Dr. Charles E. Mitchell                                                                                                                                    

Office: 771 Natural Sciences Complex Phone: 716.645.4290 Email: cem@geology.buffalo.edu Website: STRATIGRAPHY AND PALEONTOLOGY RESEARCH GROUP *Site under construction* Title: SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor, Director of Graduate Studies Degree: PhD, Geology, Harvard University, 1983 Specialty: Paleobiology, biostratigraphy, Appalachian Basin history, Ordovician geology Google Calendar

Courses Offered

GLY 216 Soft Rocks II
GLY 400/500 Comparative Paleobiology
GLY 407 Field Training
GLY 458/558 Macroevolution
GLY 480/580 Geological Evolution of North America

GLY 555 Evolution Colloquium

Research Interests

My research is motivated by a desire to understand the evolutionary processes that have formed the world in which we live and that have given shape to its history.  Graptolites are the fossils on which I specialize. The particular segment of Earth history in which I work is the Ordovician Period.  My work employs the principles of comparative morphological analysis, phylogenetic systematics, taphonomy, and quantitative stratigraphy. I am also engaged in studies of the geologic and stratigraphic history (basin analysis) of the regions in which my favorite fossils occur.  My approach in all of these is to test specific hypotheses by quantitative means when ever possible but also to keep sight of the unique properties of biological and geological phenomena. 

Recent Publications

Mitchell C.E. and Jacobi R. D. 2002. (guest eds.) Taconic Convergence: Orogen, Foreland Basin, and Craton , Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 27(1-3), 288 p.

*Mitchell, C.E., Soumava Adhya, Stig M. Bergström, Michael P. Joy, and John W. Delano. 2004. Discovery of the Ordovician Millbrig K-bentonite Bed in the Trenton Group of New York State: Implications for regional correlation and sequence stratigraphy in Eastern North America. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, and Paleoecology, 210: 331-346.

Chen Xu, Fan Jun-xuan, Melchin, M. J. and Mitchell, C. E. 2005. Graptolites of the Hirnantian (uppermost Ordovician) from the Upper Yangtze region, China. Palaeontology, 46: 235-280.

*Chen, Xu, Melchin, M. J., Sheets, H.D., Mitchell, C. E. and Fan Jun-xuan, 2005. Patterns and Processes of Latest Ordovician Graptolite Extinction and Recovery based on data from South China. Journal of Paleontology. 79:842-861.

Mitchell, C. E., Chen Xu, and Finney, S. C., 2007. The structure and possible function of 'basal membranes' in the spinose climacograptid graptolite Appendispinograptus Li and Li 1985. Journal of Paleontology. 81(5):1122-1127.

*Mitchell, C.E., Goldman, D. Klosterman, S.L., Maletz, J., Sheets, H.D., and Melchin, M.J. 2007. Phylogeny of the Ordovician Diplograptoidea. In : Proceedings of the 10 th International Symposium on the Ordovician System, Nanjing, China, June 2007, Jun Li, Fan Junxuan, and Percival, Ian (eds). Acta Palaeontologica Sinica, 46 (suppl.): 332-339.

Brussa, E., Maletz, J., Mitchell, C.E., and Goldman, D., 2007, Nemagraptus gracilis (J. Hall) in Bolivia and Peru. In : Proceedings of the 10 th International Symposium on the Ordovician System, Nanjing, China, June 2007, Jun Li, Fan Junxuan, and Percival, Ian (eds). Acta Palaeontologica Sinica. 46 (suppl.): 57-63.

*Mitchell, C.E., Sheets, H.D., Belscher, K., Finney, S.C., Holmden, C., LaPorte, D.F., Melchin, M.J., and Patterson, W.P., 2007. Species abundance changes during mass extinction and the inverse Signor-Lipps Effect: Apparently abrupt graptolite mass extinction as an artifact of sampling. In : Proceedings of the 10 th International Symposium on the Ordovician System, Nanjing, China, June 2007, Jun Li, Fan Junxuan, and Percival, Ian (eds). Acta Palaeontologica Sinica, 46 (suppl.): 340-346.

Goldman, D., Mitchell, C.E., Maletz, J., Riva, J.F.V., Leslie, S.A., and Motz, G.J., 2007. Ordovician graptolites and conodonts of the Phi Kappa Formation in the Trail Creek region of central Idaho: A Revised, integrated biostratigraphy. In : Proceedings of the 10 th International Symposium on the Ordovician System, Nanjing, China, June 2007, Jun Li, Fan Junxuan, and Percival, Ian (eds). Acta Palaeontologica Sinica. 46 (suppl.): 155-162.

Zambito J.J. IV, Mitchell, C.E., and Sheets, H.D. 2008 . Demonstrating the Significance of Likelihood with the Likelihood of Significance: A Comparison of ANOSIM with Multinomial Models Using Maximum Likelihood and Information Theory, and the Implications for Quantitative Paleoecology. Palaios 23(5): 313-321.

*Mitchell, C.E., Brussa, E.D., and Maletz. J., 2008. A mixed isograptid-dydmograptid graptolite assemblage from the Middle Ordovician of west Gondwana (NW BOLIVIA). Journal of Paleontology 82(6): 1114 -1126.

Mitchell, C.E., In Press . It's not about the evidence: The role of metaphysics in the continuing debate about evolution and creation, In: Jill S. Schneiderman and Warren D. Allmon (eds.), For the Rock Record: On Intelligent Design , University of California Press (Pub. anticipated by Feb. 2009).

Reprints of these and other articles available upon request.