The Western Australian Museum’s Collection Manager of the Simpson Mineral Collection, Dr Geoff Deacon, will present a public lecture on the use of microfossils and macrofossils in understanding climate and sea-level change in WA.
This lecture is particularly topical with climate change currently standing as one of the major issues discussed throughout the World. Consistently news reports maintain that our planet is warming and that sea-levels are rising faster than ever before.
In 2000, Dr Deacon completed a PhD at the University of Western Australia that involved the use of micro-fossils to track Quaternary changes (the past 1.8 million years) in sea-levels off the north western Australian coast.
His qualification and research experience provides a unique ability to link biodiversity to climate and sea-levels from both a micro-fossil and macro-faunal perspective.
Dr Deacon says one of palaeontology’s most powerful tools for recording climate and sea-levels throughout the ages is the way that organisms evolve under the application of environmental pressures.
“Studies of fossils from both onshore and offshore are able to tell us the conditions we have experienced in the past and help us to predict what we can expect in the future,” he said.
“Few people realise that palaeontology has long clued us into the fact that this cycle of warming starting 18,000 years ago and that 8,000 years ago sea-level was rising more than four times faster than at present.
“We also know, for example, that 18,000 years ago sea-levels were 120 metres lower than they are today and that we could have walked from the Australian mainland to Rottnest, Tasmania or even Papua New Guinea. Throughout this time the Australian continent was not only cooler but drier.”
In his public lecture, Dr Deacon will outline the current state of knowledge of the Earth’s climatic history, place our present situation into a historic context and provide a balanced prediction of our future based on the information that marine microfossils and terrestrial macrofossils can tell us.
The lectures are part of The Harry Butler lecture series: In the Wild West and proudly presented by the WA Museum in partnership with Chevron Australia. The series showcases the work of Museum scientists, curators and associates in the areas of natural and social sciences.
LECTURE: What fossils tell us about sea-level and climate change
WHEN: 7.00pm, Thursday 9 June 2011, and 10.00, Friday 10 June 2011.
WHERE: WA Museum – Geraldton, Museum Place, Batavia Coast Marina, Geraldton.
BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL: 9921 5080 or online at www.museum.wa.gov.au/inthewildwest
COST: By gold coin donation
Renee Dodds, Western Australian Museum: T 9212 3860 M 0414 381 761
Flora Perrella, Western Australian Museum: T 9212 3856 M 0424 027 646 (before 3 June)
