Category:Anthropocene: Difference between revisions

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-- Anthropocene Working Group of the Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy (International Commission on Stratigraphy)
-- Anthropocene Working Group of the Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy (International Commission on Stratigraphy)
[[Category:Climate Policy]]

Revision as of 16:01, 22 February 2016

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropocene

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The 'Anthropocene' is a term widely used since its coining by Paul Crutzen and Eugene Stoermer in 2000 to denote the present time interval, in which many geologically significant conditions and processes are profoundly altered by human activities.

These include changes in:

  • erosion and sediment transport associated with a variety of anthropogenic processes, including colonisation, agriculture, urbanisation and global warming
  • the chemical composition of the atmosphere, oceans and soils, with significant anthropogenic perturbations of the cycles of elements such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and various metals
  • environmental conditions generated by these perturbations; these include global warming, ocean acidification and spreading oceanic 'dead zones'
  • the biosphere both on land and in the sea, as a result of habitat loss, predation, species invasions and the physical and chemical changes noted above.

The 'Anthropocene' is not a formally defined geological unit within the Geological Time Scale. A proposal to formalise the 'Anthropocene' is being developed by the 'Anthropocene' Working Group for consideration by the International Commission on Stratigraphy, with a current target date of 2016.

The 'Anthropocene' is currently being considered by the Working Group as a potential geological epoch, i.e. at the same hierarchical level as the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs, with the implication that it is within the Quaternary Period, but that the Holocene has terminated. It might, alternatively, also be considered at a lower (Age) hierarchical level; that would imply it is a subdivision of the ongoing Holocene Epoch.

Broadly, to be accepted as a formal term, the 'Anthropocene' needs to be (a) scientifically justified (i.e. the 'geological signal' currently being produced in strata now forming must be sufficiently large, clear and distinctive) and (b) useful as a formal term to the scientific community. In terms of (b), the currently informal term 'Anthropocene' has already proven to be very useful to the global change research community and thus will continue to be used, but it remains to be determined whether formalisation within the Geological Time Scale would make it more useful or broaden its usefulness to other scientific communities, such as the geological community.

The beginning of the 'Anthropocene' is most generally considered to be at c. 1800 CE, around the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in Europe (Crutzen's original suggestion); other potential candidates for time boundaries have been suggested, at both earlier dates (within or even before the Holocene) or later (e.g. at the start of the nuclear age). A formal 'Anthropocene' might be defined either with reference to a particular point within a stratal section, that is, a Global Stratigraphic Section and Point (GSSP), colloquially known as a 'golden spike; or, by a designated time boundary (a Global Standard Stratigraphic Age).

The 'Anthropocene' has emerged as a popular scientific term used by scientists, the scientifically engaged public and the media to designate the period of Earth's history during which humans have a decisive influence on the state, dynamics and future of the Earth system.

It is widely agreed that the Earth is currently in this state.

-- Anthropocene Working Group of the Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy (International Commission on Stratigraphy)

Subcategories

This category has the following 31 subcategories, out of 31 total.

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  • Oceans‎ (18 C, 84 P, 639 F)

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Pages in category "Anthropocene"

The following 129 pages are in this category, out of 129 total.

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Media in category "Anthropocene"

The following 200 files are in this category, out of 975 total.

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