IGCP Global Change … (occasion / date) · Changes of life on Earth . Ice and dust records. Terrestrial and ocean sediments. sequences of fossil plant and animal assemblages . These

INTERNATIONAL GEOSCIENCES PROGRAMME-IGCP

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IGCP Global Change

Weijian ZhouGlobal Change theme Council member of the IGCP Scientific Board

21th Feb., 2019


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Introduction of Global Change theme Council member

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Education 1992-1995 Ph. D., Geology, Northwest University,

China(awarded “The First National Prize for the One Hundred Most Outstanding PhD Theses in China”)

1987-1988 Master's degree study, Geography, Australian National University (achieving a pass with DISTINCTION)

1979- 1981 Geography in Guizhou Normal University, China;

1976 Graduated from Guizhou University, ChinaPresent Position Director of the Xi’an Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

(AMS) Center; Director of the academic board of State Key

Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, CAS (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Research interestsglobal change and cosmogenic nuclides (14C, 10Be, etc.)


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Introduction of Global Change theme Council member

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Publication, Teaching and education published more than 150 refereed papers in academic journals; supervised more than 30 PhD and Master of Science students; teaches courses of Radiocarbon Chronology, Global Change;

Professional service, membership associations Member of PAGES/CLIVAR Intersection Working Group (2004-2008) ; Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences (2009-); Member of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) ; Editorial member of the international journal Radiocarbon (1997-now); Fellow of American Geophysical Union (elected in 2016); Member of AGU Devendra Lal Medal Selection Committee (2017-2019)

and AGU Joanne Simpson Medal Selection Committee (2018-2019);


Objective of Global change theme within the IGCP

Changes in the Earth's climate Changes of life on Earth Changes in the Earth's climate

Ice and dust records

Terrestrial and ocean sediments

sequences of fossil plant and animal assemblages

These geologic records can tell the story of our

Planet

The Global change theme’s aim is to provide important lessons about present-day environmental challenges and the ways to mitigate and manage environmental damage.


Members of Global Change theme of the IGCP Scientific Board

Name Employment Country SpecialtyMr Königshof, Peter Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und

Naturmuseum Germany Sedimentology, Palaeoecology

Ms Leroy, Suzanne CNRS-INSU Belgium Palynology, Sea level change

Mr Lukeneder, Alexander Natural History Museum Vienna Austria Paleontology

Ms Mangano, Maria Gabriela University of Saskatchewan Argentina Paleontology

Ms Oboh-Ikuenobe, Francisca Missouri University of Science & Technology Nigeria Paleontology

Ms Yanko Hombach, Valentina Avalon Inst. of Applied Science Ukraine Marine geology，Paleoecology

Ms Vickers-Rich, Patricia Monash University Australia Palaeontology, ornithology

Mr Servais, Thomas CNRS – Lille1 France Paleobotany

Mr Narbonne, Guy Queen’s University, Kingston Canada Paleontology, Sedimentology

Ms Orgeira, Maria Julia University of Buenos Aires and Conicet Argentina Paleoclimate

Ms Marsicano, Claudia Alicia University of Buenos Aires Argentina Paleontology

Mr Valenzuela Rios, José Ignacio University of Valencia Spain Paleontology


Ongoing projects of Global Change theme

Research field ProjectsPalaeoclimate and palaeoenvironment change

IGCP 639 (Sea Level Changes);

Palaeoecosystem IGCP 655 (Oceanic Anoxic Event, ecosystems)

Palaeontology IGCP 653 (Ordovician Biodiversification)

Chronology and plate tectonics IGCP 652 (geologic time, Paleozoic) IGCP 668 (Equatorial Gondwanan )

There are 5 ongoing projects in the Global Change theme.



(1) IGCP 639 Sea Level Changes from Minutes to Millennia,

Leaders: Simon Engelhart (USA), Gösta Hoffman (Oman), Fengling Yu (China), Alar Rosentau (Estonia);

(2) IGCP 652 Reading geologic time in Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, Leaders:Anne-Christine Da Silva(Belgium),David De Vleeschouwer,Peter Königshof(Germany),ShuangDai(China),Michael Whalen(U.S.A.),L.T.P. Lan(Vietnam),Elise Nardin(France),Daniel Franco(Brazil)

(3) IGCP 653 The onset of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event, Leader:Thomas SERVAIS(France),David HARPER(UK),Olga OBUT(Russia),Christian Mac Ørum RASMUSSEN (Denmark),Alycia STIGALL(USA),ZHANG Yuandong(China)

IGCP639

IGCP652

IGCP653



(4) IGCP 655 Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event: Impact on marine carbon cycle and ecosystems, Leaders: Matias Reolid(Spain),Emanuela Mattoli(France),Luis Duarte(Portugal), Abbas Marok(Algeria)

(5) IGCP 668 - Equatorial Gondwanan history and Early PalaeozoicEvolutionary Dynamics, Leaders: Nigel Hughes,Paul Myrow(USA),Apsorn Sardsud(Thailand), KyaingSein(Myanmar), Shanchi Peng(China), Sachiko (Japan)


Achievements of ongoing project

The project enhanced the resolution of the geological time scale for the Homerian (Silurian), Pragian and Emsian-Eifelian (Devonian).

Furthermore, they also improved the understanding of various major events, with a focus on the Ordovician-Silurian boundary, the Mulde (Silurian) event and the Kacak (Devonian) event.

IGCP 652 Reading geologic time in Paleozoic sedimentary rocks


Achievements of ongoing project

►The project generated a lot of public information: 3 popular science articles and 3 radio interview; 6 press releases mostly concerning the papers on Nature

Communications and Scientific reports; 17 newspaper articles relates to outcomes of the project.

This will greatly facilitate the sharing of project results with the scientific community and the public.

IGCP 652 Reading geologic time in Paleozoic sedimentary rocks

a TV Show on the National TV of Lithuania on the theme of Geology and global events

a popular science video about the field campaign


Future of Global Change

An integrated study on Anthropocene records in the worldNowadays，scientists question that we live in an ‘anthropogenic age’, during which human activities have exceeded natural forces in altering Earth System unprecedently, persistently and pervasively.

However, there are still many different opinions on the starting time, primary signal and well-studied Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of Anthropocene, and even whether it is necessary to define such epoch. Furthermore, the term “Antheropocene” has been already widely used in various geo-context with quite different meaning. It is urgent that an Anthropocene GSSP candidate should be identified which can unambiguously represent specific time intervals, based upon solid geological evidence bearing significant Earth system perturbation signal of global reach.


Future of Global Change

An integrated study on Anthropocene records in the worldThis proposed future project intends to bring together all the information gathered on Anthropocene and Holocene geological evidence, as well as the drivers behind (including dominant political/economic drivers, enormous impact of human-driven species invasions, etc.) , and to provide a forum to bring together international scholars to compare their GSSP studies in detail.

We could use insights from geology of the Anthropocene to anticipate planetary trajectories. The insights from geological descriptions could be used to understand the conditions of a hot house earth where the planet is pushed above certain thresholds. Beyond the research output, an Anthropocene forum generated that can serve the wider community as well – in education, in tourism, and hopefully will arouse public awareness for facing the challenge of global climatic environmental change.


Conclusion

The active projects of Global Change Theme are proceeding well. The achievements obtained by these projects are so important to improve our understanding on the History of Earth and very helpful in understanding the characteristics of present climate and environmental changes.

In the projects the leaders/scientists have generated a lot of scientific publications, and other media (e.g. facebook, twitter, researchgate, website, radio and TV programs, exhibits).

Meetings and field trips have been organized for the projects. It provided an excellent platform for training young scientists from developing countries.

Many work…needs to be done for the future.


Thank you for your attention!

IGCP Global Change


Achievements of active project

The project focuses on the understanding of the onset of the Ordovician radiation, attempts to answer a main question: what is and what triggered the Ordovician biodiversification?

IGCP 653 The onset of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event

This question has been discussed in the year 2018. A major achievement is the first publication of a special issue(Lethaia) on

the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE). 92 papers acknowledging IGCP653 were published.

A special issue in Lethaia


Achievements of active project

IGCP 653 The onset of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event

Educational and training activity was organized:

This created a good communication platform for Ordovician workers and provided a tremendous opportunity for students to learn more about the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event .

►Key questions had been discussed at several international meetings/workshop

annual meeting. Field excursions: Cambrian and Ordovician strata

workshop/excursion with training, in Morocco in February 2018, over 20 students attended.


active projects of Global Change theme

(1) IGCP 639 Sea Level Changes from Minutes to Millennia,

(2)IGCP 655 Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event: Impact on marine carbon cycle and ecosystems,

(3) IGCP 652 Reading geologic time in Paleozoic sedimentary rocks,

(4) IGCP 653 The onset of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event,

(5) IGCP 668 - Equatorial Gondwananhistory and Early Palaeozoic Evolutionary Dynamics,

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Documents

IGCP Global Change … (occasion / date) · Changes of life on Earth . Ice and dust records. Terrestrial and ocean sediments. sequences of fossil plant and animal assemblages . These