Yaoping Cai

Lecture of Geobiology/Paleontology and Stratigraphy

Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, China

E-mail: yaopingcai@nwu.edu.cn

 

Education

PhD: 2011, Northwest University

BSc: 2006, Northwest University

Research

Focuses: Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary biotas;

Other Interests: Lagerstätte, taphonomy, Sedimentology, Microbially induced sedimentary structures.

Publications

l  Cai, Y, Schiffbauer J D, Hua H., Xiao, S. 2011. Morphology and paleoecology of the late Ediacaran tubular fossil Conotubus hemiannulatus from the Gaojiashan Lagerstätte of southern Shaanxi Province, South China. Precambrian Research. 191: 46-57.

l  Cai, Y, Hua H. 2011. Discussion of “First finds of problematic Ediacaran fossil Gaojiashania in Siberia and its origin”. Geological Magazine. 148 (2): 329-333.

l  Hua, H., Chen, Z., Yuan X., Xiao S., Cai, Y. 2010. The earliest Foraminifera from southern Shaanxi, China. 2010. Science in China. 53 (12): 1756-1764.

l  Cai, Y, Hua H., Xiao S., Schiffbauer J. D., Li P. 2010. Biostratinomy of the late Ediacaran pyritized Gaojiashan Lagerstätte from southern Shaanxi, South China: Importance of event deposits. Palaios. 25(8): 487-506.

l  Hua H., Chen Z., Cai, Y, Li P. 2009. The earliest biomineralizing animal Cloudina: an important index fossil in the late Ediacaran. Journal of Northwest University. (Natural science edition). 39(3): 522-527. (in Chinese with English abstract)

l  Cai Y, Hua H. 2008. Fossil diagenesis and weathering of pyritized fossils in the late Ediacaran Gaojiashan biota in Ningqiang, Shaanxi. Acta Palaeontologica Sinica. 47(2): 214-221. (in Chinese with English abstract)

l  Ma J., Liu Z., Cai Y, Li P., Lin J., Hua H. 2008. Relationships between petrographic variations and fossil preservation of the late Ediacaran Gaojiashan biota in the Hujiaba Area, Ningqiang, Shaanxi. Acta Palaeontologica Sinica. 47(2): 222-231. (in Chinese with English abstract)

l  Cai, Y, and H. Hua. 2007. Pyritization in the Gaojiashan Biota. Chinese Science Bulletin. 52(5): 645-650.

l  Cai, Y. 2007. The 550 Ma-old Gaojiashan biota. Evolution of Life. Issue 4, 43-46. (in Chinese)

Research Grants

2011.01-   State Key Program of National Natural Science of China (No. 40872021). Co-PI.

2009.11-

           Northwest University Doctoral Dissertation Funds (09YYB01). PI.

2009.01-2011.12

National Science Foundation of China (No. 40872021): Taphonomy of the Gaojiashan biota. Co-PI, with Dr. Hong Hua at Department of Geology, Northwest University.

2009-

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration of America) Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology Program. Co-PI, with Dr. Shuhai Xiao at Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, USA.

2007.10-2009.10

Northwest University Graduate Innovation and Creativity Funds (No. 07YZZ27). Research topic: Fossil diagenesis in the late Ediacaran Gaojiashan biota. PI.

2004.10-2006.06

National Basic Science Personnel Training Foundation (Grant No. J0630537), with the sub-fund “Innovation Fund of Personnel Training Base, Department of Geology, Northwest University” (Grant No. XDCX04-02) assigned to Yaoping Cai. PI.