2004 (Geological Time Scaleold.gst.org.tw/WPES/database/WPES_V7_P1.pdf · 2004 (Geological Time Scale GTS)(Gradstein et al., 2004a,b) Quaternary Period Sub-Era Period System 1976

1

( )

2004 (Geological Time Scale

GTS) ( )

(ISC) (INQUA) Quaternary

(1) (2)ICS

(3) (4)

Clague(2005) Pillans(2004)

(1) Quaternary (2)Quaternary

(Period/System) (3)Quaternary Pleistocene

(4)Pleistocene (1.81 Ma)

Gelasian (2.6 Ma)

1. [email protected]

7 1-20 2007 12

WESTERN PACIFIC EARTH SCIENCES, Vol.7, P.1-20, December, 2007

1

(Quaternary Period)

2004

(Geological Time Scale GTS)(Gradstein et al., 2004a,b)

Quaternary Period Sub-Era

Period System

1976

(International Stratigraphic Guide)(Hedberg, 1976)

( )

2 ( )

Gibbard et al.(2005) Aubry et al.(2005) Quaternary

Arduino 1760 Denoyers 1829

Quaternary Primary-Secondary-Tertiary

7Western Pacific Earth Sciences, Vol.72

3Wei: Quaternary status and boundary

Quaternary 180

Quaternary Pleistocene (Lyell)

1857 Newer Pliocene( Pleistocene)

Quaternary Diluvium Tertiary Newer Pliocene

Pleistocene (1)

Quaternary Pleistocene (2) Quaternary Pleistocene

(Onset of Northern Hemisphere Glaciation)

Quaternary(Pleistocene)

(Homo) G. S. Gruner 1806

Anthropogene( ) Quaternary( , 2005)

1948 (International Geology Congress, IGC)

Table 1. Chinese terminologies of chronostratigraphic and geochronologic units used in this article andtheir corresponding English terms.

47

Western Pacific Earth Sciences, Vol.7

Quaternary Pleistocene Calabrian Stage

( ) 1992

(International Quaternary Association INQUA) Pleistocene

Vrica 1.64 Ma

1.81 Ma(Lourens et al., 1996)

1.81 Ma

Shackleton(1997)

Pleistocene 103 (MIS103)

2.4 Ma 2.6 Ma 1996

(International Commission on Stratigraphy ICS) Gela

Monte San Nicola Gelasian Stage GSSP

2.588 Ma MIS103 2.6 Ma (Rio et

al., 1998)

INQUA 1998 Pleistocene GSSP(Global Standard Section and

Point golden spike) Gelasian Stage

ICS (moratorium) 2008

ICS 2004 Quaternary

INQUA 2008

3 2004

(Geological Time Scale GTS)

5

GTS (lithologic stratigraphy)

(chronostratigraphy) (geochronology)

GTS Gradstein 2004 (Gradstein et al., 2004a,b)

GTS Neogene (Period/System)

Miocene Pliocene Pleistocene Holocene( )( , 2005)

(Paleogene Period) (Neogene Period)(

, 2001)

Quaternary ( Pillans, 2006)Figure 1. Four schemes dealing with the status and boundaries of the Quaternary proposed by various

geological organizations in recent years (extracted from Pillans, 2006).

Wei: Quaternary status and boundary

67


GTS2004 Gradstein ( Gradstein and

Ogg, 2002 Ogg, 2004) Primary Secondary Tertiary

Quaternary (antiquated) Gradstein

(ICS) GTS2004 ICS

GTS2004 250 Tertiary Quaternary

(Giles, 2005) (International Union of

Geological Sciences IUGS) Episodes

INQUA GTS2004 (Clague, 2004)

(ICS-INQUA Quaternary Task Group)

(Gradstein and Clague, 2005) 2005 9 Leuven

2006 3

INQUA (INQUA Executive) ICS

(Gradstein et al., 2007)

4 Quaternary

Quaternary GTS1982 GTS1989 Quaternary

(Sub-Erathem) Pleistocene ( Pleistocene Series

Holocene Series) 1994 (International Stratigraphic

Guide)(Salvador, 1994) Quaternary System GTS2004

Tertiary Quaternary ( )

2004 INQUA INQUA ICS ICS

(Gibbard, 2006) ICS 2005 9 Leuven

( )(Clague, 2005)

(1) Quaternary

7

Sub-Erathem/Sub-Era

(2) Quaternary Sub-Erathem Gelasian (2.6-1.8 Ma) Gelasian

Pliocene Series

(3) Quaternary Sub-Erathem Neogene System

( Quaternary Tertiary) ( Quaternary

Gelasian Neogene )

(1) Quaternary Sub-Era (2.6 Ma ) Neogene System

(23.03 Ma )

(2) Neogene System Miocene Pliocene Pleistocene Holocene Series

Quaternary (Sub-Era) Neogene System ( Pliocene

Pleistocene Holocene)

(3) Quaternary Tertiary Pliocene Stages GTS

INQUA 2006

3 Ahmedahad ICS Gradstein

INQUA 2006 (1) Quaternary

Neogene Paleogene

(2) ( ) ( ) ( ) (3) Gelasian

( Gelasian ) (Gelasian

) (Lower, Middle and Upper Subseries)( )

INQUA 2006 (1)

(2)

(Lower Subseries) Geleasian Lower


87


Subseries (3) Pleistocene Pliocene (PP boundary)

Gelasian GTS

INQUA Pliocene

ICS Gradstein 2006 7 20 INQUA (Gradstein et al., 2007)

Quaternary

(1) IGC 1948 Quaternary Neogene

1948

(GSSP)

(2) 1985 ICS INQUA Pleistocene Quaternary

(3) IUGS 1991 Paleogene GSSP 1996 Neogene GSSP

Tertiary Quaternary 20 IGC Tertiary

Cenozoic (synonym) IGC Tertiary

Quaternary 1985 IGC INQUA Pleistocene

( Pleistocene Quaternary )

(4) ICS INQUA Quaternary MIS103

(2.59 Ma)( Shackleton 1997 )

(2.7 Ma) C2r

( Matuyama Gauss 2.58 Ma) Gelasian ICS

INQUA Quaternary Gelasian

(5) Quaternary ICS

Quaternary IUGS IGC

(6) (a)Quaternary (b)Pleistocene Gelasian

9

(7) ICS Quaternary (Sub-Era) (Period)

Pleistocene Gelasian Pleistocene

IGC 1948 1998 INQUA

IUGS 1948 IGC

(8) Pleistocene Series GSSP(1985 )

( Pt1 CN13b RN13

NALMA Irvingtonian ) ( C1r )

Gelasian (Matuyama)

5 INQUA

2005 INQUA (see the e-mail sent by

late Nick Shackleton to Dr. Gradstein on 12 May, 2005, as cited in Gradstein. 2007, p.130)

(1) Quaternary GTS

(2) Quaternary Tertiary (Sub-Era) Paleogene

Neogene

(3) Quaternary 2.6 Ma

INQUA 2006 3 Ahmedahad

Quaternary

Paleogene Neogene

INQUA 2007 8 (Cairns)

Alan Chivas ICS 2008 GTS

2008 8 (IGC)

INQUA 2008 IUGS ICS Quaternary


107


Pleistocene Pleistocene Gelasian Quaternary

Gelas ian INQUA

Quaternary Quaternary

INQUA 2006 INQUA

(International Council of Scientific Unions ICSU)

(International Union of Geological Sciences, IUGS)

ICS IUGS INQUA

ICS IUGS

IUGS IGC

6

GTS2004 Tertiary Quaternary

( ) Walsh(2006) ICS (Guideline)

C

Tertiary

(1)A (Pillans and Naish, 2004) GTS2004

Quaternary Neogene Period Sub-Period

INQUA Quaternary (Pillans INQUA Stratigraphy and Chronology

Commission )

GTS2004 Hornes

(Vienna Basin) Neogene Neogene Quateranry

Paleogene( Bowen and Gibbard, 2007, p.3-4 Walsh, 2006, p.215)

11

A

Quaternary Pleistocene ICS Leuven 2005

INQUA ( ) A ICS

Quaternary Sub-Period GTS2004

(2)B (Aubry et al., 2005) Tertiary Quaternary

Sub-Era Neogene Paleogene Holocene

Quaternary Pleistocene Tertiary-Quaternary

Sub-Eras Paleogene-Neogene Periods Tertiary-

Quaternary Sub-Era

Quaternary ( Walsh, 2006)Figure 2. Three recently proposed schemes on the status and boundaries of the Quaternary (from Walsh,

2006).


127


Neogene Period Quaternary Sub-

Era ICS Leuven 2005 ( )

Aubry et al.(2005) B

W.A. Berggren Paleogene-Neogene

Tertiary-Quaternary GTS 2004 Aubry et al.(2005)

(3)C (Gibbard et al., 2005) Quaternary Neogene Paleogene

(Period) Quaternary

Pleistocene Gelasian Age INQUA

INQUA 2006 ( ) (1)

Pleistocene Epoch Early Pleistocene earliest Gelasian Age

Pleistocene Early Middle Late

(2) (Tertiary)

7

( ) ( )

7.1

(GTS) (hierarchy)

(hierarchical classification)

( Leuven 2005 Neogene System

Quaternary Sub-Erathem Tertiary Sub-Erathem )

)

13

Leuven(2005)( ) Aubry et al.(2005)( B)

(1) Quaternary Sub-Era Neogene Period Neogene Period

Neogene Period

Quaternary Sub-Era

(2) Pliocene Quaternary Tertiary

( Pliocene) (subordinate)

7.2

ISC (Remane et al., 1996, p.78) The Global

Chronostratigraphic Scale must, however, comprise strictly contiguous units, without overlaps

and with no gaps between them. (

)

( Jurassic Cretaceous ) Aubry

et al.(2005)( B) Gelasian Pliocene Epoch Quaternary Sub-Era

Tertiary Sub-Era (topological)

Pliocene Tertiary Quaternary

Pliocene Sub-Era

7.3 (Simpson's rule)

INQUA 2006( ) Pleistocene Series subseries stage


147


Pleistocene

(Subseries vs. Stage)

7.4 (convention of conterminosity)

ISC (Remane et al., 1996, p.78) The lower boundaries of

chronostratigraphic units of higher rank (series, systems etc.) are automatically defined by the

base of their lowermost stage. (

) (convention of conterminosity)

(Harland et al., 1990, p.20) Quaternary Pleistocene

INQUA Quaternary Pleistocene

Pliocene Gelasian

Leuven(2005)( ) Pillans and Naish(2004)( A) Aubry et al.(2005)(

B)

(1) INQUA2005 Quaternary Sub-Era

Sub-Era

(Quaternary Sub-Era) (Tertiary Sub-Era)

(Neogene)

(2) INQUA ( )

Gelasian Gelasian

INQUA2006

INQUA ICS

Quaternary Quaternary Sub Era ICS

(1) Pleistocene Gelasian (2) Quaternary

15

Pleistocene INQUA

(1) Quaternary Sub Era

(2) Pleistocene Gelasian

Quaternary Pleistocene

Quaternary ( ) Pleistocene

Pleistocene (a)

(b)

(c)

INQUA Quaternary 2.6Ma

( Homo habilis H. rudolfensis)

Neogene(Pliocene)

8

Quaternary

Quaternary

(1)Quaternary (2)Quaternary

(Period) (3)Pleistocene Gelasian (4)

Quaternary Pleistocene Clague(2005) 3

(status quo) ( Salvador, 1994) Tertiary (

Tertiary System Paleogene System Neogene System

) Pillans(2004) present

(1)Tertiary (2)


167


INQUA

Paleogene

Neogene Quaternary

( ) (1)ISC

Quaternary (2)INQUA Quaternary

Pliocene Gelasian ICS

( Pillans and Naish, 2004)Figure 3. The recommended version adopted from Pillans and Naish (2004).

17

NSC96-2752-M-002-

012-PAE

2001 IX

59

2005

25 6 670-675

(2005) 57

4 1-9

Aubry, M.P., Berggren, W.A., van Couvering, J., McGowran, B., Pillans, B. and Hilgen, F.

(2005) Quaternary: status, ranks, definition, survival: Episodes, 28, 118-120.

Bowen, D.Q. and Gibbard, P.L. (2007) The Quaternary is here to stay: J. Quaternary Sci., 22

(1), 3-8.

Clague, J. (2004) INQUA, IUGS, and the 32nd International Geological Congress: Quat.

Perspective, 14(2), 87-88.

Clague, J. (2005) Status of the Quaternary: Quat. Sci.Reviews, 24, 2424-2425.

Gibbard, P.L. (2006) International Commission on Stratigraphy Workshop, Leuven, Belgium,

1-5 September 2005: Quat. Int., 147, 117-119.

Gibbard, P.L., Smith, A.G., Zalasiewicz, J.A., Barry, T.L., Cantrill, D., Coe, A.L., Cope, J.C.

W., Gale, A.S., Gregory, F.J., Powell, J.H., Rawson, P.F., Stone, P. and Waters, C.N.

(2005) What status for the Quaternary?: Boreas, 34, 1-6.

Giles, J. (2005) Geologists call time on dating dispute: Nature, 435, 865.

Gradstein, F.M. and Clague, J. (2005) Announcement of the ICS-INQUA joint task force on

the Quaternary: Quat. Int., 129, 91.

Gradstein, F.M., Finney, S. and Ogg, J. (2007) Current IUGS-IGC decision on Quaternary and


187


on Pleistocene: Quat. Int., 160, 129-131.

Gradstein, F.M. and Ogg, J.G. (2002) Future directions in stratigraphy: Episodes, 25, 203-208.

Gradstein, F.M., Ogg. J.G., Smith, A.G., Bleeker, W. and Lourens, L.J. (2004a) A new Geologic

Time Scale, with special reference to Precambrian and Neogene: Episodes, 27, 83-100.

Gradstein, F.M., Ogg, J.G., Smith, A.G. and others. (2004b) A Geologic Time Scale 2004,

Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 589 p.

Harland, W.B., Armstrong, R.L., Cox, A.V., Craig, L.E., Smith, A.G. and Smith, D.G. (1990)

A Geologic Time Scale 1989, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 263 p.

Hedberg, H.D. (1976) International Stratigraphic Guide. A Guide to Stratigraphic Classification,

Terminology and Procedure. (International Subcommittee on Stratigraphic Classification,

IUGS Commission on Stratigraphy), John Wiley & Sons, New York, 200 p.

Lourens, L.J., Antonarakou, A., Hilgen, F.J., Van Hoof, A.A.M., Vergnaud-Grazzini, C. and

Zachariasse, W.J. (1996) Evaluation of the Plio-Pleistocene astronomical timescale:

Paleoceanography, 11(4), 391-413.

Ogg, J.G. (2004) Introduction to concepts and proposed standardization of the term

"Quaternary": Episodes, 27, 125-126.

Pillans, B. (2004) Proposal to redefine the Quaternary: Episodes, 27,127-127.

Pillans, B. (2006) Defining the Quaternary: where do we go from here?: Quaternary Australia,

24(1), 2-4.

Pillans, B. and Naish, T. (2004) Defining the Quaternary: Quat. Sci.Reviews, 23, 2271-2282.

Remane, J., Bassett, M.G., Cowie, J.W., Gohrbandt, K.H., Lane, H.R., Michelson, O. and

Naiwen, W. (1996) Revised guidelines for the establishment of global chronostratigraphic

standards by the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS): Episodes, 19, 77-81.

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a new unit of the global standard chronostratigraphic scale: Episodes, 21, 82-87.

Salvador, A. (Ed.) (1994) International Stratigraphic Guide, 2nd ed. International Union of

Geological Sciences and The Geological Society of America, Trondheim, Norway, and

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Int., 40, 33-35.

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critique of current proposals: Earth Science Reviews, 78, 207-237.

19

ON THE SURVIVAL, RANK AND BOUNDARY OF THEQUATERNARY

KUO-YEN WEI1

1. Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.

ABSTRACT

The omission of the Quaternary from the newly publishedGeologic Time Scale 2004 has caused hot debates on the survival,rank, definition and boundary of the Quaternary among geoscientistsand between geologic organizations, such as the InternationalCommission on Stratigraphy (ICS) and International Union forQuaternary Research (INQUA). This article comments on severalproposals and options appeared in recent years. Based onconsideration of (1) general rules of ranked hierarchy, (2) ICSguideline of no overlapping or gaps between units, (3) Simpson'srule, and (4) convention of conterminosity, the author suggests toadopt the option 3rd of the status quo version in Clague (2005) (sameas the "present version" in Pillans, 2004), namely, (1) keeping theQuaternary as a formal ranked chronostratigraphic unit, (2)retaining the Quaternary rank as the Period/System, (3) couplingthe lower boundaries of the Quaternary and the Pleistocene and (4)retaining the current Pleistocene GSSP at 1.81 Ma without extendingthe lower Pleistocene boundary to the base of the Gelasian (2.6 Ma).

Key words: Quaternary, Pleistocene, Neogene, stratigraphy, chronostratigraphy,

geologic time scale

1. Kuo-Yen Wei, e-mail: [email protected]


207


Documents

2004 (Geological Time Scaleold.gst.org.tw/WPES/database/WPES_V7_P1.pdf · 2004 (Geological Time Scale GTS)(Gradstein et al., 2004a,b) Quaternary Period Sub-Era Period System 1976