During the Pliocene epoch (5.3 – 2.5 Ma) Earth’s climate transitioned from a warm and relatively stable state to a colder one marked by cyclic glacial-interglacial phases. Although the Pliocene has received much investigation, an understanding of Pliocene global cooling is still not clear. While, first evidence attributed it to the closure of Panama, it now seems that cooling involved complex interactions between number of mechanisms. What were, therefore, the mechanisms controlling Pliocene cooling and later the intensification of Northern Hemisphere Glaciation? Tectonic events such as the opening and closure of oceanic gateways? Changes in Earth’s orbit? Atmospheric and oceanic changes across the equatorial Pacific? Impact of tropical/subtropical climate reorganizations on the polar regions? Equatorial Pacific changes related to the upwelling areas causing variations in CO2? These questions of cause-and-effect are unresolved or, at least, are still controversial among paleoceanographers and modelers.

A 3-day workshop will provide an opportunity to bring together scientists whose research focuses on Pliocene climate. Because a number of theories on Pliocene climate exist, it is necessary to discuss them critically. In order to open up new perspectives and to address the different viewpoints, all participants are encouraged to design their presentations in a way to stimulate discussion. We anticipate that this meeting will allow a comprehensive overview of new results that will further stimulate investigations and open up new collaborations between different groups working on Pliocene paleoclimates.

A special volume in a peer-reviewed journal based on joint publications will be produced after the workshop.

The workshop will be organized around 4 plenary sessions focusing on:

  • Application of Paleoclimate Proxies for the Pliocene
  • Global Impact of Gateways
  • High- versus Low-Latitude Interactions
  • Modeling the Pliocene Climate

Session 1: Application of Paleoclimate Proxies for the Pliocene

Pliocene climate and oceanic reconstructions are based on different proxies that are well known for the late Pleistocene and the Holocene. Recently, studies have revealed a controversial picture for early Pliocene climate based on different paleoclimate proxies. One could speculate, therefore, whether the application of proxies for recent periods could be also valid over a million-year timescale? Session 1 will examine the advantages, as well as the problems, associated with the application of different paleoclimate proxies.

Session 2: Global Impact of Gateways

The role played by Ocean Gateways on Pliocene climate is still not clear. Closure of Panama, Indonesian restriction and/or opening of the Bering Strait may have had a critical impact on thermohaline circulation and global climate. The extent to which these geodynamic reconfigurations may have affected increased Northern Hemisphere Glaciation remains unclear. Session 2 will compare records tied to tectonic events in order to gather together crucial pieces of the Pliocene “climatic puzzle”.

Session 3: High- versus Low-Latitude Interactions

During the Pliocene, the Northern Hemisphere and Antarctica ice sheets developed significantly in different stages. This expansion of ice is thought to have controlled global atmospheric and oceanic conditions, especially at low latitudes. Related changes in climate at low latitudes may have had, in turn, a positive or negative feedback mechanism on high latitudes by the potential effects of atmospheric circulation, upwelling activities, and/or biological pump. Session 3 will focus on new paleoclimate records showing the interplay between tropical and sub-tropical climate variations compared to those observed at the polar regions.

Session 4: Modeling the Pliocene Climate

The middle Pliocene (~ 3.3 – 3.0 Ma) was the most recent of the geological timescale during which global climate was about 3 °C warmer than today. Scientists have argued that the Earth might once again return to a similar climatic state even before the end of 21st century. This will result in a dramatic melting of Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. What were the main controlling mechanisms for an increase in global temperature during the Pliocene? And how could this help our understanding of present global climate change? Session 4 will involve modelers’ experiments, together with data collected by paleoceanographers, in order to unravel fundamental information about Pliocene’s warm period.

You can download the workshop brochure below.