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INQUA - International Union for Research

The INQUA Newsletter

uaternary Issue 29 December erspectives 2020 2 Quaternary Perspectives - Issue 29 / December 2020 QUATERNARY PERSPECTIVES is the newsletter of

From the President of INQUA Trust in science... 3

INQUA news INQUA – new funding framework 4

News of the Quaternary INQUA The Quaternary in the Geological Time Scale: An update 6 INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR QUATERNARY From the Commissions RESEARCH Coastal and Marine Processes (CMP) SPLOSH – an International Focus Group on Submerged Established in 1928, INQUA is Palaeolandscapes of the Southern Hemisphere 10 the representative body for NEPTUNE activities in 2020 14 world-wide. INQUA is dedicated to removing Palaeoclimate (PALCOM) barriers and to fostering Terminations Five to Zero 15 diversity and inclusivity by prioritising funding for early Terrestrial Processes, Deposits and History (TERPRO) career and developing country Preparing PATA Days Chile 2021 15 researchers to enable their participation in the international Stratigraphy and Chronology (SACCOM) scientific networks that INQUA The Commission on Stratigraphy supports. INQUA promotes and Chronology (SACCOM): an overview 16 – and operates according to Stay connected – The SEQS-DATESTRA 2020 – a philosophy of inclusivity, Virtual Meeting in 19 not discriminating against any individual on the basis of All roads lead to Rome2023 race, colour, religion, gender, What’s happening there? gender identity or expression, ECRs on the road to Rome 2023 22 sexual orientation, genetics or disability. We encourage you to A view of the World join INQUA through any of its - Association of Quaternary Researchers (AOQR) Commissions, and contribute to and INQUA ECR interaction: A report 26 the development of Quaternary science worldwide. The stress-releasing page 27 inqua.org/about

Quaternary International New Releases 28 EDITORS

Cover photo: Panoramic view to the west of the Caleta Herradura Fault, Mejillones Guido Stefano Mariani Peninsula, northern Chile. First plane shows the roll-over structure in the - Kim Davies sedimentary infill of the Caleta Herradura Fault. White horizon is a Pliocene Francesca Ferrario diatomite layer. Flat surface on top of the footwall is a Pliocene marine abrasion Aliyu Adamu Isa platform, lower flat surface in the rigth side is a marine abrasion platform. Annie Lau Flats irons are made of Pliocene marine strata preserved in the footwall. Nivedita Mehrotra Credits: Dr. Gabriel González L., Universidad Católica del Norte, Chile Salunke Mokshada Emuobosa Orijemie inqua.org Sourav Saha [email protected] XXI INQUA Martin Seeliger Twitter: @INQUA Congress Rome QP website 13-20 July 2023 Quaternary International

[email protected] inquaroma2023.it Facebook: INQUAECR Facebook: InquaRoma2023 Twitter: @INQUA_ECR Twitter: @InquaRoma2023 Table of Contents Table Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 3

Trust in science...

The 2020 will for sure be remembered as the participants not only identified and discussed the challenges year with the COVID-19 pandemic crisis; a global crisis with and opportunities, some of them also expressed their worries a large impact on our daily life. And it also disturbs our about their and the impact of the decreasing public normal way we used to do our research. In many parts of trust in science. Ashok Kumar Singhvi, INQUA’s former the world, scientists have only limited access to their lab Vice-President (2015-2019) addresses the issue of trust in the facilities, fieldwork has been cancelled. These restrictions excellent Guest Editorial entitled Future Geosciences, to be heavily affected our scientific progress. The crisis had, and published in Journal of Geological Society of India, Vol 96 ( still has, an enormous impact on the work of, in particular, December issue), Page 533-538, 2020 (DOI: 10.1007/s12594- the Early Career Researchers, also in our Quaternary Research 020-xxxx-x). Ashok states that: Science today is at cross-roads, discipline. However, not only lab work of field work result in with a distinctive trust-deficit between its practitioners and scientific progress, being inspired and discussing research stake holders, the society and in his editorial he presents a questions and results are important as well. Communication clear vision how to deal with it. as well as international collaboration is crucial in our efforts to make scientific progress. Indeed, ‘the decreasing trust in science’ is an important issue scientists have to face and fight and for organisations Before the COVID-19 pandemic we used to be very such as INQUA a challenge; to invest in communication with mobile; to communicate with colleagues we attended the general public; to inform them about our research of the conferences, symposia and workshops and we visited sites past and the importance of our work for the future of our and institutes all over the world. However, due to the crisis our globe. It is one of INQUA’s challenges for the near future. almost unlimited mobility changed in a lockdown for many of us and most of the international conferences and workshops Please take care and stay healthy. did not take place in 2020. Most of the meetings have been postponed to 2021 assuming and hoping that the situation will be (almost) back to normal next year. However, it might take slightly longer; but let us be optimistic and cross our Thijs van Kolfschoten fingers. INQUA President

Not all the meetings have been cancelled. The organisers of several workshops/meetings looked for alternative ways to meet and to communicate. They decided to change the format of the meeting and to set up a virtual meeting by making use of the present-day technical options; to make use of the internet that connects us all. From the President of INQUA

Recently, I have attended the SEQS-2020 virtual conference organised by our Polish colleagues in September 2020 and the PAGES-INQUA joint ECR workshop: Past Socio-Environmental Systems (vPASES2020) organised by the PAGES and INQUA ECR community together with local organisers from Chili. The SEQS-2020 was a one-day meeting with a large number of presentations; the PASES meeting, spread over three days, included presentations, discussions and a so-called breakout activity in which participants were invited to actively participate in identifying the most pressing challenges and opportunities for genuine ECR interdisciplinary paleosciences. The PASES format appeared to be a very good format; 4 Quaternary Perspectives - Issue 29 / December 2020

Thijs van Kolfschoten On behalf of the INQUA Executive Committee INQUA – new funding framework

In response to feedback from members, INQUA has cycle, also cross the inter-congress period boundary and will a developed a new funding framework for Commission be able to continue in the following inter-congress period. activities which replaces the previous which This will however require approval of the new Commission was arranged around International Focus Groups and and Executive Committee at the time of handover between Projects. There are three new categories of INQUA Commission officers. The maximum number of of Commission support: funding available for a multi-year project is 8 years. The funding application should lay out a plan for up to 1. Funding for single year or multi-year projects four years (in the first instance) and involve ECRs and DCRs 2. Funding to support a stand-alone conference or in the planning and formulation of the project. Progress meeting will be reported each year and continuing funding will be 3. Funding for skills enhancement contingent on the success of the project. Yearly support for multi-year projects is 5000 Euro. In For the coming year, 2021, we have also added exceptional cases, where a convincing case is made, funding additional allowable funding types in response to the may be extended to a maximum of 8000 Euro per year. changing academic landscape caused by Covid-19. In addition, there is still the option to apply for INQUA A single year project can be on a smaller scale than a endorsement with the right to use the INQUA logo and name multi-year project, both in terms of scientific questions being when applying for funding and organising conferences. asked or level of international participation. It is designed to This endorsement does not involve financial support from allow international networking between researchers on any INQUA. Detailed explanation of the different funding topic relevant to the funding Commission. These projects categories and an online application form are available on should aim to complete their activities within one calendar the relevant funding pages. Please contact the Commission year, but may apply for repeat funding to enable them to officers in case you need more information. become multi-year projects if their activities continue and grow over time. MULTI-YEAR / SINGLE-YEAR PROJECT INQUA GRANT Yearly support for single-year projects is also 5000 Euro. A multi-year project is a non-permanent collaboration In exceptional cases, where a convincing case is made, again designed to address scientific topics of wide international funding may be extended to a maximum of 8000 Euro per significance. Thus projects do not represent a field of study year. (which is the role of the INQUA Commissions) but rather seek to answer specific scientific questions. Applications for multi or single-year project funding Multi-year project duration is normally the 4 years of (application form available here) must demonstrate that the

INQUA news the inter-congress period, but may, if started later in the project: Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 5

1. will address a significant question that is central to the single or multi-year projects. work of the sponsoring Commission; Skills Enhancement funding can be used for the 2. make significant progress towards answering this development and running of INQUA training courses or question through collaboration and within a reasonable summer schools, INQUA workshops focusing on networking timeframe (within a calendar year for the single-year within a specific region or for a specific technique/interest project category); area, and/or the production of teaching and training 3. has an explicit plan for activities throughout the resources to assist new practitioners in specific techniques. proposed duration of the project, and have a high-level of buy-in from the international INQUA community, as Applications for Skills Enhancement funding must shown by e.g. active participation; demonstrate: 4. has a framework that is responsive to community needs and open to community participation, including 1. the need for skills enhancement in a particular region/ involving early-career and developing-country field; researchers in significant roles; 2. how the proposed activities will foster skills 5. has identified concrete outcomes or products explicitly. enhancement; 3. who will benefit directly from the funding; CONFERENCE / MEETING INQUA GRANT 4. how the skills enhancement activity will benefit the Funding is available for stand-alone conferences or INQUA community in the longer term. meetings outside of the umbrella of the single or multi- year INQUA Project funding. INQUA is able to support Applications to this scheme are independent and international meetings that cover topics of interest to distinct from the other categories of funding. A proposal sponsoring Commissions. To secure funding, meeting under the Skills Enhancement scheme would typically be for organisers should prioritise ECR and DCR involvement in funding of between 4000-8000 Euros. these meetings. The maximum level of support for a stand-alone FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS conference or meeting is 5000 Euro. In exceptional cases, Funding through any of the categories of INQUA grant where a convincing case is made, funding may be extended may be used for: to a maximum of 8000 Euro to support a single meeting. • Participation (travel, accommodation and subsistence) of researchers in meetings organised through the SKILLS ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITY GRANT Project or Conference. At least 75% of the amount of The goal of this funding is to widen the skill base the grant used to fund participation should support the within the INQUA community, specifically through assisting participation of ECRs and/or DCRs in project events. scientists who lack well-developed infrastructures or • Rental of rooms for conferences/meetings. networks (including but not limited to early career and • Rental of vehicles for meeting-related field trips. developing country scientists), through encouraging • Costs associated with video-conferencing (Zoom, etc) networking, exchanges of information and techniques, • The development of webcasts and podcasts training, and bringing people together e.g. to develop new Funding through the Skills Enhancement grant may additionally be used for: • Development of teaching/training resources relating to the skill enhancement activity being planned

Funding requests that INQUA will NOT support: • Salaries or stipends on any type. • Travel and registration costs for meetings such as EGU, AGU, etc. However INQUA can support project meetings held in association with larger meetings e.g either before or after but not during the third party meeting. • Server costs for websites, databases etc. • Journal or book publication costs. • Purchase of equipment or analyses. • Institutional overheads.

Multi-year Projects will normally be approved in principle for the whole of the current inter-congress period. However funds will be allocated on a yearly basis, subject to evaluation of Project activities in the preceding year and submission of an updated budget each October. 6 Quaternary Perspectives - Issue 29 / December 2020

Jan Zalasiewicz1 (Chair SQS) Adele Bertini2 (Secretary), Liping Zhou3 (Vice-Chair) Martin Head4 (Vice-Chair) The Quaternary in the Geological Time Scale: An update

The Quaternary System/Period is evolving – in the (Hennissen et al., 2014, 2015). Hence the newly our scientific understanding of it, in terms of its formal defined Quaternary was to better represent the change from subdivision within the International Chronostratigraphic the ‘coolhouse’ conditions of Miocene-Pliocene times Chart (ICC) which serves as the basis of the Geological of essentially unipolar (Antarctica) glaciation into the more Time Scale, and currently also in its changing dynamic as severe icehouse conditions that followed, characterised by anthropogenic global change intensifies, a phenomenon bipolar glaciation (Westerhold et al., 2020). which has raised its own formal stratigraphic questions. Over the last one and a half decades, the Subcommission on The boundary between the two accepted /epochs Quaternary Stratigraphy (SQS) has been active in revising and of the Quaternary, the Pleistocene and , was later updating the Quaternary time scale, and the work – as we fixed (Walker et al., 2012) in the Greenland NGRIP , at a describe below – continues. level dated to 11.7 ka, within the marked northern-hemisphere post-glacial (post ) warming, at a sharply The present shape of the Quaternary was effectively expressed northward shift in the North polar front determined in 2009 (Gibbard & Head, 2009a, b, 2010; Gibbard for which changes in the ice deuterium/hydrogen ratios are et al., 2010; see also Head et al., 2008) with its base officially a . This particular stratigraphic marker is really only aligned with that of the Gelasian (2.58 Ma). The strict detectable in Greenland ice, but various associated proxies hierarchy of the ICC required that the base of the Pleistocene (e.g. wind-blown dust) together with the use of five carefully Series/ and Stage/, which had been correlated auxiliary stratotypes in different depositional defined by the Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point environments worldwide have helped to make this a widely (GSSP) at Vrica in (~1.8 Ma) in 1985 (Aguirre & Pasini, 1985), effective formal boundary. be lowered to the Gelasian GSSP. This hard-fought move was achieved with the strong support of both INQUA and the ICS Subsequent changes to the Quaternary timescale (Head & Gibbard, 2015). It took advantage of a pre-existing (summarised in Head et al., in press) similarly reflect GSSP (the Gelasian) which had earlier been established significant Earth System changes, and also formalise, and to signal the final intensification of thus make clear and consistent, more generally defined glaciation (Rio et al., 1998). Studies have since shown a major Quaternary subdivisions used by stratigraphers sensu lato.

News of the Quaternary Northern Hemisphere cooling event close to the base of Thus, the long used, if not always consistently applied, Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 7

tripartite subdivision of the Pleistocene into three subseries/ stratigraphically important events from 2.8–2.4 Ma, subepochs has now been formally ratified (Head et al., including the main inception and intensification in press). In this, a Lower Subseries/Early Subepoch now of Northern Hemisphere glaciation, and associated encompasses the Gelasian and Calabrian stages/ages, ocean reorganization and glacial events; it will whereas the Middle Subseries/Subepoch equates to the (also also help place the GSSP in the broader context of newly defined) Stage/Age, defined at a level at transition from the Mid- Warm Period 0.774 Ma (Suganuma et al., in press) that lies very close to the onwards into the Quaternary. SQS funding has been Matuyama/Brunhes palaeomagnetic polarity change. The agreed to help with the sampling and analysis of Upper Subseries/Late Subepoch corresponds to an as yet the section, while we hope to arrange some virtual un-named ‘Stage 4’ that, beginning at ~0.129 Ma, is tied to meetings on this work, to stimulate interest into the the warming phase of the Last (Marine Isotope Gelasian International Field Workshop, for which Substage (MIS) 5e), work on which we will discuss further INQUA support has been secured. The COVID-19 below. situation has inevitably caused delays, with the International Field Workshop being postponed until Another widely if inconsistently used tripartite June 2021. subdivision, that of the Holocene Series/Epoch, was formalised and ratified in 2018 (Walker et al., 2018, 2019). The • A stratotype for the Upper Pleistocene. In general new divisions also have the formal status of Lower, Middle terms, the boundary for the Upper/ and Upper subseries (and Early, Middle and Late subepochs) is widely recognisable, being based on the warming and, respectively, the , and into the last interglacial, MIS 5e. However, precise stages, based on brief (a few centuries-long) but correlation of any level within this warming is not widely felt climate fluctuations. straightforward, as there are leads and lags between different stratigraphic settings, particularly between So, the last decade has seen an architecture emerge the oceanic and terrestrial realms (Shackleton et al., for the Quaternary that should prove durable for future 2003). The Fronte section, in Taranto, Italy, has been stratigraphy-based research (Figure 1). Nevertheless, there is suggested as a candidate section. It comprises a still work to do, and the next phase of SQS work is continuing notably thick pelitic succession of marine deposits to build on these foundations. Ongoing and new areas of that has continuous onshore exposure and easy activity are: accessibility (Negri et al. 2015, 2016). It provides an excellent section through the peak interval of • Resampling of the base-Gelasian (now base- MIS 5.5 that has yielded (and oxygen Quaternary) boundary at Monte San Nicola. While isotopes from these), a palaeomagnetic record this GSSP (Figure 2) securely fixes this stratigraphic and some palynomorphs. However, it suffers, as do boundary, the underlying data were collected many onshore sites of this time, from incomplete more than two decades ago, and refinement of the sedimentation from MIS 6 to MIS 5, with a lack of GSSP level is one of the projects of the SQS. This is continuous foraminiferal isotopic record and no particularly to more precisely constrain how the GSSP record of Termination II. An alternative site has been relates to the Matuyama/Gauss palaeomagnetic suggested (Head, 2019) that would use the EPICA boundary, the primary guide marker, and to MIS DOME C core from Antarctica. This shows a unique, 103. The sampling as a whole aims to capture large and sharp methane increase, probably sourced

FIGURE 1: Quaternary interval of the ICS International Chronostratigraphic Chart showing: a) the scheme as of May, 2019, and b) the now ratified scheme. From Head et al. (in press). 8 Quaternary Perspectives - Issue 29 / December 2020

FIGURE 2: GSSP for Gelasian Stage, Pleistocene Series, Quaternary System, and the newly ratified Lower Pleistocene Subseries. Panorama (a) and detail (c) of the Monte San Nicola section, showing the level (marked by an arrow) of the GSSP which is placed at the base of a marly layer overlying the prominent, sapropelic San Nicola bed. Photos kindly supplied by John Clague. The location of Monte San Nicola (b) is also given. From Head et al. (in press).

from the equatorial latitudes, that relates to abrupt this interval in any formal sense, but there has been global warming and which potentially has detectable increasing recognition of the ‘Mid-Brunhes Event’ correlatives around the world (Head, 2019, fig. 9). These (Jansen et al. 1986) more recently termed the ‘mid- options are being further explored, in work towards Brunhes Transition (Yin, 2013; Barth et al., 2018), an preparing a stratotype proposal. abrupt step-change to increased amplitude of the 100 kiloyear cycles that led to warmer • A second Stage for the Middle Pleistocene? There is from MIS 11 onwards. The position of the GSSP would now a formally defined Middle Pleistocene Subseries, logically occur around the MIS 12 – MIS 11 transition, a together with the Chibanian Stage that is exactly level which can be clearly recognised in the marine equivalent to it, and which therefore might be said record. Correlating this level into terrestrial sequences to be technically necessary but formally redundant. around the globe could raise interesting correlation There is therefore the possibility to subdivide the challenges, and stimulate some productive research, Middle Pleistocene, by introducing a second stage for instance to more securely and unambiguously link within it, which would abbreviate the Chibanian while the continental European Elsterian, Holsteinian and at the same time make it functionally non-redundant. Saalian stages to the marine record. This possibility

News of the Quaternary There is no long tradition for a stage boundary within will initially be explored by an SQS position paper. If Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 9

this produces sufficient SQS support to pursue the a proposal to define the by GSSP, concept of a second stage, then a Working Group will with a primary guide to be a stratigraphic signal be established to analyse the case more formally. somewhere around the mid-20th century. The rank has not been decided or formally voted on yet, but • Smaller-scale units within the Quaternary. The the working hypothesis is of a potential series/ epoch, complex climate/environmental history of the which if agreed and ratified would terminate the Quaternary, and the complex resulting successions, Holocene Series/ Epoch including the Meghalayan have led to a rich diversity of kinds of stratigraphic Stage/Age. The focus of work is now on analysing a subdivision that form important parts of the practical number of potential GSSP sections (see Waters et al., temporal framework of this period. Although not 2018) supported by funding from Berlin’s Haus der formal in the sense of formally ratified GSSP-based Kulturen der Welt. Work continues, too, to more fully chronostratigraphic units, they closely intersect characterize, and explore the use of, the Anthropocene with them, and help characterise and define them. as a chronostratigraphic unit. These include the now iconic , regionally-based stage systems (that include such as the Elsterian, Holsteinian and Saalian), and also other terms that are more widely geographically applicable, such as the Late Glacial and Younger Dryas. Given the continuing advances in the formal Quaternary stratigraphy, we feel it timely to review these smaller- scale units and their relations to this part of the Geological Time Scale.

• Anthropocene. The relatively new concept of the Anthropocene, that emerged within the Earth System science community (Crutzen & Stoermer, 2000) has been examined as a potential formal new geological time unit since 2009, by the Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) of the SQS. Having assembled a wide array of evidence to show that the Anthropocene concept is geologically real (summarised in Waters et al., 2016, Zalasiewicz et al., 2019; see also Syvitski et al., 2020), the AWG formally voted in 2019 to pursue

AFFILIATIONS Negri A, Amorosi A, Antonioli F et al. (2015). Quaternary Interna- 1University of Leicester, UK. tional, 383, 145–157. 2University of Florence, Italy. Negri A, Florindo F, Lurcock PC et al. (2016). Alpine and Mediterra- 3Peking University, China. nean Quaternary 29(2), 137-142. 4Brock University, Canada. Rio D, Sprovieri R, Castradori D & Di Stefano E (1998). Episodes 21, 82–87. REFERENCES Shackleton NJ, Sánchez-Goñi MF, Pailler D & Lancelot Y (2003). Aguirre E & Pasini G (1985). Episodes 8, 116–120. Global and Planetary Change 36, 151–155. Barth AM, Clark PU, Bill NS, et al. (2018). Climate of the Past 14, Suganuma Y, Okada M, Head MJ et al. (in press). Episodes. 2071-2087. Syvitski J, Waters CN, Day J et al. (2020). Communications Earth & Crutzen PJ & Stoermer EF (2000). IGBP Global Change Newsletter Environment 1, 32. 41, 17–18. Walker MJ, Berkelhammer M, Björck S et al. (2012). Journal of Qua- Gibbard P & Head MJ (2009a). Quaternaire 20(2), 125–133. ternary Science 27(7), 649-659. Gibbard P & Head MJ (2009b). Quaternaire 20(4), 411-412. Walker M, Head MJ, Berkelhammer M et al. (2018). Episodes 41(4), Gibbard P & Head MJ (2010). Episodes 33, 152–158. 213–223. Gibbard PL, Head MJ, Walker MJC & the Subcommission on Walker M, Head MJ, Berkelhammer M et al. (2019). Journal of Qua- Quaternary Stratigraphy (2010). Journal of Quaternary Science ternary Science 34(3), 173–186. 25(2), 96–102. Waters CN, Zalasiewicz J, Summerhayes C et al. (2016). Science, Head MJ (2019). Quaternary International 500, 32–51. 351, 137. Head MJ & Gibbard PL (2015). Quaternary International 383, 4–35. Waters CN, Zalasiewicz J, Summerhayes C et al. (2018). Earth-Sci- Head MJ, Gibbard PL & Salvador A (2008). Episodes 31(2), 234–238. ence Reviews 178, 379-429. Head MJ, Pillans B, Zalasiewicz JA & the ICS Subcommission on Westerhold T, Marwan N, Drury AJ et al. (2020). Science 369(6509), Quaternary Stratigraphy (in press). Episodes. 1383-1387. Hennissen JAI, Head MJ, De Schepper S & Groeneveld J (2014). Yin Q (2013). Nature, 494, 222–225. Paleoceanography 28, 564– 580. Zalasiewicz J, Waters CN, Williams M & Summerhayes CP (eds) Hennissen JAI, Head MJ, De Schepper S & Groeneveld J (2015). (2019). The Anthropocene as a geological time unit: a guide to Quaternary Science Reviews 129, 321–332. the scientific evidence and current debate. Cambridge: Cam- Jansen F, Kuijpers A & Troelstra SR (1986). Science, 232, 619-622. bridge University Press. 10 Coastal and Marine Processes 2019; Ward etal.2013, 2018). Global Cawthra etal.,2015; 2020; Veth etal. (e.g.opportunities Benjaminetal.2018; faces specific unique and challenges of submerged palaeolandscapes Hemisphere (SH)where study the be translated into Southern the org). are These to onlybeginning research programs (e.g. splashcos. resolution technologies focused and aidedbylast decade new higher- and topic inQuaternary science inthe records hasrapidly emerged asakey humanoccupation and landscapes INTRODUCTION Hemisphere Southern of the Palaeolandscapes on Submerged SPLOSH –anInternational Focus Group Quaternary Perspectives- black contour. Provisional predicted MIS4lowstand emergent asaproxy landscape 80mseabedbathymetry the using indicates Mal the ita opento basinis(1) (3)outer and seawithan(2)inner the archipelago a(4) and ACROSS peninsula.ERCfunded (project 759677) (from marine. Mappedshore break margins depositional positionsand (white squares) are alsodisplayed. Present daycoastline isshown asa FIGURE 1 (80m) contour for MIS4lowstand. the BaseMIS4picks are alsodisplayed, seismicgeomorphology the events ofthese isestuarine or The studyofsubmergedThe coastal : Present Australia northern ofthe (Geoscience day bathymetry shelf Australia) showing emergent landscape basedon108ms Issue 29/December2020 Maximum. Oceans Indian and since Glacial Last the third (~190sq.km/yr) Pacific withinthe in continental ofover landmass one marine transgression, withadecrease were drowned during the of asignificantportion plains and Vast landmasses. coastal South African well asacross SouthAmerica the and South Asia Greater and Australia, as of modern humansincluding between profound influencemovement onthe periodglacial (~22ky BP) have a had or 130mbelow present during last the changes inrelative sea level ofupto 120 Fogg et al.2019). workshops synthesis and outputs,with use willbeexplored through aseries of dispersals coastal and resource change, coastal landform evolution, Common such themes assea-level ofresearchimportance inthisregion. collaboration to strengthen help the exchange interdisciplinary and providehelp aplatform for scientific environmental changes SH,and inthe on submerged and landscapes group aimsto increase awareness Country. perspectives connections withSea and emphasisonIndigenous a particular The newThe INQUA SPLOSH focus - Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 11

FIGURE 2: In the South Cape of South Africa, the Palaeoscape project (Marean et al., 2014) defined and studied the Pal- aeo-Agulhas Plain; an extinct, submerged terrestrial ecosystem. Following a ten-year investigation of the continental shelf, a geological map of the was compiled that covers ~55,000 km2 of seafloor and coastal plain and demon- strates a remarkably different submerged landscape compared to the present-day Cape Foreland (from Cawthra et al. 2020). 12 Coastal and Marine Processes part ofasharedpart heritage (e.g. Coastal marine resource as management Knowledge inenvironmental and application ofIndigenous and al. 2015) agrowing and interest (Nunn 2018;phenomena Reidet to ofnatural anunderstanding oral traditions mightcontribute there isincreasing acceptance that watercraft (Erlandson 2007). Kelp Mangrove Highways) useof and on useofcoastal corridors (e.g. the different biogeographical perspectives geologicalcontextsand thatoffer different climate conditions, ecosystems al. 2017). Italsocovers regions withvery preservation (e.g. shelf onthe Brooke et greaterand potential for landform more opendispersals (Bird etal.2019) Quaternary.the Thishasallowed for for much of been largely ice-free four oceans (80%water) has and including over and 8300islands, PERSPECTIVE A SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE Quaternary Perspectives- From global the perspective, SHcomprisesThe five continents, line is so different from the pastcoastal the landscape atlower issodifferentline sealevels, from withlarge systems dune coastal and waterbodies (from FIGURE 3: Post-glacial Eastern offthe showing how Cape present the rocky Coast, SouthAfrica, cliffed coast Issue 29/December2020 pedagogies. scienceIndigenous knowledge and discoursean academic inclusive of environmental region butalsowith as adifferent geographical and uniqueSHperspective,the only not 2018). SPLOSH willwork to highlight LaboratoryMapping 2017; Ward etal. 1. explore key some questions,including: annualworkshops,themed we to hope Cleghorn etal.2020; Figure 2).Through (see QSRSpecialIssueintroduced by Capeon the SouthCoast ofSouthAfrica Figure Palaeoscape the 1)and project ACROSSERC funded project (Farr, e.g. projects SH,such inthe happening as are already explored being through geographic scope, ofwhich some that canbeexplored withinthis studied? landscapes, how and are these preservationand ofsubmerged SH influenceof the nature the How greater doesthe oceanic area There are many science questions Green etal.2020 inpress). change chronologies, how and we new scientifically informed sea-level perspectivesIndigenous compare with 2019). We to hope explore how these resource usepractices (e.g. Rist etal. culturalongoing connections and offshorethe coastal through landscape awareness ofcultural continuity with In Australia especially, there isgrowing 2. use ofnew technologies. preservation site and prospection, with reconstruction, we canexplore site UNderwater paleo-landscapE Procedures Technologies and for projects such asNEPTUNE -NEw Complementing new INQUA-funded have influenced site preservation. active versus passive margins, would O’Leary etal.2020; Figure 3),including geological setting (e.g. Green etal.2020; Differences inlocalclimatic and research? people insubmerged landscapes perspectivesand ofFirst Nations interests, knowledge, traditions, How can we incorporate concerns, - Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 13

might benefit from Indigenous science of video-conferencing facilities, with working version of the map is available and pedagogy. the latter becoming essential with and we welcome contributions to this. the emergence of the COVID-19 If you are interesting in participating or 3. How do different biogeographical pandemic. Given the more widespread contributing to any aspect of SPLOSH, perspectives from the SH influence geography of the SH it is hoped that please contact any of the country leads. our understanding of human use of video-conferencing will also migration and past coastal allow more people to participate in the resource use? workshop discussions, especially ECRs The distinct ecological and physical and Indigenous partners, and those features of SH will have influenced from more remote regions. Due to biodiversity, sediment dynamics, past COVID, this years’ workshop was held human occupation and migration online and was aimed at showcasing (including use of watercraft) across the and exploring current submerged shelf at times of lower sea level. Insights landscape research across the SH. can be gained from explorations of Recordings of the talks are available these submerged cultural landscapes online. and from modern analogues. In addition to the annual 4. What new challenges and workshops, we are working on a opportunities can arise from SPLOSH website that will serve as a SPLOSH? central dissemination ‘blackboard’ for SPLOSH will provide a forum to raise workshop events, newsletters, research timely and significant questions on & publications, as well as collaboration submerged prehistoric cultural heritage and outreach including links to other of the SH and to share published and existing and future sites on submerged publicly accessible records. sites. The website will eventually host an interactive map of known sites/ Annual workshops will be held in project areas across the SH, allowing different countries and will combine a virtual insight into research on face-to-face participation with use submerged landscapes in this region. A

PROJECT LEADERS Ingrid Ward (University of Western Australia), Helen Farr, Fraser Sturt (University of Southampton, UK), Hayley C. Cawthra (Nelson Mandela University & Council for Geoscience, Cape Town), Andrew Green (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Alex Bastos (Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil), Diego Carabias (Centre for Maritime Archaeology Research of Southeastern Pacific, Chile).

REFERENCES Benjamin J, O’Leary M, Ward I, Hacker J, Ulm S, Veth P & Bailey G (2018). Antiquity Project Gallery 92(363). Bird MI, Condie SA, O’Connor S, O’Grady D, Reepmeyer C, Ulm S, Zega M, Saltré F & Bradshaw CJA (2019). Scientific Reports 9: 8220. Brooke BP, Nichol SL, Huang Z & Beaman RJ (2017). Continental Shelf Research 134: 26–38. Cawthra HC, Compton JS, Fisher EC, MacHutchon MR & Marean CW (2015). In: Harff J, Bailey G, Lüth F (eds) Geology and Archaeology: Sub- merged landscapes of the continental shelf. Special Publication of the Geological Society of London 411: 219-233. Cawthra HC, Cowling RM, Andò S & Marean CW (2020). Quaternary Science Reviews 235: 105858. Cleghorn N, Potts AJ & Cawthra HC (2020). Quaternary Science Reviews 235, 106308. Coastal Mapping Laboratory, Graduate School of /University of Rhode Island, 2017. Developing Protocols for Reconstructing Submerged Paleocultural Landscapes and Identifying Ancient Native American Archaeological Sites in Submerged Environments: Best Practices. U. S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Herndon, VA OCS Study BOEM 2017-XXX. Erlandson JM, Graham MH, Bourque BJ, Corbett D, Estes JA & Steneck RS (2007). The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, 2(2): 161-174. Fogg A, Dix JK & Farr RH (2019). ESSOAr Green AN, Cooper JAG, Dlamini NP, Dladla NN, Parker D & Kerwath S (2020). Marine Geology (in press). Marean CW, Cawthra HC, Cowling RM, Esler KJ, Fisher EC, Milewski A, Potts AJ, Singels E & De Vynck J (2014). In: Allsopp N, Colville JF, Ver- boom T (eds) Fynbos: Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation of a Megadiverse Region. Oxford: Oxford University Press: 164-199. Nunn PD (2018). The Edge of Memory. Ancient Stories, Oral Tradition and the Post-Glacial World. Indigenous Australian Stories and Sea-Level Change. London: Bloomsbury. O’Leary M, Paumard V & Ward I (2020). Quaternary Science Reviews 239: 106353. Reid N, Nunn PD & Sharpe M (2016). Australian Geographer 47(1): 11-47. Rist P, Rassip W, Yunupingu D, Wearne J, Gould J, Dulfer-Hyams M, Beck E & Smyth D (2018). Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 29(S2): 138-151. Veth P, McDonald J, Ward I, O’Leary M, Beckett E, Benjamin J, Ulm S, Hacker J, Ross PJ & G Bailey (2019). The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology 15(4): 477-503. Ward I, Larcombe P, Mulvaney K & Fandry C (2013). Quaternary International 308-309: 216–229. Ward I, Smyth D, Veth P, McDonald J & McNeair S (2018). Ocean and Coastal Management 160: 167–174. 14 Coastal and Marine Processes Naples to space. However, avirtual the unfortunately to had betransferred from first ofour meeting community International. preparing aSpecialIssueinQuaternary on ourfirst community on and meeting 2020 were ourmainactivities focused threatened by changing the climate. In ofcoastal adaptation the communities of relative sea-level rise to and prepare crucial to potential assessthe impact continental shelf. Such information is nearshore the zone to the scale, from regional the to local the offshore, from onshore the to the from landscapes, reconstructionwith the ofsubmerged on awiderange ofstudiesdealing research,the innovation discussion and wemillennia. Inparticular, aimto fuel changeslandscape over last12 the projectThe isfocused oncoastal due to postglacial the sea-level rise. past presently landscapes, submerged techniques to analyze reconstruct and toaimed develop multidisciplinary working group ofyoung scientists purpose ofcreating aninterdisciplinary CMP commission withthe activities ofINQUA 2020 framework 30th, inthe Gaia Mattei Quaternary Perspectives- NEPTUNE in2020 activities Project 2003P number: Group ECR-focused ofthe 1stNEP photo discussionofthe participants ofthe ofsome Due to the pandemic, the the Due to pandemic, the projectNeptune started onMarch 1 , ClaudiaCaporizzo TUNE meeting 1 , AnaNovak Issue 29/December2020 focused discussioncoordinated by concluded meeting The withanECR- IFG represented by Andrew Green. NEPTUNE project SPLOSH the and avenues ofcollaboration between the explorationoff withthe possible ofthe following panel discussionwas kicked- evolution their and over The time. reconstruct coastal paleo-landscapes approach,a uniquemultidisciplinary to indirect surveys, often integrated with suitabilitythe ofseveral of methods young scientistsdiscussedindetail twelve interesting presentations the ourcommunity.Researchers In from Earlyof PhDStudentsand Career presentations research ofthe work was meeting ofthe followedpart by Alessio Rovere. introductory The was given by PALSEA the IFG leader leader Andrew Green. keynote The Matteo Vacchi SPLOSH the and IFG CMPvice-president the talks from Researchers SeniorScientists. and PhDStudents,Early Career ranging from allover Globe the from participants in excellent attendance withover 60 unlimited Thisresulted participation. place on3rd September 2020, allowed online format of our meeting, which took The conferenceThe was with opened 2,3 , LivioRonchi 4 , Martin Seeliger , Martin - objectives ofNEPTUNE: sixmain with anemphasisonthe they normally face during activities their openissues discussedthe participants NEPTUNE project leaders where the ranges. environments atdifferent bathymetric resolution reconstruction ofunderwater innovativethe technologies for high- approach based on multi-disciplinary Holocenein the period by a using questions regarding changes the project aims to address several open changes. Furthermore, thisscientific anthropic to adaptation these over the last12millenniaand the local processes oncoastal changes effectsunderstand the ofglobal and community Neptune the to better during First the willhelp meeting, 3. 2. 1. 6. 5. 4. marine surveys to perform technology appliedto coastal/ roleThe innovative ofthe underwater paleo-landscapes approachdisciplinary inmodelling ofamulti- importance The rise rates the and ofrelative sea-level evolution coastal ofthe landscape relationshipThe between the This ongoing discussion,startedThis ongoing ECRsemphasis onthe continental domains with shelf researchers coastal- ofthe collaborations between of new connections and promotionThe establishment and communities by present-day near-shore knowledge canbeutilized settlements how and this positionsoftheir or shifting dealt withchanging shorelines How nearshore the population sea-level indicators new identificationof The Holocene nearshore zone) continental the to shelf the (from environments ofdifferent depths high-precision measurements in 5 Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 15

This year we were also actively Project number: 2004F involved in submitting proposals for a NEPTUNE-themed Special Issue Terminations Five to Zero in Quaternary International and a NEPTUNE-themed session at vEGU21 which were both approved. Our QI SI PALCOM’s Terminations 5-0 Menviel of the University of New South titled “Lost Landscapes: Reconstructing IFG held a virtual workshop that Wales, Australia: the Evolution of Coastal Areas Since focused on Glacial terminations 1 and 2 the Late Pleistocene” – PALEOCOASTS on November 9 -12. The workshop was • Session 1 - Main, breakout 1 is expected to be open for submissions co-sponsored by PAGES Quaternary (Deglacial carbon changes) and during the first half of 2021. Meanwhile, Interglacials (QUIGS). There were discussion submissions for abstracts for our EGU 13 oral presentations followed by Passcode: 9?v4guWa session titled “Underwater paleo- discussion, involving participants landscape reconstruction by using multi- from around the world, which made • Session 1 - Breakout 2 (Deglacial proxy approaches in the framework of for some early morning/late night climate and ice-sheet dynamics) NEPTUNE INQUA Project” is open until hours for some. Among the topics Passcode: f*p$i#h7 January 13 2021. More information and that were covered were past changes Palaeoclimate the latest updates are available on our in global temperature and sea level, • Session 2 - Main, breakout website and Facebook page. carbon cycling, deep ocean circulation, 2 (Deglacial carbon changes) and centennial/millennial scale variability, discussion Additionally, we also represented dynamics, meltwater Passcode: u2##zTq0 our project at national and international events and vegetational response to conferences. In particular, Gaia Mattei deglaciation. Many of the talks were • Session 2 - Breakout 1 (Deglacial presented the Neptune project during recorded, and can be accessed in climate and ice-sheet dynamics) the annual meeting of the working the following links provided by the Passcode: $?BMB@b2 group on coastal morphodynamics organizer of the workshop, Dr. Laurie of the AIGEO, Italian Association of Geomorphologists. Martin Seeliger presented the project at the Virtuelle Jahrestagung AK Geomorphologie Preparing PATA Days Chile 2021 Cottbus 2020.

In 2021 we plan to organize an online NEPTUNE event with a “Facebook live” stream where we will present some results of our multidisciplinary studies carried out in the Gulf of Naples. This event will be considered as a prologue to the first face-to-face workshop that will be held at Parthenope University of Terrestrial Processes, Deposits and History Naples as soon as the global emergency will finish. Depending on the future development of the situation, we also tentatively plan a second NEPTUNE face-to-face meeting in Frankfurt in the second half of 2021. Last but not least, a joint SPLOSH-NEPTUNE online event is planned for the first half of the year. All The PATA Days in Chile had to be TERPRO projects and plans for the information about our ongoing and postponed to November, 2021, but we intercongress period future activities will be available on our can’t wait until then. On 18 December, • Stephane Baize, IFG leader - TPPT website and Facebook page. 2020, from 15:00 - 16:30 UTC we will project and future PATA Days have a zoom meeting to at least partly 15:30-16:30: Invited speakers compensate for not having a real • Tom Rockwell – topic to be meeting this year. No pre-registration is confirmed

AFFILIATIONS necessary. Please watch paleoseismicity. • Gabriel Easton and colleagues – 1Parthenope University of Naples - Italy org and the INQUA TERPRO blog for Earthquake geology of northern 2Geological Survey of Slovenia - Slovenia updates and the meeting link. Chile 3 University of Ljubljana - Slovenia 15:00 - 15:30: Introduction by INQUA 4University of Padova - Italy TERPRO and TPPT staff See you all online in December 5University Frankfurt - Germany • Jim McCalpin, President - and in person next year! 16 Stratigraphy and Chronology Prof. Valentina Yanko-Hombach is Geochronologyand (POCAS), 1709, Ponto-Caspian Stratigraphy world. ofthe distant parts researchers from more hundred thanone early career involve several hundred scientistsand activities These activities. with their group, are aproject, and moving ahead international focus groups, aworking throughout world. the Ourtwo investigations classification and to establishstratigraphic discuss and chronologyand provides and aforum Quaternary period through stratigraphy is continuing itsmissionto studythe unprecedentedthese SACCOM times, COVID-19with the Despite pandemic. as we face many issuesassociated has continued to bevery challenging stratigraphic knowledge. AD2020 disseminationof and methods nomenclature through stratigraphic nationalchronostratigraphicand cooperation integrate and regional promote co-ordinate and international (SACCOM): Chronology and anoverview CommissionThe onStratigraphy Owen Lewis A. Quaternary Perspectives- The The SACCOM iscontinuing to help International Focus Group ledby Issue 29/December2020 T. Yanina, the examination (1) the of: Sea ofProf. region, supervision under years. Thisincludes Caspian inthe fieldprogramsplanning inthe coming Quaternary researchers. POCAS is West cooperation dialogueand among Asia) more closely, encourage and East- boundaries, linkcontinents (Europe and bypass linguistic/political/disciplinary region. POCAS specificallyaims to Ponto-Caspiangeology ofthe continuing to Quaternary studythe sediments; (2) Odessa and Tiraspol (2)Odessa and sediments; radiocarbonand ofmarine dating purposepeninsulas with the ofOSL Crimean the (1) studying: Taman and by Profs. Yanko Yanina, and POCAS is Eastthe European Plain. with transgressive-regressive cycles of riverand terraces correlation for further (2) correlation Caspian Northern ofthe ofitsdevelopment; stages and time and transgression for reconstruction ofthe for Khvalynian ofthe OSLdating county) where they plansampling counties) Middle Volga the and (Saratov Lower Volga (Astrakhan Volgograd and In the BlackIn the Sea region, directed Prof. Pierluigi Pieruccini, aims to Stratigraphy (DATESTRA) Database onTerrestrial European radiocarbonOSL and dating. Manychthe valley for samplethem and outcrops Khvalynian ofthe depositsin seas. maingoal The isto natural find between Caspian the Black and Manychthe paleostrait connection tostudy ofsediments reconstruct POCAS isundertaken acomprehensive directed by Prof. D. Semikolnykh, due to COVID-19 pandemic. field trip for (2)-(4) is postponed to 2021 culture. POCAS The conference and sitethe Bayraki withOldowan human (4) Dnestrovian the terraces including Pleistocene-Holocene and sediments; pretty complete succession Late ofthe Khadzhibeyskiy limansthatcontains a Bugskiy, Tiligulskiy, Kuyalnitskiy and barriers Dniesrovskiy, ofthe Dniepro- ; Daymouthloess and (3)the Neopleistocene Eopleistocene and counties examining horizons of I ManychIn the depression, nternational Focus Group 1612F, , ledby Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 17

improve and complete their database SEQS activities can be found on the stratigraphy, sedimentology, on terrestrial stratigraphy that is SEQS homepage. paleoclimate and designed for sites with stratigraphic in- and out of Africa?”. Small, invited importance across Europe. The 2020 The many decades of activities virtual presentations also took Meeting of DATESTRA was dedicated of the and pedostratigraphy place at Wroclaw University, Poland. to Prof. Adam Nadachowski on his community continue as a working Additionally, resulting from smaller 70th birthday. This was organized group, Loess and Pedostratigraphy regional meetings in 2019, special issues by Prof. Krzysztof Stefaniak and Drs. 2007WG, led by Prof. Shiling Yang. The in Journal of Quaternary Science and Urszula Ratajczak, Artur Sobczyk, plans for the loess workshop in Wroclaw Quaternary Research are underway, Adrian Marciszak, Adam Kotowski, and in June 2020 had to be postponed in titled “The Eurasian environments several others. Adam Nadachowski was the first instance until November and and human occupation on different honored by “fireworks” and >50 virtual now until spring/summer 2021 due time scales” (Guest editors: Janina Nett presentations, with >100 participants to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, and Wei Chu) and “Geoarchaeological from at least 15 different countries. there were several loess sessions that and palaeoenvironmental research Fuller details of the meeting are took place at the virtual European in European loess” (Guest editors: presented elsewhere in Quaternary Geophysical Union annual meeting, Slobodan B. Marković, Qingzhen Hao Perspectives. Special attention was including “Aeolian dust: initiator, and Nick Lancaster), respectively. given towards developing a common player, and recorder of environmental The time in COVID-19 lockdown has database. The organizers plan to change”, “Pedogenic processes of soils been spent working on the group’s publish the contributions to the and palaeosols across scales - influence administrative side with a new meeting in a special issue of Quaternary of various factors, including imprints constitution and bylaws in consultation International. News and updates about of human activities”, and “Integrating with the committee. The next stages

Punta di Maiata is one of the many sections examined by POCAS. This beautiful natural cliff exposes calcareous and marly limestones of the Trubi Formation. The succession is characterized by a quadruplet, grey-white-beige-white color alteration with lithological variation is due to mineralogical changes triggered by precessional cycles (21 kyr) that induced paleoclimatic and paleoceanographic variations in the Mediterranean Sea. The change in thickness of some selected beige layers was caused by the obliquity of the Earth’s axis (41 kyr). Larg- er-scale eccentricity (100 kyr) related cycles are clearly visible in the weathering profile of the cape. Layers richer in carbonate are linked to phases of eccentricity minima. For more details, please see: Caruso, A., Capraro, L., Di Stefano, A., and Marino, M. (Eds.). 2017. Field Trip Guide of UNESCO - IUGS – IGCP 610 and INQUA IFG POCAS Joint Plenary Conference and Field Trip, October 1-9, 2017, Palermo, Italy. Photo and caption: Valentina Yanko-Hombach. 18 Stratigraphy and Chronology to assemblearesearch team and workshop will provide anopportunity field withsenioracademics. The along researchers hasbeenencouraged, System. The ofearly participation career for Quaternary and GelasianStage the in Gela,, which GSSP serves asthe Montespectacular SanNicola outcrop Quaternary transition, focusing onthe symposium willexamine – the 2021. TheJune field workshop and eventthe to hasbeenpostponed 2020. June to Owing pandemic, the in Sicilywas initiallyscheduled for Symposium Gelasian Stratotype onthe International Field Workshop and Commission for Stratigraphy (ICS) Stratigraphy International (SQS)ofthe Subcommission onQuaternary development. ofnew initialstages is inthe website code Finally, ofconduct. committee the groupof the aswell asdeveloping a will involve consultation withmembers Quaternary Perspectives- The SACCOMThe INQUA and Monte SanNicola Gela,inSicily. near section, GSSPfor The GelasianStage, the Pleistocene Series, Quaternary and System isplaced marly baseofthe atthe layer overlying sapropelic the “Nicola bed”indicated by lower the red arrow. The GSSP has an age of 2.58 Ma.Photo: an ageof2.58 GSSPhas The Antonio Caruso.

Issue 29/December2020 Antonio Caruso, J. Head, Martin Adele history. of Earth organizers The are Drs. across critical most ofthe one intervals reconstruction climatic ofthe history resolution. This willallow detailed the approach atvery highstratigraphic stratotype amulti-proxy using atreinvestigatingaimed Gelasian the inaugurate project the “Gelstrat” website. updatesand are available onthe DetailsofSACCOM’smonths. activities coming detailsoutinthe send and year that willbeopento community the seminars coming inthe virtual monthly Wepandemic. are to planning develop challenges related to COVID-19 the coming inthe year,virtually given the community. Much ofthiswillbedone focus onfor broader ofthe benefit the criticalperiod to times identify and to Quaternary ofthe span whole the Caruso localhost. asthe Maria and Marino,Bertini, withAntonio SACCOM’s willcontinue activities SACCOM aware isparticularly INQUA please advance ourcommission’s goals. And tosuggestions oropportunities to the toughthese Please times. reach out enhanceand ourresearch during our community together to promote welcome creative ideas for bringing trainingand future the workforce. We earlysupporting career researchers, outreach,and diversity inclusion, and for need of the societalrelevance Raleigh, USA CarolinaNorth State University AFFILIATION Commission Officers join SACCOM . to provide Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 19

IFG 1612F Stay connected – The SEQS-DATESTRA 2020 Virtual Meeting in Poland

The Section on European Armenia, Slovenia, , Russia etc. Adam Nadachowski was honored by Quaternary Stratigraphy (SEQS) Prof. Adam Nadachowski, from Poland a “firework” of more than 50 virtual developed during the past decades to was a frequent participant of the SEQS presentations. a scientific family and the annual SEQS meetings and fieldtrips and the 2020 meetings and fieldtrips strengthened SEQS-Meeting was dedicated to his On 28th of September 2020, the cordial friendships between the 70th birthday. Perfectly organized by under the patronage of Professor participants from several countries his Polish colleagues (Prof. Krzysztof Przemysław Wiszewski the Rector from Eastern and Western Europe. It Stefaniak, PhD Urszula Ratajczak, of University of Wrocław, the INQUA also allowed personal insights into the Artur Sobczyk, Adrian Marciszak, SEQS-2020 conference “Quaternary Quaternary Geology of Italy, Romania, Adam Kotowski, and several others) Stratigraphy – paleoenvironment,

The Rector of the University of Wrocław Prof. Przemysław Wiszewski at the opening ceremony of the Meeting and Prof. Adam Nad- achowski, the special guest of the Meeting, celebrating his 70th birthday. 20 Stratigraphy and Chronology President ofINQUA Prof. Thijsvan Wrocław Prof. Przemysław Wiszewski; following: Rector University ofthe of ceremony consisted ofspeeches by the by MScAdam Kotowski. opening The at University ofWrocław conducted and ofPalaeozoology Department the from Committee prof. Krzysztof Stefaniak Organizationalof the Scientific and wasMeeting by opened Chairman the RegionalDevelopment.and The Institute ofthe Library ofGeography tookMeeting place historic inthe Research PAS; Polish GeologicalSociety of Sciences; Committee for Quaternary University ofWrocław; Polish Academy Union for Quaternary research; Chronology;and INQUA –International SACCOM Commission onStratigraphy Quaternary Stratigraphy; INQUA – INQUA onEuropean -SEQS Section took patronage the conference: ofthe following organizations institutions and remotelyheld dueto COVID19. the The migrations across Central Europe” was faunasediments, human and Quaternary Perspectives- The opening ceremony opening The the and The OrganizingThe Committee, including Prof. Adam Nadachowski hiswife and Ania. Issue 29/December2020 Jary; DirectorJary; Institute ofthe of Academy ofSciences Prof. Zdzisław for Quaternary Research Polish ofthe Fiebig; Chairman Committee ofThe Quaternary Stratigraphy Prof. Markus of INQUA onEuropean - Section Prof. Marszałek; President Henryk Environmentaland Management Deans Faculty ofthe ofGeosciences Biological Sciences Dr. Marcin Kadej; Kolfschoten; Deans Faculty ofthe of the end the jubilarian the end the responded with for prof. Adam Nadachowski at who prof. JanBurdukiewicz gave alaudation Nadachowski -were emphasized and merits jubilarian ofthe –prof. Adam research university. speeches Inthe the Universityof the ofWrocław asa conference activities withthe isinline underlined, others, thatthis among RectorThe University ofthe ofWrocłąw which conference the was organized. uncommonthe circumstances under Kraków Dr. Sebastian Tarcz. Polishof the Academy ofSciences in Systematics Evolution and ofAnimals All of the speakersAll ofthe underlined (2), the Netherlands (1), India (1), Israel (1); Israel (1); (1), India Netherlands(2), the (1), Austria Croatia Czechia (1), (1), Spain (1), were registered before conference: the representing following the countries Adamand Kotowski. 103 participants SobczykUrszula Ratajczak, Artur were dividedinto parts: 4thematic Nadachowski’s work. to illustrate various the ofprof. stages session, adiaporama was presented 30-minutes break preceding lecture the warm words ofthanks. During the • • • • The sessions wereThe directed by (Datestra). toward acommon database in European Asian and regions: Quaternarysubdivisions ofthe Session 4Majorregional environment Quaternary inthe Session 3Humanand tectonics chronology, geomorphology and Session 2Quaternary stratigraphy, sequences Session 1Karst cave and lectureThe poster and sessions Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 21

Lithuania (1), Germany (3), Poland (45), the participants who followed the Russia (23), Slovenia (1), Ukraine (13), UK recommendations set by the organizers. (3), Italy (6). Due to the large number of Apart from the Organizational and registrants, 10 minutes were planned Scientific Committee, following for each oral presentation, including employees of the University of a short discussion, and 2 minutes for Wrocław and the University of Nicolaus posters’ presentation. The sessions Copernicus in Toruń were involved ended with an open discussion. In total, in organization of the conference: 28 oral presentations were delivered computer specialists: Marcin Hatalak, and 42 posters were presented. About Mateusz Haglauer, Marek Ćmikiewicz, 45% of all presentations were held Karol Geinert, Mateusz Skrzatek; media by female researchers and a very and photography service Małgorzata balanced mixture of experienced Jurkiewicz and Magdalena Marcula, and young Quaternary scientists students from the Scientific Association attended the sessions of the Meeting. of Student Palaeobiologists: Dorota The topics of the presentations varied Orlińska and Aleksandra Kropczyk. from , fauna and vegetation, Karst and Cave sequences, Summaries of all presentations Quaternary stratigraphy, chronology, along with the academic profile geomorphology and tectonics, Human of Prof. A. Nadachowski, his list of and environment in the Quaternary publications and several speeches to major regional subdivisions of the devoted to his person were presented Quaternary in European and Asian in the volume of abstracts, which is regions. Special attention was for the available online. The organizers will SEQS Project DATESTRA - towards apply to publish the contributions a common database. A total of 95 to the Meeting in a Special Issue of participants from 14 countries heard Quaternary International. The SEQS- about new investigations from the Meeting in Poland was a big success, Himalaya, the Chinese loess plateau, despite the fact that it was “only” virtual. the caves of the Russia far east, the The Fieldtrip, originally scheduled Hominid sites in Kyrgyzstan, river for September 2020, is postponed to plains in Slovenia and numerous other September 2021. Our hope is to meet sites in Poland, Russia, Italy, Austria all the participants in Poland next year etc. In the last part, the Chairman and to visit the exciting Quaternary of the Organizing and Scientific sites learning about the geology of that Committee, Prof. Dr. Hab. Krzysztof specific area. Stefaniak thanked all the participants, the University Authorities, INQUA News and updates about SEQS and INQUA-SEQS representatives, activities can be found on the SEQS organizers and the jubilarian Adam homepage. We hope to meet you Nadachowski and invited everyone to again in the future and we wish Prof. the next edition of this conference next Adam Nadachowski all the best and we year to Wrocław, Poland. Summary congratulate him again with his 70th speeches were taken by the President birthday. of INQUA Prof. Thijs van Kolfschoten (the Netherlands), the President of SEQS prof. Markus Fiebig (Austria), the Vice-President of SEQS Prof. Guzel Danukalova (Russia) and the Secretary PROJECT LEADERS of SEQS Prof. Pierluigi Pieruccini (Italy). Markus Fiebig (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Austria); Pierluigi Pieruccini (Universi- Despite the technically complex ty of Torino, Italy); Guzel Danukalova organization, due to the pandemic (Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia); situation and the large number of Thijs van Kolfschoten (Leiden University, participants, the meeting was managed The Netherlands; Shandong Universi- without major problems. For this ty, China); Krzysztof Stefaniak, Urszula Ratajczak-Skrzatek, Adam Kotowski, reason, a special thank is devoted to the Adrian Marciszak, Artur Sobczyk, Marek efficient team supporting the virtual Kasprzak, Andrzej Wiśniewski (University meeting, in particular the moderators of Wrocław, Poland). and session directors, as well as 22 Quaternary Perspectives - Issue 29 / December 2020

What’s happening there? ECRs on the road to Rome 2023

In this new section we want to prepare our journey Northern Hemisphere-wide footprint is a proof of coherent towards the next INQUA Congress to be held in Rome in interactions among atmosphere, oceans, and cryosphere on 2023. Over the course of the next issues of Quaternary millennial timescales. Perspectives, we will highlight the many aspects of the In this context, the paper “The fast‑acting “pulse” Italian and Mediterranean Quaternary and how past, of Heinrich 3 in a mid‑latitude ecosystem” present and future research on this highly complex area (Badino et al., 2020) presents new insights on timing and represents a vital source of knowledge for our extended expression of Heinrich Stadial 3 (HS 3) in the framework of a community. mid‑latitude ecoclimatic gradient. Here we present a 3800 Here we start with the goals and interests of year-long palaeoecological record from Fimon (Vicenza, ECRs: young, active and focused on the new frontiers of N-Italy). The high median time-resolution of 58 years allowed Quaternary research, this next generation of scientists is the identification of five abrupt event-boundaries (i.e., main starting to shape how we look at the world around us. So we forest expansion and decline excursions) synchronous with asked a group of them to illustrate what they do and how the sharp stadial/interstadial (GS/GI) transitions within dating they contribute to their own field of research, on the road to uncertainties. During HS 3 we reconstructed more open and Rome 2023. dry conditions, compared to the other GS, at the continental Guido Stefano Mariani edge of the forest-steppe ecological gradient. While a INQUA ECR Representative regional scale fire signal prevailed during this interval, high- magnitude local fire peaks occurred at GI/GS boundaries, arguably linked to climate-driven fuel changes. Interestingly, Large, abrupt, and widespread climate changes with palaeoecological data unveiled an HS 3 internal variability major impacts have occurred repeatedly in the past, when consistent with δ 18O changes in alpine speleothem records, the Earth system was forced across thresholds. suggesting rapid and sensitive ecoclimatic response to even In the framework of the Italian Quaternary research, abrupt atmospheric circulation patterns. much fruitful work remains to be done to increase our An extensive collection of high-resolution understanding of such rapid and extreme climate flips and palaeoclimatic and paleoecological series represents a their effects on terrestrial ecosystems. It is of paramount prerequisite for improving past climate assessment and importance to support high-resolution studies on continuous projection in anthropogenic scenarios. series, given that changes between ecoclimatic modes can Federica Badino occur within decades, a rate similar to that of recent climate University of Bologna, Italy change. CNR-Institute of Environmental Geology The so-called Heinrich Events are among the most and Geoengineering (IGAG), Italy. abrupt climate perturbations of the last . Their Badino F, Pini R, Bertuletti P et al. (2020). Scientific reports, 10(1), 1-14.

My research activity is aimed at the study of Quaternary marine bioconstruction (coralligenous and rhodolith beds) and the macroinvertebrate thanatocoenoses/fossil assemblages that characterize the carbonate sediments of the temperate continental shelf, in the context of paleontology and applied marine , with an inter- and multidisciplinary approach which includes , sedimentology, geomorphology and geochemistry. The research focuses on the systematic classification of the organisms involved and the relationships existing

All roads lead to Rome 2023 between them in time and space, with the aim of Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 23

reconstructing paleoenvironmental, paleoclimate and paleogeographic scenarios of the whole Quaternary. Bioconstructions develop at the scale of geological time, giving rise to both the accumulation of sediments and the formation of solid and raised structures from the bottom (rocks) that influence the dynamics of seabed. They also represent valuable archives of the variations climatic and environmental past (both hot and cold interglacial). A particular aspect of the research concerns the analysis of the sedimentogenetic role of biogenic carbonate along the continental shelf, by studying the rate of production and accumulation, as well as the evaluation of the areal distribution e volumetric of these deposits.

particularly the southern Italian peninsula and the Sardinia Island. These regions lacks of high resolution palaeoclimate reconstructions, considering the latter are strongly biased toward northern Italy. Specifically, it is not clear how climate at southern Italian latitudes reacted to important environmental changes at global scale, such as the expansion/contraction of polar ice sheets and variation of the Atlantic overturning meridional circulation during the late Quaternary. Thus, my work aims to fill this knowledge gap in the understanding of the Italian Quaternary. Recently, I am developing a particular interest in evaluating the role of climate in driving the bio-cultural shifts of Palaeolithic cultures in southern Italy, as well as Neolithic to recent cultures in Sardinia. Specifically, I am focusing to what extent climate influenced the transition between and Sapiens in Apulia at around 42,000 years ago, as well as the end of the Nuragic culture in Sardinia at Valentina Alice Bracchi around 2,000 years ago. University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy Andrea Columbu University of Bologna, Italy Bracchi VA, Basso D, Savini A, Corselli C (2019). Marine Geology 411, 119-132. Columbu A, Chiarini V, Spötl C et al. (2020). . Nature Ecology & Evolution 4, 1188–1195.

I apply geochemical analyses such as U-Th dating, oxygen and carbon stable isotopes and trace elements and Pollen-based quantitative reconstructions of climate on cave carbonate deposits (mainly stalagmites). By doing parameters from natural archives in alpine, foothills and plain so, I am able to produce high resolution palaeoclimate and areas of northern Italy environmental reconstructions, in turn useful for: Fossil pollen records obtained from , peat bogs, • Unveil rainfall and temperature changes over the last mires and ocean sediments are used since the early 20th 500,000 years; century as a tool to qualitatively reconstruct past vegetation • Absolute geochronological redefinition of inter- and environments and their response to climate change and hemispheric rapid climatic events, such as stadial/ human pressure. From the qualitative description of past interstadial shifts, Heinrich events and glacial Quaternary inferred from assemblages, terminations; a step further towards quantitative reconstruction of • Comprehending the impact of Quaternary intra- and environmental and climate parameters has been done during inter-millennial timescale climate changes on the the last 50 years. geomorphological evolution of karst and non-karst The research focuses on pollen-based quantitative terrains. reconstructions of climate parameters from natural archives My main area of study is the Mediterranean area, in alpine, foothills and plain areas of northern Italy, a new 24 Quaternary Perspectives - Issue 29 / December 2020

challenge in the framework of the Italian Quaternary research. Within this context, the paper Furlanetto et al. (2018) presents Holocene vegetation history and quantitative climate reconstructions from a high-elevation sedimentary record (Armentarga peat bog, 2345 m asl) located on the southern flank of the European . Quantitative reconstructions of July temperature and annual precipitation were obtained by applying numerical transfer functions built on an extensive pollen-climate calibration set from the European Alps. Changes in elevational vegetation arrangement were primarily driven by phases of precipitation increase, and to a lesser extent by millennial-scale temperature changes already known from , timberline, amplitude of natural climate variability. Paleoclimate chironomids and speleothem records at Alpine scale. information facilitates understanding of Earth system Changes in pollen-inferred annual precipitation occurred feedbacks on time scales longer than a few centuries, which in three main steps: an early Holocene moderately humid cannot be evaluated from short instrumental records (IPCC phase, a precipitation increase at 6.2 ka cal BP and a further, 2013). prominent step forward at the Middle to Late Holocene In this framework, the Mediterranean area is considered transition that led to the high values of snowfall and runoff one of the most responsive regions to global change. In the characterizing today’s oceanic elevational climates of the Mediterranean area the effects of the climate change, likely outer Italian Alps. supplemented by human activities, are rapidly transferred Past climate variability is a key for future climate to the deep sea via an effective thermohaline circulation, scenarios and mitigation strategies. pointing to the exceptional sensitivity of the coupled ocean and atmosphere dynamics to combined anthropogenic and natural climate forcing in the region. In this framework, planktonic foraminifera represent the most important tool for monitoring for paleoceanographic, paleoecological and sea-surface temperature reconstructions through the properties of their fossil assemblages or as a substrate for extraction of geochemical signals. The high abundance and the excellent preservation of planktonic foraminifera in make them probably the best fossil record on Earth, providing unparalleled archives of morphological change, habitat and ecological variations. The principal aim of my research is to give a high- resolution overview about the climatic variability over the late Quaternary in the Mediterranean area and to correlate the climatic event in an interhemispheric-scale based on planktonic foraminifera and geochemical analysis. The multidisciplinary approach allowed to correlate the climate variability to the social-cultural development in Europe. Giulia Margaritelli CNR - Istituto di ricerca per la Protezione Idrogeologica (IRPI), Italy Giulia Furlanetto CNR-Institute of Environmental Geology Margaritelli G, Vallefuoco M, Di Rita F et al. (2016). Global and Geoengineering (IGAG), Italy. and Planetary Change 142,53-72.

Furlanetto G, Ravazzi C, Pini R et al. (2018). Quaternary Science Reviews 200, 212-236. My work focuses on the reconstruction of Quaternary sedimentary basins, ranging from field-based geological and geomorphological mapping to 3D numerical modelling. Climate variability reflects the interactions between My work spans among the disciplines of sedimentology, natural forcing and external forcing and has an important geomorphology, geopedology, geophysics, stratigraphy, influence on the socio-economic development, ecological tectonics. My current research looks at improving the systems and human issues. For a better prediction and reliability of (hydro-) stratigraphic models of Quaternary understanding of possible future climate evolution, it is sedimentary basins at multiple scales, by characterizing

All roads lead to Rome 2023 essential to understand the mechanisms, causes, and the space-time constraints on their evolution as rules for Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 25

numerical computations. My favourite place to do research is the field, both at gentle and steep slope settings. I actively Quaternary webinars cooperate at international projects in Developing Countries. I wrote my PhD on the characterization and modelling start from Pisa of the Quaternary Po Basin geology (N-Italy); I proposed a new geological and landscape evolution by combining geological field surveys, geopedological analyses and In preparation to the next INQUA congress, AIQUA is subsurface stratigraphic correlations. I cooperated with the organizing a series of webinars and meetings in collaboration CHYN Department in Neuchatel (CH) to refine and publish a with various Italian Universities and the National Research new method for multiscale modelling of Quaternary alluvial Council (CNR). To start, the University of Pisa (Department of systems. Earth Sciences, MS in Environmental Sciences, BS in Natural Relevance of my work in the Italian Quaternary research and Environmental Sciences and CIRSEC) leads the way with relates to the adopted multidisciplinary approach: Geology the webinar: “Vegetation responses to warm Mediterranean - new maps and stratigraphic scheme of the Quaternary Po mid-Holocene summers” (26 November, now available online) Basin integrate the Geological Map of Italy where they are held by Willy Tinner, professor at the University of Bern currently lacking; Landscape evolution - hints on the relations (Institute of Plant Sciences Paleoecology) and the Oeschger between (palaeo-) soils and the nature of the geological Center for Climate Change Research. surfaces have applicability to the study of tectonically active settings; (palaeo-)seismology - the morphostructural investigations in low-relief areas contribute to the debated seismic hazard assessment in the southern Po Basin; geomodelling of Quaternary reservoirs – the implemented modelling method helps to automatically test different geometrical-evolutionary hypotheses in various geological settings; hydrogeology and geothermics – the geological models are predisposed to set-up numerical flow/transport models of Quaternary aquifers, contributing to ameliorate the groundwaters management of the Po Plain. Chiara Zuffetti Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy

Zuffetti C, Bersezio R (2020). Geomorphology 364, 107245

Lake sediment coring at Lago Gemio Inferiore, Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, in the background the dominating Fagus sylvatica forest

From the abstract: The Mid-Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM) has been increasingly used to assess future climatic impacts on ecosystems. Ample palaeo and modelling evidence suggests that during the mid-Holocene summers were warmer than today (past 30 years) over the northern hemisphere, including the Mediterranean. Quantitative palaeoclimatic and palaeoecological time- series from the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines provide the opportunity to numerically address the local and regional response of plants to changing climate. The outcomes are ecological surprises. However, such evidence contrasts with pollen-based palaeoclimatic reconstructions, which infer that over the Mediterranean an anomalous Mid-Holocene Thermal Minimum prevailed. On the basis of the available multiproxy evidence we discuss an alternative interpretation of such pollen-based palaeoclimatic estimates. 26 Quaternary Perspectives - Issue 29 / December 2020

India Akash Srinivas1 & Binita Phartiyal2 Association of Quaternary Researchers (AOQR) and INQUA ECR interaction: A report

As part of the recently concluded Early-Career critically acclaimed, received tremendous support and an Researchers’ Webinar Series: ‘Emerging Areas of Research overwhelmingly positive feedback. Hence it was decided to in Quaternary Science’, organised by the Association of organise an interaction with the ECR team of INQUA to brief Quaternary Researchers (AOQR), a joint initiative by the ECR these Quaternary enthusiasts about the global platform teams of AOQR and INQUA was organised as a special session of INQUA and its activities. Thus, at the end of the series, to introduce the various features and facets of INQUA, to the a special interaction was organised on 2nd November, broader community of students, researchers and enthusiasts 2020, to brief the participants, especially the ECRs and of the Quaternary based in the Indian subcontinent. students of Quaternary research, about the organisation and The Association of Quaternary Researchers (AOQR) opportunities available at INQUA. This session, organised is a recently established association committed towards jointly by the ECR teams of AOQR and INQUA, included five the overall ascent of Quaternary research in the Indian short presentations from members of the INQUA ECR team. subcontinent. The association aims to bring together different researchers, students, and enthusiasts of the Dr. Francesca Ferrario from Università dell’Insubria, Quaternary of the region. One of the key objectives of the Italy; Chair, ECR-INQUA and ECR representative of TERPRO association is to bring Indian Quaternary researchers at par commission was the first of the presenters, and her with global research developments in terms of the latest presentation outlined the new funding policy of INQUA for techniques, methods and practices and enable to fill the the year 2021. This presentation was followed by Dr. Nivedita gaps in available datasets. In line with this objective, the Mehrotra from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, association seeks to organize regular meetings, national India; Secretary, ECR-INQUA and the ECR representative and international conferences, field workshops, laboratory of the PALCOM commission. The presentation detailed the training sessions, brainstorming sessions, and open panel structure of INQUA, outlining the different commissions, discussions. their scope and roles. Dr. Annie Lau from the University This webinar series was hosted concurrently on Google of Queensland, Australia, and the ECR representative for Meet and YouTube Live, with technical support provided CMP commission, outlined the various web-based activities primarily by the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, of INQUA and the range of social media engagement Lucknow, and Christ College (Autonomous), Irinjalakuda. undertaken by members of INQUA on various forums The series was promoted employing social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, among others). Dr. Martin Seeliger from (WhatsApp Groups and Twitter - @AOQRIndia). The webinar the Goethe University, Germany, and ECR representative series went live on Monday afternoons between 7th of the CMP commission, provided an example of the September, 2020 and 29th October, 2020. It featured eight functioning of the different INQUA commissions and INQUA ECR speakers from the length and breadth of India, and supported projects. The presentation detailed the working covered a broad range of topics and themes related to the of the NEPTUNE project, under the aegis of CMP. The final South Asian Quaternary record. A detailed list of abstracts presentation, by Dr. Guido Stefano Mariani, Università degli and speakers is published in the newsletter of the AOQR - Studi di Cagliari, Italy, and ECR representative of the TERPRO Quaternary Chronicles (QC Vol. 2, No. 3 - December 2020). The commission, detailed the various avenues available for presentations and ensuing discussions were recorded, and publication within INQUA - focusing on both Quaternary these are freely available to view on the YouTube channel of International (QI) and Quaternary Perspectives (QP). the Association of Quaternary Researchers and the website of AOQR. This event marks the first of many hopeful programs and activities resulting from the continued cooperation and On an average, over 250 viewers attended the lectures, coordination between AOQR and INQUA. ~80 % of which were students and ECRs. Participants represented various regions of India and the series drew in an international crowd, with participants from diverse AFFILIATIONS 1Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (Mohali), countries such as Sweden, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, India the United States, , Brazil, Pakistan, the 2Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, India

A view of the World Philippines, Israel, and Taiwan. Overall, the series was Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 27

Francesca Ferrario The stress-releasing page*

*: no earthquakes involved. Sorry for the creepy (oops, again…) pun.

During stressful times, it’s ok to take a break… The ECR Committee is here for you! Some famous songs seem to be written for describing Quaternary research: link the lyrics to the scientific theme!

Lyrics: 1. “Another brick in the wall” (The wall, Pink Floyd) 2. “There is a crack in everything” (Anthem, Leonard Cohen) May 2486. 3. Cover of “The dark side of the moon” (Pink Floyd) Jane is an Early Career Researcher and she has recently 4. “Thick as a brick” (Jethro Tull) been granted a project to study a sequence of earthquakes 5. “There are heroes in the seaweed” (Suzanne, Leonard occurred almost 500 years ago, in 2016 to be precise, in the Cohen) Central Apennines of Italy. A reappraisal of this sequence is 6. “A hard rain’s a-gonna fall” (Bob Dylan) now timely, because lots of data were taken at the time, but 7. “Where the pellets of poison are flooding their waters” using technologies now outdated – you know, like floppy (A hard rain’s a-gonna fall, Bob Dylan) disks or phone booths in XXI century. Jane is super-excited 8. “Blowing in the wind” (Bob Dylan) because today is her first day of fieldwork… actually she is 9. “Stuck in the mud” (Isaiah Rashad) lying in pajamas on her sofa because we are in 2486 and there’s no need to physically go there – her avatar will do the Scientific themes: job. a. Ternary plots of grain size A last check to the equipment, everything is ready: b. River contamination from industrial activities • Inqua cap, to avoid sunburn. c. Understanding algae-bacteria interactions • Lidar glasses, to get a 3D view of the site. d. Construction techniques at archaeological sites • Fault-hunting dog (aka Detector Dog), who can smell e. Investigation of mud bricks as a building material tiny active faults up to 6 feet under. If needed, they also f. Paleoseismological trenching in a humid region digs trenches. g. Characterizing loess deposition • Seismic flashlight, to go deeper into the Earth’s depth. h. Mapping surface faulting following a magnitude 7 • Nijiri gama: it was invented centuries ago, but no tool is earthquake better for scratching sediments. i. Typhoon forecasting • Stress tester: this portable instrument identifies all unknown faults in a region and reconstructs the changes in Coulomb stress induced by an earthquake. It was invented during a pandemic by a white man without kids or caring responsibilities. • Super-fancy new instrument: at a first sight, it looks like a regular earthworm. But it can dig a borehole, date every stratigraphic layer with a resolution of 12 seconds, measure on- and off-fault deformation, compute fault slip, seismic wave propagation and aftershock

distribution. 2 blue gold blue 2

1 Seismic wave Seismic 1 • Hyppo, the field/lab assistant: they are in charge of

Georebus: collecting samples from trenches and to perform grain

5c, 6i, 7b, 8g, 9f 8g, 7b, 6i, 5c, size and micromorphology analyses. Contrarily to most 1d, 2h, 3a, 4e, 3a, 2h, 1d, , Hyppo loves silty sediments and shallow

SOLUTIONS groundwater. When they are working, they sing all the time “The hyppopothamus song” (mud, glorious mud…). 28 Quaternary Perspectives - Issue 29 / December 2020

Jule Xiao1 & Thijs van Kolfschoten2,3 Quaternary International - New Releases

In the June 2020 issue of Quaternary Perspectives SPECIAL/THEMATIC ISSUES the release of 8 new volumes of Quaternary International Volume 543 - Pages 1-148 have been presented. The number of volumes published The Archaeology of Human-Bird Interactions: in 2020 is today, November 15, 27; in the coming weeks Essays in Honour of Dale Serjeantson. Volume 1 9 more volumes will appear to complete the 36 volumes Edited by Umberto Albarella, Polydora Baker, QI publishes each year. Nine of the 27 issues are so-called Evelyne Browaeys, Chiara Corbino, Jacqui Mulville, Regular Issues with standalone papers; the remaining Ged Poland, Fay Worley 18 issues are Special/Thematic Issues. Follow the latest The importance of birds in human life is undeniable. updates on the published issues on the Quaternary They affect current human societies profoundly, but International website. the human-bird relationship was arguably even more

FIGURE 1: Participants to the 9th ICAZ Bird working group meeting (Volume 543). Photo: Helene Benkert. Quaternary International Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 29

important in the past, when people were in closer (Mendoza Province, Argentina) in 2017. This volume brings contact with the natural world than today. Birds, in their together applications of stable that domesticated and wild forms, have greatly contributed address a range of research questions surrounding the to subsistence, economy, social structure and ideology of interactions between humans and their environment. human communities. All these aspects are explored in the 18 contributions presented in this volume – and further Volume 549 – Pages 1-248 exploration will be available in the second volume of these Long-term perspectives on circumpolar social- proceedings (figure 1). ecological systems Edited by Sean P. A. Desjardins, Peter Jordan Volume 545 - Pages 1-128 Seventeen papers in this issue “look back” examining ArchaeoLife and Environment human-environment interactions in three regions: Edited by Oren Ackermann, Mauro Coltorti, Ladislav Arctic Eurasia; Arctic and Greenland; and Šmejda, Itzhaq Shai Sub-Antarctic South America. Conversely, three papers A broad range of novel topics dealing with “look ahead” exploring emerging challenges and future archaeological finds, environmental impacts of human implications. We conclude this editorial with a series of activity, life science methods and environmental changes recommendations – or “action points” – that are addressed are presented in the given special issue. This issue was to the wider interdisciplinary research community. initiated and is based on an international workshop which took place at Ariel University in 2017 entitled “Archaeology, Volume 551 – Pages 1-264 Science and Environment” organized by O. Ackermann Peopling dynamics in the Mediterranean area and I. Shai and funded by the Israel Ministry of Science. between 45 and 39 ky ago: state of art and new data Volume 546 - Pages 1-244 Edited by Stefano Benazzi, Dusan Boric Quaternary Stratigraphy and Karst & Cave The purpose of this special is to extensively review Sediments: the INQUA-SEQS 2018 Meeting and update our current knowledge on the critical Edited by Guzel Danukalova, Markus Fiebig, Nadja problem of the arrival of MHs in southern Europe. Most Zupan Hajna, Pierluigi Pieruccini, Andrej Mihevc contributions focus on the relationship between Late This Special Issue presents part of the contributions and transitional-Early Upper Palaeolithic to the SEQS-DATESTRA 2018 Meeting “Quaternary technological and material cultural assemblages, Stratigraphy and Karst and Cave Sediments” held in as well as on the emergence of the Initial Upper Postojna (Slovenia), 12–18 September 2018. 143 participants Palaeolithic assemblages in the Near East, and on the from 16 countries joined the Meeting, organized by role of environmental change and its impact on adaptive Dr. Andrej Mihevc, Dr. Nadja Zupan Hajna and their strategies, technology, settlement pattern, subsistence collaborators and hosted by the Karst Research Institute of practices, and timing of human dispersals over the the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences continent. and Arts. Volume 552 – Pages 1-174 Volume 547 - Pages 1-220 Loess records of environmental change Groundwater and Palaeoclimate Edited by Martin Kehl, Farhad Khormali, Manfred Edited by Jianyao Chen, Sylvi Haldorsen, Rein Frechen Vaikmäe This special issue provides insights into these topics Groundwater is the main water supply for a large and of Quaternary research by compiling recent studies on growing population. The risk of local overexploitation is loess deposits from Europe, West and Central Asia as well high. For instance, exploitation of the Nubian Sandstone as the Chinese Loess Plateau with special regard on less Aquifer System in Egypt has involved significant lowering well-known loess covered areas of the Southern Eurasian of the discharge in oasis systems in Egypt (Powell and loess belt such as Iran. Fensham, 2016). Considerably more fossil groundwater will probably be extracted in the future, mainly because there Volume 555 – Pages 1-164 will be no alternative resources available. Africa under the microscope: What’s new in techno-functional analyses in archaeology? Volume 548 - Pages 1-124 Edited by Giulio Lucarini, Sonja Tomasso Stable Isotope Analysis: Methodological This special issue includes eleven original Approaches and Case Studies in southern South contributions on functional (use-wear and organic America micro-residue), technological (lithic reduction processes, Edited by Clara Otaola, Francisca Santana-Sagredo, and petrographic and geochemical analysis of raw Paul Szpak materials, both performed on lithics and ceramics), and This special issue presents the results of the second ethnographic approaches, performed on stone tools workshop (Arqueología e Isótopos Estables en el Sur de or pottery assemblages, coming from archaeological Sudamérica), which was held in the city of San Rafael contexts located in Mediterranean Africa, the , 30 Quaternary Perspectives - Issue 29 / December 2020

the Nile Valley and Southern Africa. The first group of Khatsenovich, Evgeny P. Rybin, John W. Olsen six articles includes the contributions on knapped and This Special Issue incorporates a broad range ground stone tools; the second group of five articles of topics, including the origins and dispersal of the includes the works carried out on pottery assemblages. genus Homo in Asia with a focus on and the Altaic population of Neandertals, especially their lithic Volume 556 – Pages 1-230 technology and hunting behaviour. Central Asia’s broad Electron spin resonance (ESR) dating in spectrum of Pleistocene climatic zones encourages the Quaternary studies: evolution, recent advances and study of environmental impacts on human settlement applications patterns and the cultural geography there. Edited by Mathieu Duval, Gilles Rixhon, Lee J. Arnold Figure 2 Volume 563 - Pages 1-118 Dispersal barriers into Southeast Asia during the Volume 557 – Pages 1-136 Late Pleistocene High resolution analyses of large mammals dental Edited by Fabrice Demeter, Christopher J. Bae remains: broadening horizons The purpose of this special issue is to evaluate, from Edited by Florent Rivals, Carlos Tornero a multidisciplinary perspective (vertebrate paleontology, This special issue gathers specialists from different , archaeology) the impact of various fields in dental studies, including tooth microwear and barriers in mainland and island Southeast Asia on faunas, mesowear, stable isotopes, cementum analysis and including modern humans and other hominins, and floras osteometry. The papers cover a wide range of sites during the Late Pleistocene. and chronologies, and are focusing on many different problematics in archaeology. MOST DOWNLOADED Volume 559 – Pages 1-198 Number 3 of the 20 most-downloaded articles from Current Research on Prehistoric Central Asia Quaternary International in the last 90 days, recently Edited by Andrei I. Krivoshapkin, Arina M. published is:

FIGURE 2: Evolution with time (by decade) of the most popular ESR dating applications since 1980, expressed by number of pub- lications (left), and comparison with the present SI (right). Source: Scopus search (24/06/2020) based on the selection of journals that have traditionally included ESR dating studies: Quaternary (data available since 2006), Quaternary Science Reviews (since 1982), Quaternary International (since 1989), Journal of Human Evolution (since 1972), Radiation Measurements [in- cluding the former Nuclear Tracks and Radiation Measurements; International Journal of Radiation Applications and Instrumen- tation. Part D. Nuclear Tracks and Radiation Measurements; Nuclear Tracks and Radiation Measurements (1982)] (since 1982). Note: (i) the papers from the present SI that have been available online before 2020 have not been included in the left graph, but only in the right graph; (ii) The ESR dating study by Bahain et al. (2020, this volume) includes applications to both fossil tooth enamel and quartz grains, and has thus been counted twice in the right graph; (iii) In contrast, the historical review papers by Grün (2020, this volume) and Falguères et al. (2020, this volume) have not been included in the right graph. Quaternary International Issue 29 / December 2020 - Quaternary Perspectives 31

FIGURE 3: a) Map showing Rewalsar lake location and wind trajectories for 2010 CE using Meteoinfo; b). Mean monthly precipi- tation record from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh for the year 2010 using India water portal (India Meteorological Department). Also shown are location of other proxy records used in this study for comparison.

Marjolein Admiraal, Alexandre Lucquin, Matthew von be of broad interest for the global Quaternary research Tersch, Oliver E. Craig, Peter D. Jordan - The adoption of community as a whole are also accepted and published in pottery on Kodiak Island: Insights from organic residue a restricted number/year regular issues after passing the analysis. Quaternary International 554, 128-142. review process.

Number 10 in the list of most-downloaded papers (figure 3) is: Shweta Singh, Anil K. Gupta, Som Dutt, Ajoy K. Bhaumik, & David M. Anderson - Abrupt shifts in the Indian summer during the last three millennia. Quaternary International 558, 59–65.

For the complete list of most-downloaded papers please consult the Quaternary International website.

NEW PROPOSALS FOR SPECIAL ISSUES The policy of Quaternary International is to publish thematic issues, including peer-reviewed collected research papers from symposia, workshops and meetings sponsored by INQUA’s Commissions, Sub-Commissions and working groups. We would like to invite leading AFFILIATIONS scientists to propose SIs in Quaternary International. 1Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China Please contact the Editor-in-Chief (Jule Xiao) for further [email protected] 2 details. Leiden university, The Netherlands 3Shandong University, China Standalone manuscripts of outstanding quality [email protected] presenting advanced research that were deemed to © INQUA 2020