title: The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene.
abstract: Human activity is leaving a pervasive and persistent signature on Earth. Vigorous debate continues about whether this warrants recognition as a new geologic time unit known as the Anthropocene. We review anthropogenic markers of functional changes in the Earth system through the stratigraphic record. The appearance of manufactured materials in sediments, including aluminum, plastics, and concrete, coincides with global spikes in fallout radionuclides and particulates from fossil fuel combustion. Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles have been substantially modified over the past century. Rates of sea-level rise and the extent of human perturbation of the climate system exceed Late Holocene changes. Biotic changes include species invasions worldwide and accelerating rates of extinction. These combined signals render the Anthropocene stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene and earlier epochs.
authors.affiliation: British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK.
authors.forename: Colin N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zalasiewicz
authors.affiliation: Scott Polar Research Institute, Cambridge University, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1ER, UK.
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Summerhayes
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology, Museum of Paleontology, and Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Barnosky
authors.affiliation: Morphodynamique Continentale et Côtière, Université de Caen Normandie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 24 Rue des Tilleuls, F-14000 Caen, France.
authors.forename: Clément
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.affiliation: Geochemistry and the Environment Division, Institute of Chemistry, Jan Kochanowski University, 15G Świętokrzyska Street, 25-406 Kielce, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gałuszka
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Apartado 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cearreta
authors.affiliation: School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Edgeworth
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and Environmental Systems, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA.
authors.forename: Erle C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Etudes en Géophysique et Océanographie Spatiales (CNRS, Centre National d'Études Spatiales, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Université Paul Sabatier), 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jeandel
authors.affiliation: Department of Geological Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Malteserstraße 74-100/D, 12249 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leinfelder
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: McNeill
authors.affiliation: Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Box 90233, Durham, NC 27516, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel deB
authors.initials: Dd
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: Will
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Steffen
authors.affiliation: Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado-Boulder, Box 545, Boulder, CO 80309-0545, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Syvitski
authors.affiliation: Marine Affairs and Law of the Sea Programme, The Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Lysaker, Norway.
authors.forename: Davor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vidas
authors.affiliation: Department of Geodynamics and Sedimentology, University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wagreich
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710061, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhisheng
authors.affiliation: Institut de Hautes Études Internationales et du Développement, Chemin Eugène Rigot 2, 1211 Genève 11, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grinevald
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Odada
authors.affiliation: Department of the History of Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oreskes
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada.
authors.forename: Alexander P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Wolfe
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000032:analysis; D058448:Biota; D057486:Carbon Cycle; D002980:Climate; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000032:analysis; D018534:Earth, Planet; D005579:Fossil Fuels / Q000009:adverse effects; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D006802:Human Activities; D006801:Humans; D007053:Ice / Q000032:analysis; D058865:Introduced Species; D010969:Plastics / Q000032:analysis; D011847:Radioactive Fallout / Q000032:analysis; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005579:Fossil Fuels; D007053:Ice; D010969:Plastics; D011847:Radioactive Fallout; D011868:Radioisotopes; D000535:Aluminum