, vegetations and habitats
  • Palaeogeographical patterns in the evolution of land plants

Running and recently finished research projects

© Bomfleur
  • Latitudinal Patterns in Plant Evolution
  • The ecology of the Early Devonian Rhynie chert
  • The ontogeny of selected Rhynie chert plants
  • Compression floras of the Lower Carboniferous of Europe
  • Late Carboniferous, Permian and Early Triassic floras of China
  • The Permian flora of the Dead Sea region, Jordan
  • The Permian Floras of the Southern Alps
  • Late Carboniferous and Permian floras of Texas and New Mexico
  • Cuticular analysis of the Cathaysia flora, China
  • Palaeobotany in the Transantarctic Mountains
  • The evolution of the Osmundaceae
  • Vegetation development in southern Africa since the Oligocene
  • Quaternary vegetation and climate history of Israel
  • Palynology of the brown coal deposits of the Lower Rhine Embayment

 

Facilities and equipment

© Kerp
  • A HF laboratory for the preparation of palynological samples and fossil cuticles
  • A chemical laboratory for macerating fossil cuticles
  • A rock workshop for making thin and polished sections
  • A WOCO 50 rock saw, two Buehler Isomet 4000 precision rock saws, two BROT Lab grinding wheels, a Buehler grinding wheel
  • A Keyence VHX-7000 4K digital compound microscope for normal and transmitted light, with XYZ-motorized stage
  • A Leica DM 4500P microscope with a motorized stage and Z axis for incident and transmitted light, and for fluorescence with a HP Workstation and ©FOSSIL software for maceral analysis, reflexion and spectral measurements, image stacking and stitching and image analysis
  • A Leica DM 5000B microscope for normal transmitted light, interference contrast and fluorescence with a motorized Z axis and image stacking software
  • A Leitz Diaplan microscope for normal transmitted light, interference contrast and fluorescence
  • A Leica MZ 16 stereomicroscope with a motorized Z axis and image stacking software
  • Various Leica research microscopes and stereomicroscopes
  • Several digital cameras for microphotography
  • A digital camera for macrophotography connected to an iMac and a motorized Z axis for image stacking
  • A large palaeobotanical and palynological library (> 40.000 titles)