The Anthropocene: a conspicuous stratigraphical signal of anthropogenic changes in production and consumption across the biosphere

摘要: Biospheric relationships between production and consumption of biomass have been resilient to changes in the Earth system over billions years. This relationship has increased its complexity, from localized ecosystems predicated on anaerobic microbial a global biosphere founded primary oxygenic photoautotrophs, through evolution Eukarya, metazoans, complexly networked microbes, animals, fungi, plants that characterize Phanerozoic Eon (the last ∼541 million years history). At present, one species, Homo sapiens, is refashioning this with unknown consequences. left distinctive stratigraphy biomass, natural resources, produced goods. can be traced stone tool technologies geochemical signals, later unfolding into diachronous signal technofossils human bioturbation across planet, leading stratigraphically almost isochronous signals developing by mid-20th century. These latter may provide an invaluable resource for informing constraining formal Anthropocene chronostratigraphy, but are perhaps yet more important as tracers state characterized geologically unprecedented pattern energy flow now pervasively influenced mediated humans, which necessary maintaining complexity modern societies.