Prof. Dr. Johanna Eder
Research activities are embedded in the following topics of the museum´s research frame:
- * Biosystematics and taxonomy
- * Biogeography, palaeogeography, and stratigraphy
- * Ecology and ecosystem research
- * Biodiversity informatics.
The fossil plant assemblage of Frauenweiler near Wiesloch, Baden-Württemberg
Near the margin of the Rhine graben Lower Oligocene, marine sediments are developped. They bear marine as well as terrestrial organisms (forams, molluscs, fish, insects, birds, bats, and plants). The leaf remains allow the investigation of the cuticle structures for taxonomic-systematic determination. Frauenweiler is valuable for a far-reaching view on the regional floristic and vegetational differences because only few floras of this age are available in this part of Europe. For the ecosystem reconstruction studies of other organism groups are performed in the State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe and Hessische Landesmuseum Darmstadt.
Platanus neptuni, cuticle of a plane tree with stomata and fungi
Twig fragment of Tetraclinis salicornioides (Cupressaceae)
The Miocene flora of the Changbai of Jilin, NE-China – a key for the Eurasian floristic, vegetational, and climatic evolution
In the Changbai mt. region wide-spread diatomites are developed intercalating with thick basalt flows. Diatomites of the Ma´anshancun Formation are rich in fossil plant remains (foliage, pollen, fruits and seeds, diatoms). Radiometric dating of the basalts indicates an age of 13.4 mio years. The Jilin University houses a representative collection of this flora. The plant remains are organically preserved allowing cuticular analysis of the foliage. So far, only little knowledge is available on fossil floras of this region. The ongoing systematic studies are the base for regional vegetation reconstruction and comparison with European floras of similar age. The results will significantly contribute to questions of the climatic evolution of the Eurasian continent. These investigations are performed in cooperation with Prof. Sun Ge and co-workers, Jilin University/Normal University Shenyang (coordination palaeobotany and geology), Dr. Angela Bruch, Senckenberg, Frankfurt/Main (palynology), and Dr. Katarzyna Stachura-Suchoples, Alfred Wegener Institute Potsdam (diatoms). They are financially supported within project GZ295 of the Sino-German Center of Science Promotion and project 111 of China.
leaf of a maple (Acer rotundatum)
diatomite mining in the Chanbai Shan
Floristic and vegetational changes across Eurasia during the Tertiary. Database of European/Westasian floras.
The database yields about 1000 mostly Neogene plant assemblages. Taxa are listed including critical remarks and revisions. Among others depositional facies, age and applied dating methods are indicated. PANFLEURAS serves as basis for the reconstruction of palaeovegetation.
Environments and Ecosystem Dynamics of the Eurasian Neogene (EEDEN), European Science Foundation scientific programme
(chairman of the working group on vegetation history and climate reconstruction)
Duration: 2000-2005
Within the frame of this project a new methodology was developed to show main vegetation formations and their essential features (proportions of deciduous, evergreen, sclerophyllous woody taxa). This approach takes into account plant taxonomy, leaf physiognomy, and ecological requirements. Using GIS-software the results are shown on geographic maps.
Sklerophyll-a: Percentage of sclerophyllous woody taxa in late
Early to early Middle Miocene floras of Europe.
The Late Miocene flora of Mataschen, Styria, Austria.
Duration 2002-2006
The recently discovered plant-bearing site Mataschen is situated at the Western border of the Pannonian Basin close to the Austrian/Hungarian border. High species diversity and a high proportion of evergreen broad-leaved woody taxa distinguishes Mataschen from the rich Late Miocene Middle European record. Warmer and more humide climate as indicated by other plant sites have to be postulated by the plant-bearing fluvial/lacustrine sediments of Mataschen. Therefore, this flora is of high relevance for reconstruction and modelling attempts of both vegetation and climate of Europe.
Buxus: leaf of box-tree (Buxus)
Ericaceae: Cuticle of the lower leaf surface of a fossil
representative of the heath family (Ericaceae)
Miocene Terrestrial Environments Reflected in Leaf Assemblages
Project 13741-BIO of the Austrian Science Fund (project leader), within the frame of the project cluster: Changes in Eastern Alpine Miocene Ecosystems and their Geodynamic Control.
Project cooperators: M. Akhmetiev (Moscow), L. Hably (Budapest), Z. Kvacek (Prague), M. Stroebitzer-Hermann (Wien), J. Wojcicki (Krakow)
Project duration: 2000-2002
Mahonia: Leaf of Mahonia. Parschlug, Styria, Austria.
16-17 m.a.
Parschlug: Vegetation reconstruction in the region of
Parschlug based on the fossil flora: open hinterland forests are
rich in sclerophyllous woody species, in the foreground a galery
forest along a stream.
Palaeobotanical Investigations in the Köflach-Voitsberg Lignite Area
Palaeobotanical Investigations in the Köflach-Voitsberg Lignite Area
P 10337-GEO of the Austrian Science Fund (project leader), within the project cluster Geology, Palaeontology and Stratigraphy of the Köflach-Voitsberg Lignite area.
Project cooperators: D. K. Ferguson, B. Meller, R. Zetter (Wien)
Project duration: 1996-1998
Glyptostrobus: Shoot of a water pine. Oberdorf, Styria,
Austria.17-18 m.a.
Auwald: Riparian forest in the surroundings of
Köflach-Voitsberg with Sequoia, kadsura tree, ash, and
others. Vegetation reconstruction based on the fossil flora of the
lignite mining area.
Palaeontological Types in Austrian Collections
Palaeontological Types in Austrian Collections
Project leader and scientific database management; the project is financed by the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austrian National Bank, and the Museum of Natural History Vienna (1994-2002).