Human activities force Earth into new scientific era
Monday, 28 Jan 2008 09:16
The Earth is now in a new era, scientists claim
Science In Focus
Click here to see how British small businesses are creating innovative, low carbon business ideas, on inthenews.co.uk. Full Story
Human activities are changing the Earth so much that they have brought about the end of one era and begun another, scientists claim.
Geologists from the University of Leicester and Duke University say the Halocene era has ended and our current era should now be known as the Anthropocene Age - or man-made age.
"Sufficient evidence has emerged of stratigraphically significant change (both elapsed and imminent) for recognition of the Anthropocene - currently a vivid yet informal metaphor of global environmental change - as a new geological epoch to be considered for formalisation by international discussion," the scientists argue.
Human impact has occurred through major disturbances to the carbon cycle and global temperature; wholesale changes to the world's plants and animals; and ocean acidification.
Soil scientist Daniel Richter from Duke University said one of the most important factors is man's use of soil.
His overview claims more than half of all soils on Earth are being cultivated for food crops, grazed or periodically logged for wood.
This, Dr Richter argues, is making how to sustain Earth's soils "a major and scientific and policy issue".
"Society's most important scientific questions include the future of Earth's soil," he said.
"Can soils double food production in the next few decades? Is soil exacerbating the global carbon cycle and climatic warming? How can land management improve soil's processing of carbon, nutrients, wastes, toxics and water, all to minimise adverse effects on the environment?"
He added: "Each of these questions require long-term observation and analysis, and we know far too little about how to answer them in much detail.
"We need to work to sustain soils with a greater sense of urgency."