Paul Wignall

{{Infobox academic

| name = Paul Barry Wignall

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_date = 1964

| birth_place = Bradford, England

| nationality = British

| discipline = Palaeontology, Sedimentology

| alma_mater = University of Oxford (BA), University of Birmingham (PhD)

| workplaces = University of Leeds

}}

Paul Barry Wignall is a British palaeontologist and sedimentologist. He is best known for his research on mass extinctions in the marine realm.,{{Cite journal |last=Wignall |first=Paul B. |date=2001-03-01 |title=Large igneous provinces and mass extinctions |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825200000374 |journal=Earth-Science Reviews |language=en |volume=53 |issue=1 |pages=1–33 |doi=10.1016/S0012-8252(00)00037-4 |bibcode=2001ESRv...53....1W |issn=0012-8252|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite journal |last1=Wignall |first1=Paul B. |last2=Twitchett |first2=Richard J. |date=1996-05-24 |title=Oceanic Anoxia and the End Permian Mass Extinction |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.272.5265.1155 |journal=Science |language=en |volume=272 |issue=5265 |pages=1155–1158 |doi=10.1126/science.272.5265.1155 |pmid=8662450 |bibcode=1996Sci...272.1155W |s2cid=35032406 |issn=0036-8075|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite journal |last=Hallam, Anthony; Wignall, Paul B. |date=1999 |title=Mass extinctions and sea-level changes |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0012825299000550 |journal=Earth-Science Reviews |volume=48 |issue=4 |pages=217–250 |doi=10.1016/S0012-8252(99)00055-0|bibcode=1999ESRv...48..217H |url-access=subscription }} particularly via the interpretation of black shales.{{Cite book |last=Wignall |first=Paul B. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/29469074 |title=Black Shales |date=1994 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0-19-854038-8 |location= |oclc=29469074}}{{Cite journal |last1=Wignall |first1=Paul B. |last2=Myers |first2=Keith J. |date=1988-05-01 |title=Interpreting benthic oxygen levels in mudrocks: A new approach |url=https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1988)0162.3.CO;2 |journal=Geology |volume=16 |issue=5 |pages=452–455 |doi=10.1130/0091-7613(1988)016<0452:IBOLIM>2.3.CO;2 |bibcode=1988Geo....16..452W |issn=0091-7613|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite journal |last1=Wignall |first1=P. B. |last2=Newton |first2=R. |date=1998-09-01 |title=Pyrite framboid diameter as a measure of oxygen deficiency in ancient mudrocks |url=http://www.ajsonline.org/cgi/doi/10.2475/ajs.298.7.537 |journal=American Journal of Science |language=en |volume=298 |issue=7 |pages=537–552 |doi=10.2475/ajs.298.7.537 |bibcode=1998AmJS..298..537W |issn=0002-9599|doi-access=free }}

Biography

Wignall obtained an undergraduate degree in geology from Worcester College at the University of Oxford in 1985. He then completed a PhD in Palaeoecology at the University of Birmingham in 1988, supervised by Anthony Hallam.{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/54529268 |title=Extinctions in the history of life |date=2004 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |others=Paul D. Taylor |isbn=0-521-84224-7 |location=Cambridge, U.K. |oclc=54529268}} He spent a year as a postdoctoral researcher with John Hudson at the University of Leicester before gaining employment in the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds in 1989, where he is currently Professor of Palaeoenvironments.

Research

Wignall is well known for his research on extinction in the fossil record,{{Cite journal |last1=Wignall |first1=Paul B. |last2=Benton |first2=Michael J. |date=May 1999 |title=Lazarus taxa and fossil abundance at times of biotic crisis |url=http://jgs.lyellcollection.org/lookup/doi/10.1144/gsjgs.156.3.0453 |journal=Journal of the Geological Society |language=en |volume=156 |issue=3 |pages=453–456 |doi=10.1144/gsjgs.156.3.0453 |bibcode=1999JGSoc.156..453W |s2cid=130746408 |issn=0016-7649|url-access=subscription }} particularly the Permian-Triassic mass extinction.{{Cite web |title=The Permian Extinction—When Life Nearly Came to an End {{!}} National Geographic Society |url=https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/permian-extinction-when-life-nearly-came-end |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=education.nationalgeographic.org}}{{Cite journal |last1=Twitchett |first1=Richard J. |last2=Looy |first2=Cindy V. |last3=Morante |first3=Ric |last4=Visscher |first4=Henk |last5=Wignall |first5=Paul B. |date=2001-04-01 |title=Rapid and synchronous collapse of marine and terrestrial ecosystems during the end-Permian biotic crisis |url=https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)0292.0.CO;2 |journal=Geology |volume=29 |issue=4 |pages=351–354 |doi=10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0351:RASCOM>2.0.CO;2 |bibcode=2001Geo....29..351T |issn=0091-7613|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite journal |last=Wignall |first=P. B. |date=December 2007 |title=The End-Permian mass extinction – how bad did it get? |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1472-4669.2007.00130.x |journal=Geobiology |language=en |volume=5 |issue=4 |pages=303–309 |doi=10.1111/j.1472-4669.2007.00130.x |s2cid=130274539 |issn=1472-4677|doi-access=free }} He has published extensively on the importance of oceanic anoxia{{Cite journal |last=Wignall, Paul B., Twitchett, Richard J. |date=2002 |title=Extent, duration, and nature of the Permian-Triassic superanoxic event |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279396802 |journal=Geological Society of America Special Papers |volume=356 |pages=395–413}} and high temperatures{{Cite journal |last1=Sun |first1=Yadong |last2=Joachimski |first2=Michael M. |last3=Wignall |first3=Paul B. |last4=Yan |first4=Chunbo |last5=Chen |first5=Yanlong |last6=Jiang |first6=Haishui |last7=Wang |first7=Lina |last8=Lai |first8=Xulong |date=2012-10-19 |title=Lethally Hot Temperatures During the Early Triassic Greenhouse |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1224126 |journal=Science |language=en |volume=338 |issue=6105 |pages=366–370 |doi=10.1126/science.1224126 |pmid=23087244 |bibcode=2012Sci...338..366S |s2cid=41302171 |issn=0036-8075|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite journal |last1=Song |first1=Haijun |last2=Wignall |first2=Paul B. |last3=Chu |first3=Daoliang |last4=Tong |first4=Jinnan |last5=Sun |first5=Yadong |last6=Song |first6=Huyue |last7=He |first7=Weihong |last8=Tian |first8=Li |date=May 2015 |title=Anoxia/high temperature double whammy during the Permian-Triassic marine crisis and its aftermath |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=4132 |doi=10.1038/srep04132 |issn=2045-2322 |pmc=3928575 |pmid=24549265}} as kill mechanisms during this event. He also has an interest in understanding the coincidence of supercontinents, large igneous provinces and mass extinction events in Earth history.{{Citation |last1=Bond |first1=David P.G. |title=Large igneous provinces and mass extinctions: An update |date=2014 |url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/674/chapter/3807763 |work=Volcanism, Impacts, and Mass Extinctions: Causes and Effects |publisher=Geological Society of America |language=en |doi=10.1130/2014.2505(02) |isbn=978-0-8137-2505-5 |access-date=2022-07-18 |last2=Wignall |first2=Paul B.}}{{Cite journal |last=Wignall |first=P. |date=2005-12-01 |title=The Link between Large Igneous Province Eruptions and Mass Extinctions |url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/elements/article/1/5/293-297/137594 |journal=Elements |language=en |volume=1 |issue=5 |pages=293–297 |doi=10.2113/gselements.1.5.293 |issn=1811-5209|url-access=subscription }}

Publications

Wignall has published over 200 research articles and books, including Mass Extinctions and Their Aftermath,{{Cite book |last=Hallam, Anthony; Wignall, Paul B. |title=Mass Extinctions and Their Aftermath |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1997 |isbn=978-0198549161}} The Worst of Times: How Life on Earth Survived Eighty Million Years of Extinctions{{Cite book |last=Wignall |first=Paul B. |title=The Worst of Times: How Life on Earth Survived Eighty Million Years of Extinctions |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=2017 |isbn=978-0691176024 |pages=1–224}} and Extinction: A Very Short Introduction.{{Cite book |last=Wignall |first=Paul B. |title=Extinction: A Very Short Introduction |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2019 |isbn=978-0198807285 |pages=1–144}}

Media

Wignall has featured in several television programs, including BBC Horizon episode The Day The Earth Nearly Died.{{Cite web |title=BBC - Science & Nature - Horizon - The Day The Earth Nearly Died |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2002/dayearthdied.shtml |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}}

Awards

1988 Cecil Barber Prize (best PhD thesis in Earth Sciences), University of Birmingham
1988 Fearnsides Prize, Yorkshire Geological Society{{Cite web |title=Yorkshire Geological Society: Medals, Honours and Grants |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ebc647c0446723b32229119/t/5f1efd34d0ba8950a1f63fa2/1595866424074/YGSAwardsList2020.pdf}}
1991 President's Award, Geological Society of London{{Cite web |title=The Geological Society of London - President's Awards |url=https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/About/awards-grants-and-bursaries/society-awards/presidents-awards |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=www.geolsoc.org.uk}}
1996-97 Clough Memorial Award, Edinburgh Geological Society{{Cite web |title=Geology Awards - The Clough Medal and Clough Memorial Award Winners |url=https://www.edinburghgeolsoc.org/home/medallists-and-award-winners/ |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=Edinburgh Geological Society |language=en-GB}}
2005 James Lee Wilson Award, Society for Sedimentary Geology{{Cite web |title=Past Science Awards Winners |url=https://sepm.org/Past-Winners |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=sepm.org}}
2005-2006 Kan Tong Po Visiting professor at University of Hong Kong, awarded by Royal Society
2017 Jean Baptiste Lamarck Medal, European Geosciences Union{{Cite web |title=Jean Baptiste Lamarck Medal |url=https://www.egu.eu/awards-medals/jean-baptiste-lamarck/2017/paul-wignall/ |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=European Geosciences Union (EGU) |language=en}}
Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award

Other

Wignall co-founded the Craven and Pendle Geological Society in 1990. He was President of the Leeds Geological Association in 2007–2008, and President of the Yorkshire Geological Society in 2009–2010.{{Cite web |title=Yorkshire Geological Society: Past Presidents |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ebc647c0446723b32229119/t/5ff6189bbe07951ea9214d55/1609963679204/YGS+past+presidents.pdf}} He was also a member of the Research Excellence Framework review panel for Earth Sciences in 2014.