PalGes 2016 in Dresden

Kenneth De Baets co-chaired a session on biotic interactions entitled "Symbiosis, sociality and predation: biotic interactions through deep time" with Joachim Haug (LMU Munich). Our session was really diverse and successful with talks on competition, symbiosis, epizoa, sociality, predation and parasitism covering a variety of organisms (fungi, arthropods, ammonoids, flatworms, crustacea, graptolites, echinoderms).  We had the honor of  being able to invite two keynote speakers: Lee Hsiang Liow (University of Oslo) spoke about "BIOTIC INTERACTIONS IN THE FOSSIL RECORDS: PICKING THE RIGHT TOOLS AND TAXA" and Jean Vannier (University of Lyon) spoke about "EARLY ANIMAL LIFE: FOSSIL EVIDENCE FOR FEEDING RELATIONSHIPS". We also take this opportunity to thank the organisers and making it possible to apply for financial support through the DFG for invited keynote speakers . Our lab contributed a talk on "THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRATING FOSSILS IN EVOLUTIONARY PARASITOLOGY" (Kenneth De Baets) and "3D-ANALYSIS OF A NON-PLANISPIRAL AMMONOID FROM THE HUNSRÜCK SLATE: NATURAL OR PATHOLOGICAL VARIATION?" (Julia Stilkerich). Patricia Rita presented her pre-PhD work on Pliensbachian-Toarcian foraminers in collaboration with Matias Reolid and Luis Duarte. Currently, she is working on the response of ammonoid and belemnite body size to the Pliensbachian-Toarcian crisis. Marianne Kunkel, who is currently doing her Master thesis on Body Size Dynamics of Late Devonian ammonoids in our lab, presented a poster on her Bachelor thesis research. Several other colleagues and students from our institute were also present.  One of them, Theresa Nohl, won a prize for her talk. Congratulations! We are looking forward to our next PalGes Meeting. Some images (courtesy of Emilia Jarachowska)