This $708,199 Project Grant was awarded by the National Science Foundation's Geosciences Program (CFDA 47.050) to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) on April 1, 2025. The grant supports the development of a robust, open-source toolkit for analyzing ichthyoliths (microfossil fish teeth and shark scales) to study the ecological and evolutionary responses of fish to major environmental changes.
The project aims to leverage machine learning and high-resolution digital imaging to create a framework for taxonomic identification and ecological analysis of ichthyoliths. This will allow researchers to unlock the potential of these abundant marine vertebrate fossils to better understand and protect fish populations. The grant also supports a summer research program for undergraduates with disabilities and the creation of accessible educational materials to engage K-12 students and the public in this field of study. The research seeks to explore fish and shark responses to historical climate events like the Mid-Pliocene Warm Period and Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary.