Geochemical Records of AnthropoCEne (GRACE)

Arguably, the planet Earth has entered a new geological epoch of the Anthropocene, characterized by profound impacts of human activities on the Earth System. Anthropogenic footprint is now entangled with the Earth’s biogeochemical cycles, and the complexity of their feedback loops holds the possibility of unexpected and abrupt changes affecting the global population.¹ In order to better understand such complex processes, multifaceted approach is needed, which combines novel methods of geochemistry, microbiology and geology (GMG), and integrates the “big data” they produce, with the intent to derive predictive insights into global processes, and potentially, innovative solutions for the current environmental challenges. 

In our group we apply such approach by investigating complex biogeochemical markers in natural waters and sediments, and using them as proxies for global-scale variables such as climate, or ocean productivity, but also as a record of more localized anthropogenic impacts, e.g., oil spills, or coastal eutrophication. To this end, we developed a rapid, non-targeted, multi-proxy method for ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) called RADAR (Rapid Analyte Detection and Reconnaissance).^2,3  Study of the Anthropocene requires a global perspective; therefore we look at sample sets ranging from the Arctic Ocean to the South China Sea. In close collaboration with microbiologists at the University of Calgary and the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech, China), we are developing models to integrate geochemical information from RADAR with –omics characterization of microbial communities,⁴ in order to derive a broader understanding of microbiome feedbacks and adaptations to the global changes.

For further details contact Jagos Radovic ( jagos.radovic@ucalgary.ca)

(1) Steffen, W.; Rockström, J.; Richardson, K.; Lenton, T. M.; Folke, C.; Liverman, D.; Summerhayes, C. P.; Barnosky, A. D.; Cornell, S. E.; Crucifix, M.; Donges, J. F.; Fetzer, I.; Lade, S. J.; Scheffer, M.; Winkelmann, R.; Schellnhuber, H. J. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2018, 115 (33), 8252-8259.

(2) Radović, J. R.; Silva, R. C.; Snowdon, R.; Brown, M.; Larter, S. R.; Oldenburg, T. B. P. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 2016, 30, 1273–1282.

(3) Radović, J. R.; Silva, R. C.; Snowdon, R.; Larter, S. R.; Oldenburg, T. B. P. Analytical Chemistry 2016, 88, 1128-1137.

(4) Xie, Wei; Radović, J.; Li, Penhui; Silva, R.; Oldenburg, T.; Larter, S.; Zhang, Chuanlun. (2018). Biogeochemical characterization of Pearl River sediments using FTICR-MS and high throughput sequencing. 9th International Conference on Asian Marine Geology (ICAMG-9), Shanghai, China.

September 2019

Dr. Radovic presented a public talk entitled “Oceans in the Anthropocene – Impacts and Routes to Mitigation” at the Science Takeover event held on September 21 in Calgary Central Library. Read more

October 2018

Research updates from the collaborative research project with SUSTech have been presented at the 9th International Conference on Asian Marine Geology (ICAMG-9) in Shangai, China:

Xie, Wei; Radović, J.; Li, Penhui; Silva, R.; Oldenburg, T.; Larter, S.; Zhang, Chuanlun. (2018). Biogeochemical characterization of Pearl River sediments using FTICR-MS and high throughput sequencing. 9th International Conference on Asian Marine Geology (ICAMG-9), Shanghai, China.

August 2018

Research updates from the collaborative research project with SUSTech have been presented at the 2018 Goldschmidt conference in Boston:

Xie, Wei; Radović, J.; Li, Penhui; Silva, R.; Oldenburg, T.; Larter, S.; Zhang, Chuanlun. (2018). Biogeochemical Characterization of Surface Sediments Along the Pearl River Estuary Transect. Goldschmidt2018, Boston, United States.

https://goldschmidtabstracts.info/2018/2861.pdf

May 2018

Dr. Radović presented the talk entitled “Environment in the Anthropocene - Case Studies and New Analytical Strategies”  at the 101st Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition in Edmonton (http://www.csc2018.ca/).

September 2017

Spirit of creativity and wonder showcased at Campus Collisions

GRACE project leader Jagos Radović hosted Will Music and Golf Balls Survive the Anthropocene? at the Campus Collisions event during Beakerhead 2017
Read more

August 2017

Dr. Radović co-chaired the session “Organic Proxies: Indicators of Climate Changes, Tracers of Past Ecosystems, Keys to the Anthropocene – In Memoriam Geoff Eglinton” at the Goldschmidt 2017 conference in August, Paris, France (https://goldschmidt.info/2017/program/programViewThemes#session_266_2921).

May 2017

RADAR method has been featured on the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) webpage

http://gulfresearchinitiative.org/study-expands-analytical-window-marine-oil-spill-chemistry/

March 2017

Jagos Radović presented “Understanding Anthropocene with Geoscience: From past to future and back” at the Adults Only Night: The Human Age, Telus Spark Museum, March 9, 2017.