Paleoclimate and Sedimentology Research Group

Overview

The Climate Geology Research Group focuses on deciphering paleoclimates and paleoenvironments on different time scales ranging from the past centuries to the Neogene using sclerochronological, geochemical, and micropaleontological multi-proxy approaches. Our highly interdisciplinary research is conducted in close collaboration with biologists, oceanographers, climate physicists and archaeologists.


Research Themes


HIGHLIGHTS:


Science publication on bioerosion: Rasher, D.B., Steneck, R.S., Halfar, J., Kroeker, K.J., Ries, J.B., Chan, P.T.W., Fietzke, J., Kamenos, N.A., Konar, B.H., Lefcheck, J.S., Norley, C.J., Weitzman, B.P., and Westfield, I.T., Estes, J.A., (2020), Keystone predators govern the pathway and pace of climate impacts in a subarctic marine ecosystem, Science, 369, 1351-1354.

Science Publication News Item https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/main-news/predator-loss-and-climate-change-combine-devastating-consequences-alaskan-reefs

Massive reefs, built slowly over centuries to millennia, are now rapidly eroding because of overgrazing by sea urchins. Grazing has intensified in recent years due to the combined, indirect effects of predator loss and climate change. Photo by J. Tomoleoni/USGS
Massive reefs, built slowly over centuries to millennia, are now rapidly eroding because of overgrazing by sea urchins. Grazing has intensified in recent years due to the combined, indirect effects of predator loss and climate change. Photo by J. Tomoleoni/USGS

Geology publication: Chan, P., Halfar, J., Lebednik P.A., Norley C.J.D., Holdsworth D.W. (2020) Centennial record of subarctic coralline algal calcification rates, Geology, https://doi.org/10.1130/G46804.1

Geology publication: Hetzinger, S.,Halfar, J.,Zajacz, Z., Wisshak, M. (2019) Early start of 20th century Arctic sea ice decline recorded in Svalbard coralline algae, Geology, 47 (10): 963-967, 10.1130/G46507.1

Nature Communications publication: Chan, P., Halfar, J., Adey, W., Hetzinger, S., Zack, T., G.W.K. Moore, U.G. Wortmann, B. Williams, A. Hou (2017) Multicentennial record of North Atlantic primary productivity and sea-ice variability archived in coralline algal Ba/Ca, Nature Communications, 10.1038/NCOMMS15543 https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms15543

Science Educational Program on Arctic Research with Christian Haas and Jochen Halfar (in German) can be viewed at http://www.planet-wissen.de/video-expedition-in-die-arktis--dem-klimawandel-auf-der-spur-100.html

planetwissen

53 minute Documentary (ARTE TV) on Coralline Algal Arctic Expedition

English, French and German version available upon request


Study on Algal Sea-Ice Proxy in PNAS

Read Abstract - Read Press Release

- Read Highlight in Nature - Watch TV News

Watch Global News Coverage


Watch movie by Karen Loveland and Walter Adey on our research in Labrador:


Principle Investigator

UTM Jochen Halfar

Jochen Halfar, PhD.

Professor of Geology
Dept. of Chemical & Physical Sciences,
University of Toronto at Mississauga
South Building, Room 4044
Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6
Canada


Phone: (905) 828-5419
Fax: (905) 569-4929
E-Mail: jochen.halfar at utoronto.ca