三叠纪年代地层与生物复苏

二叠纪末大灭绝之后，三叠纪初残存期和复苏期生态系研究成为当今热点。这也是2005年5月在安徽巢湖召开的“三叠纪年代地层与生物复苏国际学术会议”上的主导论题。逐一介绍了会议学术报告的主题内容，以期提炼相关领域的学术关键和学科发展趋向。学术主题之一是早三叠世年代地层格架，尤其是印度阶―奥伦尼克阶界线层型；第二是二叠纪―三叠纪之交灭绝和环境事件的表现形式和过程；第三是二叠纪―三叠纪之交及早三叠世微生物岩及其代表的特殊生态系；第四是灭绝事件后三叠纪初一些关键生物类别的演变历程；第五是中生代初生态系复苏过程和型式；第六是早三叠世生物迟滞复苏的原因。     

早三叠世生物复苏期的特殊沉积——"错时相"沉积

经历了对二叠纪末大灭绝及相关地质灾变事件的多年热点研究后,近年来科学家们将注意力转移到灭绝后的事件效应上,即生态系和沉积体系状况。但紧随二叠纪末灭绝事件之后的早三叠世生态系以分异度极低的广适性分子和机会分子为主,这就突显沉积记录的重要,也使得下三叠统地层中的特殊沉积及相关构造——“错时相”沉积,如扁平砾石砾岩、蠕虫状灰岩、潮下皱纹构造、微生物岩、海底碳酸盐胶结岩扇、薄层灰岩和条带灰岩等,成为研究灭绝—残存—复苏领域的学科前沿。作为地质历史环境一次大跃变后的直接产物,“错时相”沉积紧接生物大灭绝后出现,并随中生代海洋生态系的重建而退出正常浅海环境,这种耦合关系表明沉积体系、生态系、生物灭绝与复苏、异常环境之间存在必然的联系。对于化石保存单调稀少的下三叠统地层,“错时相”沉积的研究,为探索二叠纪末生物灭绝与复苏提供了宝贵的材料和全新的视角。     

古—中生代之交双壳类演变研究进展

古—中生代之交,伴随着显生宙历史上最大的生物灭绝,发生了最大的一次生态系结构变革,软体动物双壳类取代了腕足类在底栖生态系中的主导地位。以中国南方为代表的特提斯地区晚二叠世末至早三叠世良好的地层记录和丰富的双壳类化石材料为该时期双壳类及底栖生态系的演化研究提供了良好条件。通过系统收集和整理全球范围内该时期各地区有关双壳类的研究资料及主要成果,建立各个地区双壳类带的对比关系,并对30年来的双壳类生物地层工作做了简要的总结。从分异度和生态特征等角度来说,双壳类在二叠纪—三叠纪之交的生物危机中表现出了中等程度的灭绝,并在经历了长时间的迟缓复苏后,于早三叠世Spathian期进入了一个较快速的复苏阶段,但是直到中三叠世安尼期才真正进入快速分异辐射。在这漫长的复苏过程中,以Claraia和Eumorphotis等为代表的双壳类属种广泛分布于各种相区,这些分子的繁盛与消亡过程和机制仍需要深入探讨。     

分子地层学的原理、方法及应用实例

当前分子地层学研究已涉及蛋白质、核酸、碳水化合物、类脂物和木质素等多种生物化学组分。在地层中,分子化石具有分布的广泛性、定量的准确性、应用的指纹性和信息的多样性等特点,其地层学应用的主要原理是依据分子化石的生物源信息和其离开生物体后发生的一系列转化途径来实现的,其表述方法可以是含量、相对丰度、碳数分布和单体同位素特征等。在各类年代学框架下,由这些分子化石参数所揭示的各类生物事件和环境事件可以成为区域性乃至全球性地层对比的主要依据。分子地层学与分子古生物学、生物地球化学、有机地球化学密切相关,它与传统三大地层学分支学科明显不同,目前还没有明确的分子地层单位,也没有进行广泛的分子地层划分与对比工作。对各类生物事件与环境事件有重要指示作用的分子地层学,与生态地层学、事件地层学等地层学分支学科类似,其主要任务是在传统生物地层学或其他年代学框架下,提高地层划分和对比的精度。以浙江长兴煤山二叠纪-三叠纪界线地层和第四纪泥炭为例,以高分辨率的生物事件与环境事件为切入点,分别探讨在生物地层学或其他年代学框架下的分子地层工作,由此提出了分子地层学的分类单位——分子化石带。     

二叠纪-三叠纪之交生物大灭绝与残存

当今人类正在面临大气二氧化碳浓度升高、全球变暖、海洋酸化等一系列气候环境问题,有科学家提出这可能导致第6次生物大灭绝.类似的灾难事件在地质历史上多次发生,因此以史为鉴、以古示今才能更好地认识、应对和解决这些问题.显生宙最大的一次生物灭绝事件发生在2.52亿年前的二叠纪-三叠纪之交,超过90%的海洋物种永久消失.此次生物灭绝的过程和原因一直是科学家关注和致力解决的关键科学问题之一.近年来的研究表明当前人类面临的这些极端的气候环境事件在2.52亿年前也都有发生,而且更为严重.本文重点围绕近年来有关二叠纪-三叠纪之交的生物和环境事件研究进展,结合化石和环境指标的地质记录以及生物与环境之间的相互作用关系,总结生物灭绝的过程和形式及相关环境因子的贡献,并探讨残存生物能够躲过这次灾难事件得以延续和发展的内在机制和外界原因.      

分子地质微生物学研究方法述评

微生物在诸如海洋、湖泊、土壤、冰川、洞穴等许多生态系统的地质过程中发挥着重要作用,国际上对一些单个生态系统的地质微生物研究进展及微生物类脂物碳同位素组成与碳循环的关系等已部分地进行了总结。从分子水平上总结了地质微生物研究进展,着重从核酸（16S rRNA、DNA）和类脂物（磷脂酸、藿醇）两大方面评述了分子地质微生物学的研究,重点剖析了地质历史时期的甲烷氧化细菌、绿硫细菌、蓝细菌等一些重要微生物类群的类脂物分子标志化合物特征,揭示了当今分子地质微生物研究领域最新的研究方法及其发展动态,指出单体稳定同位素研究和放射性同位素示踪的结合将使分子地质微生物学研究进入一个崭新阶段。     

湖北兴山大峡口浅海相二叠系-三叠系界线附近粘土岩研究

利用X射线衍射、扫描电镜、能谱等鉴定分析方法,对湖北兴山大峡口剖面二叠系—三叠系界线附近的8层粘土岩研究发现,各层粘土岩中的主要粘土矿物均为伊/蒙混层矿物,并且各层中均含有数量不等的六方双锥石英和黄铁矿,非粘土矿物为石膏,个别层位中还含有粘土微球粒。该8层粘土岩均为火山物源成因,联系相应的火山事件记录表明该地区在二叠系—三叠系之交经历了多次火山活动。这些火山事件与同时段牙形石的绝灭和延缓复苏呈现一致性。频繁的火山活动是造成二叠纪—三叠纪之交生物及生态系重大转折的主导事件之一。     

二叠系—三叠系界线全球层型剖面——回顾和进展

综合评述了5年来对二叠系—三叠系界线(PTB)全球层型剖面——煤山D剖面的研究进展。简要介绍剖面的研究历史、地理和地质背景,叙述了世界上最完整的二叠纪长兴期至三叠纪格里斯巴赫期的牙形石和菊石带,并简短讨论了Otoceras的年代。叙述了煤山与其他剖面长兴期至格里斯巴赫期磁性地层学的对比。介绍了δ13C和δ34S的化学地层学最新研究进展,特别是在PTB附近多个δ13C负漂移的发现。两项重要的分子地层学研究显示了基础生态系统的深刻变化——微生物生态系的灾变和在二叠纪—三叠纪生态系之交严重缺氧事件期间透光带的静海相环境。文章报道了自2001年以来PTB年代测定的进展。PTB之下14cm处火山成因的粘土层25层的年代,现在定为(252·4±0·3)Ma(Mundil等,2004)。文章还讨论了事件地层学,认为尽管在25-26层有一个主事件,煤山PTB附近的事件是多幕式的,并且开始于事件层25-26层之前。因此,PTB大绝灭主因是外星撞击导致的可能性是不大的。     

若尔盖高原全新世气候序列的类脂分子化石记录*

基于可靠的年代标尺,结合青藏高原泥炭沉积剖面的有机碳、孢粉等相关资料,首次在该区利用类脂分子化石指标建立了全新世以来的气候与环境演化序列。结果表明,正构烷烃、脂肪酸和脂肪醇等类脂分子化石指标存有意义的规律性变化。其中,反映低等菌藻生物和高等植物相对变化的轻组分与重组分之比L/H以及平均碳链长度ACL具有很好的古气候意义,即L/H高,ACL低,指示气候偏暖湿;L/H低,ACL高,指示气候偏干冷。各个类脂分子化石指标记录的气候信息在细节上具有一定的差异,可能是不同类脂物分子的地球化学行为和生物组成结构的不同以及对气候因素温湿组合变化响应各异的体现。同时,也较好地揭示了类脂分子化石具有自己的敏感性,在细节上较传统的有机碳指标在记录气候信息上更为敏感。该研究进一步突出了这些泥炭类脂分子化石在第四纪研究中的重要地位和应用潜力。     

卡尼期湿润幕：气候- 环境变化与海洋生态效应研究新进展

晚三叠世卡尼期湿润幕（Carnian Pluvial Episode, CPE）是近年来最受瞩目的地质事件之一。此次事件以卡尼中期全球不同纬度环境湿度显著上升为主要标志。CPE的发生不仅对全球各地沉积格局产生重大改变，也对三叠纪生物演化产生了深远影响。海洋生物群在跨越CPE期间发生了不同程度的灭绝与演替，大部分海洋无脊椎动物和部分脊椎动物的多样性在CPE之后出现明显的降低，著名的关岭生物群也受到了CPE的明显影响，并开始显现出危机。CPE之后，恐龙类群开始逐步占据陆地生态的主导地位，早中生代和现代生物的先祖开始在这一时期纷纷出现。CPE的发生揭开了现生生物演化史新的一页，并最终开创了早中生代和现生生物黎明。有关CPE的触发机制主要包括以下2个方面：① 晚三叠世巨型季风环流在卡尼期达到鼎盛并区域上影响了大气降水量；② 板块活动造成大规模火山喷发引发全球气候扰动。由于上述2种解释还未能与我国其他地质记录较好匹配，因而CPE在特提斯东缘的发生次序和发展过程并不清晰。这其中，对CPE触发机制的探讨，需要将全球板块变化与古气候模拟纳入其研究范畴。不同于晚二叠世生物大灭绝后生物类群缓慢重启和生态逐步复苏，CPE期间的生物演化与革新在短时间内促成了现代生物类群的形成。在我国，上三叠统卡尼阶分布广泛、发育齐全，且保存有各门类丰富的动植物化石，是开展卡尼期气候- 环境变化与生态效应研究的重要场所。然而目前国内有关CPE研究还十分有限，一些基础的地质工作仍然有待开展。位于特提斯东缘的我国地质记录有助于深刻理解CPE过程和环境- 生物协同演化关系，尤其在现代生物多样性起源和当代生态系统结构成型的研究过程中需要提供更多中国的对比方案。     

早三叠世海相碳酸盐碳同位素研究进展

早三叠世是地球发展史上的特殊时期,代表了古、中生代过渡时期的生态重建与复苏.随着各种“异常环境事件”信息在近年陆续被揭示,早三叠世地质学研究成为地学界新的热点领域.海相碳酸盐碳同位素组成记录了碳循环的变化,是理解重大突变期的生态环境事件和地球过程的重要切入点.最近10年的研究表明,过去集中在二叠纪/三叠纪界线附近发现的“负漂移”现象只能代表海洋化学持续了约5 Ma的动荡局面的开始,直到中三叠世才趋于平稳,高频率、大幅度的整体演变型式已很难用过去提出的机制进行解释.全球范围内缺乏可精确对比性以及高达+8‰的正向极值的成因等,都是值得深入思考的问题.     

Molecular Records of Primary Producers and Sedimentary Environmental Conditions of Late Permian Rocks in Northeast Sichuan, China

A series of biomarkers were identified in the aliphatic and aromatic fractions of the extracts from Late Permian Dalong (大隆) and Wujiaping (吴家坪) formations in Shangsi (上寺) Section, Northeast Sichuan (四川), South China, on the basis of the analysis of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MC). The dominance of lower-molecular-weight n-alkanes throughout the profile suggests the dominant contribution of algae and bacteria to the organics preserved in the marine section. Wujiaping Formation is characterized by the elevated contribution from algae as well as other photoantotrophs such as photosynthetic bacteria as shown by the molecular ratios of hopanes to steranes or tricyclic terpanes as well as the ratio of pristane (Pr) and phytane (Ph) to C17 and C18 n-alkanes. This is in accord with the data from the microscopic measurement on the calcareous algae. In contrast, Dalong Formation is featured by enhanced contribution from bacteria and probably terrestrial organics indicated by the enhanced C24 tetracyclic terpanes relative to tricyclic terpanes. The two formations also show a distinct discrimination in sedimentary environmental conditions including redox condition and salinity. The anoxic condition was only found in the middle of the Dalong Formation as shown by the ratios of Pr/Ph and dibenzothiophene to phenanthrene, consistent with the reported data of Mo and U. An enhancedsalinity indicated by the homohopane index is observed at the shallow Wujiaping Formation. On the basis of the composition of primary productivity and the redox condition, Dalong Formation is proposed, herein, to be potential hydrocarbon source rocks in the study site. It is notable that the topmost end-Permian is characterized by a large perturbance in both the redox condition and salinity, with oxic conditions being frequently interrupted by short-term anoxia, likely showing a causal relationship with the episodic biotic crisis across the Permian-Triassic boundary.     

Distribution and Geochemical Implication of Aromatic Hydrocarbons across the Meishan Permian-Triassic Boundary

INTRODUCTIONThe Permian-Triassic ( Tr/P) boundary , datedto be (251 .4±0 .3) Ma ago ,is marked by the mostdrastic mass extinction of organisms in the Phanero-zoic .In order to explore the pattern and the cause ofthe mass extinction,extensive research has been fo-cused on biostratigraphy , isotopic chronostratigra-phy , event stratigraphy , ecostratigraphy and se-quence stratigraphy (Payne et al .,2004 ; Reichowetal .,2002 ; Yin et al .,2001 ;Jin et al .,2000 ;Zhanget al .,1996 ,1995 ;…     

早三叠世海洋异常的碳-氮-硫同位素记录

早三叠世作为显生宙最大生物灭绝之后的一段特殊地质历史时期,不仅见证了海洋生物的迟缓复苏,而且记录了极其动荡的海洋环境变化,该时期异常的生物环境事件及其机制已经成为当前国际地质学者关注的重大科学问题之一.近些年来,研究学者在早三叠世的碳-氮-硫异常循环研究中取得了许多重要的进展,这对深入理解该时期的环境演变及其对生物复苏的影响十分重要.重点回顾近年来关于早三叠世古海洋碳-氮-硫循环方面的研究进展,对当前存在的科学问题及发展趋势进行分析和总结.      

Impacts,volcanism and mass extinction: random coincidence or cause and effect?

Large impacts are credited with the most devastating mass extinctions in Earth's history and the Cretaceous?–?Tertiary (K/T) boundary impact is the strongest and sole direct support for this view. A review of the five largest Phanerozoic mass extinctions provides no support that impacts with craters up to 180 km in diameter caused significant species extinctions. This includes the 170 km-diameter Chicxulub impact crater regarded as 0.3 million years older than the K/T mass extinction. A second, larger impact event may have been the ultimate cause of this mass extinction, as suggested by a global iridium anomaly at the K/T boundary, but no crater has been found to date. The current crater database suggests that multiple impacts, for example comet showers, were the norm, rather than the exception, during the Late Eocene, K/T transition, latest Triassic and the Devonian?–?Carboniferous transition, but did not cause significant species extinctions. Whether multiple impacts substantially contributed to greenhouse warming and associated environmental stresses is yet to be demonstrated. From the current database, it must be concluded that no known Phanerozoic impacts, including the Chicxulub impact (but excluding the K/T impact) caused mass extinctions or even significant species extinctions. The K/T mass extinction may have been caused by the coincidence of a very large impact (>?250 km) upon a highly stressed biotic environment as a result of volcanism. The consistent association of large magmatic provinces (large igneous provinces and continental flood-basalt provinces) with all but one (end-Ordovician) of the five major Phanerozoic mass extinctions suggests that volcanism played a major role. Faunal and geochemical evidence from the end-Permian, end-Devonian, end-Cretaceous and Triassic/Jurassic transition suggests that the biotic stress was due to a lethal combination of tectonically induced hydrothermal and volcanic processes, leading to eutrophication in the oceans, global warming, sea-level transgression and ocean anoxia. It must be concluded that major magmatic events and their long-term environmental consequences are major contributors, though not the sole causes of mass extinctions. Sudden mass extinctions, such as at the K/T boundary, may require the coincidence of major volcanism and a very large Impact.     

The prelude of the end-Permian mass extinction predates a postulated bolide impact

The mass extinction at the Permian–Triassic Boundary (PTB) is said to have been abrupt and probably caused by an extraterrestrial impact. However, evidence from the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of the base of the Induan at Meishan, China, shows that the biotic crisis began prior to the level, in beds 25 and 26 at which the postulated impact event occurred. Evidence of such an earlier biotic crisis occurs in other sections in South China, and in central and western Tethyan regions. This event is characterized by the extinction of a range of faunas, including corals, deep-water radiolarians, most fusulinids and pseudotirolitid ammonoids, and many Permian brachiopods. In all sections, this extinction level is usually a few decimeters to meters below that of the main mass extinction in the event beds (25 and 26) at Meishan, and their correlatives elsewhere. This earlier extinction event happened before the postulated bolide impact at the level of beds 25 and 26, and constrains interpretation of the mechanisms that brought about this greatest mass extinction. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

陆相二叠一三叠系界线划分和事件

我国陆相二叠—三叠系界线的划分主要依据古脊椎动物,孢粉,双壳类、介形虫和古植物等.这些化石组合特征在界线附近都有明显的变化.这种变化不仅可以用来划分界线,而且结合在界线附近其它非生物（沉积物的粒度和颜色等）的异常变化,可以看出在二叠—三叠纪之交曾发生过某种事件.     

Coral- and oyster-microbialite patch reefs in the aftermath of the Triassic–Jurassic biotic crisis (Sinemurian,Southeast France)

The end of the Triassic and the Early Jurassic are intervals characterised by profound biotic and environmental changes, accompanied by dramatic decreases in marine fauna diversity. Corals were strongly affected and assemblages underwent a severe reduction; compared with those of the Upper Triassic, the Early Jurassic is traditionally defined as holding a “reef gap”. A Sinemurian coral-microbialites patch reef, located in southern France in the Hérault department (Le Perthus locality), is here described. This bioconstruction developed in a shallow mixed siliciclastic-carbonate inner ramp setting. The reef volume is composed of up to 70% of an intercoral facies mostly microbialites, with subordinated sediments (approximately 20–30% of the intercoral facies). Therefore, the patch reef can be defined as a coral-microbialite bioconstruction, in which microbialites were the main framebuilders. The coral assemblage has low diversity and is dominated by massive to branching colonies of Chondrocoenia clavellata. This highlights the reef diversity after the T/J boundary crisis. The Le Perthus patch reef could have acted as an edge for the dominant currents and probably induced reductions in hydrodynamic energy and sedimentation on one of its sides. Consequently, it could have triggered the growth of small lateral bioconstructions, composed of oysters and microbialites, uniquely on one of its sides. The evolution of the facies shows that the Le Perthus patch reef grew in a shallowing-upward setting accompanied by an increase in siliciclastic inputs. The rate of bioerosion and the faunal assemblage suggest that the bioconstructions could have been developed in a mesotrophic environment.     

N and C Isotopic Compositions of the Lower Triassic of Southern Primorye and Reconstruction of the Habitat Conditions of Marine Organisms

N and C isotopic data are recorded and presented for the first time for the Lower Triassic claystones of Southern Primorye (Abrek Section). Five N isotope intervals and 11 more or less pronounced negative C isotope excursions, likely to reflect instability of the temperature regime and the oceanographic situation in the Early Triassic, are recognized in the section. The most favorable conditions for ammonoid recovery and other marine organisms in the Early Triassic (after the end- Permian ecological crisis) were associated with the late Induan—early Olenekian transgression and probable cooling.