柴达木盆地古近纪—新近纪湖相叠层石与藻礁的沉积组合特征与意义

在柴达木盆地发育了各种类型的渐新世—中新世湖相叠层石，其中丘状叠层石具有重要的地质意义，丘状叠层石直接生长在砾岩上，并向上逐渐演化为藻礁，藻礁向上又重新转化为叠层石沉积。通过对内部纹层特征和沉积组分的研究并结合叠层石的同位素、地球化学以及古生物资料分析表明，微生物自身的钙化作用以及微生物引发的沉淀作用形成了这种具有典型内部纹层的丘状叠层石。较高的温度、炎热和干燥的气候条件、坚硬的基底以及较少的藻类干扰作用是叠层石生成的主要因素。总体上，叠层石形成于较为低能的环境中，与高能环境中所形成的藻礁完全不同，而且两者具有明显的相互竞争作用。因此，与气候和水体条件密切相关的后生生物的生长和真核藻类的发育是叠层石在显生宙迅速衰落的主要因素。     

中元古代叠层石—非叠层石碳酸盐岩层序地层序列及其沉积特征——以北京延庆千沟剖面高于庄组为例

北京延庆千沟剖面中元古代高于庄组为一套发育在海侵砂岩上的叠层石—非叠层石碳酸盐岩沉积序列,厚度千余米,包括4段:第一段(或称为官地亚组)主要为海侵砂岩地层;第二段(或称为桑树鞍亚组)为发育少量叠层石的含锰白云岩和灰质白云岩地层;第三段又称为张家峪垭组,为一套以均一石灰岩为主的地层序列,发育席底构造且贫乏叠层石;第四段(环秀寺亚组)以叠层石礁白云岩为特征。与蓟县剖面相比较,该剖面的高于庄组具有以下特点:(1)第一段厚度百余米的海侵砂岩地层不但表明了与下伏大红峪组之间存在较为明显的区域不整合面,而且与蓟县剖面厚数百米的叠层石白云岩地层形成明显的区别;(2)在第三段的非叠层石碳酸盐岩沉积序列中,未发现臼齿状构造,但发育丰富而典型的席底构造,而且以均一石灰岩为特征;(3)第四段的厚度为500余m,由罕见的叠层石礁序列所组成。这些特征表明,千沟剖面的高于庄组组成了一个复杂而有序的叠层石—非叠层石碳酸盐岩沉积序列,成为依据沉积相序列进行前寒武纪三级层序划分和二级层序合理归并的典型实例。更为重要的是,第四段中的叠层石生物礁和第三段的均一石灰岩序列的存在,反映了一些值得进一步研究的问题:如前寒武纪叠层石生物礁的沉积模式,非叠层石灰岩序列是否代表了一次叠层石衰减事件等等。     

辽东半岛震旦系甘井子组叠层石生长机制研究

辽东半岛新元古界震旦系甘井子组叠层石出露完好,宏观形态完整,微观构造清晰,是研究新元古代微生物碳酸盐岩建造的理想对象,对恢复古环境和古生态研究具有重要意义。笔者等选择甘井子组地层为研究对象,根据岩性特征该组自上而下可分成3段。叠层石出露于下段的底部和上段的顶部,底部叠层石为透镜状,顶部叠层石呈大规模层状。下段叠层石呈现波纹状—柱状—丘状的形态组合,上段叠层石呈现波纹状—柱状—长柱状的形态组合,均为水深不断增加的结果。笔者等通过对比现代叠层石生长机制,确定甘井子组叠层石纹层的3层构造和形成顺序,分析硬质基底对于叠层石定殖和叠层石密集生长的控制,厘定环境变化从微观到宏观对于柱体形态和叠层石规模的影响,揭示了甘井子组叠层石的形成机制。     

辽东半岛震旦系甘井子组叠层石生长机制研究

辽南半岛新元古界震旦系甘井子组叠层石出露完好,宏观形态完整,微观构造清晰,是研究新元古代微生物碳酸盐岩建造的理想对象,对恢复古环境和古生态研究具有重要意义。本文选择甘井子组地层为研究对象,根据岩性特征该组自上而下可分成3段。叠层石出露于下段的底部和上段的顶部,底部叠层石为透镜状,顶部叠层石呈大规模层状。下段叠层石呈现波纹状—柱状—丘状的形态组合,上段叠层石呈现波纹状—柱状—长柱状的形态组合,均为水深不断增加的结果。本文通过对比现代叠层石生长机制,确定甘井子组叠层石纹层的3层构造和形成顺序,分析硬质基底对于叠层石定殖和叠层石密集生长的控制,厘定环境变化从微观到宏观对于柱体形态和叠层石规模的影响,揭示了甘井子组叠层石的形成机制。     

叠层石中的海绿石化和黄铁矿化:以天津蓟县中元古界铁岭组为例*

作为微生物碳酸盐岩的主要类型之一,叠层石是微生物席的主要建造物已成为共识。天津蓟县中元古界铁岭组二段叠层石生物礁灰岩发育,其中的细粒叠层石被前人解释为微生物席捕获碳酸盐泥的微生物建造物,使得其既不同于现代叠层石,也不同于显生宙尤其是寒武纪的叠层石。更为特殊的是,这些叠层石中的海绿石和黄铁矿代表着2种特殊的矿化作用,其中研究区普遍产出的黄铁矿,作为硫酸盐还原细菌的产物,是了解古代微生物的窗口;而发育在高能浅海的海绿石,产出环境不同于现代海绿石,不能作为慢速沉积环境的指示矿物,亦不具有沉积间断的地质意义。2种矿化作用表明铁岭组叠层石是由沉淀作用而非捕获碳酸盐泥形成,这为了解中元古代叠层石的形成和特征提供了一些有益的线索。     

叠层石中的海绿石化和黄铁矿化:以天津蓟县中元古界铁岭组为例

作为微生物碳酸盐岩的主要类型之一,叠层石是微生物席的主要建造物已成为共识。天津蓟县中元古界铁岭组二段叠层石生物礁灰岩发育,其中的细粒叠层石被前人解释为微生物席捕获碳酸盐泥的微生物建造物,使得其既不同于现代叠层石,也不同于显生宙尤其是寒武纪的叠层石。更为特殊的是,这些叠层石中的海绿石和黄铁矿代表着2种特殊的矿化作用,其中研究区普遍产出的黄铁矿,作为硫酸盐还原细菌的产物,是了解古代微生物的窗口;而发育在高能浅海的海绿石,产出环境不同于现代海绿石,不能作为慢速沉积环境的指示矿物,亦不具有沉积间断的地质意义。2种矿化作用表明铁岭组叠层石是由沉淀作用而非捕获碳酸盐泥形成,这为了解中元古代叠层石的形成和特征提供了一些有益的线索。     

埃迪卡拉系微生物碳酸盐岩沉积特征及其地质意义:以川中磨溪8井区灯影组四段为例*

四川盆地高石梯—磨溪地区埃迪卡拉系灯影组广泛发育一套微生物碳酸盐岩。以磨溪8井区灯影组四段(灯四段)为例,通过精细解析高频向上变浅序列的岩石学特征,发现灯四段微生物云岩及序列建造具有如下特征: (1)向上变浅序列主要由凝块石云岩、叠层石云岩和(含微生物)泥晶云岩3类构成,伴以少量微生物粘结颗粒云岩;(2)完整的典型向上变浅序列自下而上由(含微生物)泥晶云岩(A段)、平直状叠层石云岩(B段)、小型丘状叠层石云岩(C段)、分散状凝块石云岩(D段)、格架状凝块石云岩(E段)、微生物粘结颗粒云岩(F段)等6个岩性单元构成,但大量的序列由A-C-E、A-C-D、B-D、B-C-D-E等不完整的岩性单元构成,且序列顶底皆以凝块石云岩/(含微生物)泥晶云岩、叠层石云岩/(含微生物)泥晶云岩等不平整的岩性突变面或暴露面区分;(3)埃迪卡拉系微生物碳酸盐岩发育于浪基面之上至平均海平面附近的相对高能区域,且凝块石云岩较叠层石云岩形成的环境能量高。该研究结果不仅揭示出较高能的浅水环境控制了规模性微生物岩分布这一规律,而且对区域储集层预测具有指导意义,同时也因建立了有别于现代微生物的环境分布模式而具有重要的沉积学意义。     

埃迪卡拉系微生物碳酸盐岩沉积特征及其地质意义:以川中磨溪8井区灯影组四段为例*

四川盆地高石梯—磨溪地区埃迪卡拉系灯影组广泛发育一套微生物碳酸盐岩。以磨溪8井区灯影组四段(灯四段)为例,通过精细解析高频向上变浅序列的岩石学特征,发现灯四段微生物云岩及序列建造具有如下特征: (1)向上变浅序列主要由凝块石云岩、叠层石云岩和(含微生物)泥晶云岩3类构成,伴以少量微生物粘结颗粒云岩;(2)完整的典型向上变浅序列自下而上由(含微生物)泥晶云岩(A段)、平直状叠层石云岩(B段)、小型丘状叠层石云岩(C段)、分散状凝块石云岩(D段)、格架状凝块石云岩(E段)、微生物粘结颗粒云岩(F段)等6个岩性单元构成,但大量的序列由A-C-E、A-C-D、B-D、B-C-D-E等不完整的岩性单元构成,且序列顶底皆以凝块石云岩/(含微生物)泥晶云岩、叠层石云岩/(含微生物)泥晶云岩等不平整的岩性突变面或暴露面区分;(3)埃迪卡拉系微生物碳酸盐岩发育于浪基面之上至平均海平面附近的相对高能区域,且凝块石云岩较叠层石云岩形成的环境能量高。该研究结果不仅揭示出较高能的浅水环境控制了规模性微生物岩分布这一规律,而且对区域储集层预测具有指导意义,同时也因建立了有别于现代微生物的环境分布模式而具有重要的沉积学意义。     

北京西郊寒武系凤山组叠层石生物层

叠层石是微生物碳酸盐岩的典型代表,同时也是岩石记录中的"藻席"(微生物席)的建造物。在北京西山寒武系芙蓉统凤山组下部,见一层厚度为2~3m的叠层石生物层。宏观上,该生物层主要为大型柱状叠层石所组成;微观上,表现为致密泥晶灰岩和颗粒泥晶灰岩构成的泥晶相叠层石。在叠层石内部,各种特殊的颗粒如底栖鲕粒、核形石和凝块石的发育,表明了微生物席内颗粒的多样性,而三叶虫骨屑的发育则意味着叠层石生长过程中较为强烈的泥晶粘聚作用;致密泥晶中的黄铁矿晶体,间接地反映了泥晶的异养细菌成因。因此,凤山组中的叠层石生物层,作为"贫乏骨骼的寒武纪风暴海"中典型的沉积学现象,成为较深水背景之中微生物造礁作用的典型实例,也成为理解微生物席内微生物成因颗粒多样性的典型岩石记录。     

再论凡口矿区中上泥盆统叠层石及其地层沉积环境意义

本文论述阶叠状藻叠层石,柱轴与底面斜交的分离短柱状藻叠层石和短棒状层孔虫叠层石的形态与海侵方向、次数、幅度、盆地性质、盆底地形等沉积环境的关系。本区古生代底栖造礁沉钙藻对造架生物的镶盖和填隙粘结作用,形成有利成矿的礁环境。指出区内不同形态叠层石的分布及生物群落的演化,皆与西澳坎宁盆地同时代生物礁相似。     

Mississippian (Early Carboniferous) stromatolite mounds in a fore-reef slope setting, Laibin, Guangxi, South China

The Mississippian (Early Carboniferous) is generally a period of scarce carbonate buildups in South China. This study documents outcrops of stromatolite mounds at Mengcun and Helv villages, in Laibin City, Guangxi Province, South China. The stromatolite mounds contain various stromatolite morphologies including laminar, wavy-laminar, domal or hemispheroidal, bulbous, and flabellate-growth columns. Intramound rocks are brachiopod floatstone and dark thin-bedded laminated micrite limestone. Individual stromatolites at Mengcun village are generally 3–6 cm thick and morphologically represent relatively shallow-water laminar (planar and wavy-undulated stromatolites) and deeper-water domal, bulbous and columnar forms. Where mounds were formed, the stromatolites continued growing upward up to 60 cm thick. Thrombolitic fabrics also occur but are not common. Stromatolite microscopic structure shows the bulk of the lamination to consist of wavy microbialite and discrete thin micritic laminae. These mounds are intercalated in deep-water fore-reef talus breccia, packstone formed as a bioclastic debris flow and thin-bedded limestone containing common chert layers of the Tatang Formation (late Viséan). Further evidence supporting the deep-water setting of the stromatolite mounds are: (1) a laterally thinning horizon of brachiopod floatstone containing deep-water, small, thin-shelled brachiopods, peloidal micritic sediments and low-diversity, mixed fauna (e.g., thin-shelled brachiopods, tube-like worms and algae) that have been interpreted as storm deposits, (2) common fore-reef talus breccias, (3) lack of sedimentary structures indicating current action, (4) preservation of lamination with sponge spicules, and (5) lack of bioturbation suggesting that the stromatolites grew in a relatively low energy, deep-water setting. The stromatolite mounds are the first described stromatolite mounds in Mississippian strata of South China and contain evidence that supports interpretations of (1) growth history of Mississippian microbial buildups and (2) environmental controls on stromatolite growth and lithification.     

Tepee-shaped agglutinated microbialites: an example from a Famennian carbonate platform on the Lennard Shelf, northern Canning Basin, Western Australia

Distinctive, metre‐scale antiformal structures are well developed in a Famennian carbonate platform in the Chedda Cliffs area of the Lennard Shelf reef complexes. The structures are distinguished by chevron‐shaped crests and thickened cores and contain abundant non‐skeletal allochems (ooids/pisoids, peloids and intraclasts) of silt to pebble size and variably developed laminations and fenestrae. The internal morphology and pervasive occurrence of fenestral clotted and wavy laminated fabrics suggest that these structures are microbial mounds composed of agglutinated stromatolites and thrombolites. Microbial fabrics most probably originated through sediment trapping and binding by microbial mats with early lithification involving microbial calcification and cementation of trapped sediment. The facies and stratigraphic context of the mounds support a shallow subtidal, transitional backreef to reef‐flat setting; however, alone these mounds do not provide unequivocal environmental information. Other large antiformal structures in Famennian platforms on the Lennard Shelf, previously described as tepee structures, show morphological similarities to the Chedda Cliffs mounds, which suggests that these other structures may also be microbial mounds. The presence of microbial mounds in platform successions further highlights the importance of microbial communities in the Lennard Shelf reef complexes.     

华北地台马沟剖面寒武系苗岭统微生物岩的组构特征、沉积环境和地质意义

华北地台大约从寒武纪第二世的晚期开始接受沉积,超覆在前寒武-寒武纪“巨型不整合面”之上,形成了一套二级海侵背景下的厚层陆表海硅质碎屑岩-碳酸盐岩混积序列,这套特别的地层序列在苗岭统和芙蓉统中包含了多种多样的微生物岩。研究区苗岭统出露较为完整,包括毛庄组、徐庄组、张夏组和崮山组,分别构成4个三级层序即SQ1至SQ4。在SQ2的高位体系域和强迫型海退体系域中,以及SQ3的高位体系域中发育了较为特别的由微生物岩构成的生物层、生物丘或生物丘复合体。微生物岩的种类和沉积环境包括形成于正常浪基面以下、潮下带低能环境的类型I迷宫状微生物岩,潮下带上部至潮间带中-高能环境的类型II和类型III迷宫状微生物岩,风暴浪基面之上浅水环境中的均一石,潮间带短柱状叠层石和潮上带近水平缓波状叠层石,以及高能鲕粒滩中的小型叠层石生物丘。通常认为寒武系苗岭统的微生物岩（礁）以凝块石和树形石为特征,而本次研究在苗岭统中发现了迷宫状微生物岩和均一石,补充丰富了对寒武系微生物岩（礁）多样化和复杂化构成的认识。无论是在迷宫状微生物岩、均一石中,还是叠层石中,都见到了一种或多种钙化蓝细菌（鞘）化石,如葛万菌（Girvanella）、附枝菌（Epithyton）和基座菌（Hedstroemia）等,以及大量的钙化微生物席残余物,表明这些微生物岩是由蓝细菌所主导的微生物席的复杂的钙化作用产物,而大量呈弥散状分布的黄铁矿晶体或颗粒则表明硫酸盐还原菌等非光合作用细菌和异养细菌可能在促进碳酸盐沉淀过程中扮演了重要角色。     

同生-准同生期大气淡水溶蚀对微生物碳酸盐岩储层的控制作用:以塔里木盆地下寒武统为例

微生物碳酸盐岩是中国震旦—寒武纪古老地层的重要组成部分,勘探已经证实微生物碳酸盐岩可以形成储层,明确这类储层成因并进行有效预测对于古老碳酸盐岩勘探有重要意义。然而针对塔里木盆地寒武系微生物碳酸盐岩储层成因,尚未形成统一的认识,不同学者提出了诸如同生-准同生期溶蚀、埋藏/热液溶蚀或多种流体综合作用等成因解释。本次研究选择塔里木盆地西北缘什艾日克和肖尔布拉克剖面寒武系肖尔布拉克组为重点研究对象,通过露头和薄片观察、阴极发光和碳氧同位素分析等手段,研究了早成岩期大气淡水溶蚀作用对微生物碳酸盐岩储层形成的影响。结果表明:(1)研究区寒武系肖尔布拉克组识别出4种微生物碳酸盐岩岩石类型,分别是叠层石白云岩、凝块石白云岩、泡沫绵层白云岩和与蓝细菌相关的(含砾)颗粒白云岩;微生物碳酸盐岩建造具有复杂的孔隙系统,常见的孔隙类型包括晶间孔、溶孔、不同尺度的溶洞以及裂缝等,但是溶蚀孔洞是最主要的孔隙类型。(2)同生-准同生期大气淡水溶蚀是孔隙形成的主要原因,有三方面证据。一是微生物碳酸盐岩建造顶部发育小型溶蚀坑。二是新月形胶结物和胶结不整合现象表明经历了短期暴露。新月形胶结物通常被看作是渗流带成岩作用的产物。胶结物不整合是指在颗粒与埋藏期形成的粒状胶结物之间部分缺失了纤状等厚环边胶结物,这些缺失的纤状胶结物可能是准同生期被大气淡水溶解了。三是胶结物具有斑状中等亮度阴极发光特征,明显有别于表生岩溶与埋藏环境胶结物的阴极发光特征;此外大气淡水是导致微生物丘顶部样品氧同位素值较原岩负漂的原因。(3)储层具有非均质性,分布受微生物丘沉积结构和相对海平面变化控制。微生物丘可以分为丘基、丘核和丘盖三部分。其中丘基主要由凝块石白云岩组成,丘核以泡沫绵层白云岩为主,丘盖主体是含砾颗粒白云岩。储层物性丘核最好,其孔隙度平均为5.47%;丘盖次之,为4.27%;丘基较差,为2.01%。微生物建造岩石组成差异是造成储层非均质性的主要原因。     

Mesoproterozoic deep-water reefs from Borden Peninsula, Arctic Canada

A superbly exposed stromatolite reef complex occurs in the Victor Bay Formation near Strathcona River on northern Baffin Island. Individual reefs are up to 130 m thick and nearly 1 km in length, and their development was clearly related to their position in the facies spectrum and to sea-level dynamics. In the first sea-level cycle, metre-scale reefs grew amongst mid-ramp calcarenites and outer-ramp shales during slow sea-level rise; a 25-m-thick oblate reef tract, separating mid-ramp and outer-ramp facies, formed during the highstand. The greatest period of reef growth was during the second sea-level cycle. Pinnacle reefs nucleated on the karsted upper surface of the oblate reef tract and aggraded rapidly in response to rising sea-level, producing structures with more than 75 m of depositional relief. A gradual symmetrical succession of stromatolite growth forms, from stratiform to cylindrical columns to conical columns and then back through cylindrical columns to stratiform, is mirrored by evidence in offreef deposits for deepening to a maximum flooding surface and then shallowing. The tops of these high-standing reefs were karsted during the following regression, while dolomite ‘cryptodomes’ grew as sheets on their submerged flanks and as progradational tongues extending basinward of the reefs. Continued sea-level fall resulted in subaerial exposure of the entire reef complex and the extensive formation of surface and subsurface karst. These Proterozoic slope buildups are similar to Phanerozoic deep-water reefs in size, shape, prevalence of synsedimentary lithification, presence of Neptunian dykes and in their well-developed vertical zonation of reefbuilders. However, they differ in being constructed exclusively by stromatolites rather than being mud mounds with small skeletal elements, and in lacking halos of perireefal sand- and gravel-sized calcareous debris. Their responses to changes in sea-level were strikingly similar to those shown by their younger counterparts, and suggest that sequence-stratigraphic concepts derived from studies of Phanerozoic reefs can also be applied to the Proterozoic.     

河北承德寒武系凤山组叠层石生物丘中的沉积组构

河北承德路通沟剖面芙蓉统凤山组中部发育厚层块状叠层石生物丘,构成一个淹没不整合型层序的强迫型海退体系域,指示这些叠层石形成于中高能浅海环境。该生物丘宏观上主要由柱状叠层石组成,叠层石内部纹层较粗糙,在构成叠层石的致密泥晶和微亮晶组构中,还见到球粒、底栖鲕粒及凝聚颗粒等多种生物成因颗粒类型,代表着复杂的微生物活动特征,以此而区别于前寒武纪的叠层石。更为重要的是,叠层石生物丘中的致密泥晶基质中发育一些“石松藻(Lithocodium)”状的钙化蓝细菌菌落残余物,以及一些丝状钙化蓝细菌化石,指示了形成叠层石的微生物席为蓝细菌所主导的微生物席。因此,凤山组叠层石生物丘内复杂而特殊的碳酸盐岩沉积组构为研究叠层石形成过程中复杂的微生物代谢活动所产生的钙化作用机制提供了一个宝贵的地质实例。     

Large tufa mounds,Searles Lake,California

Mounds that have formed around spring vents occur in a variety of environmental settings, many at sites generally difficult or inaccessible for sampling. In contrast, over 500 tufa mounds occur in the dry bed of Searles Lake, California. The mounds range from minor features to 45 m in height; most are 5 to 12 m high. These mounds, composed of calcite and aragonite, formed associated with spring vents in the Pleistocene lake bottom. Thus, analyses of these mounds in Searles Lake provide a model with regard to the origin and architecture of tufa mounds. The mounds consist of four distinctive tufa facies. The initial deposits consist of porous tufa, including the innermost (porous 1) and the outermost (porous 2) deposits, followed by nodular tufa, then columnar tufa, and laminated crusts. There are two simple sequences of tufa deposition. The first sequence is from porous 1 to nodular to laminated crusts and, finally, to porous 2. A second sequence consists of: porous 1 to columnar to laminated crusts and, lastly, to porous 2. Facies changes are a response to changes in environmental conditions from deep water (porous 1 facies) to an essentially dry lake phase (during and after the formation of laminated crusts facies), to deep water (porous 2 facies) and, at the present time, totally dry. The primary constituents that comprise the tufa deposits include thin laminae, pisoids, spherulites, peloids and stromatolite‐like crusts. On the microscopic scale, these constituents dominantly make up nano‐spheres, micro‐rods and rod‐like crystals, as well as other calcified bodies. These constituents are interpreted to be the calcified remains of bacterial bodies. These findings suggest that microbial participation in the construct of other mounds should be a major concern of investigation, both for terrestrial and extraterrestrial spring‐fed mounds.     

Recent analog of gypsified microbial laminites and stromatolites in solar salt works and the Miocene gypsum deposits of Saudi Arabia and Egypt

Accumulation of microbial mats and stromatolites dominate in the crystallization ponds of solar salt works west of Alexandria, Egypt. These microbial mats are laminar in the permanent submerged part of the ponds. The microbial mats commonly form sites for growth of gypsum crystals during periods having higher salinity. In the dominant submerged part of the pond, domal stromatolites are common around groundwater seepage holes. In the shallow, intermittent margin of the ponds, the laminated microbial structure forms laterally close-linked hemispheroidal stromatolite type, with unidirectional and multidirectional ripple mark-like morphology on their surface. The microbial laminite and stromatolite types in the modern solar salt works are similar to the organic-rich Miocene gypsum beds of El-Barqan (west Alexandria, Egypt) and Rabigh (north Jeddah, Saudi Arabia). The Miocene organic-rich beds consist of interlayered dark-colored microbial laminae and light-colored gypsum laminae. These beds may have three different variations: regular even lamination, laterally closed-linked hemispheroidal stromatolites, and/or discrete hemispheroidal stromatolites. Petrographic examination of the microbial laminites and stromatolites in the solar salt works and the Miocene gypsum beds indicate that the dark-colored, organic-rich laminae are composed of micritized microbial laminae and/or brown organic filaments. In El-Barqan area, the light-colored gypsum-rich laminae are composed of either gypsum crystal fragments, or lenticular and prismatic gypsum. These gypsum crystals are either entrapped within the microbial filaments or are nucleated at the surface of the microbial laminae to form a radial pattern, whereas in Rabigh area, the light-colored gypsum-rich laminae are composed of secondary porphyrotopic, poikilotopic, or granular gypsum crystals. By comparison of the microbial structure in the Miocene gypsum beds with the recent occurrence of the microbial laminites and stromatolites in the solar salt works, it is demonstrated that the organic-rich Miocene gypsum beds were formed in a very shallow salina with slightly fluctuating brine levels.     

浙江桐庐二叠纪海绵生物丘的沉积环境和成岩环境

浙江桐庐二叠纪茅口期海绵丘发育于碎屑陆棚上，呈透镜状，无礁前和礁后相。由于当时相对频繁的海进海退，使该丘在生长过程中出现三次成礁期，海进成礁，海退消亡。其主要的礁岩类型为海绵（或水螅）障积岩，在上部出现纹层藻和古石孔藻粘结岩，最后为潮坪相叠层石灰泥岩所覆盖。该丘经历了早期海底、海水潜流带、混合水和大气淡水成岩环境。早期成岩作用以灰泥淀积作用为主，大部分孔隙都为灰泥所充填，少量残余孔隙中可见形成于早期海底成岩环境的纤状和针状方解石胶结物。