The MUCBO | Museum of Natural Sciences, thanks to funding from the Consell de Mallorca, is carrying out two projects to deepen the understanding of different geological periods of the island.
The first project focuses on reconstructing the evolution of Mallorca’s ecosystems during the Mediterranean Salinity Crisis (MSC), including periods such as the Miocene-Pleistocene transition. Studies and datings of vertebrate and invertebrate fauna from these periods are being conducted, especially from the late Miocene found at the Feliu promontory (Calvià), which helps to better understand the pre-glacial fauna of the island. Using techniques like stratigraphy, sedimentology, geochemistry, and paleontology, the aim is to achieve a comprehensive understanding of Mallorca’s geological and biological history. The project, with a budget of €64,500, also has implications for geotourism and environmental education.
The second project, with a budget of €61,000, focuses on the study of Permian and Middle Triassic ecosystems. In collaboration with the Catalan Institute of Paleontology, vertebrate remains from the Permian are being analyzed from the Na Nadala stream (Banyalbufar), as well as exceptional insect fossils from the Triassic at the Piedra Alta site. Additionally, datings using detrital zircons help deepen the understanding of Pangea’s equatorial ecosystems and the evolution before and after the Permian-Triassic extinction.
With a multidisciplinary approach, these projects not only contribute to scientific knowledge but also highlight the natural heritage of Mallorca, with benefits for geotourism and environmental education. The results are disseminated through scientific papers and presentations at local and international conferences.
