120
however, human activities became more relevant and since the 1800s they have been
most prominent. But the most dramatic changes occurred around the mid-twentieth
century when the Bilbao estuary became unable to support life within its sediments.
In my opinion, the boundary between the Pleistocene and the Holocene, which
has been formally accepted, is much less pronounced in many cases than the generally dramatic change between natural and anthropogenically impacted sediments. In
many coastal areas, it is impossible to recognize the boundary between the
Pleistocene and Holocene, and when we do, we rely on carbon-14 dating or disruptions in the sedimentation (erosive surfaces) to identify this boundary rather than
significant sedimentological markers. So, while the term “Anthropocene” may not
be perfect and the timing of this epoch’s onset and definition are not yet decided, it
is clear that there is a need to distinguish this period of time, whose easily recognized characteristics are controlled by a force so different from any prior interval,
that is, by human beings.
Acknowledgements The works described and discussed in this chapter reflect closely Leorri and
Cearreta (2009) and represent years of work by a team of researchers that are or were part of the
Harea-Coastal Geology research group, led by Dr. Cearreta, although other experts contributed to
these studies as well. Dr. María Jesús Irabien Gulias contribution was especially significant and
clearly Dr. Alejandro Cearreta, my PhD advisor and team leader, was the person responsible for
this work. Several grants funded the studies that led to this chapter: MEC121.310- 0464/96.
AMB96-0464, 121.310-EA041/92, 121.310-EC221/97, 076.310-EB046/99, GIU 06/10,
UNESCO06/08, GIC07/32-IT-332-07, and AE-2008-1-24. It needs to be noted that the development of the topics presented in this chapter is still ongoing and additional projects have supported
this ongoing scientific adventure. I would like to thank Dr. González-Fuentes for helping me to
improve this manuscript.
If You Would Like More Information
Austin WJ, Holbrook JM (2012) Is the Anthropocene an issue of stratigraphy or pop culture? GSA
Today 22(7):60–61
Cearreta A, Irabien MJ, Leorri E, Yusta I, Croudace IW, Cundy AB (2000) Recent anthropogenic
impacts on the Bilbao estuary, northern Spain: geochemical and microfaunal evidence. Estuar
Coast Shelf Sci 50:571–592
Cearreta A, Irabien MJ, Leorri E, Yusta I, Quintanilla A, Zabaleta A (2002) Environmental transformation of the Bilbao estuary, N. Spain: microfaunal and geochemical proxies in the recent
sedimentary record. Mar Pollut Bull 44:487–503
Cundy AB, Croudace IW, Cearreta A, Irabien MJ (2003) Reconstructing historical trends in metal
input in heavily-disturbed, contaminated estuaries: studies from Bilbao, Southampton Water
and Sicily. Appl Geochem 18:311–325
Irabien MJ, Cearreta A, Serrano H, Villasante-Marcos V (2018) Environmental regeneration
processes in the Anthropocene: the Bilbao estuary case (northern Spain). Mar Pollut Bull
135:977–987
Leorri E, Cearreta A (2004) Holocene environmental development of the Bilbao estuary, northern
Spain: sequence stratigraphy and foraminiferal interpretation. Mar Micropaleontol 51:75–94
Leorri E, Cearreta A (2009) El registro geológico de la transformación ambiental de la ría de
Bilbao durante el Holoceno y el Antropoceno. Munibe 26:1–188
E. Leorri
however, human activities became more relevant and since the 1800s they have been
most prominent. But the most dramatic changes occurred around the mid-twentieth
century when the Bilbao estuary became unable to support life within its sediments.
In my opinion, the boundary between the Pleistocene and the Holocene, which
has been formally accepted, is much less pronounced in many cases than the generally dramatic change between natural and anthropogenically impacted sediments. In
many coastal areas, it is impossible to recognize the boundary between the
Pleistocene and Holocene, and when we do, we rely on carbon-14 dating or disruptions in the sedimentation (erosive surfaces) to identify this boundary rather than
significant sedimentological markers. So, while the term “Anthropocene” may not
be perfect and the timing of this epoch’s onset and definition are not yet decided, it
is clear that there is a need to distinguish this period of time, whose easily recognized characteristics are controlled by a force so different from any prior interval,
that is, by human beings.
Acknowledgements The works described and discussed in this chapter reflect closely Leorri and
Cearreta (2009) and represent years of work by a team of researchers that are or were part of the
Harea-Coastal Geology research group, led by Dr. Cearreta, although other experts contributed to
these studies as well. Dr. María Jesús Irabien Gulias contribution was especially significant and
clearly Dr. Alejandro Cearreta, my PhD advisor and team leader, was the person responsible for
this work. Several grants funded the studies that led to this chapter: MEC121.310- 0464/96.
AMB96-0464, 121.310-EA041/92, 121.310-EC221/97, 076.310-EB046/99, GIU 06/10,
UNESCO06/08, GIC07/32-IT-332-07, and AE-2008-1-24. It needs to be noted that the development of the topics presented in this chapter is still ongoing and additional projects have supported
this ongoing scientific adventure. I would like to thank Dr. González-Fuentes for helping me to
improve this manuscript.
If You Would Like More Information
Austin WJ, Holbrook JM (2012) Is the Anthropocene an issue of stratigraphy or pop culture? GSA
Today 22(7):60–61
Cearreta A, Irabien MJ, Leorri E, Yusta I, Croudace IW, Cundy AB (2000) Recent anthropogenic
impacts on the Bilbao estuary, northern Spain: geochemical and microfaunal evidence. Estuar
Coast Shelf Sci 50:571–592
Cearreta A, Irabien MJ, Leorri E, Yusta I, Quintanilla A, Zabaleta A (2002) Environmental transformation of the Bilbao estuary, N. Spain: microfaunal and geochemical proxies in the recent
sedimentary record. Mar Pollut Bull 44:487–503
Cundy AB, Croudace IW, Cearreta A, Irabien MJ (2003) Reconstructing historical trends in metal
input in heavily-disturbed, contaminated estuaries: studies from Bilbao, Southampton Water
and Sicily. Appl Geochem 18:311–325
Irabien MJ, Cearreta A, Serrano H, Villasante-Marcos V (2018) Environmental regeneration
processes in the Anthropocene: the Bilbao estuary case (northern Spain). Mar Pollut Bull
135:977–987
Leorri E, Cearreta A (2004) Holocene environmental development of the Bilbao estuary, northern
Spain: sequence stratigraphy and foraminiferal interpretation. Mar Micropaleontol 51:75–94
Leorri E, Cearreta A (2009) El registro geológico de la transformación ambiental de la ría de
Bilbao durante el Holoceno y el Antropoceno. Munibe 26:1–188
E. Leorri