Lecture 33: The Anthropocene Flashcards
-Migration and Adaptation -The Anthropocene
What is mitigation?
Actions to target the cause of climate change
-reduce fossil fuel use, geoengineering, tree planting
What is adaptation?
Actions to minimize the impact of climate change
What are some ways we can adapt to climate change?
- Build sea walls
- Elevating infrastructure
- Retreat from low-lying coastal areas
- Reducing and recycling water
- Prescribed fires
- Favor drought-tolerant crops
- Redesigning urban areas
What are some ways we can mitigate climate change?
- Replace fossil fuels
- Electric transportation
- Retrofit old buildings
- Planting trees and preserving forests
- Technological mitigation
What is the Anthropocene?
A proposed new geological unit within the Geological Time Scale.
-Possibly created/influenced by humans
Why would we consider creating a new epoch (the Anthropocene)?
-We have the ability
-We are already the greatest agents of geomorphic change
-We have already altered the composition of our atmosphere and are changing our climate.
Why not change it for the better?
Where did the idea of a new epoch originate?
Paul Crutzen and Eugene Stoermer in 2000
How do we divide geologic time?
Eon–>Era–>Period–>Epoch–>Age
What are the two geologic time units?
1) Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP)
2) Global Standard Stratigraphic Age (GSSA)
What is defines a GSSP?
Some sort of geologic record that has developed over time (sediment, glacier ice) where the ‘point’ resides.
What is a ‘golden spike’?
A single physical manifestation of a change recorded in a stratigraphic section and should reflect a global phenomenon.
Who makes the decision to start a new epoch?
The Anthropocene Working Group (AWG): studies the idea and come up with recommendations
-The final recommendation must be ratified by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS)
Why do we need an Anthropocene?
-Humans are altering the Earth system (could cause the ‘sixth extinction’)
