Wellman, Charles H, Professor

Professor Charles H Wellman

School of Biosciences

Professor of Palaeobiology

c.wellman@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 3689

Alfred Denny Building

Full contact details

Professor Charles H Wellman
School of Biosciences
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
91ֱ��
S10 2TN

Profile

BSc (1987) University of Southampton, UK
PhD (1991) Cardiff University, Wales, UK
Postdoctoral Research Assistant, The Natural History Museum, London (1991-1992)
Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Cardiff University, Wales, UK (1994-1997)
Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Reader and Professor, School of Biosciences, University of 91ֱ�� (1997-present)

Research interests

My research addresses the origin and early evolution of land plants. My research integrates evidence from both fossil and living plants. Fossil evidence is in the form of early land plant megafossils and dispersed microfossils (spores and fragments). I am currently working on material from the Ordovician-Devonian of China, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Spain and Spitsbergen. I study living plants in order to interpret the earliest land plant fossils through, specifically:

cladistic analyses of evolutionary relationships
molecular clock analyses of evolutionary divergence times
analysis of physiological adaptations required for plants to invade the land (particularly Evo-Devo studies on the molecular genetics of spore/pollen wall development).

I am also exploring the impact of the invasion of the land by plants on global change. This has led to research into developing a novel (and currently only) proxy for past UV-B radiation.

In recent years I have also extended my research back in time to examine a previously neglected research area considering the ‘algal scum’ that inhabited the land before it was invaded by plants. This has lead to work on microbial remains from the billion year old deposits of the Torridonian and Nonesuch Shale.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Featured publications

Journal articles

Bonacorsi NK, Gensel PG, Hueber FM, Wellman CH & Leslie AB (2020) . Current Biology, 30(9), R388-R389.
Stein WE, Berry CM, Morris JL, Hernick LV, Mannolini F, Ver Straeten C, Landing E, Marshall JEA, Wellman CH, Beerling DJ & Leake JR (2020) . Current Biology, 30(3), 421-431.e2.
Morris JL, Puttick MN, Clark JW, Edwards D, Kenrick P, Pressel S, Wellman CH, Yang Z, Schneider H & Donoghue PCJ (2018) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115(10), E2274-E2283.
Puttick MN, Morris JL, Williams TA, Cox CJ, Edwards D, Kenrick P, Pressel S, Wellman CH, Schneider H, Pisani D & Donoghue PCJ (2018) . Current Biology, 28(5), 733-745.e2.
Wellman CH (2018) . Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 373(1739).
Strother PK & Wellman CH (2016) . Palaeontology, 59(1), 89-108.
Morris JL, Leake JR, Stein WE, Berry CM, Marshall JEA, Wellman CH, Milton JA, Hillier S, Mannolini F, Quirk J & Beerling DJ (2015) . Palaeontology, 58(5), 787-801.
Wellman CH & Strother PK (2015) . Palaeontology, 58(4), 601-627.
Wallace S, Chater CC, Kamisugi Y, Cuming AC, Wellman CH, Beerling DJ & Fleming AJ (2015) . New Phytologist, 205(1), 390-401.
Wellman CH (2014) . New Phytol, 202(1), 1-3.
Strother PK, Battison L, Brasier MD & Wellman CH (2011) Earth's earliest non-marine eukaryotes. Nature.
Wellman CH (2010) . New Phytol, 188(2), 306-309.
Wellman CH, Gensel PG & Taylor WA (2009) . AM J BOT, 96(10), 1849-1860.
Steemans P, Le Herisse A, Melvin J, Miller MA, Paris F, Verniers J & Wellman CH (2009) . SCIENCE, 324(5925), 353-353.
Lomax BH, Fraser WT, Sephton MA, Callaghan TV, Self S, Harfoot M, Pyle JA, Wellman CH & Beerling DJ (2008) . NAT GEOSCI, 1(9), 592-596.
Wellman CH, Osterloff PL & Mohiuddin U (2003) . Nature, 425(6955), 282-285.

All publications

Journal articles

Lopes G, Blanco-Ferrera S, Bond DPG, Greene SE, Hilton J, Marshall JEA, Sanz-López J & Wellman CH (2025) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 332, 105222-105222.
Clayton G, Vecoli M, Luo P, Goodhue R & Wellman C (2024) . Marine and Petroleum Geology, 169, 107049-107049.
van de Schootbrugge B, Koutsodendris A, Taylor W, Weston F, Wellman C & Strother PK (2024) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 322, 105043-105043.
Dunlop JA, Wellman CH, Prendini L & Shear WA (2023) . The Journal of Arachnology, 51(3).
Clark JW, Hetherington AJ, Morris JL, Pressel S, Duckett JG, Puttick MN, Schneider H, Kenrick P, Wellman CH & Donoghue PCJ (2023) . NATURE PLANTS.
Wellman CH, Steemans P & Lopes G (2023) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 310.
Wellman CH, Cascales-Miñana B & Servais T (2023) . Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 532(1).
Owens B, Marshall JEA, Telnova OP & Wellman CH (2022) . Paleontological Journal, 56(9), 1032-1054.
Wellman CH (2022) . International Journal of Plant Sciences, 000-000.
Wellman CH, Berry CM, Davies NS, Lindemann F-J, Marshall JEA & Wyatt A (2022) . Nature Plants, 8(1), 104-109.
Strother PK, Brasier MD, Wacey D, Timpe L, Saunders M & Wellman CH (2021) . Current Biology.
Davies NS, Berry CM, Marshall JEA, Wellman CH & Lindemann F-J (2021) . Journal of the Geological Society, 178(5).
Strother PK & Wellman CH (2021) . Journal of the Geological Society, 178(2).
Gibson ME & Wellman CH (2021) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 104399-104399.
Wellman CH & Ball AC (2021) . Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 511.
Strother PK, Taylor WA, van de Schootbrugge B, Leander BS & Wellman CH (2020) . Palynology, 44(3), 461-471.
Bonacorsi NK, Gensel PG, Hueber FM, Wellman CH & Leslie AB (2020) . Current Biology, 30(9), R388-R389.
Riding JB, McLean D & Wellman CH (2020) . Palynology, 44(2), 195-204.
Askew AJ & Wellman CH (2020) . Journal of the Geological Society, 177(2), 315-324.
Stein WE, Berry CM, Morris JL, Hernick LV, Mannolini F, Ver Straeten C, Landing E, Marshall JEA, Wellman CH, Beerling DJ & Leake JR (2020) . Current Biology, 30(3), 421-431.e2.
McLean D, Riding JB & Wellman CH (2020) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 276, 104184-104184.
Gibson ME, Taylor WA & Wellman CH (2020) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology.
Navidi-Izad N, Hashemi H, Cascales-Miñana B, Régnier S, Wellman CH & Servais T (2019) . Palynology.
Wellman CH, Graham LE & Lewis LA (2019) . PalZ.
Oktay B & Wellman CH (2019) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 263, 28-46.
Owens B, Romano M, Wellman CH & Riding JB (2019) . Palynology, 43(2), 184-187.
Wellman CH (2019) . Current Biology, 29(3), r93-r95.
Askew AJ & Wellman CH (2018) . Papers in Palaeontology.
Morris JL, Puttick MN, Clark JW, Edwards D, Kenrick P, Pressel S, Wellman CH, Yang Z, Schneider H & Donoghue PCJ (2018) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(41), E9512-E9513.
Morris JL, Puttick MN, Clark JW, Edwards D, Kenrick P, Pressel S, Wellman CH, Yang Z, Schneider H & Donoghue PCJ (2018) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115(10), E2274-E2283.
Puttick MN, Morris JL, Williams TA, Cox CJ, Edwards D, Kenrick P, Pressel S, Wellman CH, Schneider H, Pisani D & Donoghue PCJ (2018) . Current Biology, 28(5), 733-745.e2.
Slater SM, Wellman CH, Romano M & Vajda V (2018) . Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments, 98(1), 139-151.
Wellman CH (2018) . Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 373(1739).
Baranyi V, Wellman CH & Kürschner WM (2018) . International Journal of Plant Sciences, 179(2), 100-114.
Wellman CH (2018) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 249, 24-49.
Steemans P & Wellman CH (2018) . Palynology.
Abuhmida FH & Wellman CH (2017) . Palynology, 41(sup1), 31-56.
Davies NS, Gibling MR, McMahon WJ, Slater BJ, Long DGF, Bashforth AR, Berry CM, Falcon-Lang HJ, Gupta S, Rygel MC & Wellman CH (2017) . Journal of the Geological Society, 174(5), 947-950.
Le Hérissé A, Vecoli M, Guidat C, Not F, Breuer P, Wellman C & Steemans P (2017) . Revue de Micropaléontologie, 60(3), 289-318.
Vecoli M, Wellman C & Al-Hajri S (2017) . Revue de Micropaléontologie, 60(3), 279-280.
Slater SM, McKie T, Vieira M, Wellman CH & Vajda V (2017) . Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.
Breuer P, Al-Hajri SI, Le Hérissé A, Paris F, Steemans P, Verniers J & Wellman CH (2017) . Revue de Micropaléontologie.
Vecoli M, Wellman CH, Gerrienne P, Le Hérissé A & Steemans P (2017) . Revue de Micropaléontologie, 60(3), 319-331.
Marshall JEA, Zhu H, Wellman CH, Berry CM, Wang Y, Xu H & Breuer P (2016) . Revue de Micropaléontologie.
Strother PK & Wellman CH (2016) . Palaeontology, 59(1), 89-108.
Slater SM & Wellman CH (2016) . Palaeontology, 59(2), 305-328.
Raevskaya E, Dronov A, Servais T & Wellman CH (2016) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 224, 4-13.
Slater SM & Wellman CH (2015) . Paleobiology, 41(4), 640-660.
Morris JL, Leake JR, Stein WE, Berry CM, Marshall JEA, Wellman CH, Milton JA, Hillier S, Mannolini F, Quirk J & Beerling DJ (2015) . Palaeontology, 58(5), 787-801.
Wellman CH & Strother PK (2015) . Palaeontology, 58(4), 601-627.
Slater SM, Taylor WA, Batten DJ, Hill CR & Wellman CH (2015) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 216, 33-43.
Wellman CH, Steemans P & Miller MA (2015) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 212, 111-126.
Wellman CH, Breuer P, Miller MA, Owens B & Al-Hajri S (2015) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 212, 1-2.
Paris F, Verniers J, Miller MA, Al-Hajri S, Melvin J & Wellman CH (2015) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 212, 60-84.
Wallace S, Chater CC, Kamisugi Y, Cuming AC, Wellman CH, Beerling DJ & Fleming AJ (2015) . New Phytologist, 205(1), 390-401.
Wellman CH (2014) . Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 105(3), 227-238.
Xu H-H, Marshall JEA, Wang Y, Zhu H-C, Berry CM & Wellman CH (2014) . REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY, 206, 10-22.
Wellman CH (2014) . New Phytol, 202(1), 1-3.
Graham LE, Knack JJ, Piotrowski MJ, Wilcox LW, Cook ME, Wellman CH, Taylor W, Lewis LA & Arancibia-Avila P (2014) . Journal of Phycology.
Gensel PG, Wellman CH & Taylor WA (2013) . INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PLANT SCIENCES, 174(9), 1302-1313.
Parry SF, Noble SR, Crowley QG & Wellman CH (2013) . Journal of the Geological Society, 170(4), 703-706.
Graham LE, Cook ME, Wilcox LW, Graham J, Taylor W, Wellman CH & Lewis L (2013) . International Journal of Plant Sciences, 174(6), 947-957.
Kerp H, Wellman CH, Krings M, Kearney P & Hass H (2013) . International Journal of Plant Sciences, 174(3), 293-308.
Wellman CH, Steemans P & Vecoli M (2013) . Geological Society Memoir, 38(1), 461-476.
Pendleton JL & Wellman CH (2013) . JOURNAL OF MICROPALAEONTOLOGY, 32, 87-106.
Graham LE, Lewis LA, Wellman CH, Taylor WA & Cook ME (2012) ACETOLYSIS AS A SCREEN FOR DEGRADATION-RESISTANT MODERN ALGAL STRUCTURES FOR PALEONTOLOGICAL COMPARISONS. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, 48, S33-S34.
Kenrick P, Wellman CH, Schneider H & Edgecombe GD (2012) . PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, 367(1588), 519-536.
Xu HH, Marshall JEA, Berry CM, Wang Y, Zhu HC & Wellman CH (2012) . Palaeoworld, 21(1), 11-19.
Pendleton JL, Cleal CJ, Falcon-Lang HJ, Wagner RH & Wellman CH (2012) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 179, 17-43.
Wellman CH, Zhu H, Marshall JEA, Wang Y, Berry CM & Xu H (2012) . Palaeontology, 55(3), 583-611.
Falcon-Lang HJ, Cleal CJ, Pendleton JL & Wellman CH (2012) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 173, 23-45.
Parry SF, Noble SR, Crowley QG & Wellman CH (2011) . J GEOL SOC LONDON, 168(4), 863-872.
Wallace S, Fleming A, Wellman CH & Beerling DJ (2011) . AoB Plants, 2011, plr027.
Fraser WT, Sephton MA, Watson JS, Self S, Lomax BH, James DI, Wellman CH, Callaghan TV & Beerling DJ (2011) . POLAR RESEARCH, 30.
Strother PK, Battison L, Brasier MD & Wellman CH (2011) Earth's earliest non-marine eukaryotes. Nature.
Falcon-Lang HJ, Pendleton JL & Wellman CH (2011) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 166(3-4), 268-285.
Wellman CH (2010) . New Phytol, 188(2), 306-309.
Wellman CH (2010) . EARTH ENV SCI T R SO, 100, 391-397.
Steemans P, Wellman CH & Gerrienne P (2010) . Geological Society Special Publication, 339, 49-58.
Taylor WA, Gensel PG & Wellman CH (2010) Wall ultrastructure in three species of the dispersed spore Emphanisporites from the Early Devonian. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology.
Wellman CH, Gensel PG & Taylor WA (2009) . AM J BOT, 96(10), 1849-1860.
Wellman CH, Arioli C, Spinner EG & Vecoli M (2009) . REV PALAEOBOT PALYNO, 156(1-2), 51-61.
Grauvogel-Stamm L, Guignard G & Wellman CH (2009) . REV PALAEOBOT PALYNO, 156(1-2), 1-1.
Wellman CH, Stamm LG & Guignard G (2009) . REV PALAEOBOT PALYNO, 156(1-2), 2-6.
Steemans P, Le Herisse A, Melvin J, Miller MA, Paris F, Verniers J & Wellman CH (2009) . SCIENCE, 324(5925), 353-353.
Taylor WA & Wellman CH (2009) . PALAIOS, 24(3-4), 167-180.
Wellman CH (2009) . PALAEONTOLOGY, 52, 139-167.
Wellman C (2008) When scum ruled the Earth. Planet Earth(WINTER), 12-13.
Lomax BH, Fraser WT, Sephton MA, Callaghan TV, Self S, Harfoot M, Pyle JA, Wellman CH & Beerling DJ (2008) . NAT GEOSCI, 1(9), 592-596.
Steemans P, Wellman CH & Filatoff J (2007) . PALAEOGEOGR PALAEOCL, 250(1-4), 237-254.
Watson JS, Sephton MA, Sephton SV, Self S, Fraser WT, Lomax BH, Gilmour I, Wellman CH & Beerling DJ (2007) . Photochem Photobiol Sci, 6(6), 689-694.
Arioli C, Wellman CH, Lugardon B & Servais T (2007) . REV PALAEOBOT PALYNO, 144(3-4), 231-248.
Breuer P, Al-Ghazi A, Al-Ruwaili M, Higgs KT, Steemans P & Wellman CH (2007) . Revue de Micropaleontologie, 50(1), 27-57.
Wellman CH, Kerp H & Hass H (2006) . REV PALAEOBOT PALYNO, 142(3-4), 229-250.
Wellman CH (2006) Spore assemblages from the Lower Devonian 'Lower Old Red Sandstone' deposits of the Rhynie outlier, Scotland. T ROY SOC EDIN-EARTH, 97, 167-211.
Wellman CH (2006) The origin and early evolution of land plants: Palynological evidence. PALYNOLOGY, 30, 230-231.
Wellman CH (2005) . Geological Society Special Publication, 241, 259-279.
Servais T & Wellman C (2004) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 130(1-4), 1-15.
Wellman CH (2004) . Proc Biol Sci, 271(1542), 985-992.
Wellman CH, Osterloff PL & Mohiuddin U (2003) . Nature, 425(6955), 282-285.
Wellman CH (2002) Morphology and wall ultrastructure in Devonian spores with bifurcate-tipped processes. INT J PLANT SCI, 163(3), 451-474.
Lavender K & Wellman CH (2002) Lower Devonian spore assemblages from the Arbuthnott Group at Canterland Den in the Midland Valley of Scotland. REV PALAEOBOT PALYNO, 118(1-4), 157-180.
Steemans P, Higgs KT & Wellman CH (2000) Cryptospores and trilete spores from the Llandovery, Nuayyim-2 borehole, Saudi Arabia. GeoArabia Special Publication, 1, 92-115.
Wellman CH, Higgs KT & Steemans P (2000) Spore assemblages from a Silurian sequence in borehole Hawiyah-151 from saudi Arabia. GeoArabia Special Publication, 1, 116-133.
Wellman CH & Gray J (2000) . Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 355(1398), 717-731.
Wellman CH, Habgood K, Jenkins G & Richardson JB (2000) . Rev Palaeobot Palynol, 109(3-4), 161-196.
EDWARDS D (1999) . Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 130(2), 111-156.
Edwards D, Wellman CH & Axe L (1999) Tetrads in sporangia and spore masses from the upper Silurian and Lower Devonian of the Welsh Borderland. BOT J LINN SOC, 130(2), 111-156.
Wellman CH (1999) Sporangia containing Scylaspora from the lower Devonian of the Welsh Borderland. PALAEONTOLOGY, 42, 67-81.
Wetherall PM, Dorning KJ & Wellman CH (1999) Palynology, biostratigraphy, and depositional environments around the Ludlow-Pridoli boundary at Woodbury Quarry, Herefordshire, England. Bollettino della Societa Paleontologica Italiana, 38(2-3), 397-404.
Wellman CH (1999) Ordovician land plants: Evidence and interpretation. Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geologica, 43(1-2), 275-277.
Wellman CH, Edwards D & Axe L (1998) Ultrastructure of laevigate hilate spores in sporangia and spore masses from the Upper Silurian and Lower Devonian of the Welsh Borderland. PHILOS T ROY SOC B, 353(1378), 1983-2004.
Wellman CH, Thomas RG, Edwards D & Kenrick P (1998) The Cosheston Group (Lower Old Red Sandstone) in southwest Wales: age, correlation and palaeobotanical significance. GEOL MAG, 135(3), 397-412.
Wellman CH, Edwards D & Axe L (1998) . Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 127(2), 117-147.
Wellman CH, Edwards D & Axe L (1996) Curation of exceptionally preserved early land plant microfossils: problems and solutions. Curator, 39(3), 209-216.
Edwards D, Davies KL, Richardson JB, Wellman CH & Axe L (1996) Ultrastructure of Synorisporites downtonensis and Retusotriletes cf. coronadus in spore masses from the Přídoli of the Welsh Borderland. Palaeontology, 39(3), 783-800.
Wellman CH (1996) Cryptospores from the type area of the Caradoc Series in southern Britain. Special Papers in Palaeontology, 55, 103-136.
Wellman CH & Richardson JB (1996) Sporomorph assemblages from the 'lower old red sandstone' of Lorne, Scotland. Special Papers in Palaeontology, 55, 41-101.
Wellman CH (1995) . Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 84(3-4), 255-279.
Wellman CH (1994) . Geological Magazine, 131(4), 563-566.
Wellman CH (1993) . Journal of Micropalaeontology, 12(1), 47-66.
Wellman CH & Richardson JB (1993) Terrestrial plant microfossils from Silurian inliers of the Midland Valley of Scotland. Palaeontology, 36(1), 155-193.
Wellman CH (1993) . Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences, 84(2), 117-136.
Wellman CH () . Fossil Imprint, 80(1), 9-18.
Wellman CH, Lopes G, McKellar Z & Hartley A () . Journal of the Geological Society.
Slotznick SP, Swanson-Hysell NL, Zhang Y, Clayton KE, Wellman CH, Tosca NJ & Strother PK () . Geological Society of America Bulletin.
Wellman CH & Riding JB () . Palynology.

Chapters

Wellman CH & Ball AC (2021) , Geological Society Special Publication (pp. 309-320).
Graham L, Lewis LA, Taylor W, Wellman C & Cook M (2014) , Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration (pp. 9-28). Springer Netherlands
Steemans P & Wellman CH (2004) Miospores and the emergence of land plants In Webby BD, Paris F, Droser ML & Percival IG (Ed.), The Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (pp. 361-366).
Wellman CH (2004) , The Evolution of Plant Physiology (pp. 43-63). Elsevier
Wellman CH (2004) , The Evolution of Plant Physiology (pp. 43-63).
Edwards D & Wellman CH (2001) Embryophytes on land: The Ordovician to Lochkovian (Lower Devonian) record In Gensel PG & Edwards D (Ed.), Plants invade the land: Evolutionary and environmental perspectives (pp. 3-28).
Wellman CH & Axe L (1998) Extracting plant mesofossils and megafossils by bulk acid maceration In Jones TP & Rowe NP (Ed.), Fossil plants and spores: modern techniques (pp. 11-14). Geological Society, London
Edwards D & Wellman CH (1998) The fossil record of early land plants and interrelationships between primitive embryophytes: too little and too late? In Bates JW, Ashton NW & Duckett JG (Ed.), Bryology for the Twenty-first Century (pp. 15-43). British Bryological Society
Edwards D & Wellman CH (1996) Older plant macerals (excluding spores) In Jansonius J & McGregor DC (Ed.), Palynology: principals and applications (pp. 383-387). AASP Foundation
Puttick MN, Morris JL, Williams TA, Edwards D, Kenrick P, Pressel S, Wellman CH, Schneider H, Pisani D & Donoghue PCJ () (pp. 1-11). Wiley

Conference proceedings papers

Guizar-Sicairos M, Holler M, Diaz A, da Silva JC, Tsai EHR, Bunk O, Martinez-Perez C, Donoghue PCJ, Wellman CH & Menzel A (2015) . X-Ray Nanoimaging: Instruments and Methods II
Wellman CH & Gensel PG (2004) . REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY, Vol. 130(1-4) (pp 269-295)
Wellman CH, Kerp H & Hass H (2004) Spores of the Rhynie chert plant Horneophyton lignieri (Kidston & Lang) Barghoorn & Darrah, 1938. TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH-EARTH SCIENCES, Vol. 94 (pp 429-443)
Wellman CH (2003) Dating the origin of land plants. TELLING THE EVOLUTIONARY TIME: MOLECULAR CLOCKS AND THE FOSSIL RECORD(66) (pp 119-141)
Wellman CH (2001) Morphology and ultrastructure of Devonian spores: Samarisporites (Cristatisporites) orcadensis (Richardson) Richardson, 1965. REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY, Vol. 116(1-2) (pp 87-107)

Research group

Current research students

Alexander Ball (2018-)

Silurian-Devonian early land plant spores and megafossils from the Anglo-Welsh Basin. Funded by a NERC ACCE award that is a CASE Studentship with the Natural History Museum, London.

Martha Gibson (2016-)

Palynology of the Permian Zechstein deposits of the UK (in association with Sirius Minerals). Funded by a NERC ACCE award.

Past students

Dr Alexander Askew (Ph.D. 2018)

Palynology of the Middle Devonian of Spain. Funded by a NERC ACCE award.

Dr David Carpenter (Ph.D. 2017)

Charcoal, forests and Earth’s Palaeozoic geochemical oxygen-cycle. Funded by NERC.

Dr Stephanie Wood (Ph.D. 2016)

Jurassic-Cretaceous palynology of the Gulf of Mexico. Funded by a NERC Open CASE award with Shell. Currently working for the British Geological Survey as a Palynology Lab Manager.

Dr Sam Slater (Ph.D. 2015)

Spore assemblages from the Yorkshire Jurassic. Funded by a NERC CASE Award with Shell Oil. Currently working as a postdoc in Sweden.

Dr Simon Wallace (Ph.D. 2013)

Evo-Devo studies of spore wall development in the extant moss Physcomitrella. Funded by a NERC award. Currently working as a postdoc in the USA.

Dr Faisal Abuhmida (PhD 2013)

Ordovician-Silurian palynology of Libya. Funded by the Libyan Petroleum Institute.
Currently working as a Stratigrapher/Palynologist for the Lybian Petroleum Institute.

Dr Janine Pendleton (PhD 2012)

Carboniferous plants and spores from the Bristol Coalfield. Funded by a NERC CASE Award with National Museum Wales, Cardiff.
Currently working as a Stratigrapher/Palynologist for PetroStrat, UK.

Dr Brian Pedder (PhD 2012)

Cambrian acritarchs from North America. Funded by a NERC Open CASE Award with the Natural History Museum, London.
Currently working as a Stratigrapher/Palynologist for Robertson, UK.

Dr Doreen Mkuu (MPhil 2012)

Tertiary palynology of Tanzania. Funded by the Tanzanian Petroleum Development Corporation.
Currently working as a Stratigrapher/Palynologist for the Tanzanian Petroleum Development Corporation.

Dr Mutusam Al-Ghammari (Ph.D. 2010)

Ordovician-Silurian acritarchs, chitinozoans and spore assemblages from Oman. Funded by Petroleum Development Oman. Currently working as a Stratigrapher/Palynologist for PDO in Oman.

Dr Khaled Gaddah (PhD 2009)

Cretaceous palynology of the Nubian Sandstone of Libya. Funded by the Libyan Education Ministry.
Currently working as a Stratigrapher/Palynologist for Waha Oil, Lybia.

Dr Issam Al-Barram (PhD 2009)

Carboniferous-Permian spore assemlages from Oman. Funded by Petroleum Development Oman.
Currently working as a Stratigrapher/Palynologist for PDO in Oman.

Dr Wesley Fraser (PhD 2008)

Development of a novel proxy for measuring past UV-B radiation.
Currently working as a Lecturer in Physical Geography at Oxford Brookes University.

Mr Abdullah Al-Ghazi (MPhil 2005)

Devonian spore assemblages of Saudi Arabia. Funded by Saudi Aramco.
Currently working as a Stratigrapher/Palynologist for Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia.

Dr Waleed Abusham (PhD 2001)

Carboniferous spore assemblages from Scotland. Self Funded.
Currently working as a Stratigrapher/Palynologist in Sudan.

Dr Craig Harvey (PhD 2001)

Devonian spore assemblages from Venezuela. Funded by a Hussain Farmy University of 91ֱ�� Scholarship.
Currently working as a Principal Exploration Geologist for Qatar Shell Upstream International.

Teaching activities

I teach across all levels within APS.

I am APS Level 3 tutor. In 2008 I received the Departmental Teacher of Year award.

At Level 1 I am module coordinator for APS121 (Evolution) and APS122 (Biodiversity).

At Level 2 I am module coordinator for APS269 (Palaeobiology). This module aims to instil within biology undergraduates a basic understanding of palaeontological principles—why understanding past life enhances our understanding of the living world.

At Level 3 I am module coordinator for APS341 (Evolution of Terrestrial Ecosystems). This module explores my personal research specialism and provides an up to date and in depth exploration of how terrestrial ecosystems have evolved through time and the nature of the scientific enquiry that enables us to understand this.

My Level 3 Projects (APS345) generally involve a palaeobiological investigation of fossils (usually plant fossils) that are collected and prepared by the students. These studies may concern analysis of evolutionary trends, palaeoecological investigation or palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. My Level 3 Dissertations (APS331) cover any topical area of palaeobiology (human evolution, dinosaur palaeobiology, mass extinctions etc.).

Level 4 Projects (APS406) cover aspects of palaeobiology that are currently interesting me. They have included investigation of sexual dimorphism in stegosaur dinosaurs, reconstruction of Cretaceous palaeogeography, analysis of Silurian lake palaeoecology, assessing the impact of the end Devonian mass extinction on various organisms etc.

Professional activities and memberships

Editorial boards

Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology (2006-present)
Palaontologische Zeitscrift (2005-present)
Palynos (2004-2008)
Palaeontology (2000-2006 & 2012-2016)

Societal roles

Commission Internationale de Microflora du Paleozoic (Secretary-Treasurer of the CIMP/Saudi Aramco joint project)
International Federation of Palynological Societies (Past President 2016-present; President 2012-2016; Secretary-Treasurer 2008-2012; Newsletter Editor 2004-2008; Councillor 2000-2004)
Palaeontological Association (President 2018-present)

Research council activities

NERC Peer Review College (2007-2011)

Recent invited lectures

European Palaeobotany & Palynology Conference (Dublin, Ireland 2018)
XXV Congresso Brasileiro de Paleontologia (Ribeirao Preto, Brazil 2017)
Royal Society Discussion Meeting: Rhynie Chert (London, UK 2017)
International Palynological Congress/International Organization of Palaeobotany Conference (Salvador, Brazil 2016)
International Palaeontological Congress (Mendoza, Argentina 2014)

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School of Biosciences

School of Biosciences

Professor Charles H Wellman

Featured publications

Journal articles

All publications

Journal articles

Chapters

Conference proceedings papers

Current research students

Alexander Ball (2018-)

Martha Gibson (2016-)

Past students

Dr Alexander Askew (Ph.D. 2018)

Dr David Carpenter (Ph.D. 2017)

Dr Stephanie Wood (Ph.D. 2016)

Dr Sam Slater (Ph.D. 2015)

Dr Simon Wallace (Ph.D. 2013)

Dr Faisal Abuhmida (PhD 2013)

Dr Janine Pendleton (PhD 2012)

Dr Brian Pedder (PhD 2012)

Dr Doreen Mkuu (MPhil 2012)

Dr Mutusam Al-Ghammari (Ph.D. 2010)

Dr Khaled Gaddah (PhD 2009)

Dr Issam Al-Barram (PhD 2009)

Dr Wesley Fraser (PhD 2008)

Mr Abdullah Al-Ghazi (MPhil 2005)

Dr Waleed Abusham (PhD 2001)

Dr Craig Harvey (PhD 2001)

Editorial boards

Societal roles

Research council activities

Recent invited lectures

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