中国人类世科学研究新进展

New Progress in the Anthropocene Science in China

国际地层委员会人类世工作组决议人类世应由全球界线层型剖面和点位(“金钉子”)定义为一个正式的地质年代单位。20世纪中叶以来人类活动突变式增强,改变了原有的地球演化速率和方向,对地球环境造成极为显著的影响,并在地质记录中留下清晰的具有全球同步特性的物理、化学和生物印记,为识别这一年代地层单位的底界提供了最佳选择。当前,全球共有12个人类世“金钉子”候选剖面和点位参评。与此同时,中国学者在人类活动代用指标体系构建、人类世候选“金钉子”研究与国际对比方面取得了突出进展,发现人工放射性核素、微塑料、δ^(13)C、δ^(15)N和硅藻等均可作为人类活动理想的标志物,且远离城市和人类活动影响的中国四海龙湾玛珥湖沉积物剖面对全球信号敏感,^(239,240)Pu浓度于1953年快速增加,多环芳烃、^(129)I、烟炱^(14)C、碳球粒、DNA、δ^(13)C和重金属等指标在1953年前后均存在系统性变化,因此提出1953年作为人类世底界。中国四海龙湾湖沉积物剖面与日本别府海湾沉积物剖面被人类世工作组提议作为人类世“金钉子”辅助剖面。未来人类世科学研究的最终目标应是在阐明人类活动对地球系统影响的基础上,深化人地系统耦合与适应的可持续发展理论和技术创新。

The Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) of the International Commission on Stratigraphy voted that the Anthropocene should be defined by a Global boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP or‘golden spike’) as a formal chronostratigraphic unit.Increasing evidence has shown that human activities have drastically intensified since the mid-twentieth century,altering the original rate and direction of Earth’s evolution,triggering a profound impact on Earth’s environment,and leaving their imprint on geological records through physical,chemical,and biological markers.Consequently,the 1950s was assumed to be the ideal onset of the Anthropocene.Currently,12 candidate sites for the GSSP of the Anthropocene have been proposed for consideration by the AWG.Chinese researchers have made outstanding progress in recent years regarding the establishment of a system of proxies for human activities and the global comparison of the candidate sites for the GSSP of the Anthropocene.These proxies,including anthropogenic radioactive isotopes,microplastics,δ^(13)C,δ^(15)N,and diatoms,have great potential as markers of human activities.These proxies recorded in the sediments of Sihailongwan Maar Lake,which is far away from cities and less affected by human activities,indicate that this site is sensitive to global change.The concentrations of ^(239,240)Pu have drastically increased since 1953 CE in the sediment profile collected from Sihailongwan Maar Lake.as Additionally,other proxies such as PAHs,^(129)I,soot^(14)C,SCP (spheroidal carbonaceous particles),DNA,δ^(13)C,and Pb exhibit synchronous changes near 1953 CE,indicating the onset of Anthropocene.Two sediment stratotype profiles collected from Sihailongwan Maar Lake and Beppu Bay,Japan,were selected by the AWG as auxiliary sections for the GSSP of the Anthropocene.The ultimate goal of Anthropocene science should be to deepen the theory and technological innovation of sustainable development of the Earth-humans system and adaptation based on clarifying the impact of human activities on the Earth system.