Understanding the links between climate change and extinction: a deep-time perspective
Seth Finnegan, Professor
Integrative Biology
Closed. This professor is continuing with Fall 2023 apprentices on this project; no new apprentices needed for Spring 2024.
Mass extinctions in the fossil record provide us with case studies of biodiversity crises and global change that extend beyond human timescales. Approximately 445 million years ago, about 80% of marine animal species on Earth became extinct during a period of global climate change; however, the primary drivers and the extinction remain enigmatic: while there is a clear link between climate change and the Late Ordovician mass extinction, it remains uncertain as to whether global warming, cooling, or some corollary of climate change such as sea level or oxygenation, was the principle driver of the extinction event A better understanding of the Late Ordovician mass extinction will allow us to study the impact of climate change and extinction on the biosphere through the fossil record.
Role: Students involved in this project can participate in one of three separate areas of research focused on the Late Ordovician mass extinction:
1. Stable isotope geochemistry: The Late Ordovician mass extinction is associated with a major global perturbation to the carbon cycle, known as the Hirnantian carbon isotope excursion (HICE). Understanding the timing of the HICE relative to the Late Ordovician mass extinction is key for understanding the expression of the extinction event in the fossil record. Over the course of the project, students will gain hands-on-training in the preparation of geochemical samples for stable isotope analysis as they work to reconstruct the pattern of the HICE in the Upper Ordovician rock record.
2. Paleoecological analysis: In contrast to the clear impact of the Late Ordovician mass extinction on global species diversity, the extent to which the extinction event affected ecosystems remains unclear. Over the course of this project, students will work with field-collected paleoecological data to assess how ecosystems responded to environmental changes over the course of the extinction. Students will learn different approaches to characterizing and comparing ancient ecosystems and will have the opportunity to work hands-on with fossils.
3. Stratigraphic assessment of faunal turnover: The structure of the stratigraphic record is known to control the expression of biological events in the fossil record. Understanding this relationship is critical for determining the timing, pattern, and drivers of the Late Ordovician mass extinction. Students will gather and work with published data to conduct a basin-wide assessment of faunal turnover within a sequence stratigraphic framework that can be used to study the timing and pattern of the Late Ordovician mass extinction.
Qualifications: Students interested in the project should have basic experience (i.e. course work, mentored/independent research) in paleontology and/or the geosciences, depending on the applicant’s project of choice, and are interested in undertaking a more rigorous study of the fossil record. We are seeking candidates who are willing to ask questions whenever necessary, engage with and learn about the materials and project tasked to them. Students must be respectful of others, able to work independently, and willing to communicate with the project supervisor.
Hours: to be negotiated
Related website: http://finneganlab.org
Biological & Health Sciences