![Alexander Krause BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/6642?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Alexander Krause
(he/him)
BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Teams and roles for Alexander Krause
Overview
Broadly, I'm interested in the biogeochemical evolution of the Earth system over a variety of timescales and try to understand what this means and has meant for life on Earth, and whether we might be able to apply this knowledge for finding life elsewhere in the Universe. In my research I build numerical models of the Earth system and compare my results to biogeochemical data.
I am also the new Academic Student Voice Lead for the school.
Publication
2024
- Krause, A. J., Shields, G. A., Newton, R. J. and Mills, B. J. W. 2024. Modelling sulfate concentrations in the global ocean through Phanerozoic time. Journal of the Geological Society 181(4) (10.1144/jgs2023-184)
- Krause, A. J., Sluijs, A., van der Ploeg, R., Lenton, T. M. and Pogge von Strandmann, P. A. E. 2024. Publisher correction: enhanced clay formation key in sustaining the middle eocene climatic optimum. Nature Geoscience 17, article number: 104. (10.1038/s41561-023-01280-6)
2023
- Pogge von Strandmann, P. A. et al. 2023. Assessing hydrological controls on the lithium isotope weathering tracer. Chemical Geology 642, article number: 121801. (10.1016/j.chemgeo.2023.121801)
- Bowyer, F. T. et al. 2023. Biological diversification linked to environmental stabilization following the Sturtian Snowball glaciation. Science Advances 9(34), article number: eadf9999. (10.1126/sciadv.adf9999)
- Krause, A. J., Sluijs, A., van der Ploeg, R., Lenton, T. M. and Pogge von Strandmann, P. A. E. 2023. Enhanced clay formation key in sustaining the middle eocene climatic optimum. Nature Geoscience 16, pp. 730–738. (10.1038/s41561-023-01234-y)
- Mills, B. J., Krause, A. J., Jarvis, I. and Cramer, B. D. 2023. Evolution of atmospheric O2 through the Phanerozoic, revisited. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 51(1), pp. 253-276. (10.1146/annurev-earth-032320-095425)
2022
- Krause, A. J., Mills, B. J. W., Merdith, A. S., Lenton, T. M. and Poulton, S. W. 2022. Extreme variability in atmospheric oxygen levels in the late Precambrian. Science Advances 8(41), article number: eabm8191. (10.1126/sciadv.abm8191)
- Shi, W. et al. 2022. Decoupled oxygenation of the Ediacaran ocean and atmosphere during the rise of early animals. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 591, article number: 117619. (10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117619)
- Pogge von Strandmann, P. A. et al. 2022. Lithium isotope behaviour during basalt weathering experiments amended with organic acids. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 328, pp. 37-57. (10.1016/j.gca.2022.04.032)
2020
- Alcott, L. J. et al. 2020. Development of iron speciation reference materials for Palaeoredox analysis. Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research 44(3), pp. 581-591. (10.1111/ggr.12342)
2019
- Mills, B. J., Krause, A. J., Scotese, C. R., Hill, D. J., Shields, G. A. and Lenton, T. M. 2019. Modelling the long-term carbon cycle, atmospheric CO2, and Earth surface temperature from late Neoproterozoic to present day. Gondwana Research 67, pp. 172-186. (10.1016/j.gr.2018.12.001)
2018
- Krause, A. J., Mills, B. J. W., Zhang, S., Planavsky, N. J., Lenton, T. M. and Poulton, S. W. 2018. Stepwise oxygenation of the Paleozoic atmosphere. Nature Communications 9(1), article number: 4081. (10.1038/s41467-018-06383-y)
- Zhang, S., Planavsky, N. J., Krause, A. J., Bolton, E. W. and Mills, B. J. W. 2018. Model based Paleozoic atmospheric oxygen estimates: a revisit to GEOCARBSULF. American Journal of Science 318(5), pp. 557–589. (10.2475/05.2018.05)
Articles
- Krause, A. J., Shields, G. A., Newton, R. J. and Mills, B. J. W. 2024. Modelling sulfate concentrations in the global ocean through Phanerozoic time. Journal of the Geological Society 181(4) (10.1144/jgs2023-184)
- Krause, A. J., Sluijs, A., van der Ploeg, R., Lenton, T. M. and Pogge von Strandmann, P. A. E. 2024. Publisher correction: enhanced clay formation key in sustaining the middle eocene climatic optimum. Nature Geoscience 17, article number: 104. (10.1038/s41561-023-01280-6)
- Pogge von Strandmann, P. A. et al. 2023. Assessing hydrological controls on the lithium isotope weathering tracer. Chemical Geology 642, article number: 121801. (10.1016/j.chemgeo.2023.121801)
- Bowyer, F. T. et al. 2023. Biological diversification linked to environmental stabilization following the Sturtian Snowball glaciation. Science Advances 9(34), article number: eadf9999. (10.1126/sciadv.adf9999)
- Krause, A. J., Sluijs, A., van der Ploeg, R., Lenton, T. M. and Pogge von Strandmann, P. A. E. 2023. Enhanced clay formation key in sustaining the middle eocene climatic optimum. Nature Geoscience 16, pp. 730–738. (10.1038/s41561-023-01234-y)
- Mills, B. J., Krause, A. J., Jarvis, I. and Cramer, B. D. 2023. Evolution of atmospheric O2 through the Phanerozoic, revisited. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 51(1), pp. 253-276. (10.1146/annurev-earth-032320-095425)
- Krause, A. J., Mills, B. J. W., Merdith, A. S., Lenton, T. M. and Poulton, S. W. 2022. Extreme variability in atmospheric oxygen levels in the late Precambrian. Science Advances 8(41), article number: eabm8191. (10.1126/sciadv.abm8191)
- Shi, W. et al. 2022. Decoupled oxygenation of the Ediacaran ocean and atmosphere during the rise of early animals. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 591, article number: 117619. (10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117619)
- Pogge von Strandmann, P. A. et al. 2022. Lithium isotope behaviour during basalt weathering experiments amended with organic acids. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 328, pp. 37-57. (10.1016/j.gca.2022.04.032)
- Alcott, L. J. et al. 2020. Development of iron speciation reference materials for Palaeoredox analysis. Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research 44(3), pp. 581-591. (10.1111/ggr.12342)
- Mills, B. J., Krause, A. J., Scotese, C. R., Hill, D. J., Shields, G. A. and Lenton, T. M. 2019. Modelling the long-term carbon cycle, atmospheric CO2, and Earth surface temperature from late Neoproterozoic to present day. Gondwana Research 67, pp. 172-186. (10.1016/j.gr.2018.12.001)
- Krause, A. J., Mills, B. J. W., Zhang, S., Planavsky, N. J., Lenton, T. M. and Poulton, S. W. 2018. Stepwise oxygenation of the Paleozoic atmosphere. Nature Communications 9(1), article number: 4081. (10.1038/s41467-018-06383-y)
- Zhang, S., Planavsky, N. J., Krause, A. J., Bolton, E. W. and Mills, B. J. W. 2018. Model based Paleozoic atmospheric oxygen estimates: a revisit to GEOCARBSULF. American Journal of Science 318(5), pp. 557–589. (10.2475/05.2018.05)
Research
I am a biogeochemist and my main interest lies in trying to understand the co-evolution of life and the Earth through geological time.
I build numerical models of the Earth system, incorporating a wide range of geological data, in order to explore the changes to the surface environment (oceans-atmosphere-upper crust) over a variety of timescales and investigate what processes might have driven these changes.
In particular, much of my work focuses on: deciphering the concentrations of oxygen in the atmosphere and oceans in Earth's past; determining when and why concentrations varied; and how we might be able to use this information for the present day and future Earth, as well as in the search for life elsewhere in the Universe. I am also interested in using geochemical proxies, including isotope ratios, to help reconstruct paleoclimates and past terrestrial weathering, to understand how the Earth gets into and out of climate extremes (hothouse worlds and Snowball Earth events).
Biography
Sep 2024 - Present: Lecturer in Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Cardiff University, UK
Jan 2024 - Aug 2024: Research Fellow in Biogeochemical Modelling, University of Leeds, UK
Jan 2020 - Dec 2023: Research Fellow in Earth System Modelling, UCL, UK
Oct 2016 - Jul 2020: PhD in Earth Sciences, Evolution of a habitable planet: A biogeochemical modelling study of the rise of oxygen to modern levels, University of Leeds, UK
Sep 2014 - Aug 2016: MSc in Environmental Science, University of East Anglia, UK
Sep 2013 - Jul 2014: Graduate Certificate in Geology, Birbeck, University College London, UK
Oct 2002 - Jul 2005: BSc in Physics and Meteorology, University of Reading, UK
Professional memberships
- European Association of Geochemistry.
- I am a co-opted member of the Earth System Science special interest group of the Geological Society of London.
Committees and reviewing
I am on the organising committee for the Earth System Science group's annual, Life and Planet conference.
I have provided peer reviews for the following journals:
- Nature Geoscience
- Nature Communications
- Gondwana Research
- Journal of the Geological Society of London
- Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
- Global and Planetary Change
Contact Details
Research themes
Specialisms
- Biogeochemistry
- Earth System Modelling
- Co-evolution of Earth and Life
- Paleoclimates and Weathering
- Isotope geochemistry