Dr Adam Woodhouse

(he/him)

BSc (Hons) MSc PhD

Publication

• Date
• Type

Research

My research integrates approaches from multiple fields to address current and future work in palaeoceanography and palaeobiology. Primarily, I use the marine micropalaeontological record as a model system to understand the patterns and process of the marine biosphere, using the ecology of individual organisms up to the biogeographic distributions of entire clades to ask and answer novel questions in Earth system science

My current research projects include:

Macroevolution and climate change:

By collating data and creating global microfossils datasets, such as the Triton dataset, I explore the long-term patterns of marine biosphere evolution and extinction to global Earth system change. See my GitHub for useful code to explore Triton: foradamifera · GitHub

Publications:

• Larina, E., Woodhouse, A., Swain, A., Lowery, C., Martindale, R., Myers, C. 2025. Regional restructuring in planktic foraminifera communities through Pliocene-early Pleistocene climate variability. Nature Communications, 16(1), pp.1-11.
• Woodhouse, A. Palaeobiology: Emergence of the Southern Ocean. Current Biology, 35 (3), 104-107.
• Westacott, S., and Woodhouse, A. 2024. Multi-million year deep sea sedimentary data compilations: Opportunities and challenges. PAGES Special Issue: Achievements of scientific drilling in the field of paleosciences, 32 (2), 110-111.
• Swain, A., Woodhouse, A.*, Fagan, W.F., Fraass, A.J., Lowery, C.M. 2024. Biogeographic response of marine plankton to Cenozoic environmental changes. Nature *co-first authorship 
• Woodhouse, A., Swain, A.*, Fagan, W.F., Fraass, A.J., Lowery, C.M., 2023. Late Cenozoic cooling restructured global marine plankton communities. Nature, 614, 713-718. *co-first authorship 
• Woodhouse, A., Procter, F., Jackson, S.L., Jamieson, R.A., Newton, R.J., Sexton, P.F., and Aze, T., 2023. Paleoecology and evolutionary response of planktonic foraminifera to the mid-Pliocene Warm Period and Plio-Pleistocene bipolar ice sheet expansion. Biogeosciences. 20, 121-139. 
• Fenton, I.F., & Woodhouse, A.*., Aze, T., Lazarus, D., Renaudie, J., Young, J., Dunhill, A., and Saupe, E.E. 2021. Triton: a new database of Cenozoic Planktonic Foraminifera, Scientific Data, 8, 160. DOI: 10.1038/s41597-021-00942-7 *co-first authorship

Microevolution and Micropaleoecology:

Using high resolution single specimen morphological and geochemical approaches, I investigate the population level responses of planktonic foraminifera to environmental changes. These data allow me to assess not only assemblage responses to abiotic forcing, but also test ongoing questions in evolutionary theory only achievable through fossil analyses.

In this research theme, recently myself and members of the Early Miocene Working Group have been successful in acquiring funding from the inaugural IODP3 SPARC Proposals, wherein we will seek to apply the Micropaleoecology Framework through the Early Miocene of the Atlantic Ocean.

Publications:

• Woodhouse, A.*, Swain, A.*, Smith, J.*, Sibert, E.C.*, Lam, A.R.*, Dunne, J.A.*, Auderset, A.* 2024. The Micropaleoecology Framework: Combining microfossils and paleoenvironmental proxies provides unique insights into ecological response to global change. Ecology and Evolution. *co-first authorship
• Woodhouse, A., Jackson, S.L, Jamieson, R.A., Newton, R.J., Sexton, P.F., and Aze, T. 2021. Adaptive ecological niche migration does not negate extinction susceptibility, Scientific Reports, 11, 15411. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94140-5

Understanding geohazards through palaeobiology:

Much of my work stemming from my participation in International Ocean Discovery Program expeditions is to explore the interactions of volcano-tectonic hazards with the Earth system through the lens of palaeobiology:

Publications:

• Shorrock, A., Strachan, L.J., Barnes, P.M., Bostock, H.C., Moore, G., McArthur, A., Gamboa, D., Woodhouse, A., Bell, R., Davison, S., Maier, K, Nodder, S. Coeval transverse and axial sediment delivery to the northern Hikurangi Trough during the late Quaternary. Basin Research, 37 (1).
• Druitt, T., Kutterolf, S., Ronge, T.,   Hübscher, C., Nomikou, P., Preine, J., Gertisser, R., Keller, J., Koukousioura, O., Manga, M., Metcalfe, A., McCanta, M., McIntosh, I., Pank, K., Woodhouse, A., et al. Giant offshore pumice deposit records a shallow marine explosive eruption of ancestral Santorini. Communications Earth & Environment., 5, 24.
  Woodhouse, A., Barnes, P., Shorrock, A., Strachan, L.J., Crundwell, M.P., Bostock, H.C., Hopkins, J., Kutterolf, S., Pank, K., Behrens, E., Greve, A., Bell, R., Cook, A., Petronotis, K., Levay, L., Jamieson, R.A., Aze, T., Wallace, L., Saffer, D., Pecher, I. 2022. Trench floor depositional response to glacio-eustatic changes over the last 45 ka, northern Hikurangi subduction margin, New Zealand, New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 1-24.
• Crundwell, M.P., and Woodhouse, A. 2022b. Biostratigraphically constrained chronologies for Quaternary sequences from the Hikurangi margin of north-eastern Zealandia, New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 1-21.
• Noda, A., Greve, A., Woodhouse, A., and Crundwell, M. 2022. Depositional rate, grain size and magnetic mineral sulfidization in turbidite sequences, Hikurangi Margin, New Zealand, New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 1-24.
• Crundwell, M.P., and Woodhouse, A. 2022a. A detailed biostratigraphic framework for 0–1.2 Ma Quaternary sediments of northeastern Zealandia, New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. 1-14.

The Messinian Salinity Crisis:

On International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 398, we recovered one of the most complete sedimentary intervals recording the transition from the Messinian Salinity Crisis to the Pliocene. The Messinian Crisis marks the interval from 5.97-5.33 million years ago, when the Mediterranean became restricted from the Atlantic Ocean, causing kilometre-scale drawdown of sea level, and creating a extreme environment for surviving organisms. I am interested in what the ecological limits for life are during this interval, and how long it took the biotic components of the Earth system to recover once the Atlantic-Mediterranean connection was reestablished.

Teaching

EA1300 World of Dynamic Environments (Module leader)

EA1304 Earth Science Fieldwork

EA1305 Geography Field Skills

EA1306 Earth Materials

EA1309 Fundamentals of Geographical Science

EA2301 Geological Fieldwork, Data Analysis and Professional Skills

EA2311 The Coastal System

EA3300 Year of Study Abroad

EA3311 Environmental Geography Dissertation

EA3312 Marine Geography Dissertation

EA3313 Physical Geography Dissertation

Biography

Lecturer in Past Climates and Earth System Change, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University - Nov 2024-Present

Lecturer in Palaeontology, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol - Jul 2023-Oct 2024

UTIG Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, J.J. Pickle Research Campus - Sep 2021-Aug 2023

Foraminiferal biostratigrapher (lab leader), International Ocean Discovery Program, Expedition 398: Hellenic Arc Volcanism - Dec 2022-Feb 2023

Research Assistant, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds. UKIODP Post cruise research grant – Hikurangi Trough late Pleistocene palaeoceanography, biostratigraphy, and Cretaceous Ocean Anoxia Events (OAEs) - May-Nov 2018

Foraminiferal biostratigrapher, International Ocean Discovery Program, Expedition 375: Hikurangi Subduction Margin - Mar-May 2018

Honours and awards

University of Texas Institute for Geophysics Outstanding Postdoc Award - 2023

Professional memberships

• The Micropalaeontological Society
• Craven and Pendle Geological Society
• The UK Paleoclimate Society
• Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research
• The Palaeontological Society
• The Geological Society of America
• The Challenger Society

Committees and reviewing

• Conference Organizing Committee - Microfossils V: Problem Solving with Microfossils (Upcoming, 2026)
• Scientific Committee – The Micropalaeontological Society-Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research Foram Spring Meeting 2024 (May 2024)
• Session Convener - Marine Nutrients, Productivity, and Food Web Dynamics across the Cenozoic (American Geophysical Union 2023)
• Conference Organizing Committee - Progressive Palaeontology 2020 (Jun 11-13, 2020)
• Conference Organizing Committee - The Micropalaeontological Society AGM (Nov 14-15,
  2018)
• Conference Organizing Committee - Crossing the Palaeontological-Ecological Gap (Aug 30-31, 2018)
  
• TIMES Working Group – Member – 2024 (ongoing)
• TIMES Working Group – Databases/Web interface Group – 2024- (ongoing)
• TIMES Working Group – Age Model assessment and data processing Group – 2024- (ongoing)
• TIMES Working Group – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Group – 2024- (ongoing)
• TIMES Working Group – Training of the next generation Group – 2024- (ongoing)
• Subcommission on Neogene Stratigraphy – Voting Member – 2024-28 (ongoing)
• The Micropalaeontological Society – Society Secretary – 2024-27 (ongoing)
• Micropaleoecology Working Group (Co-lead) - 2023-24 (ongoing)
• Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research - ECR Board Member – 2021-23
• Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research – DEI Committee – 2021-2024 (ongoing)
• Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research – Social Media Committee – 2021-24 (ongoing)
• Neogene/Quaternary Planktonic Foraminiferal Working Group (Founding Member) – 2018-24 (ongoing)
• The Micropalaeontological Society Brady Medal Subcommittee – 2024
• The Micropalaeontological Society Angelina Messina Grant Subcommittee - 2024
• The Micropalaeontological Society Alan Higgins Award Subcommittee - 2024
• Bristol Palaeontology Discussion Group – Organiser – 2023-24
• Yorkshire Geological Fearnsides Award Committee - 2023
• University of Texas Institute for Geophysics Student Award Committee – 2023

• Peer review Journals: Nature, Nature Geoscience, Nature Ecology & Evolution, Current Biology, Global Ecology and Biogeography, Biogeosciences, Paleobiology,, Palaeoceanography and Palaeoclimatology, Geosciences, Geology, Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia, Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, Journal of African Earth Sciences, Journal of Foraminiferal Research, Journal of Biogeography, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

• Peer review Programs: NSF Arctic Sciences Section’s Research Support and Logistics (RSL) Program, U.S. Science Support Program Pre-Drilling Activities, National Science Centre Poland, International Ocean Discovery Program