CHAIRMAN´S REPORT

During the past year, two more Ordovician GSSPs (Diabasbrottet and Fågelsång) were ratified by the IUGS, and the Green Point GSSP for the Cambrian/Ordovician boundary was dedicated on 1 June 2001. Only two GSSPs remain to be selected to complete the global time scale for the Ordovician System. Three meetings wholly or in part dedicated to Ordovician geology/paleontology were held in 2001, and future meetings of importance include the International Palaeontological Congress in July 2002, the 9th International Symposium on the Ordovician System in August 2003, and the 32rd International Geological Congress in August 2004. With its mandate from IUGS to complete selection of GSSPs for all Phanerozoic stages by 2008, the voting membership of the International Commission on Stratigraphy meets in June 2002 in Urbino, Italy with the goals of addressing the challenge from IUGS and developing a new mission and organization for ICS. Pertinent to these discussions is the future mission of the Subcommission on Ordovician Stratigraphy. With the unfortunate passing this year of Mikhail Apollonov, a long-time voting (titular) member of the Ordovician Subcommission, Andrei Dronov (St. Petersburg, Russia) was selected as a new voting member. It is likely that several voting members will retire in 2004, requiring additional new members to lead the Ordovician Subcommission into the future.

Progress on GSSPs

The Fågelsång GSSP was the subject of a ballot by the Subcommission held in September-October 2001. In this ballot, “The Global boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of the Upper Ordovician Series is defined 1.4 m below a phosphorite marker bed in the E14a outcrop along the south bank of the Sularp Brook at Fågelsång, 8 km east of the center of the City of Lund, Scania, southern Sweden. This level coincides with the first appearance of the graptolite Nemagraptus gracilis.” This GSSP also serves as the lower boundary of the yet-to-be-named lower stage of the Upper Ordovician Series and the upper boundary of the Darriwilian Stage. The GSSP proposal is published in Bergström et al., (2000; Episodes, v. 23, no. 3, p. 102-109). Results of the ballot are as follows:

F.G. Aceñolaza (Argentina) Yes

G.L. Albanesi (Argentina) Yes

C.R. Barnes (Canada) Yes

S.M. Bergström (USA) Yes

D.L. Bruton (Norway) Yes

Chen Xu (China) Yes

R.A. Cooper (New Zealand) Yes

O. Fatka (Czech Republic) Yes

S.C. Finney (USA) Yes

R.A. Fortey (UK) Abstain

J.C. Gutiérrez-Marco (Spain) Yes

W. Huff (USA) Yes

C.E. Mitchell (USA) Yes

R. Nicoll (Australia) Yes

A. Owen (UK) Yes

F. Paris (France) Abstain

L. Popov (Russia) Yes

Wang Xiaofeng (China) Yes

S.H. Williams (Canada) Yes

Zhou Zhiyi (China) Yes

With 18 yes votes, 0 no votes, and 2 abstain votes, the GSSP was approved by the Subcommission with a 100% majority. Subsequently, the Diabasbrottet GSSP, approved last year by the Subcommission, and the Fågelsång GSSP were approved by the International Commission on Stratigraphy by 87% majority votes and then ratified by the IUGS Executive. Kent Larrson and colleagues at Lund University are planning dedication ceremonies for the Diabasbrottet and Fågelsång GSSPs for the Spring 2003. I encourage Ordovician specialists, especially those in the Baltic region, to attend.

Dedication of the Green Point GSSP for the base of the Ordovician System was held on 1 June 2001 with an outstanding ceremony organized by Henry Williams, Godfrey Nowlan and colleagues in Newfoundland. Those in attendance included a good sampling of Ordovician stratigraphers/ paleontologists, representatives of the Newfoundland government, officials and many employees of Parks Canada, local geologists, and a number of local residents. Following comments by government officials, Godfrey Nowlan, and myself, an impressive plaque was unveiled. This was followed by the “graptolite rap” performed by Fred Sheppard (Parks Canada) and substantial food and drink at the interpretive center of the Gros Morne National Park. Photographs and a report on the dedication ceremony were published on the front page of the Corner Brook newspaper the following morning.

Of particular note, the Subcommission on Silurian Stratigraphy has voted to re-evaluate and reconsider the Dobs Linn GSSP for the base of the Silurian System, which sets the upper limit of the Ordovician System. For detailed information, I direct you to Silurian Times No. 9 at http://www.stfx.ca/people /mmelchin/SILURIAN9.HTM.

As reported last year, selection of the GSSP for the base of the Middle Ordovician Series is critical for completion of the global time scale for the Ordovician System. Following a field excursion in November 2000 and subsequent study of graptolites collected at that time, serious concerns were raised with regard to the FAD of the conodont Tripodus laevis in the Whiterock Narrows section, Nevada - the primary candidate biohorizon and stratotype section under consideration by the Subcommission. The issues were discussed further at a Subcommission meeting in November 2001 at the Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America in Boston, and much of the essence of these discussions are in articles and documents posted on the web site (http://seis.natsci.csulb.edu/ordstrat1/ default.htm) for the Ordovician Stratigraphy Discussion Forum. Accordingly, the Subcommission encouraged further work on sections in the Great Basin that might serve as a Global Stratotype section and a call was sent to all corresponding members of the Subcommission to consider and to submit proposals for alternative biohorizons and stratotype sections for the boundary. At this time, Guillermo Albanesi has proposed a GSSP in Argentina, Ray Ethington is investigating the conodont succession at sections in the Ibex area, Utah, and Chuck Mitchell and Svend Stouge will be evaluating western Newfoundland sections during the summer. Those wishing to join in the discussions are encouraged to post articles directly on the Ordovician Stratigraphy web site. Extensive documents, including proposals for biohorizons and/or candidate stratotype sections, should be sent to me, and I will arranged for them to be loaded on the web site.

Stig Bergström is leader of a group that is evaluating biohorizons and sections for the GSSP for the base of the upper stage of the Upper Ordovician Series. All who wish to participate in this working group should contact Stig.

Both boundaries will be a primary focus of Subcommission business meetings and discussion sessions at the 9th International Symposium on the Ordovician System. Those working on potential GSSPs will be expected to present proposals. It is my goal to move towards completion of the Ordovician time scale by 2004.

The Future of ICS and the Ordovician Subcommission

Through my service as 2nd Vice-Chair of the International Commission on Stratigraphy, I’ve developed an appreciation of the many activities and accomplishments of the ICS and its many Subcommissions, as well as its present challenges. The IUGS has mandated that the ICS complete selection of GSSPs for all Phanerozoic stages by 2008. And, what is the future of ICS after 2008? The present executive committee, led by its dynamic chair Felix Gradstein, is especially active and taking steps to address these challenges. Accordingly, the “First Conference on Future Directions in Stratigraphy” will take place in Urbino, Italy, 14-16 June 2002. I have the pleasure of serving as organizing chair. Besides the full executive committee, almost all ICS Subcommissions will be represented. This will be the first such meeting of full voting membership of ICS in many years. Its importance is recognized by the IUGS through the attendance of Werner Janoshek, Secretary General (and former Treasurer) of IUGS, and Attilio Boriani, President of the 32nd International Geological Congress (and former Secretary General of IUGS). Issues to be addressed include: 1) strategies to ensure progress within Subcommissions, 2) a new mission for ICS, 3) a new organizational structure, 4) association status and new sources of funding, 5) dissemination of knowledge, results, and products, 6) a stratigraphic prize, and 7) plans for the 32nd IGC. Draft resolutions will be formulated and will be the focus of discussions at the 32nd IGC that will be open to the entire ICS membership. Chair Gradstein has proposed that high-resolution global change as recorded in dynamic stratigraphy, i.e. geological process oriented stratigraphy, would be an exciting and socially responsible challenge. No doubt, other missions will be proposed and discussed. I encourage you to visit the web site for the International Commission on Stratigraphy (http://www.micropress.org/stratigraphy/). Among its varied contents are the Global Time Scale with approved GSSPs, the abridged version of the International Stratigraphic Guide, and descriptions and photographs of the many of the ratified GSSPs.

Consistent with a new mission for ICS is a new mission for the Ordovician Subcommission. It is my opinion that the GOES (Global Ordovician Earth System) program could be that mission. Its goal is to encourage integrated multi-disciplinary investigations of global events during the Ordovician Period. Ricardo Astini, Chris Barnes, and Bill Berry were asked to serve as a steering committee for this informal program with the Late Ordovician mass extinction and associated global changes being an initial issue to be addressed. But, many more issues can be formulated. The Subcommission will sponsor a symposium session with the title Global Ordovician Earth System at the 32nd IGC. It will include papers on the Late Ordovician event, but other topics are encouraged. Should you wish to participate, please contact the session conveners: myself, Chris Barnes, and Bill Berry. The GOES program also will be a topic for serious consideration at the 9th ISOS not only through presentations in the technical program, but also in discussions of the future status and mission of the Ordovician Subcommission.

Other Activities/Future Meetings

Although I was not able to participate, there were several successful meetings last year: the WOGOGOB meeting in May 2001, organized by Svend Stouge and colleagues in Copenhagen, which included a field excursion to Fågelsång; the meeting “Early Palaeozoic Palaeogeography and Palaeobiogeography of Western Europe and North Africa” organized by Tom Servais and colleagues in Lille, France, a product of which will be a book of the same title with contributions on the Ordovician; a meeting for IGCP 410 at Riverside, California hosted by Mary Droser and resulting in an important publication on Ordovician Biodiversity, and an field excursion to Mongolia organized by IGCP 410 (participants tell me that, although physically and mentally demanding, it was an awesome experience).

Many of you may receive this newsletter after returning from the International Palaeontological Congress in Sydney. The Ordovician System will compose a substantial part of the technical program with a final meeting of IGCP 410 and Ordovician graptolites will be the major focus of a field excursion to Victoria.

Organization for the 9th ISOS in San Juan, Argentina in August 2003 is far advanced; the 2nd circular is included in this newsletter. From some, I have heard concerns that the economic crisis in Argentina will impact the meeting. Our Argentine colleagues are suffering, but I assure you that the meeting is very well organized and will be a logistical success. I encourage all of you to attend. The meeting will be run jointing with a Field Meeting of the Subcommission on Silurian Stratigraphy and with an International Conference on Graptolites, ensuring a large number of interested participants. The field excursions provide the opportunity to examine richly fossiliferous successions of both Gondwanan and Laurentian character. And, there are serious issues to be addressed, in particular, the remaining GSSPs, and the future mission, direction, and organization of the Subcommission.

The 32nd International Geological Congress scheduled for August 2004 in Florence provides not only a remarkable setting but also an opportunity for business important to the future of the Subcommission. It will be a time at which a new chair and new voting (titular) members of the Subcommission begin their terms. The GOES program will be on the technical program. An important open meeting will be held on the future of the International Commission on Stratigraphy; similar discussions will take place with regard to the Ordovician Subcommission.

Stan Finney