Professor Elizabeth Harper

Google Scholar Author Profile:

http://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=SHMlDzoAAAAJ&hl=en

Research: Evolutionary Biology

I use a range of zoological and palaeontological techniques to unravel the intrinsic and extrinsic controls that have shaped evolution. My main targets are bivalves and brachiopods as these have been important components of marine faunas throughout the Phanerozoic. I work predominantly on living taxa, but also fossil and archaeological material.

My main research areas include:

• Molluscan microstructure and mineralogy has diversified over the course of the Phanerozoic. Together with Professor Antonio Checa (University of Granada)  and Professor John Taylor (Natural History Museum, London)  work towards a better understanding of these structures, using a variety of microscopic and x-ray analyses, to characterize the microstructures from a crystallographic standpoint and to achieve a greater understanding of their genesis and functional significance, and also to understand their use to understand phylogenetic relationships.
• Accretionary skeletons such as molluscan and brachiopod shells are popular targets for sclerochronology.  I collaborate wth a number of partners (e.g. British Antarctic Survey, University of Derby, Portobello Marine Laboratory (NZ) and Institute of Fisheries & Oceanography, Split, Croatia) to combine microstructural and geochemical methodologies to unravel records of seasonal and annual growth rates, over shifting seawater conditions.
• Predicted changes in ocean pH may make it difficult to both produce and maintain a shell.  Together with Professor Lloyd Peck (British Antarctic Survey) and a number of research students  we focuses on growth and repair at natural ranges of pH and temperature as well as over historic time using both experimental mesocosm conditions and use of both targetted sampling missions and historic collections from museums.
• Predation pressure is often cited as a key selection pressure in evolution and yet these hypotheses are seldom critically tested. My concern is to collect robust data which are capable of capturing high levels of both spatial and temporal variability.
• I work towards improving our understanding of modern brachiopod biology (growth rate, longevity, predators...).