Surviving extinction: traits encouraging survival at times of stress

ended

Understanding the response of marine organisms to future global warming, and associated changes such as acidification and oxygenation, is difficult to evaluate based on modern observations alone. This uncertainty will be addressed by studying the fate of marine organisms during the warmer-than-present climate of the Triassic – an interval marked by several major extinction crises attributed to such factors. A major database of species and genera ranges will be constructed for selected groups showing varying susceptibility to stressors alongside a proxy database of environmental variables. I will assess patterns in this dataset using state-of-the-art subsampling and residual modelling techniques and GIS-based packages to reveal the selective roles of kill factors. By allowing me to work in one of the main mass extinction research centres in Europe, alongside Professor Paul Wignall, the fellowship will allow me to become established as a major international researcher. I will bring complementary taxonomic and geochemical skills to the Leeds, which will greatly contribute to this research group and also strengthen their links with my home institute in China, the major geosciences university at Wuhan, thus placing Europe at the forefront of research on key environmental issues concerning ocean stresses.