Global Events and Event Stratigraphy in the Phanerozoic

The existence of rapid and even catastrophic turnovers within the Phanerozoic ecosystems has been discussed at length over the years. Since 1980 this discussion has become even more intensive after the hypothesis of Alvarez, explaining the end-Cretaceous mass extinction as the result of a huge asteroid impact on the Earth. The international research programme on “Global Biological Events in Earth History” attempts to bring the discussion back to the facts by using multidisciplinary investigations of major Pharnerozoic events.