Small mammals at time of the middle Pliocene faunal turnover: aspects of faunal and phenotypic rearrangements in Central Europe

The project is expected to refine information on the early and middle Pliocene (i.e. post-Messinian) stage of mammalian evolution in Central Europe, a transitional period which was of a key importance for rearrangement of the Late Cenozoic faunal dynamics. Two model groups of rodents – Arvicolidae and Muridae, will be analyzed with particular respect to variation patterns in particular local populations, the chronological trends in character variation and the interregional relations with particular focus to possible migrations. The project will include (1) field prospection for new sites, revisions of existing sites including excavations and extensive sampling in recently discovered sites which study is in progress: i.e. Měňany 3, Vitošov, Javoříčko, (2) detailed biometric analysis of all available materials of the model taxa, including, (3) comparisons with populations from the Pliocene sites abroad. The project is scheduled for four years.