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	Part of a series on
The Cambrian explosion
Fossil localities
	Burgess shale; Chengjiang; Sirius Passet; Doushantuo;
Key organisms
Ediacara biota
	Kimberella; Vernanimalcula;
Burgess-type
	Marrella; Anomalocaridids; Halwaxiids; Opabinia; Odontogriphus;
Small shelly fauna
	Helcionellids;
Evolutionary concepts
	Trends Cambrian substrate revolution; Themes Cladistics; Convergent evolution; Stem and crown groups;
	v • d • e • taskforce

Shortcut: WP:CEX

The Cambrian explosion task force is a group of editors aiming to improve Wikipedia's coverage of the Cambrian explosion.

[edit] Goals

The Cambrian explosion article was reviewed by the scientific journal Nature on December 14, 2005, and found to be heavily error-laden. It has since undergone substantial reworking, but successive editors have struggled to find a compromise between scientific accuracy and easy accessibility.

This task force aims to resolve this trade-off, bring the article first to a "Good Article" standard, and ultimately to a "Featured Article" status worthy of inclusion on Wikipedia's main page.

Hopefully, the task force will create many "good articles" on smaller aspects of the explosion as "colateral damage".

[edit] Approach

The article must present the subject in a way that is easy for a complete newcomer to understand, while retaining informative content to engage the more advanced reader. This will be accomplished by creating a streamlined main article, with links to in-depth "main articles" addressing the key aspects of the explosion. It is hoped that by providing this "two-tier" approach to the article, a balance between readability and scientific accuracy can be achieved.

Work will take place in two stage: first, the articles to which the main page will link must be created, expanded, and brought up to a standard where they can act to support the main article. Once these pages are in good shape, content can be removed from the main article, which can be restructured as time goes on.

[edit] Task list

We are currently in stage one of the construction. Using the information available in the main article, and further material as necessary, we hope to create and expand articles pertaining to all key aspects of the Cambrian explosion.

Please check the table below for an article which interests you or which you could improve. You are also welcome to add to and update the table as needs be.

[edit] Priorities and targets

Article	Currently (as of 12 Sep 2008)	Target	Priority	Needs expansion	Needs copyediting	Expert attention required	Comments
Acritarch `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	High	Yes	No	No
Anomalocarid `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	Low	No	No	No
Arkarua `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	Mid	No	No	No
Biostratigraphy `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	Mid	No	No	No
Burgess shale `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	GA	Top	Yes	Yes	No
Cambrian `(`edit talk links history`)`	B	GA	High	Yes	Yes	No
Cambrian explosion `(`edit talk links history`)`	B	FA	Top	No	No	No
Clade `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	GA	High	No	Yes	No	Merge with Cladistics?
Convergent evolution `(`edit talk links history`)`	C	B	High	No	No	No
Diagenesis `(`edit talk links history`)`	C	B	High	No	No	No
Doushantuo Formation `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	Mid	No	No	No
Evolutionary arms race `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	Mid	No	No	No
Evolutionary radiation `(`edit talk links history`)`	C	B	Mid	No	No	No
Fossil embryos `(`edit talk links history`)`	Stub	B	Low	No	No	No
Great appendage `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	Mid	No	No	No	S
Halkieria `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	GA	High	Yes	No	Yes	Possible stem group, appears in small shellies
Halwaxiida `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	GA	Mid	No	No	No
Lagerstätte `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	Mid	No	No	No
Lobopodia `(`edit talk links history`)`	C	B	Mid	No	No	No
Maotianshan shales `(`edit talk links history`)`	C	B	Low	No	No	No
Marrella `(`edit talk links history`)`	C	GA	Low	Yes	No	No	Most common organism in burgess shale
Microbial mat `(`edit talk links history`)`	B	GA	High	No	No	Yes	Over-reliant on 2 sources, one of which is questionable
Molecular clock `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	GA	Mid	No	No	No
Molecular phylogenetics `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	High	No	No	No
Neoproterozoic `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	Low	No	No	No
Odontogriphus `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	Low	No	No	No
Orthrozanclus `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	Low	No	No	No
Orsten `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	High	No	No	No
Parvancorina `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	Mid	No	No	No
Phylum `(`edit talk links history`)`	C	B	High	Yes	No	No	Should discuss the nature of phyla
Pikaia `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	B	Low	No	No	No
Plankton `(`edit talk links history`)`	C	B	Mid	Yes	No	No
Radiometric dating `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	GA	Mid	Yes	No	No	Should provide clear details of its limitations and weakensses re. the C. Ex
Radula `(`edit talk links history`)`	C	B	Low	Yes	No	No	Include commments on its evolution: see Butterfield 2008 in J. of P.
Sirius Passet `(`edit talk links history`)`	Stub	B	Low	No	No	No
Skania `(`edit talk links history`)`	Stub	Start	Mid	Yes	No	No	Needs picture and more information
Stem group `(`edit talk links history`)`	Stub	B	Mid	Yes	No	No	Needs polishing into better discussion
Trace fossil `(`edit talk links history`)`	B	B	Low	No	Yes	No	"Evolution" section needs some polish, information could be integrated from elsewhere
Vernanimalcula `(`edit talk links history`)`	Start	GA	High	Yes	No	Yes	Both viewpoints should be discussed at greater length
Wiwaxia `(`edit talk links history`)`	C	GA	High	Yes	No	Yes	A fossil at the root of the "how high was diversity" debate.

[edit] Completed articles

Move articles to this list when they reach the required standard, and contain the necessary explosion-related information.

Article	Status
Cambrian substrate revolution `(`edit talk links history`)`	B
Cloudinid `(`edit talk links history`)`	GA
Ediacara biota `(`edit talk links history`)`	FA
Kimberella `(`edit talk links history`)`	GA
Opabinia `(`edit talk links history`)`	GA
Small shelly fauna `(`edit talk links history`)`	GA
Spriggina `(`edit talk links history`)`	B

[edit] Main article

While our attention is currently focussed on the peripheral articles listed above, we are also aiming to take the main article to Good article status – i.e. to meet the criteria below.

1. It is well written:

(a) the prose is clear and the spelling and grammar are correct;

Work in progress...

(b) it complies with the manual of style guidelines for:

N/A

and list incorporation

2. It is factually accurate and verifiable:

(a) it provides references to all sources of information, and at minimum contains a section dedicated to the attribution of those sources in accordance with the guide to layout;

Work in progress...

(b) at minimum, it provides in-line citations from reliable sources for direct quotations, statistics, published opinion, counter-intuitive or controversial statements that are challenged or likely to be challenged, and contentious material relating to living persons;

Work in progress...

(c) it contains no original research.

Fine.

3. It is broad in its coverage:

(a) it addresses the main aspects of the topic;

I think so – any suggestions of areas needing coverage are welcome!

(b) it stays focused on the topic without going into unnecessary detail (see summary style).

Yes.

4. It is neutral: it represents viewpoints fairly and without bias.

Hopefully yes

5. It is stable: it does not change significantly from day-to-day because of an ongoing edit war or content dispute.

No disputes

6. It is illustrated, if possible, by images:^[1]

(a) images are tagged with their copyright status, and valid fair use rationales are provided for non-free content; and

(b) images are relevant to the topic, and have suitable captions.^[2]

Work in progress

[edit] Participation

Everybody is encouraged to help out with the tasks listed above, as they wish! You may also wish to add this page to your watchlist to keep an eye on developments.

Anyone wishing to formally indicate their membership of the project is encouraged to add their signature to the list below:

Enlil Ninlil (talk) 10:47, 20 July 2008 (UTC)
Smith609 Talk 13:54, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
Surprise! -- Philcha (talk) 08:26, 10 July 2008 (UTC)
Seems a better place to put my hobbies to use than many. Aderksen (talk) 21:52, 6 October 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Resources

Tools: Wikipedia:WikiProject Geology/Cambrian explosion/Tools
Hou Xian-guang ... [et al.]. (2004). The Cambrian fossils of Chengjiang, China : the flowering of early animal life. Malden, MA: Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-4051-0673-3. OCLC 51886320. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/bookhome/117866918.

^ Other media, such as video and sound clips, are also covered by this criterion.
^ The presence of images is not, in itself, a requirement for Good articles. However, if images (including other media) with acceptable copyright status are appropriate and readily available, then some such images should be provided.

[0] Other media, such as video and sound clips, are also covered by this criterion.

[1] The presence of images is not, in itself, a requirement for Good articles. However, if images (including other media) with acceptable copyright status are appropriate and readily available, then some such images should be provided.

[1]

[2]

Contents

[edit] Goals

[edit] Approach

[edit] Task list

[edit] Priorities and targets

[edit] Completed articles

[edit] Main article

[edit] Participation

[edit] Resources