Revealing the role of adaptive radiation in driving early animal evolution. This project aims to determine the importance of adaptive radiation—the rapid diversification of a group into a variety of e

Description

Revealing the role of adaptive radiation in driving early animal evolution. This project aims to determine the importance of adaptive radiation—the rapid diversification of a group into a variety of ecological niches—in driving early animal evolution. New knowledge will be generated by synthesizing large fossil and palaeoenvironmental datasets, and using a new method of calculating morphological diversity through deep time. Expected outcomes include a greater understanding of the factors driving past diversification events, including how groups recover after major extinctions. Significant benefits include a new framework for analysing biodiversity in the fossil record, and highlighting Australia’s outstanding museum collections and geological record of early life.. Scheme: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Field: 3705 - Geology. Lead: Dr James Holmes