Members of Staff
Macropalaeontology
This has further provided a satisfactory test of Kirk's iconoclastic theories on general graptolite mode of life, evolution, and affinities. Further work in this and related fields are in press or preparation. Continuing work with Polish and Canadian colleagues fill be further pursued during Bates's forthcoming study leave
Palmer conducts primary taxonomy of Mesozoic molluscs and bioeroding invertebrates (not part of the submitted portfolio; latter topic is currently under a NERC studentship) and work on novel preservational methods (3rd citation). But his main research crosses into sedimentological territory. Examples include drawing information about original textures or chemistry of the sediments or about early precipitation or dissolution of carbonate minerals from palaeontological data (1st citation); and processes of sediment consolidation (by binding and promoting cement precipitation) and destruction (by bioerosion) in reefs and other organic buildups (3rd & 4th citations). Further work in bioerosion (particularly Jurassic and Ordovician) is being conducted, following the good ichnotaxonomic clarification conducted by recent research students. Current work (with U.S. and Russian co-workers) on effects of Ordovician sea-water on shell dissolution and sea-floor lithification will be completed. He is also extending his reseach interests into economic aspects of limestones.
Micropalaeontology (Haynes, Whatley) The ostracod sub-group enjoys long-standing international recognition as a centre of excellence for its work in taxonomy, producing monographs on Mesozoic and Cenozoic faunas worldwide, as well as the post-Palaeozoic Ostracoda Treatise revision. Pioneering work has been done on biostratigraphic application; environmental reconstruction (using population age statistics to ensure autochthoneity) of depth, salinity and temperature / climate based on faunal association and shell chemistry; and on cytogenetics of marine species (Moguilevsky). Recently the concept of percentage proportions of filter feeders to determine marine oxygen levels back to the Devonian has been developed. Work has also covered palaeoceanography, global warming, zoogeography, palaeo-migration events, evolution in isolation, DNA and electrophoresis of freshwater/brackish species.
Collaborative research is carried out with some 59 workers in 24 countries and 17 colleagues in the UK. The team has a large number of foreign and UK researchers coming to work for periods up to 3 years attracted by our excellent facilities, especially the micropalaeontological collections and specialist library (recognised by ODP in 1994 as the only approved centre for Micropalaeontology in the UK). The group is known for its exhaustive publication list, 2 edited volumes and over 70 journal articles.
Over years, Micropalaeontology has attracted large amounts of money in research grants and studentships from government, industry and other sources; and travel grants from the Royal Society, British Council, CONICET (Argentina), CNPQ (Brazil), University of Kansas, Canadian Geol. Surv., Academia Sineca and others (including internal sources).
Whatley has achieved wide international recognition (membership of Argentinian Academy of Sciences; life membership Argentine Geol. Soc.; NERC Biodiversity & Taxonomy Steering Committee; University of Kuwait Scientific Research Assessor; Assessor for Australian Research Council; Advisor to NERC / ODP panel; Member Board of Editors, Treatise on Invertebrate Palaeontology; Editorial Board Revista Española de Micropaleontología).
The foraminiferan group has an even longer history of recognised excellence and is currently noted for the application to biostratigraphy and palaeoecology (particularly from boreholes off the west coast of Britain and the Quaternary of the Irish Sea Basin); and for taxonomic studies of the rotaliids.
Palynology (Batten, Lamb)