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Journal Articles Science Year : 2016

The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene

Jan Zalasiewicz
Agnieszka Gałuszka
Reinhold Leinfelder
Will Steffen
Davor Vidas
Michael Wagreich
Mark Williams
Eric Odada
  • Function : Author
Naomi Oreskes
  • Function : Author

Abstract

Humans are undoubtedly altering many geological processes on Earth—and have been for some time. But what is the stratigraphic evidence for officially distinguishing this new human-dominated time period, termed the “Anthropocene,” from the preceding Holocene epoch? Waters et al. review climatic, biological, and geochemical signatures of human activity in sediments and ice cores. Combined with deposits of new materials and radionuclides, as well as human-caused modification of sedimentary processes, the Anthropocene stands alone stratigraphically as a new epoch beginning sometime in the mid–20th century.

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Global Changes
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hal-01453042 , version 1 (02-02-2017)

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Colin N. Waters, Jan Zalasiewicz, Colin Summerhayes, Anthony D. Barnosky, Clément Poirier, et al.. The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene. Science, 2016, 351 (6269), pp.aad2622. ⟨10.1126/science.aad2622⟩. ⟨hal-01453042⟩
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