• PhD Carbonate Sedimentology (Cardiff University 2007)
• MSc (with Commendation) Palaeobiology (University of Bristol 2002)
• BSc (Hons) Geology (University of Durham 2000)

James completed his initial teacher training at the University of Gloucestershire in Geography (2006-2007). He completed his PhD on Ordovician limestones of Jämtland, Sweden, at Cardiff University in 2006 having previously studied for an MSc in Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol (2001-2002). His undergraduate degree is in Geology (University of Durham; 1997-2000). James joined the School as a Teaching Fellow in 2007 and in 2012 was appointed to a Lectureship in Sedimentology.

James Wheeley teaches sedimentology at undergraduate and postgraduate levels on all GEES Geology programmes. He advises Joint Honours Geology and Geography project student on their independent research. Each year he is a supervisor on a number of MSci projects in sedimentary geology. James teaches on fieldtrips to SW England, Scotland and SE Spain.

• 2011-2015 Rosemary Dartnall. Gwna Mélange sedimentology. Principal supervisor: Prof. Ian Fairchild, co-supervisor: Dr J.R. Wheeley. External supervisors: Prof. Paul Smith (Oxford), Dr David Schofield (BGS).
• 2012–2015 Ban To Wan. Using Geological Information in Quantitative Prediction of Contaminant Movement in Groundwater Systems. Principal supervisor: Prof. John Tellam, co-supervisor: Dr J.R. Wheeley and Dr Alan Herbert.

Current / Recent Research

Current research focuses on elucidating conodont oxygen isotopes ultimately for seawater palaeotemperature and palaeoclimate reconstruction (with Prof. Paul Smith and Dr Ian Boomer). The NERC ion microprobe at the University of Edinburgh is being used to measure oxygen isotopes of individual conodont elements and bulk trisilverphosphate samples are processed through Birmingham’s isotope facility (SILLA). Further oxygen isotope work on vertebrate hard tissues is being undertaking in co-operation with Birmingham’s Sea Life centre (with Dr Ivan Sansom, and Dr Zivile Zigaite). Research into conodont nitrogen and organic carbon isotopes is underway with colleagues from Trinity College Dublin and the National University of Ireland, Galway.

Research Cluster / Group Affiliation

Geosystems

Research Interests

• Carbonate sedimentology
• Conodont isotope records
• Early Palaeozoic climate change
• Permian-Triassic mass extinction and biotic recovery Trace fossils and trilobite autecology

Administrative Responsibilities in Earth Sciences

• Examination Officer Earth Sciences
• Earth Sciences Schools Liaison and Outreach
• Admissions Team

Professional affiliations

• The Palaeontological Association
• The Micropalaeontological Society
• The Geological Society of America
• SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology
• The Pander Society

Key Publications

12. Cherns, L.  Wheeley, J.R., Popov, L.E. Ghobadi Pour, M. Owens, R.M. and Hemsley, A.R. in press. Long period orbital climate forcing in the early Palaeozoic? Journal of the Geological Society of London.

11. Price, G.D., Twitchett, R.J., Wheeley, J.R. & Buono, G. 2013. Isotopic evidence for long term warmth in the Mesozoic. Scientific Reports 3, 1438; DOI:10.1038/srep01438

10. Wheeley, J.R., Smith, M.P. and Boomer, I. 2012. Oxygen isotope variability in conodonts: implications for reconstructing Palaeozoic palaeoclimates and palaeoceanography. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 169, 239-250.

9. Hao Wang, Longyi Shao, Liming Hao, Pengfi Zhang, Glasspool, I.J., Wheeley, J.R., Wignall, P.B. and Hilton, J. 2011. Palaeoenvironments, stratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy of the Lopingian (Permian) coal measures in southwestern China. International Journal of Coal Geology 85, 168-183.

8. Cherns, L., Wheeley, J.R., and Wright, V.P. 2011. Taphonomic bias in shelly faunas through time: Early aragonite dissolution and its implications for the fossil record. In Allison, P.A. & Bottjer, D.J. (eds.) Taphonomy, Second Edition: Process and Bias Through Time. Topics in Geobiology 32. Springer, pp. 79-105.

7. Cherns, L. and Wheeley, J.R. 2009. Early Palaeozoic cooling events: peri-Gondwana and beyond. In Bassett, M.G. (ed.) Early Palaeozoic Peri-Gondwanan Terranes: New Insights from Tectonics and Biogeography. The Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 325, 256-278.

6. Cherns, L., Wheeley, J.R. and Wright, V.P. 2008. Taphonomic windows and molluscan preservation. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 270, 220-229.

5. Wheeley, J.R., Cherns, L. and Wright, V.P.2008. Provenance of microcrystalline carbonate cement in limestone-marl alternations: Aragonite mud or molluscs? Journal of the Geological Society, London165, 395-403.

4. Cherns, L. and Wheeley, J.R. 2007. A pre-Hirnantian (Late Ordovician) interval of global cooling – The ‘Boda event’ re-assessed. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology251, 449-460.

3. Cherns, L.,* Wheeley, J.R.* and Karis, L. 2006. Tunneling trilobites: habitual infaunalism in an Ordovician carbonate seafloor. Geology 34, 657-660. (*joint first authors)

2. Wheeley, J.R. and Twitchett, R.J. 2005. Palaeoecological significance of a new Griesbachian (Early Triassic) gastropod fauna from Oman. Lethaia 38, 37-45.

1. Twitchett, R.J., Krystyn, L., Baud, A., Wheeley, J.R. and Richoz, S. 2004. Rapid marine recovery after the end-Permian extinction event in the absence of marine anoxia. Geology 32, 805-808.