Paleobiology, Paleoecology, and Evolution
The Department of Geological Sciences at UNC is a global center for research on the evolution, systematics, and ecology of the molluscan class Bivalvia. Bivalve evolution and diversity are intimately related to long-term variations in ocean climate and chemistry, and bivalve shells represent useful tools for monitoring pollution as well as recent and ancient climate change. Knowledge of the mineralogy, biology, and ecology of living bivalves is essential for interpreting isotopic variations in their shells, and UNC is at the forefront of this research.