Gawain Antell
Education
DPhil Earth Sciences, University of Oxford
B.S. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University
Research
I am a macroecologist who explores Earth-life interactions at a range of spatial, temporal, and taxonomic scales. I use geological data (fossil occurrences) to quantify ecological patterns using statistical models. This research agenda investigates questions such as how ecosystem diversity and structure arose and is maintained, and how synchronously ecological communities have responded to climate change during past intervals of Earth history.
Selected Publications
Antell, G.T., Benson, R.B.J., & Saupe, E.E. (2024). “Spatial standardization of taxon occurrence data—a call to action.” Paleobiology. https://doi.org/10.1017/pab.2023.36
Antell, G.T., & Saupe, E.E. (2021). “Bottom-up controls, ecological revolutions and diversification in the oceans through time.” Current Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.069
Antell, G.T., Fenton, I.S., Valdes, P.J., & Saupe, E. E. (2021) “Thermal niches of planktonic foraminifera are static throughout glacial-interglacial climate change.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Greene, S., Antell, G.T., et al. (2021) “Safety and belonging in the field: a checklist for educators.” EarthArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31223/X53P6H.
Courses & Presentations
GEOG 2: Biodiversity in a Changing World (Spring 2025)
GEOG 191: Hope in the Face of Mass Extinctions (Winter 2025)
GEOG 272: Graduate Seminar: Biogeography (Spring 2025)
Graduate Students
The QuEST Lab has room to accept graduate and undergraduate students. I am excited to hear from anyone who may be interested in the lab, whether from a paleobiology, ecology, marine biology, geography, or other academic background. Please contact me directly to discuss possible opportunities. Graduate applications for positions beginning 2025-2026 are now closed; the annual deadline is December 15th. Instructions for future application cycles will be available on the Geography Department graduate page.
