Research areas
My research focuses on biomineralisation. In particular I study how organisms form CaCO3 biominerals, what the chemistry of these minerals can tell us about past environments and how biomineral formation will be affected by climate and environmental change.
Calcium carbonates are formed by a range of important marine organisms including corals, molluscs and foraminifera. These calcareous structures provide tissue support and protection and serve to provide habitat spaces for other organisms e.g. coral reefs. I maintain an aquaria system to culture marine organisms under tightly controlled conditions to study the effects of rising seawater temperatures and atmospheric CO2 (ocean acidification) on biomineralisation processes. I also research how CaCO3 chemistry is affected by the environment conditions at the time of deposition and investigate how the chemistry of fossil carbonates e.g. ancient reefs, may record climatic information. These accurate records of past seawater temperatures are key to understanding past global climates and for validating models predicting 21st century climate change.
Biominerals are composite materials of both CaCO3 and organic matrices. I have built an apparatus to precipitate biominerals under the conditions analogous to those predicted to occur in organisms and my group is researching how organic materials e.g. amino acids and proteins affect biomineral formation.
PhD supervision
- Nora Von Xylander
- Boontharee Chomhom
Selected publications
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Open access
Sterols, free fatty acids, and total fatty acid content in the massive Porites spp. corals cultured under different pCO2 and temperature treatments
von Xylander, N. S. H., Young, S., Cole, C. S., Smith, T. K. & Allison, N., 6 Mar 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Coral Reefs. First OnlineResearch output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Effects of seawater pCO2 on the skeletal morphology of massive Porites spp. corals
Allison, N., Ross, P., Brasier, A., Cieminska, N., Lopez Martin, N., Cole, C., Hintz, C., Hintz, K. & Finch, A. A., 10 May 2022, In: Marine Biology. 169, 11 p., 73.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Optimising a method for aragonite precipitation in simulated biogenic calcification media
Kellock, C., Castillo Alvarez, M. C., Finch, A. A., Penkman, K., Kröger, R., Clog, M. & Allison, N., 2 Dec 2022, In: PLoS ONE. 17, 20, 18 p., e0278627.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
The combined effects of ocean acidification and copper on the physiological responses of the tropical coral Stylophora pistillata
Cryer, S., Schlosser, C. & Allison, N., Apr 2022, In: Marine Environmental Research. 176, 105610.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Pilot study to investigate the effect of long-term exposure to high pCO2 on adult cod (Gadus morhua) otolith morphology and calcium carbonate deposition
Coll-Lladó, C., Mittermayer, F., Webb, P. B., Allison, N., Clemmesen, C., Stiasny, M., Bridges, C., Gottler, G. & Garcia de la Serrana Castillo, D., 28 Sept 2021, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Fish Physiology and Biochemistry. First Online, 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Resolving the interactions of ocean acidification and temperature on coral calcification media pH
Allison, N., Cole, C., Hintz, C., Hintz, K., Rae, J. & Finch, A., 18 Aug 2021, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Coral Reefs. First Online, 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
The KD Sr/Ca in cultured massive Porites spp. corals are reduced at low seawater pCO2
Cole, C. S., Finch, A. A., Hintz, C., Hintz, K., Yu, Y., EIMF & Allison, N., 14 Sept 2021, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. In pressResearch output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
The role of aspartic acid in reducing coral calcification under ocean acidification conditions
Kellock, C., Cole, C., Penkman, K., Evans, D., Kroger, R., Hintz, C., Hintz, K., Finch, A. & Allison, N., 30 Jul 2020, In: Scientific Reports. 10, 8 p., 12797.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Trace and major element incorporation into amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) precipitated from seawater
Evans, D., Gray, W. R., Rae, J. W. B., Greenop, R., Webb, P. B., Penkman, K., Kroger, R. & Allison, N., 9 Sept 2020, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. In pressResearch output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
The characteristics and biological relevance of inorganic amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) precipitated from seawater
Evans, D., Webb, P. B., Penkman, K., Kroger, R. & Allison, N., 7 Aug 2019, In: Crystal Growth & Design. 19, 8, p. 4300-4313Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review