Unlocking the secret lives of marine animals using shells and bones

Capitalizing on the wealth of chemical data in accretionary structures: Opportunities from across the tree of life

Aquatic organisms are natural data loggers and record chemical variations within hardened accretionary structures like shells and teeth. Chemical sclerochronology is the study of these chemical variations through time and how they are used to understand environmental change and the physiology and ecology of species.

In this study, led by Zoe, we compiled a database of chemical sclerochronology studies spanning nine living phyla and 19 classes. We then examined research trends and knowledge gaps across these taxa and showcase their exciting potential to collect critical data and address pressing environmental and ecological challenges.

Using isotopic fingerprints to track the provenance of a commercially valuable species

This study, led by Honours student, Elise Boultby, shows how geochemical markers or fingerprints in gastropod shells can be used to track the provenance of origins of valuable commercial species. Elise tested her research out on wild caught and farmed Australian abalone.

Reading the Biomineralized Book of Life

In this large collaborative paper led by Patrick Reis Santos, the authorship team summarise recent advancements and challenges that lie ahead for otolith geochemistry and it use in fisheries and ecosystem-based management.

Read the paper here

Introducing the “universal marker” concept and how it could be used to track a greater spectrum of marine life

Read our concept paper here

Reconstructing the Environmental Histories of Cephalopods

Read our latest paper here led by Dr Jasmin Martino

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