Paleobiology of Benthic Organisms

Benthic organisms from Mesozoic and Cenozoic Environments are studied with respect to palaeoecology, taphonomy and sedimentology. Reconstructions are based on detailed field work, taphonomic and sedimentary analysis, functional morphological aspects and actualistic comparisons. Paleoenvironments are reconstructed with respect to both abiotic and abiotic ecological parameters. Field areas have included both the Jurassic of Northern Italy (cooperation with Davide Bassi, University of Ferrara) as well as the Cenozoic of Sardinia (cooperations with Andrea Mancosu, University of Cagliari) and Spain (cooperation Zain Belaústegui (University of Barcelona). Organisms grounps and study objects include coralline algae, larger foraminifera, bivalves, echinoderms, trace fossils and anything else in between.

Reconstruction of spatangoid dominated sediments heavily bioturbated by callianiasid schrimp. Miocene of Sardinia (Mancosu & Nebelsick 2017)

Lower Jurassic Bivalves of the Trento Platform (Bassi et al. 2017)

Spatangus from Sardinia (Mancosu & Nebelsick 2016)

Ct Scan surface rendering of a Recent rhodolith from Giglio Island (Nitsch et al 2015)

Nebelsick, J.H., Rasser, M., Höltke, O., Thompson, J.R. & Bieg, U. (2020): Turritelline mass accumulations from the Lower Miocene of southern Germany: Implications for tidal currents and nutrient transport within the North Alpine Foreland Basin. Lethaia, 53, 280-293.  https://doi.org/10.1111/let.12356.

Brandolese, V., Posenato, R., Nebelsick J.H., Bassi, D. (2019): Distinguishing core and flank facies based on shell fabrics in Lower Jurassic lithiotid shell beds. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology 526, 1-12. Doi: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2019.04.010

Mancosu, A. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2019): Reconstructing the palaeoecology of echinoid dominated sublittoral environments: a case study from the Miocene of Sardinia. Journal of Paleontology, 93 (4), 764-784, doi: 10.1017/jpa.2019.4, 1-21. DOI: doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2019.4

Nebelsick, J.H., Rasser, M., Höltke, O., Thompson, J.R. & Bieg, U. (2019): Turritelline mass accumulations from the Lower Miocene of southern Germany: Implications for tidal currents and nutrient transport within the North Alpine Foreland Basin. Lethaia. doi.org/10.1111/let.12356.

Bassi, D., Posenato, R., Nebelsick, J.H., Iryu, Y., Masato, O. & Domenicali, E. (2017): Bivalve borings in Lower Jurassic Lithiotis fauna from northeastern Italy and its palaeoecological interpretation. Historical Biology,29/7, 937-946. dx.doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2016.1265956.

Mancosu, A. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2017): Palaeoecology and taphonomy of spatangoid echinoid dominated assemblages: a case study from the Miocene of Sardinia, Italy. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 466, 334–352, doi 10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.11.053

Belaústegui, Z., Muñiz, F., Nebelsick, J.H., Domènech, R. & Martinell, J. (2017): Echinoderm ichnology: bioturbation, bioerosion and related processes. Journal of Paleontology. doi: 10.1017/jpa.2016.146

Dynowski, J.F., Nebelsick, J.H., Klein, A., & Roth-Nebelsick, A. (2016): Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of the Fossil Crinoid Encrinus liliiformis (Echinodermata: Crinoidea). PLoS ONE. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0156408

Grun, T.B. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2016): Taphonomy of a clypeasteroid echinoid using a new quasimetric approach. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 61, http://dx.doi.org/10.4202/app.00200.2015

Mancosu, A. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2016): Echinoid assemblages from the Early Miocene of Funtanazza (Sardinia): A tool for reconstructing depositional environments along a shelf gradient. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 454, 139-140. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.03.024

Mancosu, A. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2016): The origin and paleoecology of clypeasteroid echinoids assemblages from different shelf settings of the Miocene of Sardinia, Italy. Palaios, 30, 373–387. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2110/palo.2014.087.

Bassi, D., Posenato, R. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2015): Paleoecological dynamics of shallow-water bivalve carpets from Lower Jurassic lagoonal settings, northeast Italy. Palaios 30, 758-770. Doi10.2110/palo.2015.020

Nitsch, F., Nebelsick, J.H. & Bassi, D. (2015): Constructional and destructional patterns – void classification of rhodoliths from Giglio Island. Palaios, 30, 380-391.Doi: http//dx.doi.org/10.2110/palo.2015.007.

Rahman, I.A., Belaústegui, Z., Zamora, S., Nebelsick, J.H., Domènech, R. & Martinell, J. (2015) Miocene Clypeaster from Valencia (E Spain): Insights into the taphonomy and ichnology of bioeroded echinoids using X-ray micro-tomography. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 438, 168-179. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.07.021.

Grun, T.B. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2015): Sneaky snails: How drillholes can affect paleontological analyses of the minute clypeasteroid echinoid Echinocyamus. In: Zamora, D. & Rábano, I. (eds.) Progress in Echinoderm Palaeobiology. Cuadernos del Museo Geominero, 19. Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Madrid. 71-74.

Nebelsick, J.H. & Mancosu, A. (2015): Echinoid assemblages from the Miocene of Sardinina: A tool for recognizing faunal diversites, depositional environments and prservation potentials. In: Zamora, D. & Rábano, I. (eds.) Progress in Echinoderm Palaeobiology. Cuadernos del Museo Geominero, 19. Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Madrid. 115-117.

Mancosu, A. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2015): The origin and paleoecology of clypeasteroid echinoids assemblages from different shelf settings of the Miocene of Sardinia, Italy. Palaios, 30, 373–387, DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2110/palo.2014.087.

Mancosu, A., Nebelsick, J.H., Kroh, A. & Pillola, G.L. (2014): The origin of echinoid shell beds in distal shelf environments: three examples from the Miocene of Sardinia, Italy. Lethaia. 48, 83-99.

Belaustegui, Z., Gibert, J.M. de, Nebelsick, J.H., Domènech, R. & Martinell, J. (2013): Clypeasteroid echinoid tests as benthic islands for gastrochaenid bivalve colonization: Evidence from the Middle Miocene of Tarragona (North-East Spain). Palaeontology. 56 (4), 783-796. DOI: 10.1111/pala.12015.

Bassi, D., Iryu, Y. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2012): To be or not to be a fossil rhodolith? Analytical methods for studying fossil rhodolith deposits. Journal of Coastal Research, 28, 288-295.

Belaústegui, Z., Nebelsick, J.H., Gibert, J. M. de, Domènech, R. & Martinell, J. (2012): A taphonomic approach to the genetic interpretation of clypeasteroid accumulations from Tarragona (Miocene, NE Spain). Lethaia, 45, 548-565. DOI 10.1111/j.1502-3931.2012.00314.x.