DCIS Lecture Series: A climate and ocean record, from plankton to fossils
Channel: Delaware County Institute of Science
Date: 2023-02-16

A climate and ocean record, from plankton to fossils  --  Dr. Claire Routledge (Univ. Kiel) 

Presentation given via Zoom Monday, February 13, 2023

Intervals of dramatic climatic and oceanographic change in Earth’s history has seen major extinctions and compositional changes in plankton, especially calcareous nannoplankton (coccolithophores), the most abundant calcifying organisms on the planet. By studying nannoplankton diversity and community structure through significant periods of climatic and environmental change, we are able to compare these with proxies of climate and ocean change and which allow us to test whether climatic shifts played a role in plankton evolution and population composition. This talk introduces calcareous nannoplankton, climate and ocean change over the Cenozoic (past 66 million years), and provide insights on how this research can be used to improve our understanding of the direction Earth’s climate is heading.

To learn more about the speakers and to view the schedule for the DCIS Lecture Series, visit: https://tinyurl.com/dcislectureseries

For more information about the Delaware County Institute of Science, visit: https://www.delcoscience.org/