new s • • www.pages-igbp.org Vol 17 No 3 October 2009 Advances in Paleolimnology Editors: Reinhard Pienitz, André Lotter, Louise Newman and Thorsten Kiefer The historical records contained in lake sediments provide insights into the effects and mech- anisms of past climatic and environmental change. This issue of PAGES news highlights methodological advances in the field of paleolimnology, including proxy reconstructions, DNA analysis and chronology, among others (Photo credits on back cover). Inside PAGES YSM & OSM epilog SSC and EXCOM evaluated proposals for history, was recently published. It aims to PAGES 1st Young Scientists Meeting and new PAGES Working Groups and applica- galvanize the paleocommunity towards 3rd Open Science Meeting were held in tions for workshop funding (see below). answering the key questions of the com- July in Corvallis, Oregon, USA (see p. 131- ing. decade These questions are directed 134 this issue). There was a great deal New Working Groups at developing a better understanding of Announcements of interaction and networking, and we The SSC and EXCOM approved two new climate-environment sensitivity, regional wouldo like t thank everyone who partici- proposals for PAGES Working Groups, one variability, global system behavior and pated.e W received very positive feedback on Varves (under Cross-Cutting Theme 1: human interaction with climate and envi- for both meetings and a lot of very useful Chronology) and another on the Marine ronment.t I is available in digital form and input on PAGES science activities and fu- Nitrogen Cycle (under the “Paleoperspec- hardcopy. Another strategic document ture. plans An online poster exhibition has tives on Ocean Biogeochemistry” Theme thatw is no available for download is the been set up for both meetings and videos of PAGES Focus 3: Global Earth-System revised Vision Document of the PAGES/ of the entire OSM program can be viewed Dynamics). To get involved, contact Pierre CLIVAR Intersection Panel that outlines the online (http://www.pages-osm.org/osm/ Francus ([email protected]) and Markus framework of topics to be tackled by the videos.html). The videos are available to Kienast ([email protected]), respec- Panel in the coming years. Other recent order gratis in DVD form from PAGES on- tively. Information on these and other PAGES publications are the Palaeogeogra- line Product Database (http://www.pages- Working Groups, or on how to propose phy, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology spe- igbp.org/products/). The inaugural meet- a new Working Group within PAGES can cial issue (281:3-4, 175-376) on “Long-term ing of the PAGES Last 2 Millennia Theme, be found online (http://www.pages-igbp. multi-proxy climate reconstructions and including representatives from each of the org/science/workinggroups.html). dynamics in South America (LOTRED-SA): current Working Groups—Africa, Antarc- State of the art and perspectives”, (confer- tic, Arctic, Australasia, Asia Europe, North Workshop Support ence proceedings from the LOTRED-SA and South America—was also held in Cor- Three proposals to the Open Call for Work- workshop held in October 2006 in Argen- vallis (see p. 130 this issue). shop Support in May were awarded fi- tina), and a paper in Nature Geoscience PAGES will hold its next YSM and nancial support. The newly formed Varve (doi:10.1038/ngeo660), “Interglacial diver- OSM in 2013. The location is still to be WG was allocated funding for its first sity”, resulting from the first PIGS (Past In- determined. Details will be posted online workshop, planned for the end of 2009/ terglacials) Working Group meeting held (http://www.pages-osm.org/) as they be- beginning of 2010 in Estonia. The two in October 2008 in France. Further details come available. other supported meetings, both INQUA and/or downloads of above products are activities, were a West African Quater- available through PAGES online Product SSC and EXCOM meetings nary workshop on paleoclimatic sea level Databaset a http://www.pages-igbp.org/ PAGES Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) changes and anthropogenic responses products/ and Executive Committee (EXCOM) met in (Nigeria, 26-30 October 2009), and a work- Troutdale, Oregon after the OSM. Discus- shop on tephrochronology, volcanism Next issue of PAGES News sion items included general business, and human activity (Japan, 10-17 May The first issue for 2010 will contain a spe- budgets for the next financial year and the 2010). Details are in PAGES online calen- cial section on peatland paleoscience, upcoming grant for funding of the PAGES dar of paleo-events (http://www.pages- guest edited by Stephen Jackson and Dan project for 2010-2013, which is due to the igbp.org/calendar/). The next Open Call Charman. The deadline for contributions Swiss and US National Science Founda- deadline is Sunday, 15 November 2009. to this special section as well as to the tionst a this end of this year. Minutes from Application guidelines can be found on- open section, unrelated to the peatland the meetings will soon be available on- line (http://www.pages-igbp.org/resourc topic, is 11 January 2010. Guidelines for line (http://www.pages-igbp.org/people/ es/support/guidelines.html). contributions can be found online (http:// sscmembers/meetingminutes.html). SSC www.pages-igbp.org/products/newslet- members also elected new SSC members Hot off the Press ters/instructions.html). for 2010. The new members will be an- PAGES new Science Plan and Implementa- nounced in the next issue. In addition, the tion Strategy,d the thir in PAGES 18-year Eulogy: John “Jack” Eddy Raymond S. BRadley Department of Geosciences, University of Massachusetts, USA; [email protected] Sadly, one of the guiding lights and stron- sity Corporation for Atmospheric Research essential, and he used his considerable gest supporters of PAGES passed away on (UCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, Jack became persuasive talents and his reputation as 10 June 2009. John A. Eddy, known to all an influential and eloquent spokesman ant eminen astrophysicist to promote this his friends as Jack, played a key role in pro- for the kinds of interdisciplinary research agenda. One of the most important steps moting the concept of interdisciplinary thate w take for granted nowadays. But in this process was the “Global Change research and the important perspective in the 1980s, the concept was a hard sell; Institute” that he organized in the sum- that studies of past climate changes could breaking down the walls that separated mer of 1989, in Snowmass, Colorado. This bring to Earth System science. the traditional disciplines was difficult. brought together many of the leaders in As Director of the Office of Interdis- Jack never wavered in his ardent belief paleoclimatology from around the world ciplinary Earth Studies within the Univer- thate a mor holistic view of the Earth was to work together for 2 weeks, challeng- 90 PAGES news • Vol 17 • No 3 • October 2009 ing each other’s ideas and developing the planst tha later became the foundation of the PAGES scientific strategy (Bradley and Eddy, 1991). At the same time, the Science Advisory Council for IGBP committed to, “a major new international research project dealing with ... a coordinated effort to recov- er information from natural archives that Announcements will illuminate connections between atmo- spheric composition, global temperature, ice extent, solar history, and the distribution of land and oceanic organisms”. This meshed perfectly with Jack’s vi- siont of wha was needed, and in 1991 the first meeting of the PAGES Scientific Steer- ing Committee was held in Mainz. I fondly remember Jack leading a critical discus- sion—what should the new project be called? There was already a potential acro- nym—“PaGloCha” (Past Global Changes) but this hardly seemed to have the same catchiness and imagery that “PAGES” had. After, all wasn’t the plan to use natural ar- chiveso t look back in time, as one might flip back through the pages of a book? Jack was his usual persuasive self, and the "Jack" Eddy, photographed by Barbara Eddy new name was readily adopted. He then The PAGES community has greatly benefit- as one of the warmest and most sincere played a critical role in obtaining a com- ed over the years from Jack’s relentless and individuals you could ever hope to meet. mitment from the U.S. National Science enthusiastic support for the project in its Foundation to team up with the Swiss Sci- formative years. These are simple facts that References ence Foundation and co-fund a coordina- document his role. But those who knew Bradley, R.S. and Eddy, J.A., 1991: Records of past global changes. In: R.S. Bradley (Ed), Global Changes of the Past, University Corporation tion office in Bern. Jack will remember him first and foremost for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, p. 5-9. PAGES Calendar 2010 15 - 19 Feb 2010 - Bariloche, Argentina 10 - 13 May 2010 - Edinburgh, UK VI Southern Connection Congress - Gondwana AIMES Open Science Conference "Earth system reunited: A southern perspective for a changing science: Climate, global change and people" world http://www.pages-igbp.org/calendar/ http://www.sccongress2010.com.ar/ 29 Aug - 3 Sep 2010 - California, USA 10 - 17 May 2010 - Kyushu Island, Japan 10th International Conference on International field conference and workshop on Paleoceanography tephrochronology, volcanism and human activity http://icp10.ucsd.edu/ http://www.ris.ac.jp/intav-jp/ 13 - 15 Sep 2010 - Shanghai, China 2nd PAGES Global Monsoon Symposium http://www.pages-igbp.org/calendar/ Available now! DVD of talks and slides from PAGES Open Science Meeting Order a copy from PAGES Product Database http://www.pages-igbp.org/products/ (select "videos") 91 PAGES news • Vol 17 • No 3 • October 2009 Editorial: Advances in Paleolimnology ReinhaRd Pienitz1 and andRé F.