Reed Scherer

Research Activities

I am, in essence, a micropaleontologist, but the arc of my career spans the spectrum from the smallest fossils (diatoms) to the largest fossils (dinosaurs).

Most of my research relates to history of the Antarctic ice sheet and other studies of climate change through time. I use assemblages of fossil diatoms (microscopic siliceous algae) as tools for evaluating these changes. My students and I work with diatoms in sediments recovered by stratigraphic drilling and piston coring along the Antarctic continental margin and the circum-Antarctic ocean, and sediments recovered from beneath the Ross Ice Shelf and grounded West Antarctic Ice Sheet. I also use diatoms as tracers of ice sheet processes, using the physical properties of diatoms to help evaluate sediment mixing and subglacial shearing in tills.

In addition to these projects I work on a variety of applications of diatom fossils as Pleistocene and Holocene paleoenvironmental tracers in both marine and non-marine settings, including projects in the Midwest.

My students drew me into the exciting world of dinosaurs, including research on Jane, Burpee Museum of Natural History's famous juvenile T. rex, and other significant finds from the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation in southeastern Montana, and a haul of Morrison Formation Jurassic fossils from Utah.  I’m also a Board of Trustees member of the Rockford IL museum.

Jeol JSM-5610LV Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope 

Byrd Polar Research Center

NIU Biological Sciences Vertebrate Paleontology, Ecology, and Evolution program

West Antarctic Ice Sheet Inititiative

Selected Publications

Climate and Ice Sheet History

2009   Naish, T., Powell, R., Levy, R., Wilson, G.,  Scherer, R., et al. Obliquity-paced Pliocene West Antarctic Ice Sheet oscillation. Nature. 458, 322-328 (19 March 2009); doi:10.1038/nature07867

2008   Scherer, R. P., Bohaty, S., Dunbar, R., Esper, O., Flores, J., Gersonde, R., Harwood, D., Roberts, A., and Taviani, M. Antarctic records of precession-paced insolation-driven warming during early Pleistocene Marine Isotope Stage 31. Geophysical Research Letters. 35, doi:10.1029/2007GL032254.

2007   Sjunneskog, C.M., Scherer, R.P., Aldahan, A. and Possnert, G. 10Be in glacial marine sediment of the Ross Sea, Antarctica, a potential tracer of depositional environment and sediment chronology. NIMB (Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B). 259, 576-583.

2005   Sjunneskog, C.S., and Scherer, R.P. 2005. Mixed diatom assemblages in Ross Sea (Antarctica) glacigenic facies. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 218(3-4), 287-300.

2003   Scherer, R.P., 2003. Quaternary interglacials and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. In: A. Droxler, R. Poore, and Burckle, L. (eds.), Earth's Climate and Orbital Eccentricity: The Marine Isotope Stage 11 Question. AGU Geophysical Monograph # 137 Washington, D.C., 103-112.

1998   Scherer, R.P., Aldahan, A., Tulaczyk, S., Kamb., B., Engelhardt, H., and Possnert, G., 1998. Pleistocene collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Science. 281(373), 82-85.

1997   Scherer, R.P., Aldahan, A., and Possnert, G., 1997. Cosmogenic 10Be in sediments beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet: Hypotheses and assumptions. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 1997 Annual Review. 32(5)31-32.

1994   Scherer, R.P., 1994. A speculative stratigraphic model for the Ross Embayment, West 1993 Antarctica. Antarctic Jour. of the U.S. 29(5)9-11.

1993   Scherer, R.P., 1993. There is direct evidence for a late Quaternary collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Jour. Of Glaciology 39(133):716-722.

1991   Scherer, R.P., 1991. Quaternary and Tertiary microfossils from beneath Ice Stream B: Evidence for a dynamic West Antarctic Ice Sheet history. Global and Planetary Change, 4(4)395-412.

1989   Harwood, D.M., Scherer, R.P. and Webb, P.-N., 1989. Multiple Miocene marine productivity events in West Antarctica as recorded in upper Miocene sediments beneath the Ross Ice Shelf (Site J-9). Marine Micropaleontology. 5:91-115.

1988   Scherer, R.P., Harwood, D.M., Ishman, S.E. and Webb, P.-N., 1988. Micropaleontological analysis of sediments from the Crary Ice Rise, Ross Ice Shelf. Antarctic Jour. of the U.S. 1988 Review, 23:34-36.

Marine Diatom Biostratigraphy and Taxonomy 

In Press:Sjunneskog, C.M., Winter, D., Scherer, R., Riesselman, C. Pliocene evolution of the diatom Fragilariopsis on the Antarctic continental shelf. Micropaleontology.

2010   Winter, D., Sjunneskog, C., Scherer, R., and Maffioli, P. Early Pliocene diatom record of the ANDRILL MIS core and its regional counterparts. Global Planetary Change.

2010   Winter, D., Sjunneskog, C., Scherer, R., Riesselman, C.,  Maffioli, P., and Harwood, D.  Pliocene-Pleistocene diatom biostratigraphy of near-shore Antarctica from the AND-1B core, McMurdo Sound. Global Planetary Change.

2009   Olney, M, Bohaty, S., Harwood, D., and Scherer, R., Creania lacyae gen. nov. et. sp. nov. and Synedropsis cheethamii sp. nov., fossil indicators of Antarctic sea ice? Diatom Research, 24(2), 357-375.   

2007   Olney, M., Scherer, R., Harwood, D., and Bohaty, S. Oligocene-early Miocene Antarctic nearshore diatom biostratigraphy. Deep-Sea Research II. 54, 2325-2349.

2007   Scherer, R.P., Gladenkov, A. Yu., and Barron, J. Methods and applications of Cenozoic marine diatom biostratigraphy, In: Pond Scum to Carbon Sink: Geological  and Environmental Applications of Diatoms," S. Starrat, ed. Paleontological Society, Geological Society of America Special Publication 37pp.

2007   Scherer, R., Hannah, M., Maffioli, P., Persico, D., Sjunneskog, C., Strong, P., Taviani, M., And Winter, D., 2007, Palaeontologic characterization and analysis of ANDRILL core AND-1b. Terra Antartica, 15(3):223-254 (supplementary data on CD-ROM).

2007   Dunbar G., Niessen F., Vogel S., Tulaczyk, S., Mandernack K., Krissek L., Carter L., Cowan E., Wilch T., Peng C., Strong C.P., Scherer, R., Sjunneskog C., Winter D., McKay R., Talarico F., Pompilio M. & the ANDRILL-MIS Science Team.  Late-Pleistocene to Holocene Strata from Soft-Sediment Coring at the AND-1B Site, ANDRILL McMurdo Ice Shelf Project, Antarctica. Terra Antartica 15(3):141-154.

2007   Wilson G., Levy R., Browne G., Cody R., Dunbar, N., Florindo F., Henrys S., Graham I., McIntosh W., McKay R., Naish T., Ohneiser C., Powell R., Ross J., Sagnotti L., Scherer, R., Sjunneskog C., Strong C.P., Taviani M., Winter D. & the ANDRILL-MIS Science Team.  Preliminary Integrated Chronostratigraphy of the AND-1B Core, ANDRILL McMurdo Ice Shelf Project, Antarctica. Terra Antartica 15(3):297-316.

2007   Naish T., Powell R., Levy R., Henrys S., Krissek L., Niessen F., Pompilio M., Scherer, R., Wilson G. & the ANDRILL-MIS Science Team Synthesis of the Initial Scientific Results of the MIS Project, Victoria Land Basin, Antarctica. Terra Antartica 15(3):317-324.

2007   Scherer, R., Winter, D., Sjunneskog, C., Maffioli, P. The diatom record of the ANDRILL - McMurdo Ice Shelf project drillcore. Proceedings of the 10th ISAES, USGS Spec. Pub. http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1047/ea/of2007-1047ea171.pdf

2007   Naish, T., Powell, R., Henrys, S., Wilson, G., Krissek, L., Niessen, F., Pompilio, M.,  Scherer, R., Talarico, F., Levy, R., and Pyne, A.  Late Neogene climate history of the Ross Embayment: Initial results from the ANDRILL McMurdo Ice Shelf  Project. Proceedings of the 10th ISAES, USGS Spec. Pub.

2007   Wilson, G., Levy, R., Browne, G., Florindo, F., Henrys, S., Graham, I., McIntosh, W.,  McKay, R., Naish, T., Ohneiser, C., Powell, R., Ross, J., Sagnotti, L., Scherer, R., Sjunneskog, C., Strong, P., Taviani, M. and Winter, D.  Preliminary chronostratigraphy for the upper 700 m (upper Miocene Pleistocene) of the AND-1B drillcore recovered from beneath the McMurdo Ice Shelf, Antarctica. Proceedings of the 10th ISAES, USGS Spec. Pub. http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1047/ea/of2007-1047ea092.pdf

2006   Harwood, D., Bohaty, S., Scherer, R.,  Miocene siliceous microfossil occurence of sediment core CRP-1 (Table 3) [supplementary data to Scherer et al., Terra Antartica, 1998], doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.433491

2006   Bohaty, S., Scherer, R., Harwood, D. Investigation of Quaternary diatoms in sediment core CRP-1 from the Ross Sea, Antarctica [supplementary data to Bohaty et al., Terra Antartica 1998] doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.510744

2005   Olney, M, Scherer, R., Bohaty, S., and Harwood, D., 2005. Eocene-Oligocene Paleoecology and the Diatom Genus Kisseleviella Sheshukova-Poretskaya from the Victoria Land Basin, Antarctica. Marine Micropaleontology, 58: 56-72.

2002   Wilson, G., Lavelle, M., McIntosh, W., Roberts, A., Harwood, D., Villa, G., Bohaty, S., Fielding, C., Florindo, F., Naish, T., Sagnotti, S., Scherer, R., Verosub, K., Watkins, D., 2002. Integrated chronostratigraphic calibration of the Oligocene-Miocene boundary at 24.0 ± 0.1 Ma from the CRP-2A drill core, Ross Sea, Antarctica. Geology, 30 (11), 1043-1046.

2001   Naish, T., Woolfe, K., Wilson, G, Atkins, C, Barrett, P., Bohaty, S., Bucker, C., Claps, M., Davey, F., Dunbar, G., Dunn, A., Fielding, C., Florindo, F., Hannah, M., Harwood, D., Watkins, D., Henrys, S., Krissek, L., Lavelle, M., van der Meer, J., McIntosh, W., Niessen, F., Passchier, S., Powell, R., Roberts, A., Sagnotti, S., Scherer, R., Strong, C., Talarico, F., Verosub, K., Webb, P., and Wonik, T., 2001. Orbitally induced oscillations in the East Antarctic Ice Sheet at the Oligocene/Miocene boundary. Nature, 413, 719-723.

2000   Scherer, R.P, Bohaty, S, and Harwood, D. M., 2000. Oligocene and lower Miocene siliceous microfossil biostratigraphy of Cape Roberts Project, Core CRP-2/2a, Victoria Land Basin, Ross Sea, Antarctica. Terra Antartica, 7(4), 417-442.

1999   Harwood, D. M., Bohaty, S., and Scherer, R.P. 1999. Lower Miocene diatom biostratigraphy of the Ross Sea, Antarctica, Cape Roberts Project Core 1. Terra Antartica, 5(3): 499-514.

1999   Bohaty, S., Scherer, R.P., and Harwood, D. M., 1999. Quaternary biostratigraphy and paleoenvironments of the Victoria Land Basin, Ross Sea, Antarctica, Cape Roberts Project Core 1. Terra Antartica, 5(3): 431-454.

1998   Scherer, R.P., 1998. Occurrences of diatoms, silicoflagellates or ebridians in lower Eocene through lower Miocene sediments of the southeast Greenland margin. Proc. ODP, Sci. Res. College Station TX (Ocean Drilling Program) 152: 249-253.

1997   Scherer, R.P. 1997. Dickensoniaforma: A new diatom genus in the family Rhaphoneidaceae, with two new fossil species from the Norwegian- Greenland Sea. Diatom Research, 12(1):83-94.

1996   Scherer, R.P. and Koc, N. 1996. Late Paleogene diatom biostratigraphy and paleoenvironments of the northern Norwegian-Greenland Sea. Proc. ODP, Sci. Res. College Station TX (Ocean Drilling Program), 151: 75-100.

1996   Koc, N. and Scherer, R.P. 1996. Neogene diatom biostratigraphy of the Iceland Sea Site 907. Proc. ODP, Sci. Res. College Station TX (Ocean Drilling Program), 151:61-74.

Quantitative Approaches to Marine and Freshwater Diatom Paleoecology

2007   Warnock, J., Scherer, R., and Loubere, P. A quantitative proxy of diatom dissolution with implications on sediment focussing mechanisms in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific. Deep-Sea Research. 54, 772-783.

1997   Sjunneskog, C. and Scherer, R.P., 1997. High-resolution diatom record in bioturbated antarctic sediments. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 1997 Annual Review. 32(5), 34-36.

1994   Scherer, R.P., 1994. A new method for the determination of absolute abundance of diatoms and other silt-sized sedimentary particles. Journal of Paleolimnology, 12(2)171-180.

1988   Scherer, R. P., 1988. Freshwater diatom assemblages and ecology/paleoecology of the Okefenokee swamp-marsh complex of southern Georgia, USA. Diatom Research, 3(1)115-143.

1987   Scherer, R.P., 1987. Paleoenvironmental studies of non-marine diatoms in Quaternary antarctic sediments. Antarctic Jour. of the U.S. 1987 Review, 22:35-37.

Glacial Processes

2005   Scherer, R.P., Sjunneskog, C.M., Iverson, N., and Hooyer, T. 2005. Frustules to fragments, diatoms to dust: how degradation of microfossil micro and nanostructures can teach us how ice sheets work. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 5, 96-99.

2004   Scherer, R.P., Sjunneskog, C.M., Iverson, N., and Hooyer, T. 2004. Assessing subglacial processes from diatom fragmentation patterns. Geology. 32(7), 557-560.

2000   Tulaczyk, S., Scherer, R.P., and Clark, C.D., 2000. A ploughing model for the origin of weak tills beneath ice streams: a qualitative treatment. Quaternary International, 86(1), 59-70. (Republished in 2004 in D.J.A. Evans (ed.) Critical Concepts in Geography: Glacial Geomorphology. v. 4)

1998   Tulaczyk, S., Kamb, B., Scherer, R.P. and Engelhardt, H., 1998. Sedimentary processes at the base of a West Antarctic ice stream: Constraints from textural and compositional properties of subglacial debris. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 68(3), 487-496.

1997   Scherer, R.P. and Tulaczyk, S., 1997. Diatoms in subglacial sediments yield clues regarding West Antarctic ice sheet history and ice stream processes. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 1997 Annual Review, 32(5), 32-33.

Vertebrate Paleontology

In Press: Peterson, J., Scherer, R. and Huffman, K.   Methods of microvertebrate sampling and their influences on taphonomic interpretations. Palaios.

In Press: Harrison, W., Nichols, D., Henderson, M. and Scherer, R., Using pollen, leaves, and paleomagnetism to date a juvenile tyrannosaurid in Upper Cretaceous rocks. In:  Origin, Systematics, and Paleobiology of the Tyrannosauridae. (M. Parrish and P. Currie, eds.), Indiana University Press.

In Press: Henderson, M., Parrish, M., Currie, P., Scherer, R. Ontogenetic changes in Tyrannosaurous rex. In:  Origin, Systematics, and Paleobiology of the Tyrannosauridae. (M. Parrish and P. Currie, eds.), Indiana University Press.

2010   Peterson, J.E., Lenczewski, M.E., Scherer, R.P. Influence of Microbial Biofilms on the Preservation of Primary Soft Tissue in Fossil and Extant Archosaurs. PLoS ONE 5(10): e13334. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013334

2009   Peterson, J., Henderson, M., Scherer, R., and Vittore, C. Face biting on a juvenile tyrannosaurid and behavioral implications. Palaios. 24: 780-784.

Radiolarian Biostratigraphy, Evolution, and Taxonomy

1991   Scherer, R.P., 1991. Miocene radiolarians of the Sulu Sea, ODP Leg 124. Proc. ODP, Sci. Res., 124: College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program) pp. 359-368.

1991   Scherer, R.P., 1991. Radiolarians of the Celebes Sea, ODP Leg 124, Sites 767 and 770. Proc. Proc. ODP, Sci. Res., 124: College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program), pp. 345-358.

1985   Lazarus, D., Scherer, R.P. and Prothero, D., 1985. Evolution of the radiolarian species-complex Pterocanium. Journal of Paleontology, 59(1):183-220.

Teaching

On a regular basis I teach Introduction to Ocean Science (Geol 104), Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology(Geol 322 - with Paul Loubere), plus upper level and graduate courses in Invertebrate Paleontology, Micropaleontology (with Paul Loubere), Scientific Writing and Presentation, and seminar courses in diatom paleoecology and biostratigraphy. I also direct internships in plaeontology at the Burpee Museum of Natural History.