School of Earth and Environment
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Alan Haywood Professor Alan Haywood

Professor of Palaeoclimate Modelling; Postgraduate Research Tutor; UK National Centre for Atmospheric Science PI (Palaeoclimate)

Telephone number: +44(0) 113 34 38657
Email address: earamh@leeds.ac.uk
Room: 8.107

Link to personal page

Biography

I am currently Professor of Palaeoclimate Modelling within the Institute of Climate & Atmospheric Science and the Earth Surface Science Institute, School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds. I earned my Ph.D. in numerical climate modelling and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction in 2001 from the University of Reading and have worked on modelling past climate and environmental change since that time. My research focuses on the reconstruction of past climates (particularly for the Cenozoic) and on evaluating the outputs of advanced numerical climate models (GCMs) against proxy climate and environmental data.

Research Interests

My research interests are multidisciplinary as well as holistic. They are focussed on the reconstruction of Earth's environmental/climatic history, the assessment of our ability to model it, and the use of this information to examine potential scenarios for future climate change. Some highlights of my research include:

  • Exploration of the importance of vegetation climate feedbacks in palaeoclimate modelling exercises
  • Examination of ocean temperature responses during past greenhouse climates
  • Prediction of ENSO behaviour during past warm intervals
  • Reconstruction of Cretaceous climate dynamics using a limited area climate model
  • Assessment of equator to pole temperature gradients during the past and implied changes in atmospheric versus oceanic heat transport

My particular area of expertise is in the synthesis of global palaeoclimate proxy data and then the use of this data as prescribed boundary conditions within a model, or as a validation tool for model predictions. In essence my research niche is to provide an interface between climate modellers and earth scientists. Numerical climate models are currently at the forefront in the quest to predict accurately the dynamics and consequences of future climate change. It is necessary to test the robustness of output produced by such models through comparison to palaeoclimate proxy data. The importance of developing data sets of boundary conditions to initially force and then evaluate palaeoclimate modelling experiments has clearly been demonstrated by the CLIMAP, COHMAP, GLARMAP, PRISM & GEACEP initiatives. Data from one locality is of little use in evaluating model output or for developing a full understanding of past climate dynamics. However, once data has been properly synthesised across a region or globe its usefulness, in conjunction with climate model simulations, is immense.

This research field is dynamic and continuing to grow significantly in importance. The techniques used in data synthesis and data/model comparison studies are applicable to any time slice of the geological record. The international importance of research which investigates past climate history and aims to understand the interactive physical, chemical and biological processes that regulate the total Earth system, is underlined by global initiatives such as the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) and Past Global Changes Core Project (PAGES).

Current Projects

  • Integrated Multi-proxy Analyses of mid-Pliocene Ocean Temperatures for an Improved Palaeoclimate Reconstruction (Funded by the USGS)
  • Biological Response to Global Environmental Change across the Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary: the High Latitude Response from the James Ross Basin, Antarctica (Funded by the NERC AFI scheme)
  • Dynamics of the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (Funded by the NERC/QUEST)
  • Quantification of non-CO2 greenhouse gases to warm climates in Earth history (Funded by the Leverhulme Trust)

Current PhD Projects

  • Dynamics of atmosphere & oceans during greenhouse climate states (Sarah Bonham, NERC funded)
  • Greenhouse to ice-house climate change in the Arctic: climatic signals and biodiversity from Palaeogene fossil floras of Svalbard (Abigail Clifton, NERC funded)
  • The role of climate feedbacks and the Earth's energy budget (Julia Crook, NERC funded)
  • Sensitivity of Pliocene ice sheets to orbital cycles (Aisling Dolan, NERC funded)
  • Modelling the Antarctic cryosphere under greenhouse Earth conditions (Steve Hunter, funded by the NERC-AFI scheme)
  • Land cover in a warmer world: reconstructing global Miocene and Pliocene vegetation & climate distributions (Matthew Pound, Funded by BGS/NERC)

Publications

  • Dolan, AM; Koenig, SJ; Hill, DJ; Haywood, AM; DeConto, RM (2011) Pliocene Ice Sheet Modelling Intercomparison Project (PLISMIP) - experimental design, Geoscientific Model Development - Discussions, 4, pp.2661-2686. doi:10.5194/gmdd-4-2661-2011
  • Pound, MJ; Haywood, AM; Salzmann, U; Riding, JB (2011) A Tortonian (Late Miocene, 11.61-7.25 Ma) global vegetation reconstruction, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 300, pp.29-45. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.11.029
  • Lorenzen, ED; Nogues-Bravo, D; Orlando, L; Weinstock, J; Binladen, J; Marske, KA; Ugan, A; Borregaard, MK; Gilbert, MTP; Nielsen, R; Ho, SYW; Goebel, T; Graf, KE; Byers, D; Stenderup, JT; Rasmussen, M; Campos, PF; Leonard, JA; Koepfli, KP; Froese, D; Zazula, G; Stafford Jr, TW; Sorensen, KA; Batra, P; Haywood, AM; Singarayer, JS; Valdes, PJ; Boeskorov, G; Burns, JA; Davydov, SP; Haile, J; Jenkins, DL; Kosintev, P; Kuznetsova, T; Lai, X; Martin, LD; McDonald, HG; Mol, D; Meldgaard, M; Munch, K; Stephan, E; Sablin, M; Sommer, RS; Sipko, T; Scott, E; Suchard, MA; Tikhonov, A; Willerslev, R; Wayne, RK; Cooper, A; Hofreiter, M; Sher, A; Shapiro, B; Rahbek, C; Willerslev, E (2011) Species-specific responses of Late Quaternary megafauna to climate and humans, Nature, . doi:10.1038/nature10574
  • Lunt, DJ; Ridgwell, A; Sluijs, A; Zachos, J; Hunter, S; Haywood, AM (2011) A model for orbital pacing of methane hydrate destabilization during the Palaeogene, Nature Geoscience, . doi:10.1038/ngeo1266
  • Haywood, AM; Ridgwell, A; Lunt, DJ; Hill, DJ; Pound, MJ; Dowsett, HJ; Dolan, AM; Francis, JE; Williams, M (2011) Are there pre-Quaternary geological analogues for a future greenhouse gas-induced global warming?, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series A, pp.933-956. doi:10.1098/rsta.2010.0317
  • Salzmann, U; Williams, M; Haywood, AM; Johnson, AAL; Kender, S; Zalasiewicz, J (2011) The climate and environment of a Pliocene warm world, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 309, pp.1-8. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.05.044
  • Pope, JO; Collins, M; Haywood, AM; Dowsett, HJ; Hunter, SJ; Lunt, DJ; Pickering, SJ; Pound, MJ (2011) Quantifying Uncertainty in Model Predictions for the Pliocene (Plio-QUMP): Initial Results, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 309, pp.128-140. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.05.004
  • Scroxton, N; Bonham, SJ; Rickaby, REM; Lawrence, SHF; Hermoso, M; Haywood, AM (2011) Persistent El Niño-Southern Oscillation variation during the Pliocene Epoch, Paleoceanography, 26, . doi:10.1029/2010PA002097
  • Zalasiewicz, J; Williams, W; Haywood, AM; Ellis, M (2011) The Anthropocene: a new epoch of geological time?, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series A, pp.835-841. doi:10.1098/rsta.2010.0339
  • Dowsett, HJ; Haywood, AM; Valdes, PJ; Robinson, MM; Lunt, DJ; Hill, DJ; Stoll, DK; Foley, KM (2011) Sea Surface Temperatures of the Mid-Piacenzian Warm Period: A Comparison of PRISM3 and HadCM3, Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, 309, pp.83-91. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.03.016
  • Robinson, MM; Valdes, PJ; Haywood, AM; Dowsett, HJ; Hill, DJ; Jones, SM (2011) Bathymetric controls on Pliocene North Atlantic and Arctic sea surface temperature and deepwater production, Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, 309, pp.92-97. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.01.004
  • Haywood, AM; Dowsett, HJ; Robinson, MM; Stoll, DK; Dolan, AM; Lunt, DJ; Otto-Bliesner, B; Chandler, MA (2011) Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project(PlioMIP): experimental design and boundary conditions (Experiment 2)., Geoscientific Model Development, 4, pp.571-577. doi:10.5194/gmd-4-571-2011
  • Dolan, AM; Haywood, AM; Hill, DJ; Dowsett, HJ; Hunter, SJ; Lunt, DJ; Pickering, SJ (2011) Sensitivity of Pliocene ice sheets to orbital forcing, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 309, pp.98-110. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.03.030
  • Williams, M; Nelson, AE; Smellie, JL; Leng, MJ; Johnson, ALA; Jarram, DR; Haywood, AM; Peck, VL; Zalasiewicz, J; Bennett, C; Schone, BR (2010) Sea ice extent and seasonality for the Early Pliocene northern Weddell Sea, PALAEOGEOGR PALAEOCL, 292, pp.306-318. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.04.003
  • Lunt, DJ; Haywood, AM; Schmidt, GA; Salzmann, U; Valdes, PJ; Dowsett, HJ (2010) Earth system sensitivity inferred from Pliocene modelling and data, NAT GEOSCI, 3, pp.60-64. doi:10.1038/NGEO706
  • Hill, DJ; Dolan, AM; Haywood, AM; Hunter, SJ; Stoll, DK (2010) Sensitivity of the Greenland Ice Sheet to Pliocene sea surface temperatures, STRATIGRAPHY, 7, pp.111-121.
  • Haywood, AM; Dowsett, HJ; Otto-Bliesner, B; Chandler, MA; Dolan, AM; Hill, DJ; Lunt, DJ; Robinson, MM; Rosenbloom, N; Salzmann, U; Sohl, LE (2010) Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP): experimental design and boundary conditions (Experiment 1), GEOSCI MODEL DEV, 3, pp.227-242.
  • Clark, N; Williams, M; Okamura, B; Smellie, J; Nelson, A; Knowles, T; Taylor, P; Leng, M; Zalasiewicz, J; Haywood, A (2010) Early Pliocene Weddell Sea seasonality determined from bryozoans, STRATIGRAPHY, 7, pp.199-206.
  • Lunt, DJ; Valdes, PJ; Dunkley Jones, T; Ridgwell, A; Haywood, AM; Schmidt, DN; Marsh, R; Maslin, M (2010) CO2-driven ocean circulation changes as an amplifier of Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum hydrate destabilization, GEOLOGY, 38, pp.875-878. doi:10.1130/G31184.1
  • Dowsett, H; Robinson, M; Haywood, A; Salzmann, U; Hill, D; Sohl, L; Chandler, M; Williams, M; Foley, K; Stoll, D (2010) The PRISM3D paleoenvironmental reconstruction, STRATIGRAPHY, 7, pp.123-139.
  • Bonham, SG; Haywood, AM; Lunt, DJ; Collins, M; Salzmann, U (2009) El Nino-Southern Oscillation, Pliocene climate and equifinality, PHILOS T R SOC A, 367, pp.127-156. doi:10.1098/rsta.2008.0212
  • Williams, M; Haywood, AM; Harper, EM; Johnson, ALA; Knowles, T; Leng, MJ; Lunt, DJ; Okamura, B; Taylor, PD; Zalasiewicz, J (2009) Pliocene climate and seasonality in North Atlantic shelf seas, PHILOS T R SOC A, 367, pp.85-108. doi:10.1098/rsta.2008.0224
  • Haywood, AM (2009) Pliocene Climates, In: Gornitz, V (Ed) Encyclopedia of Paleoclimatology and Ancient Environments, Earth Sciences Series , Springer.
  • Haywood, AM; Chandler, MA; Valdes, PJ; Salzmann, U; Lunt, DJ; Dowsett, HJ (2009) Comparison of mid-Pliocene climate predictions produced by the HadAM3 and GCMAM3 General Circulation Models, GLOBAL PLANET CHANGE, 66, pp.208-224. doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2008.12.014
  • Haywood, AM; Dowsett, HJ; Valdes, PJ; Lunt, DJ; Francis, JE; Sellwood, BW (2009) Introduction. Pliocene climate, processes and problems, PHILOS T R SOC A, 367, pp.3-17. doi:10.1098/rsta.2008.0205
  • Gohl, K; Haywood, A (2009) International viewpoint and news, ENVIRON GEOL, 56, pp.1249-1250. doi:10.1007/s00254-008-1622-4
  • Knowles, T; Taylor, PD; Williams, M; Haywood, AM; Okamura, B (2009) Pliocene seasonality across the North Atlantic inferred from cheilostome bryozoans, PALAEOGEOGR PALAEOCL, 277, pp.226-235. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2009.04.006
  • Lunt, DJ; Haywood, AM; Foster, GL; Stone, EJ (2009) The Arctic cryosphere in the Mid-Pliocene and the future, PHILOS T R SOC A, 367, pp.49-67. doi:10.1098/rsta.2008.0218
  • Smellie, JL; Haywood, AM; Hillenbrand, CD; Lunt, DJ; Valdes, PJ (2009) Nature of the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet during the Pliocene: Geological evidence and modelling results compared, EARTH-SCI REV, 94, pp.79-94. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2009.03.005
  • Lawrence, KT; Herbert, TD; Brown, CM; Raymo, ME; Haywood, AM (2009) High-amplitude variations in North Atlantic sea surface temperature during the early Pliocene warm period, PALEOCEANOGRAPHY, 24, . doi:10.1029/2008PA001669
  • Salzmann, U; Haywood, AM; Lunt, DJ (2009) The past is a guide to the future? Comparing Middle Pliocene vegetation with predicted biome distributions for the twenty-first century, PHILOS T R SOC A, 367, pp.189-204. doi:10.1098/rsta.2008.0200
  • Florindo, F; Nelson, AE; Haywood, AM (2008) Introduction to 'Antarctic cryosphere and Southern Ocean climate evolution (Cenozoic-Holocene)', PALAEOGEOGR PALAEOCL, 260, pp.1-7. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2007.12.001
  • Chandler, MA; Dowsett, HJ; Haywood, AM (2008) The PRISM Model-Data Cooperative: Mid-Pliocene Data-Model Comparisons, PAGES News, 16, pp.24-25.
  • Hunter, SJ; Valdes, PJ; Haywood, AM; Markwick, PJ (2008) Modelling Maastrichtian climate: Investigating the role of geography, atmospheric CO2 and vegetation, Climate of the Past, 4, pp.1-39.
  • Lunt, DJ; Valdes, PJ; Haywood, A; Rutt, IC (2008) Closure of the Panama Seaway during the Pliocene: implications for climate and Northern Hemisphere glaciation, CLIM DYNAM, 30, pp.1-18. doi:10.1007/s00382-007-0265-6
  • Salzmann, U; Haywood, AM; Lunt, DJ; Valdes, PJ; Hill, DJ (2008) A new global biome reconstruction and data-model comparison for the Middle Pliocene, GLOBAL ECOL BIOGEOGR, 17, pp.432-447. doi:10.1111/j.1466-8238.2008.00381.x
  • Haywood, AM; Smellie, JL; Ashworth, A; Cantrill, DJ; Florindo, F; Hambrey, MJ; Hill, DJ; Hillenbrand, CD; Hunter, SJ; Larter, RD; Lear, CH; Passchier, S; van de Wal, R (2008) The Middle Miocene to Pliocene record of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, In: Florindo, F; Siegert, M (Ed) Antarctic Climate Evolution, Developments in Earth & Environmental Science , 8, Elsevier.
  • Lunt, DJ; Foster, GL; Haywood, AM; Stone, EJ (2008) Late Pliocene Greenland glaciation controlled by a decline in atmospheric CO2 levels, NATURE, 454, pp.1102-U41. doi:10.1038/nature07223
  • Araujo, MB; Nogues-Bravo, D; Diniz-Filho, JAF; Haywood, AM; Valdes, PJ; Rahbek, C (2008) Quaternary climate changes explain diversity among reptiles and amphibians, Ecography, 31, pp.8-15. doi:10.1111/j.2007.0906-7590.05318.x
  • Lunt, DJ; Flecker, R; Valdes, PJ; Salzmann, U; Gladstone, R; Haywood, AM (2008) A methodology for targeting palaeo proxy data acquisition: A case study for the terrestrial late Miocene, EARTH PLANET SC LETT, 271, pp.53-62. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2008.03.035
  • Williams, M; Haywood, AM; Gregory, J; Schmidt, D (2007) Deep time perspectives on climate change: an introduction, In: Williams; M; Haywood; M, A; Gregory; J, F; Schmidt; N, D (Ed) Deep-Time Perspectives on Climate Change: Marrying the Signal from Computer Models and Biological Proxies, The Micropalaeontological Society, Special Publication , The Geological Society, London, pp.1-3.
  • Williams, M; Haywood, AM; Vautravers, M; Sellwood, BW; Hillenbrand, CD; Wilkinson, IP; Miller, CG (2007) Relative effect of taphonomy on calcification temperature estimates from fossil planktonic foraminifera, GEOBIOS-LYON, 40, pp.861-874. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2007.02.007
  • Francis, JE; Haywood, AM; Ashworth, AC; Valdes, PJ (2007) Tundra environments in the Neogene Sirius Group, Antarctica: evidence from the geological record and coupled atmosphere-vegetation models, J GEOL SOC LONDON, 164, pp.317-322.
  • Haywood, AM; Valdes, PJ; Peck, VL (2007) A permanent El Nino-like state during the Pliocene?, PALEOCEANOGRAPHY, 22, . doi:10.1029/2006PA001323
  • Haywood, AM; Valdes, PJ; Hill, DJ; Williams, M (2007) The mid Pliocene Warm Period: a test-bed for integrating data and models, In: Williams, M; Haywood, AM; Gregory, J; Schmidt, D (Ed) Deep-time perspectives on climate change: marrying the signal from computer models and biological proxies, The Micropalaeontological Society, Special Publication , The Geological Society, London, pp.443-458.
  • Hughes, JK; Haywood, A; Mithen, SJ; Sellwood, BW; Valdes, PJ (2007) Investigating early hominin dispersal patterns: developing a framework for climate data integration, J HUM EVOL, 53, pp.465-474. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2006.12.011
  • Hill, DJ; Haywood, AM; Hindmarsh, RCA; Valdes, PJ (2007) Characterising ice sheets during the mid Pliocene: evidence from data and models, In: Williams, M; Haywood, AM; Gregory, J; Schmidt, D (Ed) Deep-time perspectives on climate change: marrying the signal from computer models and biological proxies, The Micropalaeontological Society, Special Publication , The Geological Society, London, pp.517-538.
  • Williams, M; Haywood, AM; Gregory, J; Schmidt, D (2007) Deep-time perspectives on climate change: marrying the signal from computer models and biological proxies,The Micropalaeontology Society, Special Publication , The Geological Society, London.
  • Haywood, AM; Valdes, PJ (2006) Vegetation cover in a warmer world simulated using a dynamic global vegetation model for the Mid-Pliocene, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 237, pp.412-427. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2005.12.012
  • Haywood, AM; Williams, M (2006) Forecasting future weather from Rocks, Rockwatch, 42, pp.8-9.
  • Williams, M; Haywood, AM; Hillenbrand, CD; Wilkinson, IP (2005) Efficacy of delta18O data from Pliocene planktonic foraminifer calcite for spatial sea surface temperature reconstruction: comparison with a fully coupled ocean-atmosphere GCM and fossil assemblage data for the mid-Pliocene, Geological Magazine, 142, pp.399-417. doi:10.1017/S0016756805000828
  • Haywood, AM; Williams, M (2005) The climate of the future: clues from 3 million years ago, Geology Today, 21, pp.138-143.
  • Haywood, AM; Williams, M (2005) Exploring warmer worlds in Earth's geological past , Planet Earth, pp.31.
  • Haywood, AM; Cook, SR (2005) Evidence for stasis in the Regional Wind Pattern of the Western Mediterranean since the Mid Pleistocene, Quaternary Newsletter, 106, pp.9-23.
  • Williams, M; Haywood, AM; Taylor, SP; Valdes, PJ; Sellwood, BW; Hillenbrand, CD (2005) Evaluating the efficacy of planktonic foraminifer calcite delta18O data for sea surface temperature reconstruction for the Late Miocene, Geobios, 38, pp.843-863. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2004.12.001
  • Haywood, AM; Dekens, P; Ravelo, AC; Williams, M (2005) Warmer tropics during the mid-Pliocene? Evidence from alkenone paleothermometry and a fully coupled ocean-atmosphere GCM, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 6, pp.Q03010. doi:10.1029/2004GC000799
  • Taylor, SP; Haywood, AM; Valdes, PJ; Sellwood, BW (2004) An evaluation of two spatial interpolation techniques in global sea-surface temperature reconstructions: Last Glacial Maximum and Pliocene case studies, Quaternary Science Reviews, 23, pp.1041-1051. doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2003.12.003
  • Haywood, AM; Williams, M (2004) Reconstructing the oceans of the Late Miocene: how the shell chemistry of fossils reveals ancient patterns of ocean circulation, Teaching Earth Sciences, 29, pp.25-27.
  • Haywood, AM; Valdes, PJ (2004) Modelling Pliocene warmth: contribution of atmosphere, oceans and cryosphere, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 218, pp.363-377. doi:10.1016/S0012-821X(03)00685-X
  • Haywood, AM; Valdes, PJ; Markwick, PJ (2004) Cretaceous (Wealden) climates: a modelling perspective, Cretaceous Research, 25, pp.303-311. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2004.01.005
  • Haywood, AM; Valdes, PJ; Francis, JE; Sellwood, BW (2002) Global middle Pliocene biome reconstruction: A data/model synthesis, GEOCHEM GEOPHY GEOSY, 3, . doi:10.1029/2002GC000358
  • Haywood, AM; Valdes, PJ; Sellwood, BW; Kaplan, JO (2002) Antarctic climate during the middle Pliocene: model sensitivity to ice sheet variation, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 182, pp.93-115. doi:10.1016/S0031-0182(01)00454-0
  • Haywood, AM; Valdes, PJ; Sellwood, BW (2002) Magnitude of climate variability during middle Pliocene warmth: a palaeoclimate modelling study, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 188, pp.1-24. doi:10.1016/S0031-0182(02)00506-0
  • Haywood, AM; Valdes, PJ; Sellwood, BW; Kaplan, JO; Dowsett, HJ (2001) Modelling Middle Pliocene warm climates of the USA , Palaeontologia Electronica, 4, pp.21.
  • Haywood, AM; Sellwood, BW; Valdes, PJ (2000) Regional warming: Pliocene (3 Ma) paleoclimate of Europe and the Mediterranean, Geology, 28, pp.1063-1066. doi:10.1130/0091-7613(2000)28<1063:RWPMPO>2.0.CO;2
  • Haywood, AM; Valdes, PJ; Sellwood, BW (2000) Global scale palaeoclimate reconstruction of the middle Pliocene climate using the UKMO GCM: initial results, Global and Planetary Change, 25, pp.239-256. doi:10.1016/S0921-8181(00)00028-X
  • Lunt, DJ; Haywood, AM; Schmidt, GA; Salzmann, U; Valdes, PJ; Dowsett, HJ (Not yet published) On the causes of mid-Pliocene warmth and polar amplification, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, .