Research

The biomarine sciences research program is based on the analysis of recent and fossil marine biota and molecules recovered from marine deposits. The aim is to provide basic contributions to the understanding of the role of primary and secondary producers as monitors, recorders, drivers, and moderators of climatic and environmental change on different temporal and spatial scales, in the past, present and future. The biomarine sciences group operates in close collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research (NIOZ).

        

The research program is characterized by an integration of actualistic (observational, experimental) data and/or models with palaeo-data to improve the understanding of past and present behavior of biota in relation to exogenous stressors (e.g. climate change, meteorite impacts, human impact) triggering dynamic biotic processes such as extinction, migration and evolution.

 Successful implementation of this mission implies the development of research projects on the interface of biology and earth sciences. The program is an integral part of the interfacultary 'Institute for Palaeoenvironment and Palaeoclimate Utrecht' (IPPU) and is the contribution of Utrecht University to the 'Netherlands Research School of Sedimentary Geology' (NSG).

To study biotic responses to environmental and climatic change we use a selection of biota and organic compounds that are sensitive to such changes and abundantly available in the fossil record.

palaeoklimaat1 from Leonard Bik on Vimeo.