Micropalaeontology
Over 100,000 microscopic fossils from deep-sea sediments – a key database for climate and evolutionary research
Overview
The Museum für Naturkunde Berlin micropalaeontology collection is one of the world’s leading collections of marine microfossils. It comprises well over 100,000 specimens and more than 2,000 holotypes.
The holdings are divided into three main sections:
- Deep-sea collection – containing radiolarians, diatoms, silicoflagellates, coccolithophores, foraminifera and palynological specimens from marine sediments worldwide. It forms the largest part of this collection and focuses on marine biosilicatic microfossils.
- Ehrenberg Collection – one of the oldest and most significant micropalaeontological collections in the world, containing thousands of specimens, drawings and samples, as well as extensive type collections
- Ostracod and smaller collections – several thousand specimens of fossil ostracods, as well as smaller collections of foraminifera and dinoflagellates
The sub-collection contains material from all continents and covers the Cenozoic in particular, but also older geological periods.
Access
The micropalaeontological collection is closed to the public until further notice. For this reason, we are currently unable to accommodate requests for loans or photographs, or arrange visits to the sub-collection
A large part of the collection – particularly newer holdings such as the Lamont Collection – has so far only been partially catalogued for conservation purposes and digitally recorded.
- Parts of the collection are documented in internal databases (e.g. Access databases, card index systems).
- Special collections, such as the Ehrenberg Collection, have their own digital access points and extensive online resources.
History
The sub-collection brings together historical and modern holdings spanning over two centuries of research.
The Ehrenberg Collection dates back to Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg (1795–1876). In the 19th century, he pioneered the systematic study of microscopic organisms and described thousands of species. His collection includes, amongst other things, materials from Charles Darwin’s research as well as specimens from scientific networks around the world during his time.
The modern deep-sea collection has been specifically expanded over recent decades:
- through international research programmes such as deep-sea drilling (DSDP, ODP, IODP),
- through the acquisition of significant collections (e.g. the Lamont Collection in 2021)
- as well as through donations and research collaborations.
The Lamont Collection documents, amongst other things, material from studies on Quaternary climate change, which contributed to the confirmation of the Milanković cycles and had a decisive influence on modern palaeoclimate research.
Other collections – such as the ostracod collection – were established in the context of regional geological research, particularly in the GDR.
Research
The micropalaeontological collection forms a key foundation for research into climate, oceans and evolution across geological time scales.
Key research areas include:
- Palaeoclimate research (e.g. reconstruction of ice ages and climate dynamics)
- Paleoceanography (development of marine ecosystems)
- Biostratigraphy and sediment dating
- Taxonomy and evolution of microscopic organisms
The deep-sea collection in particular enables high-resolution analyses of global environmental changes. The Ehrenberg Collection continues to serve as a reference for the redescription of species and the standardisation of taxonomic names.
As part of international research networks – such as the Microfossil Reference Centre (MRC) – the museum actively contributes to the global infrastructure of micropalaeontology.