Biography
2003-2007: MESc undergraduate degree in Earth Sciences, St. Peter's College, University of Oxford
2007-2011: DPhil in Ediacaran Palaeobiology, Exeter College, University of Oxford
2011-2014: Henslow Junior Research Fellow, Girton College, University of Cambridge
2014-2016: NERC Independent Research Fellow, University of Bristol
2016-2021: University Lecturer in Palaeobiology, University of Cambridge
2021- : Associate Professor, University of Cambridge
Research
My research investigates the history of life during the interval of geological time encompassing the origin and radiation of animals, between ~750-485 million years ago. Much of my previous work has explored fossils of the Ediacaran Period (635-539 million years ago), particularly the enigmatic Ediacaran macrobiota - a group of soft-bodied organisms with unusual body plans that includes the earliest members of extant animal groups. In addition to examining aspects of Ediacaran palaeoecology and taxonomy, I attempt to better understand the biology of Ediacaran organisms by interpreting them within a palaeoenvironmental and geological context. This involves studies into fossil preservation, ichnology, sedimentology and geochemistry, in a variety of field areas including Newfoundland (Canada), Brazil, Namibia, Australia and China. I ultimately hope to determine the causes and consequences of animal diversification, and the interplay between animal evolution and the Earth System.
Publications
Selected recent publications. A full publication list can be found in the publications database here.
O’Connell, B., McMahon, W.J., Nduutepo, A., Pokolo, P., Mocke, H., McMahon, S., Boddy, C.E. and Liu, A.G. (2025)
Transport of ‘Nama’-type biota in sediment gravity and combined flows: Implications for terminal Ediacaran palaeoecology.
Sedimentology, doi: 10.1111/sed.13239
Wang, Z., Davies, N.S., Liu, A.G., Minter, N.J., and Rahman, I.A. (2024)
Identifying the signatures of the earliest benthic bulldozers in emergent subaerial conditions during the colonization of land by animals.
Proceedings of the Royal Society, B, 291(2034), 20241629. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.1629
Wang, X., Liu, A.G., Chen, Z., Wu, C., Liu, Y., Wan, B., Pang, K., Zhou, C., Yuan, X. and Xiao, S. (2024)
A late Ediacaran crown-group sponge animal.
Nature, 630(8018), 905–911. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07520-y
Delahooke, K.M., Liu, A.G., Stephenson, N.P. and Mitchell, E.G. (2024)
‘Conga lines’ of Ediacaran fronds: insights into the reproductive biology of early metazoans.
Royal Society Open Science, 11, 231601. doi: 10.1098/rsos.231601
Vixseboxse, P.B., McMahon, S.H. and Liu, A.G. (2024)
Taphonomic experiments fixed and conserved with Paraloid B72 resin via solvent replacement.
Lethaia, 57(1), 1–11. doi: 10.18261/let.57.1.1
Boddy, C.E., Mitchell, E.G., Merdith, A. and Liu, A.G. (2022)
Palaeolatitudinal distribution of the Ediacaran macrobiota.
Journal of the Geological Society, 179 (1), jgs2021-030, doi: 10/1144/jgs2021-030
Dunn, F.S., Liu, A.G., Grazhdankin, D.V., Vixseboxse, P., Flannery-Sutherland, J., Green, E., Harris, S., Wilby, P.R. and Donoghue, P.C.J. (2021)
The developmental biology of Charnia and the eumetazoan affinity of the Ediacaran rangeomorphs.
Science Advances, 7, eabe0291. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abe0291
Liu, A.G., and Dunn, F.S. (2020)
Filamentous connections between Ediacaran fronds.
Current Biology, 30, 1322–1328, doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.01.052
Wood, R., Liu, A.G., Bowyer, F., Wilby, P.R., Dunn, F.S., Kenchington, C.G., Hoyal Cuthill, J.F., Mitchell, E.G. & Penny, A. (2019)
Integrated records of environmental change and evolution challenge the Cambrian Explosion
Nature Ecology & Evolution, 3, 528-538. doi: 10.1038/s41559-019-0821-6
Liu, A.G., McMahon, S., Matthews, J.J., Still, J. and Brasier, A.T. (2019)
Petrological evidence supports the death mask model for the preservation of Ediacaran soft-bodied organisms in South Australia
Geology, 47(3), 215-218. doi.org/10.1130/G45918.1
Instagram: palaeo_ninja
Teaching and Supervisions
Part 1B ESA Carbonate and chemical sediments.
Part II, Ancient Life and Environments
Part III, Records of Major Environmental Change
Dorset field trip co-ordinator.
Supervisions in sedimentology, palaeobiology and climate.
PhD students
Katie Delahooke (2020 - Present): Eco-evolutionary dynamics of early animal ecosystems.
Philip Vixseboxse (2021 - Present): Experimental approaches to the preservation of Ediacaran macrofossils.
Catherine Boddy (2021 - Present): Sedimentology and depositional environments of late Ediacaran shallow marine successions.
Lara Uttinger (2024 - Present): Palaeogeographic controls on the Cambrian Explosion.
Masters students
Elkan Utoni (2023 - 2025, University of Namibia): Palaeoecology of Ediacaran matground assemblages.
Novo Ukiri (2024 - present): The Ediacaran evolution of bilaterians.
Previous students:
Dr Ben Tindal (2018 - 2022, University of Cambridge): Geological constraints on glaciation through Earth history. Now works for Natural England.
Dr Frankie Dunn (2015 - 2019, University of Bristol): Growth and morphogenesis in the Ediacaran macrobiota. Now a Senior Researcher at the University of Oxford Museum of Natural History.
Iris Powell (2023 - 2024): The palaeogeographic distribution of the Cambrian explosion.
Buck Blake (2023 - 2024): Taxonomy of Ediacaran tubular fossils from Namibia.
Erin Leahy (2019 - 2020): Super-traits in Ediacaran palaeocommunities (co-supervised with Dr Emily Mitchell)
Anna McGairy (2019 - 2020): A new Ediacaran frond from the Bonavista Peninsula, Newfoundland (co-supervised with Dr Charlotte Kenchington)
Catherine Boddy (2019 - 2020): The palaeogeographic distribution of the Ediacaran macrobiota
Alavya Dhungana (2018-2019): Taphonomy and palaeoecology of discoidal Ediacaran fossils from Ferryland, Newfoundland
I am happy to discuss Masters or PhD projects with potential future applicants, please get in touch by email.
Other Professional Activities
Voting member of the Ediacaran Subcommission on Stratigraphy
Council Member, Cambridge Philosophical Society
Fellow, Girton College
