In my diploma thesis, I focused on the fossil macroflora from the Socka beds in the town Parož near Dobrna. The Socka beds consist of alternating layers of claystone, siltstone, and sandstone, with intermediate layers of coal and are dated to the Upper Eocene (Priabonian). The fossil macroflora found within them comprises a diverse assortment of flattened leaflets primarily from evergreen broad-leaved trees and shrubs, as well as some leafy twigs and needle-like leaves from conifers. Detailed macroscopic leaf analysis indicates that these likely belonged mostly to the families Myricaceae, Lauraceae, and Fagaceae. The fossil macroflora also provides insights into the paleoenvironment. Based on the ratio of toothed to entire leaf margins, I calculated that the average annual temperature was approximately 16.2°C with a deviation of ± 4.54°C. Some plants, such as the genera Ziziphus and Daphnogene, suggest a humid temperate to subtropical climate during the Priabonian. The fossil macroflora from the Socka beds not only offers a glimpse into the Late Eocene climate in the region but it also sheds light on interactions with herbivorous insects and fungi, which left feeding traces on these leaves. These traces mostly manifest as margin and hole feeding by the larvae of various butterfly and moth species, as well as beetles, whose damage can still be observed on the leaves of contemporary representatives of these plants. Although a wide variety of feeding types is not prominently visible in the fossil macroflora of Parož near Dobrna, it is present in various specimens. The potential explanation for this lies in the atmospheric conditions of the time, which featured higher pCO2 concentrations. This could have hindered the defense systems of evergreen plants, rendering them vulnerable to herbivory.
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