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From: "John J. Clague" <jclague@SFU.CA><br><br>
<div align="center"><b>Revision of the Geological Time Scale;
Implications for the "Quaternary"<br><br>
</b></div>
The International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) intends to extend the
Neogene System to the present and eliminate Quaternary as a formal
chronostratigraphic unit in the new Geological Time Scale. Brad Pillans,
President of the INQUA Commission on Stratigraphy and Chronology, has
made a proposal to ICS and INQUA to redefine the Quaternary as a
Subsystem of the new Neogene System. Dr. Pillans' proposal has been
circulated to INQUA members and the larger community of earth scientists
interested in the late Cenozoic and is included in next issue of<i>
Quaternary Perspectives</i>. An alternative position, advocating that we
stand our ground and demand that the Quatenary be retained as a System
separate and distinct from the Neogene, is presented in the same issue by
Phil Gibbard, Chair of the ICS Subcommission on Quaternary
Stratigraphy.<br><br>
The INQUA Executive Committee is concerned that ICS has not consulted
representatives of the Quaternary community about its changes to the late
Cenozoic part of the time scale. It would be prudent for ICS to defer any
changes to the "Quaternary" until the Quaternary community has
had time to more fully considered options and consequences. Consultation
is in progress and will continue, with INQUA's support, at IGC in
Florence this summer and at the next INQUA Congress in Cairns, Australia,
in 2007.<br><br>
The INQUA Executive Committee asks that consider it's formal position on
this important issue and the similar position of the International
Association of Geomorphologists (IAG), both of which are given below.
Please express your views to the ICS Chairman (Felix Gradstein,
felix.gradstein@nhm.uio.no) and Secretary General (James Ogg,
jogg@purdue.edu), with a copy to John Clague, President of INQUA
(jclague@sfu.ca).<br><br>
<br>
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<font color="#0000FF">The following is the position of the INQUA
Executive Committee on the proposed revision of the Geological Time
Scale.<br><br>
</font><b>INQUA insists that "Quaternary" be retained as a
formal unit in the new Geological Time Scale</b>. The Quaternary is in
some respects the most important period in earth history, a time of major
climatic, oceanographic, and biotic changes, and the appearance and
evolution of the human species. Its importance is reflected in the fact
that it has a strong interdisciplinary union (INQUA), that it is
appreciated by scientists outside of the geological sciences, and that it
is a doorway through which new approaches and ideas are introduced into
geology. "Quaternary" is too important a term to be removed
simply because it is may make the geological time scale tidier (the
"Primary" and "Secondary" having been eliminated long
ago, and the Tertiary shortly to follow). "Quaternary" is the
bridge between humans and geology, and it provides an umbrella for
bringing other important and fundable disciplines into the geological
sciences.<br><br>
In the interim, until this important matter is given full consideration
by the Quaternary community, INQUA recommends that the
"Quaternary" be retained as a System separate from the Neogene,
comprising the Pleistocene and Holocene (the status quo). If temporary
retention of the status quo is not acceptable to IUGS, INQUA recommends
that ICS formally adopt Brad Pillans' proposal that the Quaternary be a
formal Subsystem of the Neogene, extending from the beginning of the
Gelasian Stage of the Pliocene to the present. Through its consultation
with the Quaternary community, the INQUA Executive Committee has found
near-universal support for extending the Quaternary from its present
lower boundary at 1.8 Ma to 2.6 Ma, the beginning of the Gelasian Stage.
There is also widespread support for maintaining the
"Pleistocene"and "Holocene" as formal
Series.<br><br>
<font color="#0000FF">The International Association of Geomorphologists
shares INQUA's concerns and has issued the following official statement,
which is consistent with INQUA's position:</font> <br><br>
The International Association of Geomorphologists (IAG) has considered
the proposed revisions to the Geological Time Scale by the International
Commission on Stratigraphy.<b> The IAG regrets the proposed elimination
of the Quaternary as a system</b>. However, if this change does take
place then it supports the idea that within the Neogene a Quaternary
Subsystem is established with a long time-scale (i.e. the last 2.6
million years). This would remove problems with regard to the placing of
the Plio-Pleistocene boundary, and would reflect the major changes in the
global environment which took place at 2.6 Ma (as recorded both in loess
sections and in the deep sea oxygen isotope record.)."<br><br>
<br><br>
John J. Clague<br>
Gordon M. Shrum Professor<br>
Canada Research Chair in Natural Hazard Research<br>
Department of Earth Sciences<br>
Simon Fraser University<br>
Burnaby, British Columbia<br>
V5A 1S6<br><br>
Bus: (604) 291-4924<br>
Fax: (604) 291-4198<br>
E-mail: jclague@sfu.ca<br>
Web:
<a href="http://www.sfu.ca/~jclague" eudora="autourl"><u>http://www.sfu.ca/</a></u><a href="http://www.sfu.ca/~jclague" eudora="autourl">~jclague</a><br>
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