TY - JOUR T1 - V Factor: Volunteers as a bridge between museum scientists and the public JF - Journal of Natural Science Collections Y1 - 2013 A1 - Renee Miller A1 - Kenneth G. Johnson A1 - Ali L. Thomas A1 - Lyndsey G. Douglas A1 - Nadiezhda Santodomingo A1 - Yoke Shum Broom A1 - Therese Avedillo A1 - Cassandra Murray A1 - Theresa Sadler AB -

V Factor is a new programme at the Natural History Museum in London. It offers volunteers the chance to work in public view alongside Museum scientists on collection-based research and curation projects, taking them from visitor to proactive volunteer. It aims to involve a volunteers project manager, scientists, curators, volunteers and the public in the museum’s research. Volunteers work alongside scientists on a research project whilst benefiting from a unique, informal and fun learning experience. Visitors are able to observe the processing of samples and interact with those involved. The management of this volunteer programme is described in this paper. The pilot project was ‘Throughflow’; an international study of Southeast Asian fossil corals as a means to describe the high biodiversity of their ecosystem and the effects of environmental change. Volunteers have successfully assisted with the cleaning of specimens so that they may be curated. At the same time, they have been discussing with experts project-related information, collections care, and the role of museums today. The programme has been continuously evaluated and changed as felt necessary. By March 2013, 45 volunteers were involved. Outcomes have included improved volunteer talent and education management, excellent assistance with scientific work and novel means of attracting the public to the museum’s work.

VL - 1 ER - TY - CONF T1 - Digging on the origins of the Coral Triangle T2 - 8th International Conference on Coelenterate Biology (ICCB) Y1 - 2013 A1 - Nadiezhda Santodomingo A1 - Kenneth G. Johnson KW - East Kalimantan KW - Fossil corals KW - Miocene AB -

Reefs in the Coral Triangle host the richest coral diversity today, and palaeontological and molecular evidence suggest that the Miocene (5-23 Ma) was an important period for diversification in this region. As part of the Throughflow ITN, the aims of this study are to determine which coral species occurred during this period and to understand how environmental factors controlled coral diversification on both temporal and spatial scales. Our new collections include tens of thousands of specimens from the rich and well-preserved Miocene fossil record of small patch reefs that developed in turbid habitats that are now preserved in the sediments of the Kutai Basin of East Kalimantan (Indonesia). Preliminary results suggest that species diversity was high and comparable to modern coral settings living under turbid environmental conditions. A total of 150 morphospecies from 70 genera have been identified, including nine genera known as extinct. Our findings have revealed that some lineages that were previously known from the Plio-Pleistocene record were already present during the Miocene time. These discoveries have a profound impact on our understanding of the origins of today’s diversity in the Coral Triangle. Further research will focus on the incorporation of these fossils into phylogenetic analyses in order to estimate divergence times and explore the relationship of evolutionary trends with environmental changes at biogeographic scale.

JF - 8th International Conference on Coelenterate Biology (ICCB) CY - Eilat, Israel ER - TY - CONF T1 - Understanding the murky origins of coral diversity in the Coral Triangle T2 - Southeast Asian Gateway Evolution (SAGE 2013) Y1 - 2013 A1 - Nadiezhda Santodomingo A1 - Kenneth G. Johnson JF - Southeast Asian Gateway Evolution (SAGE 2013) CY - Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany UR - http://www.sage2013.org/ ER - TY - CONF T1 - Diversity and palaeoecology of Miocene coral-associated molluscs from East Kalimantan T2 - SAGE2013: Southeast Asian Gateway Evolution Y1 - 2013 A1 - Aires Kusworo A1 - Sonja Reich A1 - Frank P. Wesselingh A1 - Nadiezhda Santodomingo A1 - Willem Renema AB -

Currently, SE Asia is the global marine centre of diversity. High diversity is concentrated in and around reefs. A large variety of organisms, including corals and fish, but also molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms contribute to this high diversity. In order to understand the timing and the context of the origin of the modern biodiversity hotspot, the fossil record needs to be documented. However, reef facies often suffer strong diagenesis, compromising the fossil record of reef and reef-associated organisms. Here we present an assessment of a well-preserved Late Miocene mollusc fauna from Bontang (East Kalimantan, Indonesia). The fauna is found in association with branching corals, dominated by Dictyaraea. The mollusc fauna is dominated by predatory and browsing carnivorous snails and includes reefal indicators such as the gastropod Coralliophyla and the bivalve Tridacna. The new Bontang fauna gives a glimpse of the diversity and ecological composition of a Late Miocene mollusc fauna from a so-called coral-carpet environment.

JF - SAGE2013: Southeast Asian Gateway Evolution CY - Museum fuer Naturkunde, Berlin ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Environmental reconstruction of a late Burdigalian (Miocene) patch reef in deltaic deposits (East Kalimantan, Indonesia) JF - Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology Y1 - 2013 DO - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2013.01.009 A1 - Vibor Novak A1 - Nadiezhda Santodomingo A1 - Anja Rösler A1 - Emanuela Di Martino A1 - Juan Carlos Braga A1 - Paul D Taylor A1 - Kenneth G. Johnson A1 - Willem Renema SP - 110 EP - 122 AB -

Most studies of Cenozoic shallow-water, mixed carbonate-siliciclastic depositional systems have focused on their sedimentology. To date, however, comprehensive analyses of biotas and biofacies of Indo-West Pacific reefs that developed in mixed carbonate-siliciclastic systems are lacking. This study describes the palaeoenvironment and biodiversity of a late Burdigalian patch reef that developed in a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic depositional system. The studied exposure is located at the northeast margin of the Kutai Basin near Bontang (Indonesia), and is approximately 80 m wide and 25 m thick. Multi-taxon analysis of the most abundant fossil groups, including larger benthic foraminifera, corals, coralline algae, and bryozoans, aims to provide a model for environmental interpretation that will allow comparison with similar deposits of Indo-West Pacific region. Based on fossil content and lithology, five different facies types have been distinguished: foraminiferal packstone (FP), bioclastic packstone with foralgal communities (BP), thin-platy coral sheetstone (CS), platy-tabular coral platestone (CP), and shales (S). Among larger benthic foraminifera, smaller and more robust forms dominate in the FP and BP facies, while larger and flatter forms are the most abundant in the CS and CP facies. Thin-platy corals are dominant in the CS facies and gradually change into thicker platy-tabular forms in the CP facies. Assemblages and growth forms of coralline algae show no major differences between the facies types and are dominated by melobesioids and Sporolithon. The majority of bryozoan species are encrusting and were found only in the CS facies. Light-dependent organisms occurring in the reef indicate low light conditions typical for mesophotic reefs. The relatively small size of this reef complex and quite distinct vertical changes in the facies types, combined with the high siliciclastic content in most of the units, points to strong terrigenous input affecting water transparency as the main factor controlling the reef growth.

VL - 374 ER -