What is Geology?
Geology is the study of Earth; it explores the earth building processes of our planet and its natural hazards. Understanding Earth’s history informs our response to climate change, helps us plan land developments and infrastructure, and ensures we make the best use of our precious natural resources. Geoscientists additionally search for the natural resources which sustain our society, including water. The construction of buildings, bridges, roads, dams and reservoirs requires geological expertise in the investigation of foundations. For those with a passion for understanding our planet, the broader field of Earth and Space Science, or who have a commitment to environmental sustainability may find geological sciences a rewarding path.
Climate and Environment
Environmental and climate change through time is fundamental to our understanding of how our planet works and of how life evolved. The formation of ocean basins and the creation of mountainous topography by tectonic processes exerts a first order control on global climate as it controls the pattern of ocean currents and atmospheric flow patterns. There are many different archives of past climate and environmental changes that can be explored in order to interpret the present and predict future development. For example, Quaternary glaciations/cold periods and related geomorphological processes have formed and modified most of today’s land surface. Our research includes geochronological, geomorphological and sedimentological investigations of the nature of past ice advances. Stable isotopes can be used as palaeoclimate and palaeobiological proxies to reconstruct the Earth system response to perturbations in the system, whether human or natural or extraterrestrial. Some perturbations are made by human activity. We study the environmental impacts of human activities on lakes and estuaries. We work on extinction and diversification processes in the ocean and the dispersal and biogeography of various fauna. Global climate change and environmental responses will affect the lives of all people and we use the study ancient global changes to better inform ourselves as to future changes. Understanding the fundamental process of tectonic activity and how it interfaces with processes at the Earth’s surface (biosphere, atmosphere, pedosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere) is fundamental to understanding the environmental or climate change. Understanding how the various subdisciplines (e.g. Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, Atmospheric Sciences, Tectonics, Geomorphology, Geochronology, Geophysics etc.) are interlinked on geologic timescales is a fascinating and far-reaching aspect of the Earth Sciences.
Areas of Research:
- Palaeoclimate
- Palaeoenvironment reconstruction and Quaternary environments
- Stable isotope geochemistry and biogeochemistry, interactions among the different spheres of the Earth system, and relationships among tectonic, topographic, and climatic processes and conditions
- Glacial, process and climate geomorphology Tectonic geomorphology
- Sedimentology and basin analysis in tectonically active margins
- Vertebrate Palaeontology
Research Team:
Kari Bassett, Vanesa de Pietri, Travis Horton, Matiu Prebble, Catherine Reid, Jamie Shulmeister, Tim Stahl, Olivia Truax
