I am a palynologist who specialises in reconstructing climate and environments in the high southern palaeolatitudes during warm periods in the geological past.

This is achieved by studying the fossil record of marine and terrestrial palynomorphs through time in conjunction with sedimentology, stratigraphy and geochemical techniques. The results are compared to those from global climate models, and discussed in terms of biogeography, with a view to understanding the sensitivity of Antarctica to future global change.

Recent projects have focussed on the Cretaceous – Paleogene sedimentary succession of Seymour Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Previous projects have included reconstructing Jurassic fossil forests and environments (New Zealand), investigating modern and Quaternary phytoliths for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction (sub-Antarctic islands, Australia) and reviewing palaeobotanical data to ground-truth palaeoclimate models.

Selected Publications: (previous name Thorn)

Witts, J.; Bowman, V.C., Wignall, P., Crame, J.A., Francis, J.E., Newton, R. (2015). Evolution and extinction of Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) cephalopods from the López de Bertodano Formation, Seymour Island, Antarctica. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, 418, 193-212.

Crame, J.A.; Beu, A.; Ineson, J.; Francis, J.E.; Whittle, R.; Bowman, V.C. (2014). The early origin of the Antarctic marine fauna and its evolutionary implications. PLoS ONE, 9(12), e114743.

Crame, J.A.; Francis, J.E.;, Robinson, S.A.; Bowman, V.C. (2014). Polar Predictions – How does the study of past environments and climates shed light on the impact of major environmental change? International International, Research Media International, 134 (Environment), 85-87.

Bowman, V.C.; Francis, J.E.; Askin, R.; Riding, J.B.; Swindles, G. (2014). Latest Cretaceous-earliest Paleogene vegetation and climate change at the high southern latitudes: palynological evidence from Seymour Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, 408, 26-47.

Kemp, D.; Robinson, S.; Crame, J.A.; Francis, J.E.; Ineson, J.; Whittle, R.; Bowman, V.C.; O’Brien, C. (2014). A cool temperate climate on the Antarctic Peninsula through the latest Cretaceous to early Paleogene. Geology, 42, 583-586.

Bowman, V.C.; Francis, J.E., Riding, J.B. (2013). Late Cretaceous winter sea ice in Antarctica? Geology, 41, 1227-1230.

Hill, D.J., Haywood, A.M., Valdes, P.J., Francis, J.E., Lunt, D.J., Wade, B.S., Bowman, V.C. (2013). Paleogeographic controls on the onset of the Antarctic circumpolar current. Geophysical Research Letters, 40, 5199-5204.

Hambrey, M.J., Barker, P.F., Barrett, P.J., Bowman, V.C., Davies, B., Smellie, J.L., Tranter, M. (editors) (2013). Antarctic Palaeoenvironments and Earth-Surface Processes. Geological Society Special Publication 381, 506 pp.

Bowman, V.C., Riding, J.B., Francis, J.E., Crame, J.A., Hannah, M.J. (2013) The taxonomy and palaeobiogeography of small chorate dinoflagellate cysts from the Late Cretaceous to Quaternary of Antarctica. Palynology, 37, 151-169.

Bowman, V.C., Francis, J.E., Riding, J.B., Hunter, S.J., Haywood, A.M. (2012). A latest Cretaceous to earliest Paleogene dinoflagellate cyst zonation from Antarctica, and implications for phytoprovincialism in the high southern latitudes. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 171, 40-56.

Thorn, V.C., Riding, J.B., Francis, J.E. (2009). The Late Cretaceous dinoflagellate cyst Manumiella –biostratigraphy, systematics, and palaeoecological signals in Antarctica. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 156(3-4), 436-448.

Francis, J.E., Ashworth, A., Cantrill, D., Crame, J.A., Howe, J., Stephens, R., Tosolini, A-M., Thorn, V.C. (2008). 100 million years of Antarctic climate evolution: evidence from fossil plants. In: Cooper, A.K., Barrett, P.J., Stagg, H., Storey, B., Stump, E., Wise, W., and 10th ISAES editorial team (editors), Antarctica: a keystone in a changing world, Washington, D C: The National Academies Press, pp 19-27.

Francis, J.E., Marenssi, S., Levy, R., Hambrey, M., Thorn, V.C., Mohr, B., Brinkhuis, H., Warnaar, J., Zachos, J., Bohaty, S., DeConto, R. (2008). From Greenhouse to Icehouse – the Eocene/Oligocene in Antarctica. In: Florindo, F., Seigert, M. (editors), Antarctic Climate Evolution, 8, The Netherlands: Elsevier, pp 309-368.

Thorn, V.C. (2008). New Zealand sub-Antarctic phytoliths and their potential for vegetation reconstruction. Antarctic Science, 20(1), 21-32.

Francis, J.E., Thorn, V.C. (2006). Antarctic fossil plants. In: Riffenburgh, B (editor), Encyclopedia of the Antarctic, New York: Routledge.

Thorn, V.C., DeConto, R. (2006). Antarctic climate at the Eocene/Oligocene boundary – climate model sensitivity to high latitude vegetation type and comparisons with the palaeobotanical record. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 231, 134-157.

Whitehead, J.M., Ehrmann W., Harwood, D.M., Hillenbrand, C-D., Quilty, P.G., Hart, C., Taviani, M., Thorn, V.C., Mcminn, A. (2006). Late Miocene paleoenvironment of the Lambert Graben embayment, East Antarctica, evidence from: mollusc paleontology, sedimentology and geochemistry. Global and Planetary Change, 50(3-4), 127-147.

Thorn, V.C. (2004a). Phytoliths from subantarctic Campbell Island: plant production & soil surface spectra. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 132, 37-59.

Thorn, V.C. (2004b). Data Report: Phytoliths within drill core sediments from Sites 1165 & 1166, Leg 188, Prydz Bay, East Antarctica. In: Cooper, A.K., O’Brien, P.E., Richter, C. (editors), Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results, 188, 1-12. Available online at http://www-odp.tamu.edu/publications/188_SR/002/002.htm.

Thorn, V.C. (2001). Vegetation communities of a high palaeolatitude Middle Jurassic forest in New Zealand. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 168(3-4): 273-289.

Thorn, V.C. (2000). Oligocene and Early Miocene phytoliths from CRP-2/2A and CRP-3, Victoria Land Basin, Antarctica. Terra Antartica, 8(4): 407-422.

Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

1. DATA AS ART #12

   Pollen and climate Artwork #12 shows how the amounts of different fossil spores and pollen from Antarctic rock samples change through geological time with changing climate. Each stacked graph is […]

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2. Impact of global disturbances on evolution of polar life

   Why does global biodiversity show such a steep increase just as climates were deteriorating?

   Read more of: Impact of global disturbances on evolution of polar life