Elizabeth V. Nunn

 

Research Synopsis

The primary focus of my current research is on Jurassic and Cretaceous palaeoclimatology, in particular, on climatic and environmental changes as expressed through isotopic and geochemical proxies.

The Jurassic–Cretaceous is a time of great global warmth, with elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and warm polar regions. There is a lot of compelling evidence to support the idea of extreme and prolonged greenhouse conditions, although, some recent research has also speculated that at times, the greenhouse climate may have been punctuated by sub-freezing conditions at the poles. The evidence to support this theory however is somewhat equivocal and is both spatially and temporally limited.

My current research addresses this palaeoclimatic paradigm by conducting extensive stable isotope and geochemical analyses on marine and terrestrial macrofossils (e.g., belemnites and wood). I am particularly interested in using this approach to better understand key palaeoclimatological issues, such as the nature of high latitude palaeoclimates, large-scale climatic perturbations, ocean–atmosphere interactions and carbon-cycling. In addition, I am also interested in applying sclerochronological principals to reconstructing high-resolution climatic and seasonal fluctuations during this fascinating time period.

 

Publications

 

In review and submitted: 

 

 

Peer-reviewed: 

(7)get abstract of this paper as pdf file Nunn EV, Price GD, Gröcke DR, Baraboshkin EY, Leng MJ and Hart MB 2010. The Valanginian positive carbon isotope event In Arctic Russia: Evidence from terrestrial and marine isotope records and implications for global carbon cycling. Cretaceous Research, 31, 557-592 (doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2010.07.007).

(6)get abstract of this paper as pdf file Nunn EV and Price GD 2010. Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian–Tithonian) stable isotopes (δ18O, δ13C) and Mg/Ca ratios: new palaeoclimate data from Helmsdale, northeast Scotland. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 292, 325-335.

(5)get abstract of this paper as pdf file Schöne BR, Zhang Z, Radermacher P, Thébault J, Jacob D, Nunn EV and Maurer A-F 2010. Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios of ontogenetically old, long-lived bivalve shells (Arctica islandica) and their function as paleotemperature proxies. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, in press (doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.03.016).

(4)get abstract of this paper as pdf file Price GD and Nunn EV. Valanginian isotope variation in glendonites and belemnites from Arctic Svalbard: Transient glacial temperatures during the Cretaceous greenhouse. Geology, 38, 251-254.

            This paper has been presented as a research highlight in Nature Geoscience.

(3)get abstract of this paper as pdf file Thébault J, Schöne BR, Hallmann N, Barth M and Nunn EV 2009. Investigation of Li/Ca variations in aragonitic shells of the ocean quahog Arctica islandica, northeast Iceland. Geochemistry, Geophysics, and Geosystems 10, Q12008, doi:10.1029/2009GC002789 (15pp.).

(2) get abstract of this paper as pdf file Nunn EV, Price GD, Hart MB, Page KN and Leng MJ 2009. Isotopic signals from Callovian–Kimmeridgian (Middle–Upper Jurassic) belemnites and bulk organic carbon, Staffin Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 166, 633-641.

(1) get abstract of this paper as pdf file Kriwet J, Nunn EV and Klug S 2009. Neoselachians (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchii) from the Lower and lower Upper Cretaceous of north-eastern Spain. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 155, 316-347.

 

 

Other publications: 

(1)get abstract of this paper as pdf file Schöne BR and Nunn EV 2010. 2nd International Sclerochronology Conference, 24-28th July 2010 – Program and Abstracts. Terra Nostra 2010/3, 174 pp, Berlin (ISSN 0946-8978).

 

 

Conference contributions

 

Oral presentations held at international meetings:

(16) Nunn EV, Price GD, Schöne BR, 2010. "Belemnite sclerochronology: a new technique for understanding ontogeny and ecology." Palaeontological Association Annual Meeting, Ghent, Belgium.

(15) Nunn EV, Price GD, Schöne BR, 2010. "High-latitude seasonality during the Cretaceous greenhouse." 2nd International Sclerochronology Conference, Mainz, Germany.

(14) Nunn EV, Price GD, Schöne BR, 2010. "High-resolution stable isotope (oxygen and carbon) sclerochronology in belemnites: implications for Early Cretaceous seasonality." EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria.

(13) Nunn EV, Price GD, Hart MB, Baraboshkin EY and Leng MJ, 2009. "Volgian–Hauterivian δ13C, δ18O and Mg/Ca ratios from Russian belemnites: implications for Arctic climate and δ18Oseawater." 8th International Symposium on the Cretaceous System, Plymouth, UK.

(12) Price GD and Nunn EV, 2008. "Isotopic analysis of coexisting glendonites and molluscs from the Early Cretaceous of Svalbard: implications for high latitude climate." BSRG AGM, Liverpool, UK.

(11) Price GD and Nunn EV, 2008. "A Sedimentological and Isotopic Evaluation of a High Latitude Early Cretaceous Succession from Svalbard." 33rd IGC, Oslo, Norway.

(10) Price GD and Nunn EV, 2008. "Early Cretaceous Marine Isotope Records from Siberia." EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria.

(9) Kemp DB, Simmons MD, Sharland PR, Lodola D and Nunn EV, 2008. "Isotopic evidence for palaeoclimate–sea-level linkages in the Mesozoic." EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria.

(8) Nunn EV, Maher C, Higton J, Sharland PR, Simmons MD, Davies RB and Sutcliffe OE, 2007. "Sequence Stratigraphy of Southeast Asia: Global Comparisons." Emerging Plays in Australasia, Geological Society, London, UK.

(7) Price GD and Nunn EV, 2007. "Early Cretaceous Isotope Records from the Arctic." EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria.

(6) Price GD and Nunn EV, 2006. "A Sedimentological and Isotopic Evaluation of a High Latitude Jurassic - Early Cretaceous Succession from Svalbard." BSRG AGM, Aberdeen, UK.

(5) Nunn EV, Price GD, Hart MB, Page KN and Leng MJ, 2006. "A Callovian - Kimmeridgian stable isotope record from Staffin Bay, Isle of Skye, UK: Implications for the ocean - atmosphere system." 7th International Congress on the Jurassic System, Krakow, Poland. Published Abstract: Volumina Jurassica, 4, 198.

(4) Nunn EV, Price GD, Hart MB, Page KN and Leng MJ, 2005. "A Callovian - Kimmeridgian Organic Carbon-Isotope Record from Staffin Bay, Isle of Skye." BSRG AGM, Durham, UK.

(3) Nunn EV, Price GD, Hart MB and Baraboshkin EJ, 2005. "Isotopic Signals from Ryazanian - Hauterivian Arctic Belemnites of the Boyarka River, Northern Central Siberia." 7th International Symposium on the Cretaceous, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

(2) Price GD, Rogov M and Nunn EV, 2004. "Assessing the Evidence for a Late Jurassic (Oxfordian - Kimmeridgian) Icehouse to Greenhouse Transition." BSRG AGM, Manchester, UK.

(1) Nunn EV, Price GD and Hart MB, 2004. "High Latitude Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous Climates." Progressive Palaeontology, Cardiff, UK.

 

 Poster presentations

(13) Nunn EV, Price GD and Schöne BR, 2010. "Seasonality of Early Cretaceous temperatures recorded in subtropical to Arctic belemnites." Palaeontological Association Annual Meeting, Ghent, Belgium.

(12) Nunn EV, Price GD and Schöne BR, 2010. "Sclerochronological analysis of the belemnite Acroteuthis lateralis: a new technique for understanding ontogeny and ecology." 2nd International Sclerochronology Conference, Mainz, Germany.

(11) Nunn EV and Price GD, 2010. "Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian-Tithonian) carbon isotope stratigraphy and palaeoclimate data from Helmsdale, northeast Scotland." EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria.

(10) Radermacher P, Schöne BR, Nunn EV and Zhang Z, 2010. "Sr heterogeneity in Arctica islandica shells and the potential use of Sr/Ca ratios as paleotemperature proxies." EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria.

(9) Price GD and Nunn EV, 2009. "Isotope variation in Valanginian glendonites and belemnites from Arctic Svalbard: implications for Cretaceous ocean temperatures." 8th International Symposium on the Cretaceous System, Plymouth, UK.

(8) Nunn EV, Price GD, Hart MB, Gröcke DR, Baraboshkin EY and Leng MJ, 2009. "The Upper Valanginian positive carbon isotope event in Arctic Russia: evidence from a coupled terrestrial–marine record." 8th International Symposium on the Cretaceous System, Plymouth, UK.

(7) Price GD and Nunn EV, 2009. "Isotope variation in Valanginian glendonites and belemnites from Arctic Svalbard: implications for Cretaceous ocean temperatures." EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria.

(6) Kemp D, Brasier AT, Davies RB, Kilner B, Oxford M, Nunn EV, Sharland PR, Simmons MD and Sutcliffe OE, 2008. "Palaeoclimatic drivers of a global sequence stratigraphic model and implications for exploration." AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, USA.

(5) Simmons MD, Casey DM, Davies RB, Kemp DB, Maher C, Nunn EV, Sharland PR and Sutcliffe OE, 2007. "Sequence stratigraphy: causality and insights to understanding past climate change." Bicentennial Conference, Geological Society, London, UK.

(4) Nunn EV, Maher C, Higton J, Sharland PR, Simmons MD, Davies RB and Sutcliffe OE, 2007. "Sequence Stratigraphy of Southeast Asia: Global Comparisons." Emerging Plays in Australasia, Geological Society, London, UK.

(3) Nunn EV and Price GD, 2006. "Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous Climates of the Northern High Latitudes." 7th International Congress on the Jurassic System, Krakow, Poland. Published Abstract: Volumina Jurassica, 4, 124-125.

(2) Nunn EV and Price GD, 2005. "Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous Climates of the Northern High Latitudes." BSRG AGM, Durham, UK.

(1) Price GD, Nunn EV, Baraboshkin EJ and Mutterlose J, 2005. "Isotopic Signals from Early Cretaceous Subpolar Belemnites, Siberia." 7th International Symposium on the Cretaceous, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.