A stable isotope record from freshwater lake shells of the eastern Tibetan Plateau, China, during the past two centuries

Lake Xingcuo is a small, closed, hardwater lake situated in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Stable isotope data (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) from the freshwater snail Gyraulus sibirica (Dunker) in a 34-cm-long, radioactive isotope-dated sediment core represent the past 200 years of Lake Xingcuo environmental history. Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios in the shells of the snail yield information on the isotopic composition of the water in which the shell was formed, which in turn relates to climatic conditions prevailing during the snail's life-span. Living and fossil shells from Lake Xingcuo were collected. δ¹⁸O values in the living shells from Lake Xingcuo are in equilibrium with ambient waters, while δ¹³C values may trace snail dietary carbon. On comparing δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C in the shell of Gyraulus sibirica with monitored data for the period 1954-1995, we found that the δ¹⁸O composition in the shell is an efficient proxy revealing air temperature during the warmer months from April to September. There is a positive correlation between the δ¹⁸O in the shells of Gyraulus sibirica and the running average temperature of the warmer months. Climatic variability in the eastern Tibetan Plateau for the past two centuries has been inferred from the δ¹⁸O record from the freshwater snails in the sediments of Lake Xingcuo. As such, the last 200 years' palaeoclimatic record for this region can be separated into three periods representing oscillations between warm and cool conditions consistent with the Guliya ice record in the Tibetan Plateau.     

Stable isotope studies and processes of carbonate formation in Hungarian alkali basalts and lamprophyres: evolution of magmatic fluids and magma-sediment interactions

Processes of carbonate formation have been related to C and O isotopic compositions in the Mesozoic alkali basalt (Mecsek Mts.) and lamprophyre (Transdanubian Range) suites of Hungary. In the studied magrnatic rocks, carbonates are present as ocelli, amygdales, xenoliths, veins and groundmass carbonate. C and O isotope studies of these types of carbonate have yielded information on the origin of the carbonates and indicated the following processes of formation that determined the δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values of the carbonates:(1)Crystallization of magmatic carbonate. Textural characteristics and δ¹³C values suggest formation of magmatic carbonate in alkali basalt and lamprophyre dikes, whereas the δ¹⁸O compositions of these carbonates indicate low temperature oxygen isotope exchange with magmatic fluids.(2) Assimilation of sedimentary carbonate by silicate magmas. Even completely recrystallized amygdales and ocelli of basalts and lamprophyres have preserved their sedimentary δ¹³C values. In contrast, variations in the extent of mobilization and isotope exchange with magmatic fluids are reflected in differences in the ranges of the δ¹⁸O values of amygdales, ocelli and veins, and can be attributed to different amounts of fluids involved in the magmatic events.(3) Low temperature alteration of magmatic rocks caused only ¹⁸O-enrichment in the carbonate amygdales of basalts and the groundmass carbonates of lamprophyres, indicating that no externally-derived CO₂ was present in the alteration fluids.(4) Degassing of magma and magmatic fluid. Correlations between δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O data, magma crystallization depths and amygdale sizes in the alkali basalts suggest that CO₂ degassing has been responsible for the negative δ¹³C and positive δ¹⁸O shifts observed. A similar trend was found in the lamprophyres, but the extent of the δ¹⁸O shift indicates that in these rocks H₂O degassing also played an important role.     

Holocene environmental history on the eastern slope of the Polar Ural Mountains, Russia

The Holocene environmental history of the eastern slope of the Polar Ural Mountains has been reconstructed using pollen, spores, algae and other microfossils from the Chernaya Gorka palsa section (67°05'N, 65°21'E, 170 m a.s.l.). An initial oligotrophic lake was formed at the study site c. 9800-9500 ¹⁴C yr BP. Although tundra communities dominated the vegetation in the area, birch and larch trees might have grown at lower elevations. Dry and disturbed soil habitats also occurred around the lake. Algae (mostly Pediastrum and Botryococcus) started to expand in the lake as climate gradually improved after c. 9500 ¹⁴C yr BP. However, the role of mosses (mostly Calliergon and Drepanocladus) was most important for the infilling of the lake basin. Increased temperatures and subsequent improvement of hydrological conditions resulted in vegetation changes: stands of willows developed rapidly and the role of tree birch in the local vegetation increased. The lake was completely filled at c. 8600 ¹⁴C yr BP. Peat accumulation started with Bryales mosses and, later, Sphagnum became dominant. Stands of Larix, Picea and Betula became well developed during the Boreal climate optimum. Tree birch began to spread into the tundra. Different Bryales mosses formed peat c. 8000-6500 ¹⁴C yr BP. Cyperaceae later became the main peat-forming element. Dense spruce canopies with Larix sibirica and Betula pubescens surrounded the study site during the Atlantic period, pointing to the warmest climate during the Holocene. Summer temperatures might have been up to 3-4°C higher than today. However, a decline of spruce and an increase of birch around 6700-6300 ¹⁴C yr BP may reflect some climate deterioration. There are no dated deposits younger than 6000 ¹⁴C yr BP. It is assumed that Subboreal climate deterioration resulted in the development of permafrost and formation of the palsa at the site. The deposits, now protruding above the surrounding terrain, were eroded by wind, water and cryogenic processes.     

中国湖相碳酸盐岩时空分布与碳氧同位素特征*

湖相碳酸盐岩产状多样,多以夹层形式分布在碎屑岩剖面中,也见以结核或钙质微体化石等薄层赋存于泥岩、页岩等碎屑岩中,具有层数多、单层薄、呈韵律性变化等特点。受构造背景、物源输入和古环境等因素控制,中国湖相碳酸盐沉积最早出现于二叠纪,主要发育时段为古近纪,具有沉积时间跨度大、分布面积广的特征。湖相碳酸盐岩按成因可分为原生沉积型、成岩改造型和热液喷流型3类。中国湖相碳酸盐岩的碳氧同位素特征可揭示原生和成岩过程中水介质环境的差异性: (1)δ¹³C和 δ¹⁸O 密切相关,且δ¹³C多正偏,指示封闭型咸水、半咸水湖泊环境;(2)δ¹³C和 δ¹⁸O 无相关性,且δ¹³C多负偏,指示开放型湖泊环境;(3)δ¹³C严重正偏,指示成岩作用时发酵带的环境受到古细菌参与的甲烷生成作用的影响。     

Oxygen and carbon isotope composition of cold-water Berriedale Limestone (Lower Permian), Tasmania, Australia

The Berriedale Limestone formed at about 80°S paleolatitude and contains many glacial dropstones. It formed during a period of major Gondwana deglaciation.

The Berriedale Limestone contains mostly bryozoans, brachiopods and bivalves, with some intraclasts and rare pellets. The faunal diversity is low and the fauna are similar to the modern cold-water foramol faunal assemblage. Micrite, microspar and spar occur as equant to well developed rhombs of calcite. The coarse spar cements are bored and are ruptured by dropstones, indicating submarine origin of low-Mg calcite at water-temperatures of around 3°C. The mixing zone cementation was preceded by erosion of early formed crystals. The eroded crystals occur as inclusions in mixing zone cements.

The fauna are characterized by heavy δ¹³C and light δ¹⁸O. The whole-rock field of δ¹⁸O-δ¹³C falls at the edge of “Normal Marine Limestone” and deviates to lighter δ¹⁸O values (down to −16.7‰ PDB). Lightest δ¹⁸O values ( −22‰ PDB) of fresh-water sparry calcite cement are similar to those in the Early Permian continental tillites, suggesting that the Permian sea was diluted by isotopically light melt waters. Micrite δ¹⁸O values (−9.2 to −12.6‰ PDB) are within the range of whole-rock values. The δ¹⁸O values of calcite in shales are lighter than limestone values.

The δ¹⁸O values of the fauna give an unrealistic range of sea-water temperatures because the fauna have equilibrated with variable amounts of melt waters. However, calculated original δ¹⁸O values of the fauna indicate temperatures < 4°C. The heaviest δ¹⁸O of fauna gives cold temperatures of 9°C (with δ_w −2.8‰) and −3°C (with δ_w −6‰). The lightest values of sparry calcite cements (−22‰ PDB) indicate that the limestone reacted with cold melt waters.

The δ¹⁸O of Permian sea is estimated to be about +1.2‰ and was diluted by melt waters as light as −27‰ SMOW.     

Palaeoenvironment of the Karelian Isthmus, the easternmost part of the Gulf of Finland, during the Litorina Sea stage of the Baltic Sea history

The palaeoenvironment of the Karelian Isthmus area during the Litorina Sea stage of the Baltic Sea history, between 8.0 and 4.5 kyr BP (8.8-5.2 cal. kyr BP), was reconstructed by studying four sites located on the Karelian Isthmus in Russia. Methods included diatom and pollen analyses, sediment lithostratigraphical interpretation and ¹⁴C dating. The brackish-water (Litorina) transgression began c. 7.7 kyr BP (8.45 cal. kyr BP) in the Karelian Isthmus area. The transgression maximum occurred between 6.7 and 5.7 kyr BP (7.6-6.5 cal. kyr BP), depending on the glacio-isostatic land uplift rate. Regarding the vegetation, the maximum occurrence of temperate deciduous trees took place at the same time. The transgression was interrupted by a short-lived sea-level standstill during the middle phase of the main transgression, c. 6.3 kyr BP (7.2 cal. kyr BP), on the eastern part of the isthmus. The highest Litorina shoreline is located between 8 and 13 m above present sea-level and the amplitude of the Litorina transgression has varied between 5 and 7 m. The 8.2-kyr cold event is not evident, but the sea-level standstill around 6.3 kyr BP (7.2 cal. kyr BP) could reflect a cool episode at that time in the Karelian Isthmus area.     

History of the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in the eastern Baltic region and its implications for the origin and immigration routes of the recent northern European wild reindeer populations

A total of 45 subfossil reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) antlers and bones - artefacts excluded - have been found over the years in the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The relatively high number of specimens suggests a stable residence of the species in the eastern Baltic region. For the first time, 12 of these finds were radiocarbon-dated. The ages of the samples range between 12 085 and 9970 ¹⁴C yr BP (14 180-11 280 cal. yr BP), and cover the Lateglacial and early Holocene, a time period during which climatic conditions shifted from periglacial to temperate. The dates suggest a rapid colonization of the area during the deglaciation period and a local extinction around the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary. The results of the study do not support the theory that the recent wild reindeer populations of northern Europe had their origin in the Late Weichselian reindeer populations of the eastern Baltic region.     

Paleoclimate of some Permo-Triassic carbonates of Malaysia

Four hundred thin-sections of Permian (Chuping and Summalayang Limestones) and Triassic (Kodiang Limestone) carbonates of Malaysia were studied, mainly to interpret probable climatic zones during their formation.

Chuping Limestone is rich in skeletal grains and intraclasts formed in shallow, high-energy environments. Original mineralogy of skeletal grains and early diagenetic cements were chiefly calcites with some aragonite. The faunal assemblage is similar to that of subpolar carbonates. The brachiopods are characterized by heavy δ¹³C and light δ¹⁸O and these values lie in the same field as an Early Permian fauna from eastern Australia. The δ¹⁸O values of fauna show unrealistic temperatures because the fauna has equilibrated with melt waters. However, calculated original δ¹⁸O values of the fauna from δ¹³C indicate temperatures ranging from 2 to 13°C with δ_w of +1.2. These features reflect cool-temperate (to ?subpolar) conditions.

Summalayang Limestone is rich in fusulinids and was deposited in bar to shelf environments. Fusulinids are often filled with fine, equigranular sparry calcite. Early diagenetic origin of these cements is indicated by erosion of cements during transportation and also by the cross-cutting relationship of veins with cements. These cements were originally Mg calcites. The foramol faunal assemblage, and predominantly Mg calcite mineralogy of both fauna and cements, reflect temperate climate.

Kodiang Limestone was deposited in peritidal environments. This limestone formation has all the characteristic features of modern, warm, tropical carbonates such as chlorozoan assemblage, diverse non-skeletal grains, abundant early diagenetic dolomites and predominance of aragonitic fauna, non-skeletal grains and cements.

The formation of temperate carbonates during the Permian suggests that Malaysia was probably part of Gondwanaland.     

Composite stable isotope records from a Late Weichselian lacustrine sequence at Grrenge, Lolland, Denmark: evidence of Allerød and Younger Dryas environments

Stable oxygen and carbon isotope data from a lacustrine sequence at Grænge, southeast Denmark, revealed distinct cnvironmental changes related to Late Weichselian climatic development in the region. Comparison of isotopic records obtained from sedimentary carbonates and freshwater molluscs enabled reconstruction of changes in the lacustrine environment. The degree of thermal and chemical stratification of the lake was evaluated and supported by pollen data from an earlier study of the site. During the Allerød interstadial, dimictic and stagnant conditions characterized the lake, whereas the stratification was disturbed during thc Younger Dryas stadial probably as a result of deforestation and increased wind impact. The origin of sedimentary carbonates was examined by mineralogic and morphologic studies. A considerable input of clastics and detrital carbonates, associated with pronounced enrichment of ¹⁸O and ¹³C. wds recorded in the Younger Dryas sediments indicating soil degradation and increased erosion. A climatic warming preceding the Pleis-tocene/Holocene boundary is clearly reflected in the different stable isotope records and in the lithostratigraphy.     

老挝班康姆铜金矿成矿流体及成矿物质来源：H- O- He- Ar- C- S- Pb同位素证据

老挝班康姆矿床是近年来在琅勃拉邦-黎府成矿带新发现的一个大型铜金矿床。该矿床矽卡岩与矿体主要赋存在安山岩中且缺乏矽卡岩分带,与典型矽卡岩矿床的地质特征存在一定的差别。因此,厘清班康姆铜金矿床的成矿流体、成矿物质来源及矿床成因机制是后续开展琅勃拉邦-黎府成矿带大型铜金矿床找矿勘探的基础。该矿床矿化阶段石英流体包裹体δD分布于-110‰~-90‰,δ¹⁸O分布于-1.5‰~7.1‰,其中低δD的样品具有相对高的δ¹⁸O值;黄铁矿流体包裹体的3He/4He为0.41~3.43Ra(大部分<1Ra),⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar为314.8~362.4。H-O及He-Ar同位素结果表明,班康姆矿床成矿流体来源于岩浆流体(至少部分来自地幔)与低δD的大气雨水的混合,雨水占更大的比例,且某些矿化流体的雨水端元在混合前经历了明显的水岩作用。除一件样品(BK64)的黄铁矿具有高的δ³⁴S(8.1‰)外,其余硫化物的δ³⁴S分布于-0.9‰~1.5‰,位于地幔硫的范围。共生硫化物对的硫同位素平衡分馏计算以及动力学分馏不支持高δ³⁴S(8.1‰)黄铁矿的硫来自从热液流体,可能来自围岩。热液方解石的δ¹³C范围为-3.1‰~2.5‰,δ¹⁸O变化于26.0‰~28.4‰,指示其碳来自矿区灰岩,而灰岩的溶解为热液摄取围岩的重硫提供了可能。矿石黄铁矿Pb同位素组成(²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb:17.9284~18.7756;²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb:15.5336~15.6651;²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb:37.9125~38.8090)位于黎府褶皱带和长山褶皱带晚二叠世—中三叠世大陆弧岩浆岩的Pb同位素范围,介于印支地块玄武岩和泰国-老挝S-型花岗岩及相关矿床的Pb同位素组成之间,指示班康姆矿床的Pb来自壳幔混合源。本文S-Pb-He-Ar同位素结果及区域Cu-Au成矿过程的岩石地化研究,表明班康姆矿床Cu、Au主要来自地幔。与典型矽卡岩Cu-Au矿床的S-Pb-H-O同位素及矽卡岩矿物流体包裹体盐度特征的对比,结合前人的火山气热液交代火山岩形成矽卡岩的实验结果,认为班康姆矽卡岩型Cu-Au矿床的形成机制为深部出溶的气相为主的含矿岩浆流体沿断裂上升到浅部交代安山岩或大理岩并经历了流体混合、沸腾及矿石沉淀等过程。     

A distinct δ13C decline in organic lake sediments at the Pleistocene-Holocene transition in southern Sweden

Values of δ¹³C obtained from conventional bulk sediment radiocarbon dates encompassing the Pleistocene Holocene boundary have been compiled and plotted against ¹⁴C age. In all. 286 lake sediment dates from southern Sweden in the range 8.000 to 13.000 BP have been evaluated. A significant decrease in δ¹³C values, initiated shortly before 10.000 RP and amounting to 5%, is distinguished. This change is accompanied by increased limnic productivity. decreased erosive input and increased organic carbon content of the sediments. A probable explanation for the δ¹³C decline in organic material is decreased importance of dissolution of silicates at the transition to the Holocene. During the Late Weichselian. extensive weathering of exposed minerogenic material with subsequent input of bicarbonate to the lake water may have caused a relative enrichment of ¹³C in dissolved inorganic carbon. Furthermore, the early Holocene increase in terrestrial vegetation cover probably led to an increased supply of ¹³C depleted carbon dioxide to the lake water by root respiration. Altered limnic vegetation, presumably towards increased production of phytoplankton. could also have contributed to the observed decreasing δ¹³C trend. The importance of these processes compared to other possible influencing factors. mainly endogenic carbonate production and changes in the global carbon cycle. is discussed.     

Enrichment and Origin of Some Trace Elements in Black Shales from the Early Cambrian in Eastern Guizhou Province

The analysis is based on the elemental geochemistry, ¹³C, ¹⁸O isotope and lithology combination of the black shale, a set assemblage mud and carbon of lithology , in East Guizhou. The coordinated change in spider diagrams of race elements suggests those elements have the same source. The ¹³C, ¹⁸O isotopes, mode of REE partition and characteristic enrichment of elements assemblage in carbonaceous shale show that the deep thermal fluid is added, and the shelf sea basin edge with distribution of hydrothermal activity is propitious to precipitation of ore elements. Evidence from the ³⁴S isotope and redox-sensitive elements show that the hydrostatic hypoxia environment is also conducive to precipitation of elements. The lithologic features (phosphorus, coal-bearing layers) and high content of organic carbon indicate that the deposits are influenced by the upwelling ocean current.     

Modeling the deglaciation of the Green Bay Lobe of the southern Laurentide Ice Sheet

We use a time-dependent two-dimensional ice-flow model to explore the development of the Green Bay Lobe, an outlet glacier of the southern Laurentide Ice Sheet, leading up to the time of maximum ice extent and during subsequent deglaciation (c. 30 to 8 cal. ka BP). We focus on conditions at the ice-bed interface in order to evaluate their possible impact on glacial landscape evolution. Air temperatures for model input have been reconstructed using the GRIP δ ¹⁸ O record calibrated to speleothem records from Missouri that cover the time periods of c. 65 to 30 cal. ka BP and 13.25 to 12.4 cal. ka BP. Using that input, the known ice extents during maximum glaciation and early deglaciation can be reproduced reasonably well. The model fails, however, to reproduce short-term ice margin retreat and readvance events during later stages of deglaciation. Model results indicate that the area exposed after the retreat of the Green Bay Lobe was characterized by permafrost until at least 14 cal. ka BP. The extensive drumlin zones that formed behind the ice margins of the outermost Johnstown phase and the later Green Lake phase are associated with modeled ice margins that were stable for at least 1000 years, high basal shear stresses (c. 100 kPa) and permafrost depths of 80-200 m. During deglaciation, basal meltwater and sliding became more important.     

Burial-dominated cementation in non-tropical carbonates of the Oligocene Te Kuiti Group, New Zealand

Cementation of bryozoan-echinoid-benthic foraminiferal temperate shelf carbonates of the Oligocene Te Kuiti Group, North Island, New Zealand, occurred mainly during subsurface burial. The calcite cements in the limestones are dominated by equant and syntaxial rim spar which typically becomes ferroan (given an iron supply) and, compared to the skeletal material with normal marine δ¹⁸O values from +2 to −1‰, more depleted in ¹⁸O with depth of burial, the δ¹⁸O composition of bulk cement samples ranging from −1 to −7‰. These trends reflect the establishment in pore waters during sediment burial of reducing conditions and gradually increasing temperatures (20–50°C), respectively. The δ¹³C values (0 to +3‰) of the cements remain the same as the host marine shells, suggesting the source of carbon in the cements was simply redistributed marine carbonate derived from shell dissolution.

Two gradational burial diagenetic environments influenced by marine-derived porewaters are arbitrarily distinguished: shallow burial phase and moderate burial phase. During the shallow burial phase, down to 500–600 m sub-bottom depth, the carbonates lost at least 25% of their original porosity by mechanical compaction and were selectively cemented by non-ferroan or usually ferroan, variably luminescent, slightly ¹⁸O-depleted sparry calcite cement (δ¹⁸O −2 to −4‰), mainly as syntaxial rims about echinoid grains. These shallow-burial cements form less than about 10% of total cement in the majority of the limestones and their source was probably mainly mild intergranular dissolution of calcitic skeletal fragments accompanying the onset of chemical compaction. During the moderate burial phase, between about 600 and 1100 m sub-bottom depth, porosity loss continued (typically to about 70% of its original value) as a result of pressure-solution of calcitic bioclasts associated with more advanced stages of chemical compaction. This involved development of a wide variety of non-sutured and microstylolitic solution seams, including both single and composite, wispy or continuous, bedding-parallel types and non-parallel reticulate forms. The released carbonate was precipitated as ferroan (or non-ferroan where iron supply was negligible), dull luminescent, strongly ¹⁸O-depleted (δ¹⁸O −4 to −7‰), mainly equant calcite spar cement, occluding available pore space in the limestones.     

The Fossvogur marine sediments in SW Iceland - confined to the Allerød/Younger Dryas transition by AMS 14 C dating

An exhaustive ¹⁴C dating programme of molluscs from the Fossvogur sediments in Reykjavik. Iceland is presented. For the first time all the fossiliferous units of the sediments are dated. The results confirm earlier conclusions of a widespread occurrence of marine sediments of Allerød age in Reykjavik. The set of dates from the Fossvogur sediments shows a narrow ¹⁴C age distribution (standard deviation of ±235 years) of molluscs from all localities and from successive marine units in vertical sections. The weighted mean conventional ¹⁴C age is 11,400 BP. Assuming a reservoir effect of 400 years. this corresponds to a reservoir-corrected age of I1,000 BP. i.e. the Allerød- Younger Dryas transition for the sampled units, These new ¹⁴C dates from Fossvogur confirm the need for a revision of the Upper Pleistocene chronology of the Reykjavik region. They also have a bearing on the Late Weichselian record of glacier readvances and sea-level changes in the area. The dates suggest that the marine units in Fossvogur accumulated within a restricted time-span of a few hundred years. The sediments in Fossvogur are of volcaniclastic origin and are extremely lithified, indicating local geothermal activity soon after their deposition. This may explain anomalously high D/L amino acid ratios measured in molluscs from the Fossvogur sediments. δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O results suggest that temperatures may have ranged up to 60°C.     

The Holocene history of the southwestern Baltic Sea as reflected in a sediment core from the Bornholm Basin

A study of changes in siliceous microfossil assemblages and chemical analyses in a well-dated offshore sediment core from the Bornholm Basin, southwestern Baltic Sea, is carried out with the objective of increasing knowledge of the Holocene history of the area. The core covers about 11 300 calendar years from the brackish phase of the Yoldia Sea stage to the present. The first weak marine influence in the Ancylus Lake stage is recorded about 10 100 cal. yr BP (c. 8900 ¹⁴C BP), indicating a complex transition to the Litorina Sea with different phases of brackish-water inflow. The lithology, organic carbon content and C/N and C/S ratios indicate no major changes in the sedimentary environment during the Litorina-Post-Litorina Sea stages. A high productivity event recorded in the Post-Litorina Sea stage around 950 cal. yr BP correlates with the Medieval warm event. A biostratigraphical change indicating a colder climate is recorded in the sediment at about 800 cal. yr BP, which might mark the beginning of the Little Ice Age.     

Earthworm Calcite Granule —A New Proxy for Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction

Earthworm calcite granules (ECG), generally produced in Morren's glands of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris and Lumbricus rubellus, are commonly preserved in Quaternary soils and sediments well. These granules can not only provide radio-carbon dating (Carbon-14) with the efficacious materials, but accurately record a wealth of climatic and environmental information on temperature and precipitation. For instance, researchers from France reconstructed the paleotemperature and paleoprecipitation during the last glacial in west part of Europe by taking advantage of δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C signal contained in ECG. Additionally, scientists from Germany and France carried out radiocarbon dating of ECG from two different loess-paleosol sequences, and the results showed consistency with the dating results of other materials (such as charcoal, bone, plant calcified root cells, etc.). Therefore, this new bio-indicator has been confirmed as a proxy for paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstruction, hopefully becoming the golden key to understanding the paleoclimate change. This paper, based on the previous literatures, reviewed the present research status of ECG in paleoclimatology, mainly consisting of five aspects: (i) ECGs' production mechanism and their characteristics; (ii) The theoretical foundation of stable carbon and oxygen isotopes in terrestrial fossil earthworm calcite granules for paleoclimatic reconstruction; (iii) The pre-treatment of ECG samples; (iv) Current applications in chronology and paleoclimatology of earthworm calcite granules;(v) Major problems at present regarding paleoclimatic explanation and radiocarbon-14 dating of ECG. Finally, we proposed the future research and development direction in this field, which is expected to make a reference to the future researches.     

Two types of gneisses associated with eclogite at Shuanghe in the Dabie terrane: carbon isotope, zircon U–Pb dating and oxygen isotope

There are two types of gneisses, biotite paragneiss and granitic orthogneiss, to be closely associated with UHP eclogite at Shuanghe in the Dabie terrane. Both concentration and isotope composition of bulk carbon in apatite and host gneisses were determined by the EA-MS online technique. Structural carbonate within the apatite was detected by the XRD and FTIR techniques. Significant ¹³C-depletion was observed in the apatite with δ¹³C values of −28.6‰ to −22.3‰ and the carbon concentrations of 0.70–4.98 wt.% CO₂ despite a large variation in δ¹⁸O from −4.3‰ to +10.6‰ for these gneisses. There is significant heterogeneity in both δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O within the gneisses on the scale of several tens meters, pointing to the presence of secondary processes after the UHP metamorphism. Considerable amounts of carbonate carbon occur in some of the gneisses that were also depleted in ¹³C primarily, but subjected to overprint of ¹³C-rich CO₂-bearing fluid after the UHP metamorphism. The ¹³C-depleted carbon in the gneisses is interpreted to be inherited from their precursors that suffered meteoric–hydrothermal alteration before plate subduction. Both low δ¹³C values and structural carbonate in the apatite suggest the presence of ¹³C-poor CO₂ in the UHP metamorphic fluid. The ¹³C-poor CO₂ is undoubtedly derived from oxidation of organic matter in the subsurface fluid during the prograde UHP metamorphism.

Zircons from two samples of the granitic orthogneiss exhibit low δ¹⁸O values of −4.1‰ to −1.1‰, demonstrating that its protolith was significantly depleted in ¹⁸O prior to magma crystallization. U–Pb discordia datings for the ¹⁸O-depleted zircons yield Neoproterozoic ages of 724–768 Ma for the protolith of the granitic orthogneiss, consistent with protolith ages of most eclogites and orthogneisses from the other regions in the Dabie–Sulu orogen. Therefore, the meteoric–hydrothermal alteration is directly dated to occur at mid-Neoproterozoic, and may be correlated with the Rodinia supercontinental breakup and the snowball Earth event. It is thus deduced that the igneous protolith of the granitic orthogneiss and some eclogites would intrude into the older sequences composing the sedimentary protoliths of the biotite paragneiss and some eclogites along the northern margin of the Yangtze plate at mid-Neoproterozoic, and drove local meteoric–hydrothermal circulation systems in which both ¹³C- and ¹⁸O-depleted fluid interacted with the protoliths of these UHP rocks now exposed in the Dabie terrane.     

四川东北寨微细浸染型金矿床的同位素组成特征及其成因意义

东北寨金矿床是我国迄今为止发现的规模最大的浅成热液形成的微细浸染型金矿床。对矿床的同位素组成的研究表明,成矿溶液主要来自大气降水,矿化和蚀变作用是在水/岩比值较低的体系中进行的;硫来自围岩中的还原硫;碳酸盐岩地层是提供金属组分的主源层。地下热液在环流过程中,从围岩中萃取金属矿质,并迁移到黑色岩系地层的破碎带中成矿。     

环境同位素特征对滨海岩溶地区海水入侵过程的指示意义

大连大魏家水源地位于中国北方典型滨海岩溶地区。近30年来,地下淡水的不合理开采造成的地下水位降落漏斗引发了严重的海水入侵。以大魏家水源地为研究对象,通过大量的水文地质调查和水化学及同位素采样测试分析,探讨海水入侵形成的水动力条件,通过分析滨海岩溶含水层中地下水主要水化学和多种同位素(δ2H-δ18O,δ34S,δ13C)组成特征,识别了海水入侵过程中发生的主要水文地球化学作用,并对其进行了定量模拟,从而阐明了岩溶含水层中的海水入侵机理。研究结果表明:大连大魏家海水入侵主要通道为大魏家地区存在的导水断裂、岩溶裂隙以及第四系松散地层。对δ2H-δ18O同位素的组成分析表明,研究区地下水主要来自大气降水补给,结合Cl-浓度分布,认为除海水入侵淡水含水层后增加了地下水中的盐分外,浅层地下水的蒸发也对地下水中盐分的累积起到了重要作用。根据不同水体中δ34SSO4,δ13CHCO3等同位素特征,结合水化学成分(如SO2-4,Cl-)分析认为,研究区微咸水和咸水并不是地下水淡水和海水简单混合而成。利用反向水文地球化学模拟揭示了控制滨海岩溶含水层中水化学演化的主要水文地球化学反应有方解石、蒙脱石和石膏的溶解作用,伊利石的沉淀作用以及Ca-Na离子交换作用,伴随着CO2的释放。