Colonization of the Americas, ‘Little Ice Age’ climate, and bomb-produced carbon: Their role in defining the Anthropocene
The Anthropocene Review
Short Title:
The Anthropocene ReviewColonization of the Americas, ‘Little Ice Age’ climate, and bomb-produced carbon
Format:
Journal Article
Publication Date:
2015/08/01/
Pages:
117 - 127
Sources ID:
80601
Collection:
Anthropocene and the Environmental Future
Visibility:
Public (group default)
Abstract:
(Show)
A recently published analysis by Lewis and Maslin (Lewis SL and Maslin MA (2015) Defining the Anthropocene. Nature 519: 171–180) has identified two new potential horizons for the Holocene−Anthropocene boundary: 1610 (associated with European colonization of the Americas), or 1964 (the peak of the excess radiocarbon signal arising from atom bomb tests). We discuss both of these novel suggestions, and consider that there is insufficient stratigraphic basis for the former, whereas placing the latter at the peak of the signal rather than at its inception does not follow normal stratigraphical practice. Wherever the boundary is eventually placed, it should be optimized to reflect stratigraphical evidence with the least possible ambiguity.