四川广安谢家槽剖面早三叠世地层中的时错相沉积及其古生态意义——一个传统地层剖面的重新解读

四川广安谢家槽剖面下三叠统夜郎组和嘉陵江组中含有扁平砾石灰岩、蠕虫状灰岩、叠层石、层纹状灰岩、薄层泥晶灰岩、条带状灰岩和水平分布的遗迹化石等类型丰富的时错相沉积,由下至上时错相沉积呈现出逐渐减弱的总趋势。早三叠世晚期,时错相沉积从正常海洋环境沉积中退出,只是出现在高压力环境的沉积物中。时错相沉积的这种时空分布和发育程度的变化,反映二叠纪末生物大灭绝事件后,早三叠世海洋生态系复苏的历程。     

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。     

湖南慈利礁相二叠系-三叠系界线地层及其对大灭绝事件的启示

湖南慈利康家坪长兴组礁相地层上直接覆以大冶组"错时相"钙质微生物岩、鲕状灰岩、蠕虫状灰岩等沉积物。岩相、生物地层和碳同位素演变表明大灭绝事件处地层连续;剖面上长兴期末的化石分布呈现一种单幕式灭绝型式和过程;占据大灭绝后浅水碳酸盐相的是一种以微生物主导的"异常生态系"。     

东秦岭陕西聂家沟剖面二叠纪—三叠纪之交沉积特征及其古环境意义*

东秦岭陕西镇安聂家沟地区二叠纪—三叠纪之交发育一套海相碳酸盐岩沉积序列,较完整地记录了二叠纪末生物大灭绝事件前后浅海碳酸盐岩台地相生物群落演替及环境变化等信息,是研究二叠纪末生物大灭绝事件前后生态环境变化与沉积响应的理想区域。通过碳酸盐岩微相分析方法,对陕西镇安聂家沟剖面二叠系—三叠系界线附近的碳酸盐岩生物组合和微相类型进行了详细分析,共识别出11个微相类型: 斑点状凝块石、叠层石灰岩、鲕粒—纹层状叠层石灰岩、有孔虫颗粒灰岩、藻—海百合泥粒灰岩、含有被包壳和被磨蚀骨屑颗粒的粒泥灰岩、鲕粒颗粒灰岩、集合颗粒灰岩、含鲕粒的粒泥灰岩、泥晶灰岩和泥岩。根据碳酸盐岩微相特征及沉积相标志,在二叠系—三叠系界限附近划分出台地边缘、开阔台地和局限台地3种沉积相,其反映了二叠纪—三叠纪之交频繁的沉积相带变更的特点。该剖面碳酸盐岩微相反映的古生态和生物群落演替特征与中国华南同时期其他剖面具有较好的一致性,即二叠纪末生物大灭绝事件之后,早三叠世正常浅水碳酸盐岩台地生物类型和丰度极低,仅含有少量的双壳类、海百合等,灭绝事件界线附近以微生物碳酸盐岩等特殊微生物沉积构造占主导,之后微生物岩等消失,又出现了以双壳类为首的生物碎屑石灰岩。研究结果为了解二叠纪末生物大灭绝事件中生物和环境的协同演化提供了新的材料和认识。     

东秦岭陕西聂家沟剖面二叠纪—三叠纪之交沉积特征及其古环境意义*

东秦岭陕西镇安聂家沟地区二叠纪—三叠纪之交发育一套海相碳酸盐岩沉积序列,较完整地记录了二叠纪末生物大灭绝事件前后浅海碳酸盐岩台地相生物群落演替及环境变化等信息,是研究二叠纪末生物大灭绝事件前后生态环境变化与沉积响应的理想区域。通过碳酸盐岩微相分析方法,对陕西镇安聂家沟剖面二叠系—三叠系界线附近的碳酸盐岩生物组合和微相类型进行了详细分析,共识别出11个微相类型: 斑点状凝块石、叠层石灰岩、鲕粒—纹层状叠层石灰岩、有孔虫颗粒灰岩、藻—海百合泥粒灰岩、含有被包壳和被磨蚀骨屑颗粒的粒泥灰岩、鲕粒颗粒灰岩、集合颗粒灰岩、含鲕粒的粒泥灰岩、泥晶灰岩和泥岩。根据碳酸盐岩微相特征及沉积相标志,在二叠系—三叠系界限附近划分出台地边缘、开阔台地和局限台地3种沉积相,其反映了二叠纪—三叠纪之交频繁的沉积相带变更的特点。该剖面碳酸盐岩微相反映的古生态和生物群落演替特征与中国华南同时期其他剖面具有较好的一致性,即二叠纪末生物大灭绝事件之后,早三叠世正常浅水碳酸盐岩台地生物类型和丰度极低,仅含有少量的双壳类、海百合等,灭绝事件界线附近以微生物碳酸盐岩等特殊微生物沉积构造占主导,之后微生物岩等消失,又出现了以双壳类为首的生物碎屑石灰岩。研究结果为了解二叠纪末生物大灭绝事件中生物和环境的协同演化提供了新的材料和认识。     

湖北崇阳二叠纪—三叠纪之交生物灭绝和沉积微相演化

二叠纪—三叠纪之交,湖北崇阳地区处于浅水碳酸盐岩台地环境.二叠纪末的全球事件在该剖面的沉积微相和生物演化上均留下了清楚的记录.二叠纪末生物大灭绝之前,崇阳地区为典型的正常浅海台地环境,生物种类多样,数量丰富,主要生物化石有钙藻、有孔虫、腕足、棘皮类和海绵等.生物大灭绝之后,钙藻、(筳)类、棘皮类、海绵、绝大部分有孔虫开始消失,取而代之的是个体微小的腹足、介形虫和大量的蓝细菌化石.大灭绝界线之上,首先出现的是25 cm厚的纹层状的微生物岩,含较丰富的种类单调的有孔虫化石.之后逐渐相变为花斑状微生物岩和穹隆状微生物岩,厚度分别为6.4,2.3m.不同类型微生物岩在结构构造和生物组成上存在差别.微生物岩沉积结束之后,则相变为浅滩相鲕粒灰岩.共划分出3种沉积相,即开阔台地相、潮坪相和浅滩相.崇阳剖面的生物灭绝和沉积微相变化是二叠纪—三叠纪之交浅水台地环境生物与环境过程的典型代表,为认识二叠纪末浅海沉积相演化和全球事件提供了新材料.     

河南宜阳地区陆相二叠系—三叠系界线附近 微生物成因沉积构造特征及意义

有关微生物成因沉积构造及其生物地质过程的研究近年来发展迅速,成为深刻认识地球早期生命演化以及生物与环境相互作用过程的重要桥梁。目前报道的微生物成因沉积构造主要集中在海相沉积中,而陆相碎屑岩沉积中的微生物成因沉积构造研究较少。本文介绍了河南省宜阳地区二叠系—三叠系界线附近陆相碎屑岩中发育的以微生物席生长特征、微生物席破坏特征为主的微生物成因沉积构造,认为这些沉积构造的发育与二叠纪末地质灾变事件造成的特殊水体化学环境和严重退化的生态系统相关,属陆相环境中的"错时相"沉积。研究区微生物成因沉积构造的发现对于二叠纪末地质灾变期生物绝灭与复苏奥秘的探索、陆相地层的划分、海相—陆相地层的对比均具有重要意义。     

一种新的错时相沉积物——巨鲕及其环境意义

华南下三叠统缓坡背景的地层中广泛发育高能滩相鲕粒灰岩,其中含相当数量的巨鲕,粒径大部分在2~6 mm之间,最大可达12 mm。巨鲕的核心类型以多晶粒状方解石和球粒为主,具明暗相间的同心纹层,沿切线方向定向排列的晶体结构表明其原生矿物可能为文石。含巨鲕灰岩与生物碎屑灰岩交互沉积,指示了当时海平面的相对变化。巨鲕在新元古代地层中广泛发育,但在显生宙和现代海洋环镜中超过5 mm的鲕粒相当少见。巨鲕在二叠纪末灭绝事件后大量出现,随着中三叠世生态的复苏、海洋环境趋于正常而又消失。这些特征说明巨鲕可以作为一种错时相沉积物,它的形成无疑与当时的生态和海水环境有关,代表着一类特殊的沉积学现象。分析了巨鲕产出背景、微观结构和沉积特征,对于了解其成因、探索二叠纪—三叠纪之交地质突变期异常的生态状况和特殊的海洋环境具有重要意义。     

贵州罗甸二叠纪末生物大灭绝事件后沉积的微生物岩时代和沉积学特征

二叠纪末期发生的显生宙以来最大的生物绝灭事件,使海洋生态系统和陆地生态系统均受到重创之后,微生物岩广泛分布于全球正常浅海地区。研究认为,扬子地台在二叠纪末期存在一次海平面降低的事件,造成研究区二叠纪地层与早三叠世微生物岩之间存在沉积间断或剥蚀,并使三叠纪牙形石混入二叠纪末期的沉积物中。二叠-三叠系界线位于微生物岩层的底界;微生物岩形成于早三叠世最早期,相当于Hindeodus parvus带,是早三叠世最早期开始的海侵事件为其提供生长所需的可容纳空间。在Isarcicella staeschei带-I. isarcica带早期再次发生相对海平面降低事件,之后海平面开始快速上升。研究区早三叠世早期的微生物岩以凝块构造发育为特征,具有斑状、层状、枝状和网状凝块构造4种典型中型构造。结合前人的工作,认为微生物群落通过生物沉积和物理沉积作用形成球状体,球状体汇聚形成不同的中型凝块构造。研究扬子地台早三叠世凝块石的确切时代和结构、构造类型特征,为准确恢复生物大灭绝事件前后的环境变迁以及生物演化事件与环境变化的相互作用关系提供重要的证据。     

上扬子地区下三叠统飞仙关组一段:大灭绝后从停滞海洋到动荡海洋的沉积记录

在P—T界线生物大灭绝事件以后的早三叠世早期,上扬子地区广泛沉积了低能环境纹层状微晶灰岩、灰质页岩或条带状灰岩沉积,代表了P—T事件之后早三叠世最早期上扬子地区所处的古特提斯海海洋循环的近乎停滞;该套低能环境静水沉积广泛见于江油、广元、旺苍、重庆等地剖面中。上覆于停滞海洋沉积之上的是角砾状灰岩、扁平砾石灰岩、丘状交错层理颗粒灰岩、沙纹层理粉砂岩等和风暴作用有关的动荡海水沉积;低能环境沉积与动荡海水沉积之间常见冲刷、侵蚀界面,这都反映了上扬子地区从停滞海洋到动荡海洋的地质记录。川西北地区角砾状灰岩分布面积大、成因特殊,而扁平砾石灰岩是早三叠世典型的与风暴作用有关的错时相灰岩。沉积岩石显示的从静水条件到与风暴有关的动荡水条件的环境变化,预示着早三叠世早期生物大灭绝以后不同寻常的古海洋和古气候变化。P—T生物大灭绝可能对早三叠世早期古气候和大气循环起到了显著作用,P—T事件后生物对整个地球系统的调节作用减弱,地球系统向极端情况发展的趋势将得不到有效制约,全球古环境与古气候可能因此变得极端恶劣。     

Intensifying aeolian activity following the end-Permian mass extinction: Evidence from the Late Permian–Early Triassic terrestrial sedimentary record of the Ordos Basin,North China

Sedimentary successions provide direct evidence of climate and tectonics, and these give clues about the causes of the mass extinction around the Permian–Triassic boundary. Terrestrial Permian–Triassic boundary strata in the eastern Ordos Basin, North China, include the Late Permian Sunjiagou, Early Triassic Liujiagou and late Early Triassic Heshanggou formations in ascending order. The Sunjiagou Formation comprises cross-bedded sandstones overlaid by mudstones, indicating meandering rivers with channel, point bar and floodplain deposits. The Liujiagou Formation was formed in braided rivers of arid sand bars interacting with some aeolian dune deposits, distinguished by abundant sandstones where diverse trough and planar cross-bedding and aeolian structures (for example, inverse climbing-ripple, translatent-ripple lamination, grainfall and grainflow laminations) interchange vertically and laterally. The Heshanggou Formation is a rhythmic succession of mudstones interbedded with thin medium-grained sandstones mainly deposited in a shallow lacustrine environment. Overall, the sharp meandering to braided to shallow lake sedimentary transition documents palaeoenvironmental changes from semi-arid to arid and then to semi-humid conditions across the Permian–Triassic boundary. The die-off of tetrapods and plants, decreased bioturbation levels in the uppermost Sunjiagou Formation, and the bloom of microbially-induced sedimentary structures in the Liujiagou Formation marks the mass extinction around the Permian–Triassic boundary. The disappearance of microbially-induced sedimentary structures, increasingly intense bioturbation from bottom to top and the reoccurrence of reptile footprints in the Heshanggou Formation reveal gradual recovery of the ecosystem after the Permian–Triassic boundary extinction. This study is the first to identify the intensification of aeolian activity following the end-Permian mass extinction in North China. Moreover, while northern North China continued to be uplifted tectonically from the Late Palaeozoic to Late Mesozoic, the switch of sedimentary patterns across the Permian–Triassic boundary in Shanxi is largely linked to the development of an arid and subsequently semi-humid climate condition, which probably directly affected the collapse and delayed recovery in palaeoecosystems.     

湖北崇阳二叠纪-三叠纪之交钙质微生物岩的时代及基本特征

湖北崇阳钙质微生物岩产在二叠纪末礁相绝灭界线之上, 绝灭界线之下即为晚二叠世长兴期的海绵礁灰岩、棘屑灰岩及藻有孔虫生物碎屑灰岩.微生物岩基本上由中粗晶-微晶方解石组成, 主要沉积构造有“花斑状构造”及藻叠层构造.目前微生物岩中发现的化石主要有球状菌藻类化石、介形虫、微型腹足、双壳、鱼牙及分类位置尚无法确定的棒状微型化石.微生物岩中已发现有牙形石化石: Hindeodusparvus, H.typicalis和H.latidentatus, 从牙形石的类型及产出层位分析, 崇阳钙质微生物岩的下部属于晚二叠世长兴期, 上部为早三叠世.崇阳微生物岩在沉积特征、生物组成及牙形石带上均基本可与华南其他地区已发现的微生物岩进行对比.      

Controls on carbonate platform architecture and reef recovery across the Palaeozoic to Mesozoic transition: A high-resolution analysis of the Great Bank of Guizhou

Carbonate platforms spanning intervals of global change provide an opportunity to identify causal links between the evolution of marine environment and depositional architecture. This study investigates the controls on platform geometry across the Palaeozoic to Mesozoic transition and yields new stratigraphic and palaeoenvironmental constraints on the Great Bank of Guizhou, a latest Permian to earliest Late Triassic isolated carbonate platform in the Nanpanjiang Basin of south China. Reconstruction of platform architecture was achieved by integrating field mapping, petrography, biostratigraphy, satellite imagery analysis and δ¹³C chemostratigraphy. In contrast to previous interpretations, this study indicates that: (i) the Great Bank of Guizhou transitioned during Early Triassic time from a low-relief bank to a platform with high relief above the basin floor (up to 600 m) and steep slope angles (preserved up to 50°); and (ii) the oldest-known platform-margin reef of the Mesozoic Era grew along steep, prograding clinoforms in an outer-margin to lower-slope environment. Increasing platform relief during Early Triassic time was caused by limited sediment delivery to the basin margin and a high rate of accommodation creation driven by Indosinian convergence. The steep upper Olenekian (upper Lower Triassic) slope is dominated by well-cemented grainstone, suggesting that high carbonate saturation states led to syndepositional or rapid post-depositional sediment stabilization. Latest Spathian reef initiation coincided with global cooling following Early Triassic global warmth. The first Triassic framework-building metazoans on the Great Bank of Guizhou were small calcareous sponges restricted to deeper water settings, but early Mesozoic reef builders were volumetrically dominated by Tubiphytes, a fossil genus of uncertain taxonomic affinity. In aggregate, the stratigraphic architecture of the Great Bank of Guizhou records sedimentary response to long-term environmental and biological recovery from the end-Permian mass extinction, highlighting the close connections among marine chemistry, marine ecosystems and carbonate depositional systems.     

Age and General Characteristics of the Calimicrobialite near the Permian-Triassic Boundary in Chongyang, Hubei Province

INTRODUCTIONCali microbialites near the Permian-Triassicboundary are a special sedi mentary framework whichis formed on the top of reefs or isolated carbonateplatforms after the end-Permian extinction. Cali mi-crobialite in South China was first found by Lehr-mann (1999) in Bianyang, Guizhou. Al most si multa-neously , Kershawet al .(1999) reported cali microbi-alites in East Sichuan. Discovery of Permian-Triassiccali microbialites in South China has attracted muchattention. Based o…     

Facies and evolution of the carbonate factory during the Permian–Triassic crisis in South Tibet,China

The nature of Phanerozoic carbonate factories is strongly controlled by the composition of carbonate‐producing faunas. During the Permian–Triassic mass extinction interval there was a major change in tropical shallow platform facies: Upper Permian bioclastic limestones are characterized by benthic communities with significant richness, for example, calcareous algae, fusulinids, brachiopods, corals, molluscs and sponges, while lowermost Triassic carbonates shift to dolomicrite‐dominated and bacteria‐dominated microbialites in the immediate aftermath of the Permian–Triassic mass extinction. However, the spatial–temporal pattern of carbonates distribution in high latitude regions in response to the Permian–Triassic mass extinction has received little attention. Facies and evolutionary patterns of a carbonate factory from the northern margin of peri‐Gondwana (palaeolatitude ca 40°S) are presented here based on four Permian–Triassic boundary sections that span proximal, inner to distal, and outer ramp settings from South Tibet. The results show that a cool‐water bryozoan‐dominated and echinoderm‐dominated carbonate ramp developed in the Late Permian in South Tibet. This was replaced abruptly, immediately after the Permian–Triassic mass extinction, by a benthic automicrite factory with minor amounts of calcifying metazoans developed in an inner/middle ramp setting, accompanied by transient subaerial exposure. Subsequently, an extensive homoclinal carbonate ramp developed in South Tibet in the Early Triassic, which mainly consists of homogenous dolomitic lime mudstone/wackestone that lacks evidence of metazoan frame‐builders. The sudden transition from a cool‐water, heterozoan dominated carbonate ramp to a warm‐water, metazoan‐free, homoclinal carbonate ramp following the Permian–Triassic mass extinction was the result of the combination of the loss of metazoan reef/mound builders, rapid sea‐level changes across Permian–Triassic mass extinction and profound global warming during the Early Triassic.     

Sedimentology of the continental end‐Permian extinction event in the Sydney Basin,eastern Australia

Upper Permian to Lower Triassic coastal plain successions of the Sydney Basin in eastern Australia have been investigated in outcrop and continuous drillcores. The purpose of the investigation is to provide an assessment of palaeoenvironmental change at high southern palaeolatitudes in a continental margin context for the late Permian (Lopingian), across the end‐Permian Extinction interval, and into the Early Triassic. These basins were affected by explosive volcanic eruptions during the late Permian and, to a much lesser extent, during the Early Triassic, allowing high‐resolution age determination on the numerous tuff horizons. Palaeobotanical and radiogenic isotope data indicate that the end‐Permian Extinction occurs at the top of the uppermost coal bed, and the Permo‐Triassic boundary either within an immediately overlying mudrock succession or within a succeeding channel sandstone body, depending on locality due to lateral variation. Late Permian depositional environments were initially (during the Wuchiapingian) shallow marine and deltaic, but coastal plain fluvial environments with extensive coal‐forming mires became progressively established during the early late Permian, reflected in numerous preserved coal seams. The fluvial style of coastal plain channel deposits varies geographically. However, apart from the loss of peat‐forming mires, no significant long‐term change in depositional style (grain size, sediment‐body architecture, or sediment dispersal direction) was noted across the end‐Permian Extinction (pinpointed by turnover of the palaeoflora). There is no evidence for immediate aridification across the boundary despite a loss of coal from these successions. Rather, the end‐Permian Extinction marks the base of a long‐term, progressive trend towards better‐drained alluvial conditions into the Early Triassic. Indeed, the floral turnover was immediately followed by a flooding event in basinal depocentres, following which fluvial systems similar to those active prior to the end‐Permian Extinction were re‐established. The age of the floral extinction is constrained to 252.54 ± 0.08 to 252.10 ± 0.06 Ma by a suite of new Chemical Abrasion Isotope Dilution Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry U‐Pb ages on zircon grains. Another new age indicates that the return to fluvial sedimentation similar to that before the end‐Permian Extinction occurred in the basal Triassic (prior to 251.51 ± 0.14 Ma). The character of the surface separating coal‐bearing pre‐end‐Permian Extinction from coal‐barren post‐end‐Permian Extinction strata varies across the basins. In basin‐central locations, the contact varies from disconformable, where a fluvial channel body has cut down to the level of the top coal, to conformable where the top coal is overlain by mudrocks and interbedded sandstone–siltstone facies. In basin‐marginal locations, however, the contact is a pronounced erosional disconformity with coarse‐grained alluvial facies overlying older Permian rocks. There is no evidence that the contact is everywhere a disconformity or unconformity.     

云南罗平江边地区中三叠统关岭组二段古环境特征

罗平生物群赋存于中三叠统关岭组二段中部,是二叠纪末生物大灭绝后生物复苏与辐射的典型代表。通过对云南罗平江边村剖面的关岭组二段进行宏观沉积组构、微相分析和元素地球化学分析,重建了罗平生物群赋存层位的沉积环境和古海洋条件。根据沉积相展布和地球化学指标的变化,恢复出四个沉积阶段。阶段Ⅰ主要为局限台地、开阔台地相:Mo_EF、V/Cr较低,U_EF中等,指示氧化—次氧化环境;阶段Ⅱ主要为潮坪、局限台地环境:Mo_EF、U_EF、V/Cr均较低,指示氧化环境;阶段Ⅲ主要为台盆相:表现出Mo_EF、U_EF、V/Cr显著升高,指示缺氧环境;阶段Ⅳ主要为潮坪、浅滩、开阔台地环境:Mo_EF、V/Cr较低,U_EF中等,指示氧化—次氧化环境。罗平生物群主要产于阶段Ⅲ缺氧的台盆环境中,说明缺氧和较为封闭和稳定的盆地环境在罗平生物群化石的特异埋藏过程中,扮演了重要角色。     

Current perspectives on the Permian–Triassic boundary and end-Permian mass extinction: Preface

The end-Permian mass extinction is now robustly dated at 252.6 ± 0.2 Ma (U–Pb) and the Permian–Triassic (P–T) GSSP level is dated by interpolation at 252.5 Ma. An isotopic geochronological timescale for the Late Permian–Early Triassic, based on recent accurate high-precision U–Pb single zircon dating of volcanic ashes, together with calibrated conodont zonation schemes, is presented. The duration of the Early Triassic (Induan + Olenekian stages) is estimated at only 5.5 million years. The duration of the Induan Stage (Griesbachian + Dienerian sub-stages) is estimated at ca. one million years and the early Olenekian (Smithian sub-stage) at 0.7 million years duration. Considering this timescale, the “delayed” recovery following the end-Permian mass extinction may not in fact have been particularly protracted, in the light of the severity of the extinction. Conodonts evolved rapidly in the first 1 million years following the mass extinction leading to recognition of high-resolution conodont zones. Continued episodic global environmental and climatic stress following the extinction is recognized by multiple carbon isotope excursions, further faunal turnover and peculiar sedimentary and biotic facies (e.g. microbialites). The end-Permian mass extinction is interpreted to be synchronous globally and between marine and non-marine environments. The nature of the double-phased Late Permian extinction (at the Guadalupian–Lopingian boundary and the P–T boundary), linked to large igneous provinces, suggests a primary role for superplume activity that involved geomagnetic polarity change and massive volcanism.