The Anthropocene Flashcards
How are geological divisions defined?
By a specific boundary between layers of rock/ice
What is stratigraphy?
The study of rocks and layers
In which epoch are we now?
Holocene
What is GSSP?
Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point
How is GSSP sometimes called?
Golden Spike
Does GSSP define the lower or higher boundary of a stage?
The lower boundary
When did Holocene start?
At the end of the last Ice Age ( 12000 years ago)
How’s the climate been in the Holocene?
Relatively stable
Why is a stable climate good in the Holocene?
for the start of agriculture
Where was the GSSP of Holocene marked?
In an ice layer
What was the GSSP of Holocene based on?
Air bubbles in the ice core
What is Anthropocene?
Next epoch after Holocene
Who/what dominates the Anthropocene?
Humans
When did the Anthropocene start?
Around 1950
Who created the term Anthropocene?
Crutzen
What is WGA?
Working Group on the Anthropocene
What are geological epochs?
Geological time units accompanied by a global change
How are geological epochs formally defined?
By a stratigraphic signal
Does the stratigraphic signal need to be distinct from the previous one?
Yes
What is the “Great Acceleration”?
The increased level of the consumption of resources
Why did the Great Acceleration happen?
Population growth and industrialization
What are the consequences of population growth and industrialization?
Higher level of consumption and increased level of economic activity
What are the main driving forces of Anthropocene?
Human driving force
What are the evidences to support the formal recognition of the Anthropocene?
Appearance of manufactured materials in the sediments/layers
