Claire Marie Routledge
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PhD Title
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Plankton evolution and the Paleogene/Neogene transition |
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Research Theme
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Past Life and Environments |
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Primary Supervisor
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Primary Institution
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Secondary Supervisor
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Secondary Institution
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Abstract
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The modern oceanic phytoplankton community comprises three algal groups: the diatoms, coccolithophores and dinoflagellates. The late Eocene to early Miocene saw significant decline in the diversity of coccolithophores (calcareous nannoplankton), coincident with a rise in siliceous diatoms. This time period also saw major climatic reorganisation with high latitude cooling, ice sheet growth on Antarctica and glacial-interglacial cycles. This project will document the structure and timing of calcareous nannoplankton diversity through this interval (33–21 Ma) and test whether climatic shifts played a significant role in plankton evolution, population variability and population composition. Coccolithophores are well suited to palaeodiversity analysis due, in part, to their small size, wide geographic range and relatively robust calcite construction. Diversity, assemblage and biometric data will be generated at varying resolution to capture small- and large-scale trends in nannoplankton diversity through this interval. Sample material will primarily focus on cores recovered during IODP Expedition 342 to the North Atlantic in 2012. The clay-rich sediment drifts are unique for deep sea sediments as they provide expanded stratigraphy and exceptional microfossil preservation. Preliminary results indicate lithologies conserve high diversities and a wide range of taxonomic groups, including families not previously identified as fossils. |
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Policy Impact
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Background Reading
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Grants and awards
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Publications
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None |
