Andrew H. Knoll

Fisher Research Professor of Natural History
Research Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Emeritus

Andy Knoll is broadly interested in the evolution of life, the evolution of Earth surface environments, and the relationships between the two. He is particularly interested in Archean and Proterozoic paleontology and biogeochemistry; however, both past and current projects include investigations of selected problems in Phanerozoic Earth history. Motivating evolutionary issues include the diversification of prokaryotic metabolisms on the Precambrian Earth, the initial radiation of eukaryotic life, and the rise of large complex algae and animals near the end of the Proterozoic Eon, as well as phytoplankton evolution and mass extinctions. In a genuine extension of this research, Knoll is also involved in Mars exploration.

Recent Publications

Petrucciana, A., A.H. Knoll, and A. Norici. (2022) Si decline and diatom evolution: insights from physiological experiments. Frontiers in Marine Science Sci. 9:924452; doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.924452.

Wordsworth, R., A.H. Knoll, J. Hurowitz, M. Baum, B. Ehlmann, J. Head III, and K. Steakley (2021) An integrated scenario for the climate and redox evolution of Mars. Nature Geoscience 14(3): doi.org/ 10.1038/s41561-021-00701-8.

Laakso, T.A., E.A Sperling, D.T. Johnston, and A.H. Knoll (2020) Ediacaran reorganization of the marine phosphorus cycle. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117: 11961–11967.

Gilbert, P.U.P.A., S.M. Porter, C.-Y. Sun, S. Xiao, B.M. Gibson, N. Shenkar, and A.H. Knoll (2019) Biomineralization by particle attachment in early animals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 116: 17659-17665.

Muscente, A.D., A. Prabhub, H. Zhong, A. Eleish, M. Meyer, P. Fox, R. Hazen, and A.H. Knoll (2018) Quantifying ecological impacts of mass extinctions with network analysis of fossil communities. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 115: 5217–5222.

Javaux, E.J. and A.H. Knoll (2017) Micropaleontology of the Lower Mesoproterozoic Roper Group, Australia. Journal of Paleontology 91: 199-229.

Knoll, A.H. and M.J. Follows (2016) A bottom-up perspective on ecosystem change in Mesozoic oceans. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B 283: 20161755.

Sperling, E.A., C.A. Frieder, P.R. Girguis, A.V. Raman, L.A. Levin, and A.H. Knoll (2013) Oxygen, ecology, and the Cambrian radiation of animals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 110: 13446-13451.

Knoll, A.H. (2011) The multiple origins of complex multicellularity. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 39: 217–239.