Profile

Dr Nicky Allison
Senior Lecturer
I study biomineralisation and the chemistry of biogenic carbonates. I maintain a sophisticated aquarium facility for the culture of tropical corals and other organisms over variable seawater pCO2, alkalinity and temperature scenarios. My current research interests include:
Biomineralisation and climate change: I study biomineralisation in tropical reef building corals and the impact of climate change e.g. rising seawater temperatures and ocean acidification, on coral calcification and metabolic processes.
The geochemistry of biogenic carbonates: The skeletal chemistry of marine organisms may record information on the local environmental conditions prevailing at the time of their deposition and the analysis of fossil specimens can be used to estimate past climate. My research focuses on understanding the environmental and biological processes which affect the skeletal geochemistry of corals, foraminifera and sclerosponges.
Reconstruction of tropical and sub-tropical Pacific seawater temperatures: I am using measurements of Sr/Ca, δ11B and δ18O in fossil corals from Papua New Guinea, Hawaii and the Great Barrier Reef to reconstruct records of sea surface temperature, ice volume and regional salinity in the Pacific Ocean at key times in the Quaternary and beyond.
Current funding:
The Leverhulme Trust: The control of coral biomineralisation
Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland: Identifying the source of skeletal carbon for tropical reef building corals
Recent publications
5 (of 5 published available) for na9 with keyword CALCIFICATION clear keyword filter. (source: University of St Andrews PURE)
Please click title of any item for full details.
Coral Reefs
vol.37 pp.471-481
(Article)
Catherine Sarah Cole, Adrian Anthony Finch, Christopher James Hintz, Kenneth Hintz, Nicola Allison
Keywords: Ocean acidification, Seawater temperature, Coral, Calcification, Porites, ProductivityEarth and Planetary Sciences(all)
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
vol.In press
(Article)
Nicola Allison, Catherine Sarah Cole, Christopher James Hintz, Kenneth Hintz, Adrian Anthony Finch
Keywords: Calcification, Photosynthesis, Respiration, KD Ba/Ca, KD Mg/Ca, Coral
Chemical Geology
vol.497 pp.162-169
(Article)
Nicola Allison, Catherine Sarah Cole, Christopher James Hintz, Kenneth Hintz, James William Buchanan Rae, Adrian Anthony Finch
Keywords: B/Ca, Dissolved inorganic carbon, Coral, Calcification, Calcification fluid, δ11B
Heliyon
vol.3
(Article)
Nature Communications
vol.5
(Article)
Nicola Allison, I. Cohen, Adrian Anthony Finch, J. Erez, A.W. Tudhope
Contact Details:
Dr Nicky AllisonIrvine Building
University of St Andrews
North Street
St Andrews
KY16 9AL
Fife
UK
tel: +44 01334 463952
fax: +44 01334 463949
room:
email: na9@st-andrews.ac.uk
Related:
research@st-andrewsScottish Oceans Institute
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
STAIG
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The Secretary
Scottish Oceans Institute
Institiud Chuantan na h-Alba
Gatty Marine Laboratory
East Sands St Andrews
KY16 8LB
Scotland
UK
tel: +44 (0) 1334 463472
fax: +44 (0) 1334 463443
email: soi@st-andrews.ac.uk
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