Dr Pallavi Anand

Biography

"My research involves developing biogeochemical tracers in the modern oceanic environment and their application in the past to understand changes in ocean chemistry and climate. In order to understand the past through these tracers, they need to be developed, calibrated and validated against biological, physical and chemical variables in the modern environment. We develop micropalaeontological tools (assemblage and shell parameters) and geochemical tracers (trace elements and isotopes) using microfossils, fish-teeth and bulk sediments to understand past changes in seawater properties, ocean circulation and ocean-continent-atmosphere interactions. I am always interested in hearing from motivated students and postdocs willing to come and work on foraminifera, geochemical tracers and palaeoceanographic research at the Open University. Please send me an email to explore possibilities."

Research Interest

My broad research interest is in the field of biogeochemical tracers to understand the past changes in Ocean chemistry and climate. I focus on developing and applying trace elements and isotopic compositions of foraminiferal shells from world oceans and reconstruct past changes in ocean chemistry to understand oceanic processes and climate variations on a shorter (decadal, glacial-interglacial) and longer (Cenozoic) geological time-scales. Another research area is in understanding foraminiferal ecology and bio-calcification processes and how anthropogenic ocean acidification has affected calcification in planktonic foraminifera.