Type: Peer Reviewed Research Paper Journal: Nature Communications Year: December 1 2023 Authors: Christine Strullu-Derrien, Tomasz Goral, Alan R. T. Spencer, Paul Kenrick, M. Catherine Aime, Ester Gaya & David L. Hawksworth DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1600371 Abstract: Fungi are integral to well-functioning ecosystems, and their broader impact on Earth systems is widely […]
Welcome
Welcome to my personal website. I’m Alan Spencer and I am palaeobotanist working at Imperial College London. The main focus of my research is three-dimensional reconstruction of fossil plants, in particular their reproductive organs, with the aim of increasing our scientific understanding of plant evolution. This website features a collection of work that I’ve been associated with relevant information and links (e.g. to peer-reviewed papers). I hope to keep this as up to date as possible, so please pop back every now and again and see what is new.
This course was designed to cover basis and advanced uses of Microsoft Excel (the most commonly available spreadsheet software package) and look at how we can use Excel to perform various useful statistical operations with geo-science in mind. The course is aimed at 1st Year undergraduate students and is based […]
REvoSim is an evolutionary model that aims to bridge the epistemological gap between micro- and macroevolution by providing an organism-level simulation of sufficient computational efficiency that population sizes of 105-106 individuals can be studied over geological timescales. The model also incorporates concepts of spatial relationships, spatial and temporal environmental variation, and […]
SPIERS (Serial Palaeontological Image Editing and Rendering System) is a package of three programs for the reconstruction and analysis of tomographic (serial image) datasets, such as those obtained from serial-grinding of specimens, or from CT scanning. More details are available in the documentation for each program. Change log: The following […]
SPIERS (Serial Palaeontological Image Editing and Rendering System) is a package of three programs for the reconstruction and analysis of tomographic (serial image) datasets, such as those obtained from serial-grinding of specimens, or from CT scanning. More details are available in the documentation for each program. Change log: The following […]
Type: Peer Reviewed Research Paper Journal: Journal of Microscopy Year: October 15 2018 Authors: BURCA, G. , NAGELLA, S. , CLARK, T. , TASEV, D. , RAHMAN, I. , GARWOOD, R., SPENCER, A.R.T , TURNER, M. and KELLEHER, J. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jmi.12761 Abstract: Neutron imaging has been employed in life sciences […]
Type: Peer Reviewed Research Paper Journal: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Science Year: December 18 2017. Volume published 5 February 2018. Authors: Christine Strullu-Derrien, Alan R. T. Spencer, Tomasz Goral, Jaclyn Dee, Rosmarie Honegger, Paul Kenrick, Joyce E. Longcore, Mary L. Berbee DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2016.0502 Abstract: Zoosporic fungi are […]
Type: Peer Reviewed Research Paper Journal: PeerJ Year: August 28 2017 Authors: Alan R.T. Spencer, Russell J. Garwood, Andrew R. Rees, Robert J. Raine, Gar W. Rothwell, Neville T.J. Hollingworth, Jason Hilton DOI https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3723 Abstract: Most knowledge concerning Mesozoic Era floras has come from compression fossils. This has been augmented […]
Type: Peer Reviewed Research Paper Journal: American Journal of Botany Year: January 6 2017 Authors: Wang S-J, Bateman RM, Spencer ART, Shao L, Wang J, Hilton J DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1600371 Abstract: PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Noeggerathiales are an extinct group of heterosporous shrubs and trees that were widespread and diverse during […]
Type: Peer Reviewed Research Paper Journal: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences Year: March 30 2016 Authors: Garwood RJ, Dunlop JA, Selden PA, Spencer ART, Atwood RC, Vo NT, Drakopoulous M DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.0125 Abstract: Spiders are an important animal group, with a long history. Details of their […]