Contents:
Quick links:
MRC Collections
Introduction
The scope of the MRC collections is global, with ca 5,000 prepared
samples for each of the four fossil groups held (planktonic foraminifera, calcareous nannofossils, diatoms and radiolaria—see detailed list of
maps by age and fossil group).
Samples range in age back to the Jurassic, although older geologic
intervals are relatively rare (see Recovery figure below). The MRC
collections closely reflect the overall pattern of recovery by the
DSDP and ODP projects, which in turn reflect primary patterns of
microfossil and sediment preservation through time.
Database
A full listing of the prepared samples held by the MRCs is available for
download as a tab-delimited text file. This file is regularly updated from the MRC master database in Berlin. In addition to
sample name, basic descriptive ages, fossil group abundance and
preservation information is provided.
NEPTUNE
The MRCs do not provide information about the distribution of individual species of microfossils in their collections. Researchers wishing to discover what is known about individual taxa distributions in deep-sea drilling samples can consult the NEPTUNE database of DSDP-ODP microfossil occurrence data at CHRONOS.