As we approach the new inter-Congress period for INQUA (2019-2023), we need to consider planning the future activities and focus of SACCOM. The Executive Committee of INQUA would like each of the five commissions to identify one or two topics to focus on during the coming four years. Over the past month or so, the present and future executive committee of SACCOM has been discussing a couple of areas of focus might be considered for the coming years. We have identified two themes/foci:
1) Connecting human activity and the stratigraphic record
As I am sure you know, the Subcommission for Quaternary Stratigraphy (SQS) of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) is currently considering formalizing and ratifying the Anthropocene as part of the Geological Timescale. This has been discussed considerably over the past decade and it seems like SQS are converging on suggesting that the Anthropocene will be an epoch whose base will be defined sometime around 1950 or 1960. Whether we agree or disagree with the status of the Anthropocene, it seems like SACCOM should play a very active role in this process. However, we do not want to get too bogged down in arguments over the Anthropocene and it seems to us that it would be worth focusing on the “human manifestation on the Quaternary stratigraphic record”. This might include examining indicators of that produce significant markers produced by humans in the stratigraphy, e.g., cesium and/plutonium spikes making the base of the Anthropocene, and, e.g., earlier markers such as occurrences of metals/charcoal (amongst many other indicators) record. This would help include as large a community of Quaternary researchers as possible. Moreover, it opens up challenges for geochronologists to date young successions (1950s and 1960s) and deeper time such as early human sites where there is evidence of human impacts/imprints on the stratigraphic record/successions. We think this will be exciting because we can help address and highlight the relevance of our work to societal problems. Connecting human activity and the stratigraphic record should attract much interest and would also help link us with other commissions.
2) Inter-comparison of dating methods across terrestrial, cryosphere and marine records at key stratigraphic sites: a catalyst for inter-commission collaboration
We recognize that SACCOM provides a framework for the other commissions and though we should be a catalyst for developing inter-commission collaborations. One way of doing this is to set up schemes for inter-comparison of dating methods across terrestrial, cryosphere and marine records at key stratigraphic sites. This would include, e.g., integration of incremental, radiometric, tephrochronology, cyclostratigraphy, paleomagnetism and biological events, amongst other methods. We also recognise the need to cross-check different methods, and utilize geochronology to tell us about both time and processes.
We are at the very early stage of formulating these themes and would very much like to have your input. The key aspect is to been as inclusive as possible so as many folks as possible can contribute to the themes and also to address important cutting-edge issues in our disciplines.
Please add your comments to this blog.
Dear Lewis, dear colleagues, I would like to contribute to discussions about the formalization and ratification of the Anthropocene as part of the Geological Timescale. Some works have shown the industrial-era warming is pushing tropical species to become more abundant in temperate areas. Under global warming influence, mangroves, which are restricted to latitudes where the coldest monthly mean temperature is above 20ºC and the annual thermal amplitude is less than 5ºC, are migrating to higher latitudes, contributing to the tropicalization of coastal wetlands. Nowadays, American mangroves are limited to latitudes around 30° N and 28° S. Mangrove contraction/expansion occurred during the Quaternary in response to changes in temperatures. During the LGM, mangrove limits migrated to more tropical zones, followed b…
Hi! I am sorry I am late with the participation and opinions. Both themes are fascinating ones, but I would like contributing with “Connecting human activity and the stratigraphic record”. As the key issue of this theme is “Anthropocene” and the study of “human manifestation on the Quaternary stratigraphic record”, I think that archaeology has an important role to play in the discussion. Particularly, Geoarchaeology can act as a “hinge” that connects several lines of evidence induced by humans and natural processes, isolated or in conjunction. In some way this view leads us to incorporate the issue 2 into the discussion in terms, for instance, of methodology. Coming back to Geoarchaeology, other methodological approaches as Taphonomy can also be incorporated…
Dear all
Both foci seem “well-calibrated” for the SACCOM commission. In my opinion, the rock “target” where they could be applied becomes challenging.
In this view I would like to bring your attention on the epigean Continental carbonates (travertine, tufa) deposits. These deposits, very sensitive to the human influence, are characterized by a very rapid depositional rate (able to record short time period in long successions possible perfect for Focus 1) and able to entomb different paleoclimate (loess, pollen, fossils…) and chronological (tephra, mammals, Homo ..) proxies coupled with the possible application of detailed radiometric techniques (U/Th, C14, cosmogenic nuclides…). This field could be really innovative and able to contribute proficiently in the success of the themes.
Ready to contribute…
Focus 1: This is a very pertinent and critical issue of our times and I'm very pleased with this proposed focus. The Anthropocene debate has mostly centred on evidence from the northern hemisphere and this needs to be extended to other parts of the world, including tropical Africa. Here, regional aspects are significant because of the varied climate systems that dominate in different parts of the continent, and how they reorganise to perturbations that may be driven from changes occurring in other parts of the world. Differentiating natural responses to natural changes, versus natural responses to anthropogenic changes is, in my opinion, an interesting question in this region which has remained largely "pristine" until the advent of the last century,…
Re: Point 2. I fully support this as an ambition, especially as a means to link across to the other commissions for collaborations, which is not so easy under the current structure. As others have already mentioned in the comments there exist other similar efforts where expertise could be sought, and efforts extended rather than duplicated. For example the INTIMATE network focusing on 8-60 ka https://intimate.nbi.ku.dk/welcome-intimate-network-web-page, and also the recent LinkedEarth community effort for palaeo-data standards.