Dr. Carolina Klock

Short Bio

I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Université du Québec à Montréal (Canada) and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. My research integrates paleontological, stratigraphic, and geochemical tools to better understand Paleozoic biogeochemical events and the subsequent recovery of the Earth system. Originally from Brazil, I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Geology from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, which included one-year academic exchanges at the University of Queensland (Australia) and the Federal University of Paraná (Brazil). I then completed my Master’s degree at the Federal University of Ouro Preto, collaborating with researchers from different Brazilian institutions, the Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Museum (Argentina), and the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), before moving to Belgium to do my PhD at Ghent University. In addition, I am passionate about geoscience education and understanding how our personal experiences and upbringing shape our worldview.

Education

• 2025, PhD in Geology - Ghent University, Belgium; 2021

• MSc in Geology, coursework Crustal Evolution and Natural Resources - Federal University of Ouro Preto, Brazil

• BSc in Geology - Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil

PROJECT

Unraveling the Aeronian - Telychian Gap: Insights into the Recovery of Marine Life after the First Mass Extinction

The Upper Ordovician and lower Silurian rocks of Anticosti Island, Canada, provide an expanded record of the Late Ordovician mass extinction and subsequent biodiversity recovery. Previous chemostratigraphic and chitinozoan studies indicate that the island preserves the Early Aeronian, Late Aeronian, and Valgu biogeochemical events and an unprecedented record of late Aeronian to mid-Telychian deposition. The goal of this project is to produce high-resolution stable carbon isotope chemostratigraphic and chitinozoan biostratigraphic datasets to better understand chronostratigraphic relationships during the early Silurian, as well as to characterize the expression of the Late Aeronian Biogeochemical Event in shallow-marine sections. The dataset will also help clarify the Aeronian - Telychian boundary through comparisons with other successions and contribute to a better-resolved geologic time scale and understanding of paleoenvironmental recovery following the end-Ordovician mass extinction.

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Anne de Vernal & Prof. Dr. Steven Goderis

Keywords

• Silurian Period
• Biogeochemical Events
• Chitinozoans
• Biostratigraphy
• Stable carbon isotopes
• Chemostratigraphy

Main publications

1. Klock C., McLaughlin P.I., Paton, T., Bancroft, A.M., Cane, G., Vandenbroucke T. R. A., Emsbo, P. 2025. Onset of the Mulde Biogeochemical Event in the Midcontinent Basin (Silurian, USA). Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol., 113096. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2025.113096
2. Klock C., Desrochers A., McLaughlin P.I., Emsbo P., De Backer T., Jonckheere, F. M., Esteves C.J.P., Vandenbroucke T. R. A. 2024. Chitinozoan biostratigraphy through the Aeronian-Telychian boundary interval on Anticosti Island, Canada. J. Micropalaeontol., 43(2), 475-495. https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-43-475-2024
3. Klock C., Leuzinger L., Santucci R.M., Martinelli A.G., Marconato A., Marinho T.S., Luz Z., Vennemann T. 2022. A bone topick: Stable isotope compositions as tracers of food sources and paleoecology for notosuchians in the Brazilian Upper Cretaceous Bauru Group. Cretac. Res. 131, 105113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105113
4. Jonckheere, F.M.R., Klock, C., Desrochers, A., Daoust, P., Vandenbroucke, T.R.A., 2025. Refining chitinozoan biostratigraphy through the early and late Aeronian biogeochemical events on Anticosti Island, Quebec, eastern Canada. J. Micropalaeontol. 44(2), 319-344. https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-44-319-2025
5. Vancoppenolle I., Emsbo P., McLaughlin P.I., De Backer T., Klock C., Calner M., Cramer B.D., Munnecke A., Vandenbroucke T.R.A. 2026. A spike in malformed chitinozoans announces the Ireviken Ocean Anoxic event in the lower Wenlock. Global Planet. Change, 258, 105302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105302
6. De Backer T., Emsbo P., McLaughlin P.I., Vancoppenolle I., Klock C., Munnecke A., Vandenbroucke T.R.A. 2026. Metal induced chitinozoan malformations link the Mid-Ludfordian OAE to the venting of metalliferous hydrothermal basin brines into the Silurian Ocean. Global Planet. Change, 259, 105303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105303
7. Martinelli A.G., Basilici G., Fiorelli L.E., Klock C., Karfunkel J., Diniz A.C., Soares M.V.T., Marconato A., Silva J.I., Ribeiro L.C.B., Marinho T.S. 2019. Palaeoecological implications of an Upper Cretaceous tetrapod burrow (Bauru Basin; Peirópolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil). Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol., 528, 147-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2019.05.015
8. Klock-Ferreira C., Moura S.A., Novo T., Fantinel L.M. 2018. The geological content in Basic Education: case of study in schools of Campo Belo, Minas Gerais. In: Carneiro C.D.R., Gonçalves P.W., Imbernon L.A.R., Machado F.B., Cerri C.A.D. 2018. Anais do EnsinoGEO 2018: VIII Simpósio Nacional de Ensino e História de Ciências da Terra (Geociências para todos). Campinas University, Campinas, 462-465.