Overview

John Cisne has been a Cornell faculty member since 1973. He graduated from Yale University in 1969 with a B.S. in Geology and Geophysics, and from the University of Chicago in 1973 with a Ph.D. in Geophysical Sciences.

Research Focus

Cisne's research has ranged from the internal anatomy and population dynamics of trilobites, to the phylogeny and evolution of arthropods, to gradient analysis of fossil communities, to stratigraphic and biometric study of evolutionary patterns in invertebrate lineages, to chemical paleoceanography, paleobathymetry, and the study of sea-level change and paleoclimate, to synthetic stratigraphy and the mechanics of sedimentary basins, to the study of information transmission in evolving communication networks, biological and otherwise. Often it has involved novel combinations of two or more sciences.

Instruction Focus

Evolution of the earth systems, Dinosaurs

Additional Links

• Surface Processes, Sedimentary Basins, and Paleontology

Honors, Awards and Appointments

• Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Science of Earth Systems major - 2008
• Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science - 1982

Selected Publications

• How science survived: Medieval manuscripts "demography" and classic texts extinction. Science 307, 1305-1307.
• Sulfur, iron and organic carbon fluxes in the Black Sea. Deep-Sea Research 38 (Supplement 2), S1151-S1187. (J. Muramoto, S. Honjo, B. Fry, B.J. Hay, R.W. Howarth, and JLC)
• Palaeontological and isotope evidence for warm saline deep waters in Ordovician oceans. Nature 343, 156-159. (L.B. Railsback, T.F. Anderson, S.C. Ackerly and JLC)
• Earthquakes recorded stratigraphically on carbonate platforms. Nature 323, 320-322.
• Topography and tectonics of the Taconic outer trench slope as revealed through gradient analysis of fossil assemblages. Lethaia 15, 229-246. (JLC, D.E. Karig, B.D. Rabe and B.J. Hay)
• Triarthrus eatoni (Trilobita): comparative anatomy of it exoskeletal, skeletomuscular, and digestive systems. Palaeontographica Americana 9 (53), 95-142.
• Geographic variation and episodic evolution in an Ordovician trilobite. Science 209, 925-927. (JLC, G.O. Chandlee, B.D. Rabe and J.A. Cohen)
• Coencorrelation: gradient analysis of fossil communities and its applications in stratigraphy. Lethaia 11, 341-364. (JLC and B.D. Rabe)
• Trilobites and the origin of arthropods. Science 186, 13-18.
• Evolution of the Moon`s orbit and the origin of life. Nature 251, 124-125. (D.L. Turcotte, J.C. Nordmann and JLC)
• Evolution of the world fauna of aquatic free-living arthropods. Evolution 28, 337-366.
• Life history of Triarthrus eatoni, an Ordovician trilobite. Ecology 54, 135-142.

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