Making the case for a formal Anthropocene Epoch: an analysis of ongoing critiques
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Zalasiewicz, J; Waters, Colin; Wolfe, Alexander P.; Barnosky, Anthony D.; Cearreta, Alejandro; Edgeworth, Matt; Ellis, Erle C.; Fairchild, I.J.; Felix M, Gradstein; Grinevald, Jacques; Haff, Peter K; Head, Martin J.; Ivar do Sul, Juliana; Jeandel, Catherine; Leinfelder, Reinhold; McNeill, John R; Oreskes, Naomi; Poirier, Clement; Revkin, Andrew; Richter, Daniel deB; Steffen, Will; Summerhayes, Colin; Syvitski, James; Vidas, Davor; Wagreich, Michael; Wing, Scott; Williams, Mark
Description
A range of published arguments against formalizing the Anthropocene as a geological time unit have variously suggested that it is a misleading term of non-stratigraphic origin and usage, is based on insignificant temporal and material stratigraphic content unlike that used to define older geological time units, is focused on observation of human history or speculation about the future rather than geologically significant events, and is driven more by politics than science. In response, we...[Show more]
dc.contributor.author | Zalasiewicz, J | |
---|---|---|
dc.contributor.author | Waters, Colin | |
dc.contributor.author | Wolfe, Alexander P. | |
dc.contributor.author | Barnosky, Anthony D. | |
dc.contributor.author | Cearreta, Alejandro | |
dc.contributor.author | Edgeworth, Matt | |
dc.contributor.author | Ellis, Erle C. | |
dc.contributor.author | Fairchild, I.J. | |
dc.contributor.author | Felix M, Gradstein | |
dc.contributor.author | Grinevald, Jacques | |
dc.contributor.author | Haff, Peter K | |
dc.contributor.author | Head, Martin J. | |
dc.contributor.author | Ivar do Sul, Juliana | |
dc.contributor.author | Jeandel, Catherine | |
dc.contributor.author | Leinfelder, Reinhold | |
dc.contributor.author | McNeill, John R | |
dc.contributor.author | Oreskes, Naomi | |
dc.contributor.author | Poirier, Clement | |
dc.contributor.author | Revkin, Andrew | |
dc.contributor.author | Richter, Daniel deB | |
dc.contributor.author | Steffen, Will | |
dc.contributor.author | Summerhayes, Colin | |
dc.contributor.author | Syvitski, James | |
dc.contributor.author | Vidas, Davor | |
dc.contributor.author | Wagreich, Michael | |
dc.contributor.author | Wing, Scott | |
dc.contributor.author | Williams, Mark | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2020-12-20T20:57:14Z | |
dc.date.available | 2020-12-20T20:57:14Z | |
dc.identifier.issn | 0078-0421 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1885/218203 | |
dc.description.abstract | A range of published arguments against formalizing the Anthropocene as a geological time unit have variously suggested that it is a misleading term of non-stratigraphic origin and usage, is based on insignificant temporal and material stratigraphic content unlike that used to define older geological time units, is focused on observation of human history or speculation about the future rather than geologically significant events, and is driven more by politics than science. In response, we contend that the Anthropocene is a functional term that has firm geological grounding in a well-characterized stratigraphic record. This record, although often lithologically thin, is laterally extensive, rich in detail and already reflects substantial elapsed (and in part irreversible) change to the Earth System that is comparable to or greater in magnitude than that of previous epoch-scale transitions. The Anthropocene differs from previously defined epochs in reflecting contemporary geological change, which in turn also leads to the term's use over a wide range of social and political discourse. Nevertheless, that use remains entirely distinct from its demonstrable stratigraphic underpinning. Here we respond to the arguments opposing the geological validity and utility of the Anthropocene, and submit that a strong case may be made for the Anthropocene to be treated as a formal chronostratigraphic unit and added to the Geological Time Scale. | |
dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | |
dc.language.iso | en_AU | |
dc.publisher | Gebruder Borntraeger | |
dc.source | Newsletters on Stratigraphy | |
dc.title | Making the case for a formal Anthropocene Epoch: an analysis of ongoing critiques | |
dc.type | Journal article | |
local.description.notes | Imported from ARIES | |
local.identifier.citationvolume | 50 | |
dc.date.issued | 2017 | |
local.identifier.absfor | 040311 - Stratigraphy (incl. Biostratigraphy and Sequence Stratigraphy) | |
local.identifier.ariespublication | u1055894xPUB22 | |
local.type.status | Published Version | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Zalasiewicz, J, Leicester University | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Waters, Colin, British Geological Survey | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Wolfe, Alexander P., University of Alberta | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Barnosky, Anthony D., Stanford University | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Cearreta, Alejandro, Univeridad del Pais Vasco | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Edgeworth, Matt, University of Leicester | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Ellis, Erle C., University of Maryland | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Fairchild, I.J., University of Birmingham | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Felix M, Gradstein, Natural History Museum | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Grinevald, Jacques, University of Geneva | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Haff, Peter K, Duke University | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Head, Martin J., Brock University | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Ivar do Sul, Juliana, Federal University of Rio Grande | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Jeandel, Catherine, Universite Paul Sabatier | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Leinfelder, Reinhold, Freie Universitat | |
local.contributor.affiliation | McNeill, John R, Georgetown University | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Oreskes, Naomi, Harvard University | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Poirier, Clement, Universite de Caen Basse | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Revkin, Andrew, Pace University | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Richter, Daniel deB, Duke University | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Steffen, Will, College of Science, ANU | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Summerhayes, Colin, Cambridge University | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Syvitski, James, CSDMS/INSTAAR | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Vidas, Davor, The Fridtjof Nansen Institute | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Wagreich, Michael, University of Vienna | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Wing, Scott, Smithsonian Institution | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Williams, Mark, University of Leicester | |
local.bibliographicCitation.issue | 2 | |
local.identifier.doi | 10.1127/nos/2017/0385 | |
local.identifier.absseo | 969999 - Environment not elsewhere classified | |
dc.date.updated | 2020-11-23T10:47:05Z | |
local.identifier.scopusID | 2-s2.0-85017113660 | |
Collections | ANU Research Publications |
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