Mr Andrew Merdith
ARC Externally-Funded Research Fellow
School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences
College of Science
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.
I am a computational Earth Scientist interested in the long-term evolution of our planet's surface conditions. Over long timescales Earth's climate is fundamentally controlled by the feedback and relationships between the different intersecting Earth 'spheres', the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere and mesosphere (mantle). My work seeks to quantitatively understand how these interactions produce what is preserved in the geological record. I am particularly interested in understanding the mechanisms behind icehouse-greenhouse transitions, the efficacy of continental (silicate) weathering through time, and how both of these intersect with the evolution of plate tectonics and Earth's topography through time. To achieve this I build, employ and analyse models relating to plate tectonics, mantle dynamics, carbon (and other volatile) cycling, palaeoclimate, biogeochemistry and landscape evolution.
I am currently working on several projects related to understanding the long-term evolution of Earth's surface. My principal project is an ARC funded DECRA Fellowship, titled "Earth's mid life crisis: a recipe for a habitable planet?". The title of the project pokes fun at the idea that Earth went through a mid-life crisis (not necessarily a comment on my own life hah) during the Proterozoic where many of the different Earth 'systems' stalled or slowed down in progression, only to be kick-started (for some reason) during the Neoproterozoic. Irrespective of how much the planet slowed down during the middle-Proterozoic, within a few hundred million years our planet went from anoxic (no or little oxygen) with simple life forms to a well oxygenated planet characterised by a complex and diverse life-forms. This few hundred million year time period also included two 'snowball' Earth glacial events, where ice extended to the equator. This is a long-winded way of saying that lots of interesting things happened during this time and we're not sure why or how, and the project I'm working on is looking to help answer some of these questions!
I am also involved in a bunch of other (cool) projects, at Adelaide University, around Australia (Sydney University, University of Tasmania) and around the world (Lyon 1 Université Claude Bernard (France), University of Leeds (UK), University of Southampton (UK)). Most of these projects look to understand some part of the Earth system and how it evolved and changed through time!
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 - ongoing | DECRA Fellow | Adelaide University |
| 2021 - 2023 | Marie Sklodowska-Curie Independant Fellow | University of Leeds |
| 2018 - 2021 | Postdoctoral Research Fekkiw | Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 |
| 2017 - 2018 | Postdoctoral Research Associate | University of Sydney |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 - 2017 | University of Sydney | Australia | PhD |
| 2007 - 2012 | University of Sydney | Australia | B. Science (Honours) |
| 2007 - 2012 | University of Sydney | Sydney | B. Education |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Dodd, M. S., Li, C., Zhang, Z., Sadekov, A. Y., Desrochers, A., Hints, O., . . . Mills, B. J. W. (2026). Recurring marine phosphorus spikes during major palaeozoic mass extinctions and climate change.. Nature communications. |
| 2026 | Spandler, C., Merdith, A. S., & Griffin, A. (2026). Linking carbonatites, rare earth ores, and subduction-fertilized mantle lithosphere. Science Advances, 12(15), eaeb2942-1-eaeb2942-8. |
| 2026 | Zheng, D., Lipp, A. G., Farnsworth, A., Li, S., Merdith, A. S., Gurung, K., . . . Mills, B. J. W. (2026). Tight regulation of Earth's long-term temperature over Phanerozoic time.. Nature communications. |
| 2025 | Longman, J., Mills, B. J. W., & Merdith, A. S. (2025). Limited long-term cooling effects of Pangaean flood basalt weathering. Nature Communications, 16(1), 4813-1-4813-10. Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1 |
| 2025 | Xu, Z., Yu, J., Yin, H., Merdith, A. S., Hilton, J., Allen, B. J., . . . Mills, B. J. W. (2025). Early Triassic super-greenhouse climate driven by vegetation collapse. Nature Communications, 16(1), 5400-1-5400-14. Scopus13 WoS15 |
| 2025 | Spencer, C. J., Gernon, T. M., Davies, N. S., McMahon, W. J., & Merdith, A. S. (2025). From plant roots to mountain roots: Impact of land plants on arc magmatism. Geology, 53(8), 679-683. Scopus3 WoS3 |
| 2025 | Müller, R. D., Dutkiewicz, A., Farkaš, J., Loehr, S., & Merdith, A. S. (2025). Mid-Proterozoic expansion of passive margins and reduction in volcanic outgassing supported marine oxygenation and eukaryogenesis. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 672, 119683-1-119683-8. Scopus1 |
| 2025 | Xu, Z., Yu, J., Yin, H., Merdith, A. S., Hilton, J., Allen, B. J., . . . Mills, B. J. W. (2025). Author Correction: Early Triassic super-greenhouse climate driven by vegetation collapse (Nature Communications, (2025), 16, 1, (5400), 10.1038/s41467-025-60396-y). Nature Communications, 16(1), 1 page. |
| 2025 | Zhang, Y., Yuan, S., Mills, B. J. W., Merdith, A. S., Hu, Y., & Zhu, M. (2025). Increased Continental Exposure as a Driver of Carbon Drawdown and Initiation of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age. Geophysical Research Letters, 52(24), 10 pages. |
| 2025 | Mills, B. J. W., le Hir, G., Merdith, A., Gurung, K., Bowyer, F. T., Krause, A. J., . . . Zhang, Y. (2025). Exploring Neoproterozoic climate and biogeochemical evolution in the SCION model. Global and Planetary Change, 249, 104791-1-104791-11. Scopus4 WoS4 |
| 2025 | Merdith, A. S., Gernon, T. M., Maffre, P., Donnadieu, Y., Goddéris, Y., Longman, J., . . . Mills, B. J. W. (2025). Phanerozoic icehouse climates as the result of multiple solid-Earth cooling mechanisms. Science Advances, 11(7), eadm9798-1-eadm9798-15. Scopus5 WoS5 |
| 2024 | Mather, B. R., Müller, R. D., Zahirovic, S., Cannon, J., Chin, M., Ilano, L., . . . Merdith, A. (2024). Deep time spatio‐temporal data analysis using py<scp>GP</scp>lates with <scp>P</scp>late<scp>T</scp>ectonic<scp>T</scp>ools and <scp>GP</scp>lately. Geoscience Data Journal, 11(1), 3-10. |
| 2024 | Dutkiewicz, A., Merdith, A. S., Collins, A. S., Mather, B., Ilano, L., Zahirovic, S., & Muller, R. D. (2024). Duration of Sturtian "Snowball Earth" glaciation linked to exceptionally low mid-ocean ridge outgassing. Geology, 52(4), 292-296. Scopus21 WoS20 |
| 2024 | Cawood, P. A., Merdith, A. S., & Murphy, J. B. (2024). Syn-emplacement ophiolites and relationship to supercontinent cycle. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 641, 118810-1-118810-11. Scopus8 WoS6 |
| 2024 | Zheng, D., Merdith, A. S., Goddéris, Y., Donnadieu, Y., Gurung, K., & Mills, B. J. W. (2024). Using deep learning to integrate paleoclimate and global biogeochemistry over the Phanerozoic Eon. Geoscientific Model Development, 17(13), 5413-5429. Scopus3 WoS3 |
| 2024 | Chapman, T., Milan, L. A., Zahirovic, S., Merdith, A. S., Clarke, G. L., Sun, M., & Daczko, N. R. (2024). Magmatic flare-ups in arcs controlled by fluctuations in subduction water flux. Tectonophysics, 888, 230457-1-230457-11. Scopus2 WoS2 |
| 2024 | Gernon, T. M., Mills, B. J. W., Hincks, T. K., Merdith, A. S., Alcott, L. J., Rohling, E. J., & Palmer, M. R. (2024). Solid Earth forcing of Mesozoic oceanic anoxic events. Nature Geoscience, 17(9), 926-935. Scopus13 WoS13 |
| 2024 | Black, B. A., Karlstrom, L., Mills, B. J. W., Mather, T. A., Rudolph, M. L., Longman, J., & Merdith, A. (2024). Cryptic degassing and protracted greenhouse climates after flood basalt events. Nature Geoscience, 17(11), 1162-1168. Scopus18 WoS18 |
| 2024 | Müller, R. D., Dutkiewicz, A., Zahirovic, S., Merdith, A. S., Scotese, C. R., Mills, B. J. W., . . . Mather, B. (2024). Solid Earth Carbon Degassing and Sequestration Since 1 Billion Years Ago. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 25(11), e2024GC011713-1-e2024GC011713-46. Scopus12 WoS9 |
| 2024 | Gernon, T. M., Jones, S. M., Brune, S., Hincks, T. K., Palmer, M. R., Schumacher, J. C., . . . Glerum, A. (2024). Author Correction: Rift-induced disruption of cratonic keels drives kimberlite volcanism.. Nature, 625(7994), E7. |
| 2023 | Gernon, T. M., Jones, S. M., Brune, S., Hincks, T. K., Palmer, M. R., Schumacher, J. C., . . . Glerum, A. (2023). Rift-induced disruption of cratonic keels drives kimberlite volcanism. Nature, 620(7973), 344-350. Scopus55 WoS56 Europe PMC7 |
| 2023 | Song, Y., Bowyer, F. T., Mills, B. J. W., Merdith, A. S., Wignall, P. B., Peakall, J., . . . Poulton, S. W. (2023). Dynamic redox and nutrient cycling response to climate forcing in the Mesoproterozoic ocean. Nature Communications, 14(1), 10 pages. Scopus22 WoS21 Europe PMC4 |
| 2023 | Farnsworth, A., Lo, Y. T. E., Valdes, P. J., Buzan, J. R., Mills, B. J. W., Merdith, A. S., . . . Wakeford, H. R. (2023). Climate extremes likely to drive land mammal extinction during next supercontinent assembly. Nature Geoscience, 16(10), 901-908. Scopus19 WoS14 |
| 2023 | Merdith, A. S., Daniel, I., Sverjensky, D., Andreani, M., Mather, B., Williams, S., & Vitale Brovarone, A. (2023). Global Hydrogen Production During High‐Pressure Serpentinization of Subducting Slabs. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 24(10), 15 pages. Scopus10 WoS10 |
| 2022 | Müller, R. D., Mather, B., Dutkiewicz, A., Keller, T., Merdith, A., Gonzalez, C. M., . . . Zahirovic, S. (2022). Evolution of Earth’s tectonic carbon conveyor belt. Nature, 605(7911), 629-639. Scopus115 WoS106 Europe PMC16 |
| 2022 | Flament, N., Bodur, Ö. F., Williams, S. E., & Merdith, A. S. (2022). Author Correction: Assembly of the basal mantle structure beneath Africa. Nature, 606(7914), E4. Scopus1 |
| 2022 | Merdith, A., Williams, S., Collins, A., Tetley, M., Mulder, J., Blades, M., . . . Müller, R. (2022). Extending full-plate tectonic models into deep time: Linking the Neoproterozoic and the Phanerozoic. |
| 2022 | Müller, R. D., Flament, N., Cannon, J., Tetley, M. G., Williams, S. E., Cao, X., . . . Merdith, A. (2022). A tectonic-rules-based mantle reference frame since 1 billion years ago – implications for supercontinent cycles and plate–mantle system evolution. Solid Earth, 13(7), 1127-1159. Scopus91 WoS88 |
| 2022 | Flament, N., Bodur, Ö. F., Williams, S. E., & Merdith, A. S. (2022). Assembly of the basal mantle structure beneath Africa. Nature, 603(7903), 846-851. Scopus52 WoS53 Europe PMC8 |
| 2022 | Boddy, C. E., Mitchell, E. G., Merdith, A., & Liu, A. G. (2022). Palaeolatitudinal distribution of the Ediacaran macrobiota. Journal of the Geological Society, 179(1), 13 pages. Scopus24 WoS25 |
| 2022 | Gernon, T. M., Barr, R., Fitton, J. G., Hincks, T. K., Keir, D., Longman, J., . . . Palmer, M. R. (2022). Transient mobilization of subcrustal carbon coincident with Palaeocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum. Nature Geoscience, 15(7), 573-579. Scopus22 WoS20 |
| 2022 | Krause, A. J., Mills, B. J. W., Merdith, A. S., Lenton, T. M., & Poulton, S. W. (2022). Extreme variability in atmospheric oxygen levels in the late Precambrian. SCIENCE ADVANCES, 8(41), 10 pages. WoS55 Europe PMC16 |
| 2021 | Huang, F., Barbier, S., Tao, R., Hao, J., Garcia del Real, P., Peuble, S., . . . Daniel, I. (2021). Dataset for H<sub>2</sub>, CH<sub>4</sub> and organic compounds formation during experimental serpentinization. Geoscience Data Journal, 8(1), 90-100. Scopus6 WoS5 |
| 2021 | Collins, A. S., Blades, M. L., Merdith, A. S., & Foden, J. D. (2021). Closure of the Proterozoic Mozambique Ocean was instigated by a late Tonian plate reorganization event. Communications Earth and Environment, 2(1), 75-1-75-7. Scopus56 WoS48 |
| 2021 | Gernon, T. M., Hincks, T. K., Merdith, A. S., Rohling, E. J., Palmer, M. R., Foster, G. L., . . . Müller, R. D. (2021). Global chemical weathering dominated by continental arcs since the mid-Palaeozoic. Nature Geoscience, 14(9), 690-696. Scopus82 WoS73 |
| 2021 | Young, A., Flament, N., Hall, L., & Merdith, A. (2021). The influence of mantle flow on intracontinental basins: Three examples from Australia. Basin Research, 33(2), 1429-1453. WoS7 |
| 2021 | Merdith, A. S., Williams, S. E., Collins, A. S., Tetley, M. G., Mulder, J. A., Blades, M. L., . . . Müller, R. D. (2021). Extending full-plate tectonic models into deep time: linking the Neoproterozoic and the Phanerozoic. Earth-Science Reviews, 214, 103477. Scopus410 WoS393 |
| 2020 | Morrison, S. M., Buongiorno, J., Downs, R. T., Eleish, A., Fox, P., Giovannelli, D., . . . Hazen, R. M. (2020). Exploring Carbon Mineral Systems: Recent Advances in C Mineral Evolution, Mineral Ecology, and Network Analysis. FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE, 8, 15 pages. WoS38 |
| 2020 | Mulder, J. A., Everard, J. L., Cumming, G., Meffre, S., Bottrill, R. S., Merdith, A. S., . . . Cawood, P. A. (2020). Neoproterozoic opening of the Pacific Ocean recorded by multi-stage rifting in Tasmania, Australia. Earth-Science Reviews, 201, 29 pages. Scopus32 WoS30 |
| 2020 | Merdith, A. S., del Real, P. G., Daniel, I., Andreani, M., Wright, N. M., & Coltice, N. (2020). Pulsated Global Hydrogen and Methane Flux at Mid‐Ocean Ridges Driven by Pangea Breakup. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 21(4), 20 pages. Scopus36 WoS31 |
| 2019 | Merdith, A. S., Williams, S. E., Brune, S., Collins, A. S., & Müller, R. D. (2019). Rift and plate boundary evolution across two supercontinent cycles. Global and Planetary Change, 173, 1-14. Scopus85 WoS78 |
| 2019 | Armistead, S. E., Collins, A. S., Merdith, A. S., Payne, J. L., Cox, G. M., Foden, J. D., . . . De Waele, B. (2019). Evolving marginal terranes during neoproterozoic supercontinent reorganization: constraints from the Bemarivo Domain in Northern Madagascar. Tectonics, 38(6), 2019-2035. Scopus35 WoS31 |
| 2018 | Mulder, J. A., Karlstrom, K. E., Halpin, J. A., Merdith, A. S., Spencer, C. J., Berry, R. F., & McDonald, B. (2018). Rodinian devil in disguise: Correlation of 1.25-1.10 Ga strata between Tasmania and Grand Canyon. Geology, 46(11), 991-994. Scopus39 WoS38 |
| 2017 | Merdith, A., Collins, A., Williams, S., Pisarevsky, S., Foden, J., Archibald, D., . . . Müller, R. (2017). A full-plate global reconstruction of the Neoproterozoic. Gondwana Research, 50, 84-134. Scopus605 WoS542 |
| 2017 | Merdith, A., Williams, S., Müller, R., & Collins, A. (2017). Kinematic constraints on the Rodinia to Gondwana transition. Precambrian Research, 299, 132-150. Scopus68 WoS60 |
| 2016 | Butterworth, N., Steinberg, D., Mueller, R. D., Williams, S., Merdith, A. S., & Hardy, S. (2016). Tectonic environments of South American porphyry copper magmatism through time revealed by spatiotemporal data mining. TECTONICS, 35(12), 2847-2862. WoS27 |
| 2015 | Merdith, A. S., Landgrebe, T. C. W., & Mueller, R. D. (2015). Prospectivity of Western Australian iron ore from geophysical data using a reject option classifier. ORE GEOLOGY REVIEWS, 71, 761-776. WoS6 |
| 2013 | Merdith, A. S., Landgrebe, T. C. W., Dutkiewicz, A., & Mueller, R. D. (2013). Towards a predictive model for opal exploration using a spatio-temporal data mining approach. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES, 60(2), 217-229. WoS10 |
| 2013 | Landgrebe, T. C. W., Merdith, A., Dutkiewicz, A., & Mueller, R. D. (2013). Relationships between palaeogeography and opal occurrence in Australia: A data-mining approach. COMPUTERS & GEOSCIENCES, 56, 76-82. WoS8 |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Collins, A. S., Blades, M. L., & Merdith, A. S. (2021). The Arabian–Nubian Shield Within the Neoproterozoic Plate Tectonic Circuit. In R. Oberhansli, F. Roure, & D. Freir (Eds.), Regional Geology Reviews (pp. 195-202). Springer International Publishing. DOI |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Xu, Z., Yu, J., Yin, H., Merdith, A., Hilton, J., Allen, B., . . . Mills, B. (2023). Early Triassic super-greenhouse climate driven by vegetation collapse. Poster session presented at the meeting of Unknown Conference. DOI |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Hunter, S., Merdith, A., Haywood, A., & Mills, B. (2026). Tonian paleogeographic change as a precondition for the Sturtian Snowball Earth. DOI |
| 2024 | Zheng, D., Merdith, A., Goddéris, Y., Donnadieu, Y., Gurung, K., & Mills, B. J. W. (2024). Using Deep Learning to integrate paleoclimate and global biogeochemistry over Phanerozoic time. DOI |
| 2023 | Chapman, T., Milan, L. A., Zahirovic, S., Merdith, A., Clarke, G. L., Sun, M., & Daczko, N. R. (2023). Flare-up in Cordilleran arcs controlled by fluxes in subduction water budgets. DOI |
| 2022 | Xu, Z., Yu, J., Yin, H., Merdith, A., Hilton, J., Allen, B., . . . Mills, B. (2022). Early Triassic super-greenhouse climate driven by vegetation collapse. DOI |
| 2022 | Müller, R. D., Cannon, J., Tetley, M., Williams, S. E., Cao, X., Flament, N., . . . Merdith, A. (2022). A tectonic-rules based mantle reference frame since 1 billion years ago – implications for supercontinent cycles and plate-mantle system evolution. DOI |
| 2021 | Gernon, T., Barr, R., Fitton, J., Hincks, T., Longman, J., Merdith, A., . . . Palmer, M. (2021). Mobilization of lithospheric mantle carbon during the Palaeocene-Eocene thermal maximum. DOI |
| 2021 | Gernon, T., Jones, S., Brune, S., Hincks, T., Glerum, A., Merdith, A., . . . Spencer, C. (2021). Diamond ascent by rift-driven disruption of cratonic mantle keels. DOI |
| 2021 | Collins, A., Blades, M., Merdith, A., & Foden, J. (2021). Closure of the Proterozoic Mozambique Ocean was instigated by a late Tonian plate reorganization event. DOI |
| 2023–2027 | ARC DECRA Earth’s mid-life crisis: Recipe for a habitable planet? |
| 2023–2023 | NERC Exploring the Frontiers RIFT-CC: Rifting as a driver of long-term Climate Change |
| 2021–2023 | Marie Curie fellowship NEOEARTH: Whole Earth systems during Neoproterozoic animal evolution. |
| 2019–2023 | Richard Lounsbery Foundation. Abiotic hydrocarbons in subduction zones |
| 2018–2021 | Sloan Foundation. Carbon Down Under: Galvanizing Australia’s research community for the next decade of deep-time Earth modelling and visualization of deep carbon science |
| 2016–2018 | DAAD. Linking continental breakup dynamics to climate changes |
I originally studied to be a high school science teacher, but decided to jump into scientific research after finishing my degree instead! During my PhD studies as well as post-docs I have variously taught across a number of subjects including structural geology, sedimentology (mainly petrology and modelling), paleontology, tectonics, oceanography, introductory courses to Earth Science and geology and field courses (first year through to Honours level). At Adelaide University I teach and have taught into three subjects:
Earth, Climate and Life Systems (EART1012)
ECLS looks at the different intersecting bits of Earth—lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere—and how the intersect and evolve! I currently teach the Earth system component of the course, and have previously taught parts of both the Climate and Life systems too!
Tectonics (EART3033)
Tectonics investigates Earth through four dimensions, how has the large scale physical structure of our planet changed over time? It particularly focuses on processes such as orogenesis and rifting, the lifecycle of oceanic lithosphere and processes like isostasy. The subject includes a four day fieldtrip to the Fleurieu Peninsula
Earth Systems History III (EART3000)
ESH is a capstone subject focusing on the chemical evolution of Earth and what effect that has on the hydrosphere, atmosphere and climate. I contribute a week to discuss long-term drivers of climate change and the carbon cycle, and how different solid-Earth processes effect them.
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | The pressure-temperature and topographic evolution of the East African Orogen. | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Kate Elizabeth Wilson |
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Proterozoic Tectonic Evolution of Southern Africa | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Debbie Titose Mfa |
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Proterozoic Tectonic Evolution of Southern Africa | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Debbie Titose Mfa |
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | The pressure-temperature and topographic evolution of the East African Orogen. | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Miss Kate Elizabeth Wilson |
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Location | Program | Supervision Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 - ongoing | Co-Supervisor | The Formation and Evolution of a Tibet-Scale Orogeneic Plateau in the core of Gondwana | Adelaide University | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Stella Cosgrove |
| 2025 - ongoing | External Supervisor | Links between mantle convection, global sea level, paleogeography, ocean composition and climate leading to the explosion of complex life | University of Wollongong | - | Doctorate | Full Time | Robby Marks |
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