Thure Cerling

Distinguished Professor of Biology and of Geology and Geophysics

Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley

Office/Building: Biol 302A
Phone: 801-585-0415
Email: thure.cerling@utah.edu

Research Statement

I use stable isotopes to understand ecological questions such as soil formation, animal physiology, wildlife ecology, and climate change. I work on time scales that include current (and future) events, but also work on fossil systems up to millions of years old.

Research Interests

General Interests

Specific Interests

Stable isotope ecology
Paleontology

Selected Publications

Cerling, TE, G Wittemyer, HB Rasmussen, F Vollrath, CE Cerling, TJ Robinson, I Douglas-Hamilton, 2006, Stable isotopes in elephant hair documents migration patterns and diet changes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 103: 371-373.
Passey, BH and TE Cerling, 2006, In situ stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ18O) of very small teeth using laser ablation GC/IRMS. Chemical Geology 235: 238-249.
Cerling, TE, LK Ayliffe, MD Dearing, JR Ehleringer, BH Passey, DW Podlesak, A-M. Torregrossa, AG West, 2007, Determining biological tissue turnover using stable isotopes: the reaction progress variable. Oecologia 151:175-189.
Cerling TE, P Omondi, & AN Macharia, 2007, Diets of Kenyan elephants from stable isotopes and the origin of confiscated ivory in Kenya. Journal of African Ecology 45: 614-623. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2007.00784.
Ehleringer, JR, GJ Bowen, LA Chesson, AG West, DW Podlesak, TE Cerling, 2008, Hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios in human hair are related to geography. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 105: 2788-1793.
Cerling, TE, JA Hart, P Kaleme, H Klingel, MG Leakey, NE Levin, RL Lewison, BH Passey, & JM Harris, 2008, Stable isotope ecology of modern Hippopotamus amphibius in East Africa. Jour. Zool. 276: 204-212.

Courses Taught

BIOL 5470: Stable Isotope Ecology
GG 5660: Introduction to Geochemistry
GG 3300: Water Planet