Guadalupe Mountains National Park Superintendent Dennis A. Vasquez announced that the park has been recognized by the Subcommission on Permian Stratigraphy of the International Union of Geological Sciences with the placement of plaques marking the park‟s three Global Stratotype Sections and Points (GSSPs). Dr. Shuzhong Shen, current Chair of the Subcommission, Dr. Charles M. Henderson, past Chair of the Subcommission, and Guadalupe Mountains National Park geologist Dr. Jonena Hearst placed the bronze markers in the park this past Spring. According to A Geologic Time Scale 2004 (Gradstein, Felix M., James G. Ogg and Alan G. Smith, [Editors], Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K., 2004), “…the basal boundary of each stage is standardized at a point in a single reference section within an interval exhibiting continuous sedimentation. This precise reference point for each boundary is known as a Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP), and represents the point in time when that part of the rock succession begain.” Hearst stated, “GSSPs, which are established by consensus within the international geological community, have proven to be extremely valuable in understanding the timing of events in earth history because everyone is using the same language. The sedimentary beds bearing the plaques identify the base of each of the geologic stages within the Guadalupian Series which appear in the park. “ Researchers realized the need for standard FIXED-TIME definitions for geologic units and horizons so that the name of the unit would mean the same thing to everyone, no matter where they are. The Global Stratotype Sections and Points are „golden spikes‟ for the international geological community. These sections and points allow geologists to correlate rocks and fossils from one locality to another across continents and oceans, giving geologists a common reference and vocabulary for discussing local, regional, and global events in geology and paleontology.” These sections and points allow geologists to correlate rocks and fossils from one locality to another across continents and oceans, giving geologists a common reference and vocabulary for discussing local, regional, and global events in geology and paleontology.” The Permian Periodis the last period of the Paleozoic Era The Permian, is subdivided into three series, the Cisuralian, , the Guadalupian, and the Lopingian, The Permian witnessed a progression from an greatest icehouse climate to a hothouse climate culminating in the biggest mass extinction -of all time. At the end of the Permian, about 95% of the Earth‟s marine species and 75% of its terrestrial species went extinct. During the Permian, the world was dominated by a united supercontinent, called Pangaea, and surrounded by a global ocean called the Panthalassa Sea. Many Permian marine deposits are rich in fossils of all types of invertebrates animals. Many of the animals, such as fossil brachiopods, fusulinids, conodonts and ammonoids are useful in correlating rocks from different regions. They are also useful reconstructing the palaeogeography and palaeobiogeography of that time. -NPS- Guadalupe Mountains National Park (nps.gov/GUMO/) was established in 1972, in part, to preserve an area possessing outstanding, globally unique geological features together with scenic, natural, and cultural values of great significance. The 86,416-acre park is situated at the western terminus of the world’s most extensive and well-exposed fossil reef, including related shelf and basinal rocks, which have achieved international designation as the world’s best example of Middle Permian geology. A tremendous earth fault on the west side of the park attracts major geological interest because it exposes numerous classical depositional settings superimposed over a long interval of geologic time. The western area of the park contains excellent examples of playa depositional systems, including evaporite minerals, salt lake shorelines, and areas of Aeolian dunes. The International Commission on Stratigraphy (stratigraphy.org) is the largest and oldest constituent scientific body in the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS.org) . Its primary objective is to precisely define global units (systems, series, and stages) of the International Chronostratigraphic Chart that, in turn, are the basis for the units (periods, epochs, and age) of the International Geologic Time Scale; thus setting global standards for the fundamental scale for expressing the history of the Earth. EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™ The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. NOTE: All Photos Are Courtesy of Dr Shuzhong Shen, Chair of Subcommission on Permian Stratigraphy
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 21:55:50 +0000