Experimental investigation of insect deposition in lentic environments and implications for formation of Konservat-Lagerstätten

Tian, Qingyi, Nanjing University

Wang, Shengyu, Nanjing University

Yang, Zixiao, Nanjing University

McNamara, Maria, University College Cork

Benton, Michael, University of Bristol, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4323-1824

Jiang, Baoyu, Nanjing University, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3016-1804

tianqingyi@outlook.com, wwwsy26@163.com, ifpighost@gmail.com, maria.mcnamara@ucc.ie, mike.benton@bristol.ac.uk, byjiang@nju.edu.cn

Published Jan 22, 2020 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.6c2fk58

Cite this dataset

Tian, Qingyi et al. (2020). Experimental investigation of insect deposition in lentic environments and implications for formation of Konservat-Lagerstätten [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.6c2fk58

Abstract

Terrestrial insects are often remarkably well preserved in lacustrine Konservat-Lagerstätten. However, the assumption that carcasses should sink fast through the water column seems to contradict evidence that this scenario is unlikely due to excessive buoyancy and surface tension. The mechanisms that promote rapid and permanent emplacement onto the sediment surface (RPESS) of such terrestrial animal remains are not fully understood. Here we use taphonomic experiments to show that floating in water, growth of microbial biofilms and reception of rapid sediment load promote RPESS of terrestrial insect remains in lentic water bodies. Our results show that the optimum conditions for RPESS occur when terrestrial insects enter a lentic water body in articulation, experience brief decay in association with growth of microbes, then are buried rapidly by airborne volcanic ash. These results provide a model for preservation of articulated terrestrial insects and emphasize the importance of microbial activity and volcanism for insect preservation in lacustrine Konservat-Lagerstätten.

Usage notes

S0-S4

This text file includes S0–S4.

S0 includes information about the fossil specimen sectioned in this study.

S1 includes methods of measuring masses, dorsal surface areas and static contact angles of the experimental insects.

S2 and S3 are details of calculating the falling velocities and external forces of the clasts during the sediment load.

S4 is a list of well-studied lacustrine Lagerstätten incorporated into the statistical analysis.

S5_Experimental_records

This spreadsheet includes measurements of insect characteristics and other parameters during the experiments, and the experimental records of Experiments 1, 3 and 4.

S6_S9_Experiment_2

This zip file includes experimental records of Experiment 2 in four separated spreadsheets.

S10_terrestrial_insects_lentic_PaleoDB

This csv file includes the insect fossil records from "lacustrine", "crater lake" and "pond" deposits downloaded from the Paleobiology Database on 19th May 2019. Records of aquatic larvae and nymphs have been manually omitted.

Funding

Chinese Academy of Sciences, Award: XDB26000000

National Natural Science Foundation of China, Award: 41672010; 41688103

National College Students Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program, Award: G201510284055

European Research Council Starting Grant, Award: 2014-ERC-StG-637691-ANICOLEVO