Jena. September 17, 2026 – An interdisciplinary research team has investigated the influence of historical climate changes on mammalian diversity in Central Asia during the Paleogene period, 66 to 23 million years ago. The German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig and the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena played a key role in this internationally recognized study.
- Topic: Influence of climate change on mammalian communities in the Paleogene
- Participation: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena and iDiv
- Publication: Scientific journal “Nature Communications”
- Study period: 66 to 23 million years ago
Regional Dry Phases as an Evolutionary Factor
Led by Dr. Gemma Louise Benevento, a researcher at iDiv and the University of Jena, the team evaluated fossil findings from Mongolia and China. The results clarify that, in addition to global temperature shifts, a regional aridification phase in the middle Eocene significantly shaped the development of animal communities. While an early warming phase approximately 56 million years ago led to a tripling of mammalian diversity, subsequent cooling and aridity caused a sharp decline in species and a reduction in body size.
Scientific work at Thuringian research institutions in particular contributes to deciphering such complex ecological relationships in detail. Similar biogeographical insights are occasionally provided by specialized events, such as those made accessible to a broad public through offers from the Volkshaus- und Bildungsinitiativen in Jena.
Relevance for Modern Conservation
The historical findings provide valuable insights for dealing with current climate change. The researchers emphasize that regional and local changes – such as water availability or the shifting of habitats – are of enormous importance for the preservation of today’s biodiversity. To reliably assess the future reactions of ecosystems to global warming, such small-scale factors must be more strongly integrated into climate projections.
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Background: Biodiversity Research in Jena
Over the past few years, Jena has developed into an internationally recognized center for biodiversity and evolutionary research. Through institutions such as iDiv and the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, ecological, geoscientific, and historical data are brought together to understand the mechanisms of environmental change in Earth’s history and their parallels to the present.
Source:
Climate change shaped mammalian diversity 66 to 23 million years ago
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.