Styrian Basin
Gratkorn: Mammals, Biostratigraphy, Palaeoclimatology and Palaeoecology in the Middle Miocene (Sarmatium s. str.) of the Styrian Basin [A]
In 2005, during geological mapping, Dr. M. Gross (Joanneum, Graz) discovered the fossil vertebrate site St. Stefan in the Styrian basin (Styria). Due to its stratigraphic position in the Upper Sarmatian s. str., the locality proves to be of supra-regional importance for the Neogene Biostratigraphy of Central and Eastern Europe (Paratethys area), since well dated sites from the upper Middle Miocene are rare in this deposition area. The extremely rich and partly articulated remains of vertebrates represent a biostratigraphically fixed point in the Chronostratigraphy of Central and Eastern Europe.
Besides its importance for the Stratigraphy, this site in the clay pit St. Stefan also offers the rare possibility of a comprehensive interdisciplinary investigation of terrestrial ecosystems. Fossil bearing sites are so rare, that this Period of the Sarmatian is nicknamed as a palaeobiologic “blackout”. Besides the reconstruction of the fauna and flora composition, also sedimentological and geochemical methods are used to clarify climatological, ecological and also taphonomic conditions during and post-deposition of the sediments.
In this context, especially the student excavations, held since 2008, play an important role. Each year further material is found and documented thus aiding for the reconstruction of this 12 million year old biotope. Alongside with the unearthing of new fossil material, the practical education of the students in excavating, detailed documentation and recovery of fossil material are the main goals during the excavation campaigns. This field course is offered by the University of Tuebingen in co-operation with our partner, Universal Museum Joanneum in Graz (Dr. M. Gross).
Publications
Fuss J., Uhlig G., Böhme M. 2018: Earliest evidence of caries lesion in hominids reveal sugar-rich diet for a Middle Miocene dryopithecine from Europe. PLOS ONE, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0203307
Van der Made J., Prieto J., Aiglstorfer M., Böhme M., Gross M. 2014: Taxonomic study of the pigs (Suidae, Mammalia) from the late Middle Miocene of Gratkorn (Austria, Styria). Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 94: 595-617.
Göhlich U.B., Gross M., 2014: The Sarmatian (late Middle Miocene) avian fauna from Gratkorn, Austria. Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 94: 41-48.
Aiglstorfer M., Göhlich U.B., Böhme M., Gross M., 2014: A partial skeleton of Deinotherium (Proboscidea, Mammalia) from the late Middle Miocene Gratkorn locality (Austria). Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 94: 49-70.
Aiglstorfer M., Heissig K., Böhme M., 2014: Perissodactyla from the late Middle Miocene Gratkorn locality (Austria). Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 94: 71-82.
Aiglstorfer M., Rössner G.E., Böhme M., 2014: Dorcatherium naui and pecoran ruminants from the late Middle Miocene Gratkorn locality (Austria). Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 94: 83-123.
Angelone C., Prieto J., Gross M., 2014: Complement to the study of the pikas (Lagomorpha, Ochotonidae) from the Middle Miocene of Gratkorn, Austria. Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 94: 125-134.
Prieto J., Angelone C., Casanovas-Vilar I., Gross M., Hír J., van den Hoek Ostende L.W., Maul L.C., Vasilyan D., 2014: The small mammals from Gratkorn: an overview. Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 94: 135-162.
Prieto J., Casanovas-Vilar I., Gross M., 2014: Euroxenomys minutus minutus (Rodentia, Castoridae) from Gratkorn (Austria, Styria). Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 94: 163-170.
Havlik P., Aiglstorfer M., Beckmann A.K., Gross M., Böhme M., 2014: Taphonomical and ichnological considerations on the late Middle Miocene Gratkorn locality (Styria, Austria) with focus on large mammal taphonomy. Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 94: 171-188.
Böhme M., Vasilyan D., 2014: Ectothermic vertebrates from the late Middle Miocene of Gratkorn (Austria, Styria). Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 94: 21-40.
Aiglstorfer M., Bocherens H., Böhme M., 2014: Large mammal ecology in the late Middle Miocene Gratkorn locality (Austria). Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 94: 189-213.
Böhme M., Prieto J., Gross M., 2014: Terrestrial vertebrates from the Sarmatian (late Serravallian) of the Central Paratethys – the fossil site of Gratkorn (Styrian Basin, Austria). Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 94: 1-4.
Gross M., Böhme M., Havlik P., Aiglstorfer M., 2014: The late Middle Miocene (Sarmatian s.str.) fossil site Gratkorn – the first decade of research, geology, stratigraphy and vertebrate fauna. Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments 94: 5-20.
Prieto, J., Angelone, C., Gross, M. & Böhme, M. (2012): The pika Prolagus (Lagomorpha, Mammalia) in the Late Middle Miocene fauna from Gratkorn (Styrian Basin, Austria).- Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen, 263/2: 111-118.
Gross, M., Böhme, M. & Prieto, J. (2011): Gratkorn – a benchmark locality for the continental Sarmatian s.str. of the Central Paratethys.- International Journal of Earth Sciences 100: 1895-1913. DOI 10.1007/s00531-010-0615-1
Prieto J., Böhme, M & Gross, M. (2010): The cricetid rodents from Gratkorn (Austria, Styria): a benchmark locality for the continental Sarmatian . (late Middle Miocene) in the central Paratethys.- Geologica Carpathica 61(5): 419-436.
Prieto J., Gross, M., Böhmer, C & Böhme, M. (2010): Insectivores and bat (Mammalia) from the late Middle Miocene of Gratkorn (Austria): biostratigraphic and ecologic implications.- Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen 258(1): 107-119. DOI: 10.1127/0077-7729/2010/0088.
Cooperation Partner
Martin Gross, Universal Museum Joanneum, Graz
Gertrud Rössner, Bavarian State Collection of Palaeontology and Geology, Munich
Ursula Göhlich, Natural History Museum, Wien
Jan van der Made, Museo Nacional de Ciencas Naturales, Madrid