Cyclicity in Earth sciences, quo vadis? Essay on cycle concepts in geological thinking and their historical influence on stratigraphic practices

Abstract

Abstract. The archetype of a cycle has played an essential role in explaining observations of nature over thousands of years. At present, this perception significantly influences the worldview of modern societies, including several areas of science. In the Earth sciences, the concept of cyclicity offers simple analytical solutions in the face of complex events and their respective products, in both time and space. Current stratigraphic research integrates several methods to identify repetitive patterns in the stratigraphic record and to interpret oscillatory geological processes. This essay proposes a historical review of the cyclic conceptions from the earliest phases in the Earth sciences to their subsequent evolution into current stratigraphic principles and practices, contributing to identifying opportunities in integrating methodologies and developing future research mainly associated with quantitative approaches.

Middle Jurassic multi‐scale transgressive–regressive cycles: An example from the Lusitanian Basin

“…Multiple parameters influence the dynamics of the generation and preservation of sedimentary rocks, challenging their recognition in the stratigraphic record. In continental to marine depositional systems, the type and volume of sediment that may be preserved over geologic time is mainly controlled by the interplay of regional tectonics, eustatic fluctuations, climate, sedimentary supply, ecological boundary conditions, and the intrinsic energy of the environment (Catuneanu, 2006;Fragoso et al, 2022;Holbrook & Miall, 2020;Matenco & Haq, 2020;Miall, 2016;Miall et al, 2021;Strasser et al, 1999Strasser et al, , 2006. These parameters act at various temporal and spatial scales and amplitudes, radically altering the physiography of a sedimentary basin across time and leaving their imprints on the stratigraphic record through cycles at multiple scales (Fragoso et al, 2021).…”