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Making the case for a formal Anthropocene Epoch: An analysis of ongoing critiques

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posted on 2018-01-17, 11:00 authored by Jan Zalasiewicz, Colin N. Waters, AP Wolfe, AD Barnosky, A Cearreta, Matt Edgeworth, EC Ellis, IJ Fairchild, FM Gradstein, J Grinevald, P Haff, MJ Head, JAI do Sul, C Jeandel, R Leinfelder, JR McNeill, N Oreskes, C Poirier, A Revkin, DDB Richter, W Steffen, C Summerhayes, JPM Syvitski, D Vidas, M Wagreich, S Wing, Mark Williams
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.

History

Citation

Newsletters on Stratigraphy, 2017, 50 (2), pp. 205-226

Author affiliation

/Organisation/COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING/Department of Geology

Version

  • VoR (Version of Record)

Published in

Newsletters on Stratigraphy

Publisher

Borntraeger Science Publishers

issn

0078-0421

eissn

2363-6122

Acceptance date

2016-12-12

Copyright date

2017

Available date

2018-01-17

Publisher version

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/schweiz/nis/2017/00000050/00000002/art00004;jsessionid=2pwid6i500v90.x-ic-live-02

Language

en

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