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Marine & Wildlife
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Part 1: Anthropocene Series/Epoch: stratigraphic context and justification of rank The Anthropocene Epoch and Crawfordian Age: proposals by the Anthropocene Working Group
2024
12 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 60
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Colin N. Waters,
Jan Zalasiewicz,
Colin N. Waters,
Jan Zalasiewicz,
Jan Zalasiewicz,
Michael Wagreich,
Jan Zalasiewicz,
Colin N. Waters,
Colin N. Waters,
James P. M. Syvitski,
Colin N. Waters,
Anthony D. Barnosky,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Simon Turner,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Neil L. Rose,
Neil L. Rose,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Simon Turner,
Simon Turner,
Simon Turner,
Simon Turner,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Simon Turner,
Simon Turner,
Neil L. Rose,
Neil L. Rose,
Neil L. Rose,
Neil L. Rose,
Neil L. Rose,
Jan Zalasiewicz,
Martin J. Head,
Colin N. Waters,
Colin N. Waters,
Colin N. Waters,
Colin N. Waters,
Alejandro Cearreta,
Alejandro Cearreta,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Alejandro Cearreta,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Simon Turner,
Neil L. Rose,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Simon Turner,
Mark Williams
Zhisheng An,
Colin N. Waters,
Mark Williams
Jan Zalasiewicz,
Jens Zinke,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Zhisheng An,
Neil L. Rose,
Zhisheng An,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Zhisheng An,
Michael Wagreich,
Simon Turner,
Martin J. Head,
Neil L. Rose,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Neil L. Rose,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Neil L. Rose,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Martin J. Head,
Michael Wagreich,
Anthony D. Barnosky,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Anthony D. Barnosky,
Anthony D. Barnosky,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Michael Wagreich,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Alejandro Cearreta,
Alejandro Cearreta,
Alejandro Cearreta,
Anthony D. Barnosky,
Colin Summerhayes,
Davor Vidas,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Yongming Han,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Alejandro Cearreta,
Colin Summerhayes,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Neil L. Rose,
Ian J. Fairchild,
Ian J. Fairchild,
Colin N. Waters,
Mark Williams
Jan Zalasiewicz,
Ian J. Fairchild,
Barbara Fiałkiewicz-Kozieł,
Alejandro Cearreta,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Alejandro Cearreta,
Simon Turner,
Barbara Fiałkiewicz-Kozieł,
Barbara Fiałkiewicz-Kozieł,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Colin Summerhayes,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Michael Wagreich,
Catherine Jeandel,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Reinhold Leinfelder,
Reinhold Leinfelder,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Jacques Grinevald,
Jacques Grinevald,
Jacques Grinevald,
Ian J. Fairchild,
Jacques Grinevald,
Jacques Grinevald,
Jacques Grinevald,
Irka Hajdas,
John McNeill,
John McNeill,
Neil L. Rose,
Irka Hajdas,
Irka Hajdas,
Irka Hajdas,
Martin J. Head,
Yongming Han,
Yoshiki Saito,
Yongming Han,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Yongming Han,
Yongming Han,
Reinhold Leinfelder,
Mark Williams
Martin J. Head,
Reinhold Leinfelder,
Colin Summerhayes,
John McNeill,
Martin J. Head,
Martin J. Head,
Anthony D. Barnosky,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Barbara Fiałkiewicz-Kozieł,
Clément Poirier,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Michael Wagreich,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Catherine Jeandel,
Zhisheng An,
Neil L. Rose,
Catherine Jeandel,
Catherine Jeandel,
Daniel D. Richter,
Mark Williams
James P. M. Syvitski,
William Shotyk,
Reinhold Leinfelder,
Reinhold Leinfelder,
Reinhold Leinfelder,
Наоми Орескес,
Francine M.G. McCarthy,
James P. M. Syvitski,
Agnieszka Gałuszka,
Michael Wagreich,
Francine M.G. McCarthy,
Francine M.G. McCarthy,
John McNeill,
John McNeill,
Francine M.G. McCarthy,
John McNeill,
Mark Williams
Catherine Jeandel,
Alejandro Cearreta,
Eric Odada,
Eric Odada,
Eric Odada,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Наоми Орескес,
Наоми Орескес,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Anthony D. Barnosky,
Наоми Орескес,
Clément Poirier,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Ian J. Fairchild,
Clément Poirier,
Clément Poirier,
Neil L. Rose,
John McNeill,
Daniel D. Richter,
Daniel D. Richter,
Daniel D. Richter,
Neil L. Rose,
Juliana A. Ivar do Sul,
Jens Zinke,
Neil L. Rose,
Neil L. Rose,
Yoshiki Saito,
Yoshiki Saito,
Yoshiki Saito,
William Shotyk,
Simon Turner,
William Shotyk,
William Shotyk,
William Shotyk,
Colin Summerhayes,
Colin Summerhayes,
Michael Wagreich,
Colin Summerhayes,
Jens Zinke,
James P. M. Syvitski,
James P. M. Syvitski,
James P. M. Syvitski,
Davor Vidas,
Davor Vidas,
Davor Vidas,
Michael Wagreich,
Michael Wagreich,
Michael Wagreich,
Mark Williams
Mark Williams
Mark Williams
Scott L. Wing,
Scott L. Wing,
Scott L. Wing,
Jan Zalasiewicz,
Jan Zalasiewicz,
Jan Zalasiewicz,
Jens Zinke,
Jens Zinke,
Jens Zinke,
Andrew B. Cundy,
Yoshiki Saito,
Jacques Grinevald,
Jan Zalasiewicz,
Mark Williams
Summary
This paper by the Anthropocene Working Group proposes formally defining the Anthropocene as a new geological epoch, marked by human-caused changes starting around the 1950s. Among the stratigraphic signals used to define this era, microplastics are listed as a key marker, alongside nuclear fallout and synthetic chemicals. The inclusion of microplastics as a defining feature of a geological epoch underscores just how widespread and permanent plastic pollution has become in Earth's systems.
Study Type
Environmental
The Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) has concluded that the Anthropocene represents geological reality and should be linked with the plethora of stratigraphic proxies that initiate or show marked perturbations at around the 1950s, and should be defined using a Global boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP). We propose formalizing the Anthropocene as series/epoch, terminating the Holocene Series/Epoch with a single Crawfordian stage/age. The GSSP should be located at the level where the primary marker shows a rapid increase in 239+240Pu concentrations (coinciding with a globally recognisable, isochronous signal of the first above-ground thermonuclear tests). The stratigraphic signature of the Anthropocene comprises: a) lithostratigraphic signals, including many new proxies, such as synthetic inorganic crystalline mineral-like compounds, microplastics, fly ash and black carbon, in addition to direct modification through human terraforming of landscape and indirect influences on sedimentary facies through drivers such as climate change; b) chemostratigraphic signals including inorganic and organic contaminants and isotopic shifts of carbon and nitrogen; c) fallout from above-ground nuclear weapons testing; d) stratigraphic effects of climate warming, sea-level rise and ocean acidification; and e) biostratigraphic signals, especially range and abundance changes characterised by unprecedented rates and extents of non-native species introductions, increased population and species extinction and extirpation rates. These correlative markers are present in many kinds of geological deposits around the world. This ubiquity of signals verifies that the Anthropocene can be widely delineated as a sharply distinctive chronostratigraphic unit in diverse terrestrial and marine depositional environments, and reflects a major Earth System change that will have geologically lasting consequences. As background, the Anthropocene was suggested as a new epoch by Paul Crutzen in 2000. The AWG was established in 2009 by the Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy to examine the evidence for the potential inclusion of the Anthropocene in the International Chronostratigraphic Chart (ICC) and, if warranted, to formulate a definition and proposal. Various suggested start dates were considered, and the mid-20th century was found to be the only one associated with an extensive array of effectively globally isochronous geological markers reflecting the ‘Great Acceleration’ of population, industrialization and globalization. Alternative interpretations of the Anthropocene, including as an informal ‘event’, were considered in detail by the AWG and found to be inconsistent with the stratigraphic evidence.