Project Timetable

We have specifically chosen regions that are in some degree underresearched. Some successions, such as those in South China have been intensively studied in terms of biostratigraphy but palaeocommunities recorded in these sections in South China have not yet enjoyed the same scrutiny. Other successions such as those in the Perth Basin, Western Australia, and in South and Southeast Asia have received little international attention during recent decades and knowledge of palaeontology is still quite basic in those regions.

The research team comprises multiple international active researchers and the project targets the regions of >10 countries. Each group has their own field trip in their research regions. These field trips undertaken by small groups are not listed here. It is certain that additional field excursions will present themselves in the future. At the moment there is significant interest, for example, in a field excursion to West Asia (i.e., Turkey, Oman, Iran) as well as high-latitude regions such as Russian Far East and New Zealand.

 

2008

• IGCP 572 session joint with Session HPF-13 (8^th of August) at the 33^rd International Geological Congress, Oslo, Norway, August 4-16, 2008 (Z.Q. Chen);

• Organisation of key project activities (division of labour) (through e-mail communication);

• Establishment of working groups and national committees(through e-mail communication);

• Organisation and construction of project website by Z.Q. Chen;

• First annual Meeting & field workshop in southern Turkey in Sept or Oct., 2008 (postponed to October 2009);

• Discussions on publication of criteria for recognition of global P-Tr marine ecosystems (M.L. Fraiser, J. Tong and others);

• First attempt on establishing web-based electronic inventory of global Early Triassic successions (Z.Q. Chen, S. Kershaw, T. Algeo, K. Grice);

• Field trips in western US, South China, Western Australia undertaken by small groups;

• Discussion of possibilities for training and exchange of postgraduate students;

• Discussion of possibilities for collaborative research grant applications.

 

2009

• First annual meeting and IGCP symposium “Early Triassic ecosystems” at western United States (June-July? M.L. Fraiser);

• Field trip to western US (M.L. Fraiser);

• Second annual Meeting & field workshop in southern Turkey in Oct., 2009 (more details to be confirmed by S. Crasquin);  

• Discussions on publication of Elsevier book series “Developments in Early Triassic sequences” (M.L. Fraiser and others);

• First attempt on establishing web-based electronic database for P-Tr environments based on global geochemical data (T. Algeo, K. Grice);

• Discussion on establishing web-based electronic database of global P-Tr ecosystem types (Z.Q. Chen and others);

• Discussion of possibilities for editing a special issue in an international journal focusing on recovery pattern and process of various fossil groups (S. Crasquin, others);

• Probably organizing IGCP symposium joint with some regular palaeontolgical conference (i.e., GSA annual meeting, PA annual meeting etc.);

• Postgraduate research progress reports.

 

2010

• Third annual field workshop in Oman (Jan.-Feb.? R. Twitchett, A. Baud and others];

• Third annual meeting and IGCP symposium “Global changes and ecosystems after P-Tr mass extinction” in Wuhan, China (June? J. Tong);

• Field trips to South China and southern Tibet (J. Tong, S. Kershaw, S. Crasquin and others);

• Discussion on publication of thematic issue of new models for P-Tr mass extinction and recovery, aftermath ecosystem scenario and impacts from climate and other geological events (J. Tong and others);

• Discussion on final version of global electronic database for P-Tr ecosystems (Z.Q. Chen, M.L. Fraiser, R.J. Twitchett, S. Crasquin, S. Kershaw and others);

• Discussion on new models for Early Triassic environments and climates based on new and complied data input from project members (T. Algeo, K. Grice);

• Possible symposium joint with 3^rd International Palaeontological Congress in UK.

 

2011

• Fourth annual meeting and IGCP symposium joint with the “17^th International Congress on Carboniferous and Permian”, Perth, Australia, July 1-4 (Z.Q. Chen);

• Field trip/workshop to Western Australia (Shark Bay, Lake Thetis, Lake Cliffton as well as Lower Triassic stromatolite localities in the Perth Basin) (Z.Q. Chen, K. Grice);

• Workshop at the Geological Survey of Western Australia Core Library, Perth (A. Mory, K. Grice, Z.Q. Chen);

• Fourth annual field workshop (deep-water facies successions) in New Zealand or Japan (Jan.-Feb.??? Y. Aita, regional leader);

• Fourth annual field workshop in Iran (Oct.?? E. Heydari, N. Arzani, project members); OR, Fourth annual field workshop (shallow-water facies successions) in Himalayan regions (Sept.-Oct.??? India? or Pakistan?) (leader to be recruited);

• Discussion on thematic issue focusing on “Ancient microbial ecosystems and their modern analogues” in a renowned international journal (Z.Q. Chen, K. Grice and S. Kershaw);

• Field trips in South China, western US, western Asia, Hungary by small groups.

 

2012

• Fifth and final annual meeting possibly in Hungary (Aug.-Sept.??? J. Haas);

• Field trip to Hungary-northern Italy regions (J. Haas);

• Fifth and final annual field workshop probably in Russian Far East (May??? Y. Zakhrov).

• Presentation of final results in relevant IGCP symposium joint with the 34^th IGC or GSA annual meeting;

• Publication of synthesis in book form along with completed database for P-Tr ecosystems;

• Finalisation and formal publication of global electronic database for Early Triassic life, environments and climate (Z.Q. Chen, M.L. Fraiser, R.J. Twitchett, S. Kershaw, K. Grice, T. Algeo and others);

• Finalisation of lessons to management of modern ecosystems and defaunation events from ancient defaunation events (P-Tr mass extinction) (R.J. Twitchett, K. Grice and others);

• Publication of popular science book detailing the project’s journey from beginning to end written by all the major contributors to the project.