The unique nature in ore composition,geological backgroudd and metallogenic mechanism of non-conventional superlarge ore deposits: A preliminary discussion

The new plants documented here, including a representative of the trimerophytesPsilophyton primitiuum sp. nov., a questionable rhyniophyte or trimerophyteHedeia sinica sp. nov., a prelycopodBragwanathia sp. and two species of zosterophyllophytes,Zosterophyllum australianum Lang and Cookson 1930 and2. sp. 1, from the Posongchong Formation of southeastern Yunnan, China, add to the known floral diversity of the Early Devonian of this region. Two sections of the Posongchong Formation, Changputang section of Wenshan district and Gegu section of Mengzi district also are introduced. After comparing the plants with those of the coeval flora of Australia and considering the data of recent paleocontinental reconstructions, the authors suggest that there is a northeastern Gondwana phytogeographic unit during the early Devonian comprising Australia, South China Block and perhaps Shan-Thai Block. The similarity of the floral component between Australia and South China is discussed. Because both Australia and South China also have dominant or endemic taxa, each might be recognized as a subunit, separately characterized byHedeia for Australia andEophyllophyton for South China. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 49372075 and 49742004)     

Two episodes of C-depletion in organic carbon in the latest Permian: Evidence from the terrestrial sequences in northern Xinjiang, China

New analyses reveal two intervals of distinctly lower δ¹³C values in the terrestrial organic matter of Permian–Triassic sequences in northern Xinjiang, China. The younger negative δ¹³C_org spike can be correlated to the conspicuous and sharp δ¹³C drops both in carbonate carbon and organic carbon near the Permian–Triassic event boundary (PTEB) in the marine section at Meishan. The geochemical correlation criteria are accompanied by a magnetic susceptibility pulse and higher abundances of distinctive, chain-like organic fossil remains of Reduviasporonites.The older negative δ¹³C_org spike originates within a latest Permian regression. Significant changes in organic geochemical proxies are recorded in the equivalent interval of the marine section at Meishan. These include relatively higher concentrations of total organic carbon, isorenieratane, C₁₄–C₃₀ aryl isoprenoids and lower ratios of pristane/phytane that, together, indicate the onset of anoxic, euxinic and restricted environments within the photic zone. The massive and widespread oxidation of buried organic matter that induced these euxinic conditions in the ocean would also result in increased concentrations of ¹³C-depleted atmospheric CO₂. The latest Permian environmental stress marked by the older negative δ¹³C_org episode can be correlated with the distinct changeover of ostracod assemblages and the occurrences of morphological abnormalities of pollen grains. These observations imply that biogeochemical disturbance was manifested on the land at the end of the Permian and that terrestrial organisms responded to it before the main extinction of the marine fauna.     

Study on the Late PermianClaraia in South China

There are different opinions on whetherClaraia appeared in the Late Permian or not. It is convinced thatClaraia had turned up in the Late Permian through the study on the Upper Permian in South China.Pseudoclaraia, Claraioides andClaraia are compared and they are found to bear basically the same features. According to the rule of nomenclatural priority,Pseudoclaraia andClaraioides should be attributed to the genusClaraia. Late PermianClaraia lived in the middle-lower part of the bathyal continental slope as epifauna, which could swim occasionally. The study onClaraia of the Permian-Triassic transition shows that TriassicClaraia was evolved from PermianClaraia.     

New discovery of Palaeontinid fossils from the Middle Jurassic in Daohugou, Inner Mongolia (Homoptera, Palaeontinidae)

Three new species of fossil Palaeontinidae are described from Daohugou Village, Inner Mongolia, China: Daohugoucossus shii sp. nov., D. parallelivenius sp. nov., D. lii sp. nov. The diagnosis of Dao- hugoucossus Wang, Zhang and Fang, 2006 is revised. These materials are the first complete fossil palaeontinids in the Middle Jurassic of the world. Based on observation of these new specimens, Sc of this new genus has the following combined characters: joined with R at base, diverged near M separa- tion, coalesced with R before the nodal line, extended beyond the nodal line and fused with R1 before distal end. Due to the Sc characteristics mentioned above, the genus Liaocossus Ren, Yin and Dou, 1998 can be well distinguished from “Ilerdocossus-complex”.     

Lopingian (Late Permian) foraminiferal faunal succession of a Paleo-Tethyan mid-oceanic carbonate buildup: Shifodong Formation in the Changning–Menglian Belt, West Yunnan, Southwest China

This paper deals with a Lopingian (Late Permian) foraminiferal faunal succession of the Shifodong Formation in the Changning–Menglian Belt, West Yunnan, Southwest China, which has been geologically interpreted as one of the closed remnants in East Asia of the Paleo‐Tethys Ocean. The Shifodong Formation is the uppermost stratigraphic unit in thick Carboniferous–Permian carbonates of the belt. These carbonates rest upon bases consisting of oceanic island basalt and are widely accepted as having a Paleo‐Tethyan mid‐oceanic (seamount‐ or oceanic plateau‐top) origin. Sixteen taxa of fusuline foraminifers and 37 taxa of smaller (non‐fusuline) foraminifers are recognized from the type section of the Shifodong Formation located in the Gengma area of the northern part of the Changning–Menglian Belt. Based on their stratigraphic distribution, three fusuline zones can be established in this section: they are, in ascending order, the Codonofusiella cf. C. kwangsiana Zone, Palaeofusulina minima Zone, and Palaeofusulina sinensis Zone. These three biozones are respectively referable to the Wuchiapingian, early Changhsingian, and late Changhsingian, of which the Wuchiapingian is first recognized in this study in the Changning–Menglian mid‐oceanic carbonates. The present study clearly demonstrates that the foraminiferal fauna in a Paleo‐Tethyan pelagic shallow‐marine environment still maintained high faunal diversity throughout the almost entire Lopingian, although the very latest Permian fauna in the upper part of the Palaeofusulina sinensis Zone of the Shifodong section records a sudden decrease in both faunal diversity and abundance. Moreover, the Shifodong faunas are comparable in diversity with those observed in circum‐Tethyan shelves such as South China. The present Paleo‐Tethyan mid‐oceanic foraminiferal faunas are definitely more diversified than coeval mid‐oceanic Panthalassan faunas, which are typically represented by those from the Kamura Limestone in a Jurassic accretionary complex of Southwest Japan. It is suggestive that the Paleo‐Tethyan mid‐oceanic buildups presumably supplied a peculiarly hospitable habitat for foraminiferal faunal development in a pelagic paleo‐equatorial condition.     

Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Plankton Assemblage Structure in a High Altitude Saline Lake,Namuka Co in Northern Tibet,China

The seasonal variations in biomass, abundance, and species composition of plankton in relation to hydrography were studied in saline lake Namuka Co, northern Tibet, China. The sampling was carried out at approximately monthly intervals from June 2001 to July 2002. The salinity ranged from 5.5 to 26 g/L. The mean annual air and water temperature showed a clear seasonal pattern, which was approximately 4.4 and 7.4°C, respectively, with the lowest water temperature in winter (from December to March, −1°C) and the highest in June and July (18°C). The results showed that 36 taxa of phytoplankton and 16 taxa of zooplankton were identified. Both the biomass and abundance of total phytoplankton were lower in the winter and peaked once or twice during the summer and spring in the early August (8.23 mg/L and 158.2 × 10⁶ ind./L). The seasonal variation in total zooplankton biomass and abundance was characterized by lower values in both winter and early spring, and one maximum (90.5 mg/L and 935 ind. L⁻¹) occurred in the late summer. Major phytoplankton species were Gloeothece linearis, Oscillatoria tenuis, Gloeocapsa punctata, Ctenocladus circinnatus, Ulothrix sp., and Spirogyra sp. And major zooplankton species included Vorticella campanula, Brachionus plicatilis, Daphniopsis tibetana, Cletocamptus dertersi, Arctodiaptomus stewartianus. The production of D. tibetana was 420.3 g m³ a⁻¹. The total number of plankton species has a significant negative correlation with the salinity.     

Ichthyofauna (Chondrichthyes,Osteichthyes) from the Upper Cretaceous intertrappean beds of Piplanarayanwar,Chhindwara District,Madhya Pradesh,India

A new fossiliferous intertrappean section is found 92 km southwest of the extensively studied intertrappean beds of Mohgaonkalan and Jhilmili in Chhindwara District, Central India. Application of the bulk screen‐washing method led to the recovery of a rich microvertebrate fauna represented by fish, amphibians, crocodiles, snakes and dinosaurs. In this paper, the ichthyofauna recovered from the new intertrappean section consisting of Igdabatis indicus Prasad and Cappetta, 1993, Lepisosteus indicus Woodward, 1908, Osteoglossidae gen. et sp. indet., Pycnodontidae gen. et sp. indet. and Siluriformes indet. is described. The ichthyofauna dominantly represented by the teeth of Igdabatis indicus is suggestive of a nearshore, deltaic or estuarine palaeoenvironment and Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) age for the intertrappean beds. The remarkable similarity of the new intertrappean fauna to that of Asifabad and the infratrappean beds of Marepalli also is suggestive of coastal‐plain conditions all along the Godavari lineament in the Late Cretaceous. Although the presence of planktonic foraminifera in the intertrappean beds of Jhilmili in the Mandla Lobe of Deccan volcanic province has been inferred in terms of a short term marine incursion from the west coast along the Narmada lineament in the Early Palaeocene, currently there is no definitive evidence for the prevalence of marine or coastal‐plain conditions along the Narmada lineament at least in the latest Cretaceous.     

Review of methods used to estimate catchment response time for the purpose of peak discharge estimation

Abstract

Large errors in peak discharge estimates at catchment scales can be ascribed to errors in the estimation of catchment response time. The time parameters most frequently used to express catchment response time are the time of concentration (T_C), lag time (T_L) and time to peak (T_P). This paper presents a review of the time parameter estimation methods used internationally, with selected comparisons in medium and large catchments in the C5 secondary drainage region in South Africa. The comparison of different time parameter estimation methods with recommended methods used in South Africa confirmed that the application of empirical methods, with no local correction factors, beyond their original developmental regions, must be avoided. The T_C is recognized as the most frequently used time parameter, followed by T_L. In acknowledging this, as well as the basic assumptions of the approximations T_L = 0.6T_C and T_C ≈ T_P, along with the similarity between the definitions of the T_P and the conceptual T_C, it was evident that the latter two time parameters should be further investigated to develop an alternative approach to estimate representative response times that result in improved estimates of peak discharge at these catchment scales.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor Qiang Zhang     

Paleomagnetic results from Late Carboniferous to Early Permian rocks in the northern Qiangtang terrane,Tibet, China,and their tectonic implications

Results of a systematic paleomagnetic study are reported based on Late Carboniferous to Early Permian sedimentary rocks on the north slope of the Tanggula Mountains,in the northern Qiangtang terrane(NQT),Tibet,China.Data revealed that magnetic minerals in limestone samples from the Zarigen Formation(CP^z)are primarily composed of magnetite,while those in sandstone samples from the Nuoribagaribao Formation(Pnr)are dominated by hematite alone,or hematite and magnetite in combination.Progressive thermal,or alternating field,demagnetization allowed us to isolate a stable high temperature component(HTC)in 127 specimens from 16 sites which successfully passed the conglomerate test,consistent with primary remnance.The tilt-corrected mean direction for Late Carboniferous to Early Permian rocks in the northern Qiangtang terrane is D_s=30.2°,I_s=-40.9°,k_s=269.0,a_(95)=2.3°,N=16,which yields a corresponding paleomagnetic pole at 25.7°N,241.5°E(dp/dm=2.8°/1.7°),and a paleolatitude of 23.4°S.Our results,together with previously reported paleomagnetic data,indicate that:(1)the NQT in Tibet,China,was located at a low latitude in the southern hemisphere,and may have belonged to the northern margin of Gondwana during the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian;(2)the Paleo-Tethys Ocean was large during the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian,and(3)the NQT subsequently moved rapidly northwards,perhaps related to the fact that the Paleo-Tethys Ocean was rapidly contracting from the Late Permian to Late Triassic while the Bangong Lake-Nujiang Ocean,the northern branch of the Neo-Tethys Ocean,expanded rapidly during this time.     

Pseudofrenelopsis fossils from Cretaceous gypsum beds in Guixi,Jiangxi Province,China and their geological significance

Compressed fossil plants were found in the gypsum beds of the Zhoujiadian Formation in Guixi City, Jiangxi Province, China. The cuticular features of two species of Pseudofrenelopsis (Cheirolepidiaceae) were examined by scanning electron microscopy in this study: Pseudofrenelopsis papillosa Cao ex Zhou and Pseudofrenelopsis guixiensis Bainian Sun et Dai, sp. nov. A detailed analysis of the internode epidermis, and the adaxial and abaxial leaf cuticles of the two species, was performed, extending our knowledge of the morphological and anatomical characteristics of the extinct Pseudofrenelopsis. A new species, Pseudofrenelopsis guixiensis sp. nov., is proposed based upon comparison of its cuticular features. It differs from previously published species in that it has hairs on the abaxial surfaces of its leaves, sometimes shares subsidiary cells on the surfaces of internodes, lacks a hypodermis, and has no papillae on its epidermal cells. Because the distribution of fossil Pseudofrenelopsis is restricted to the Lower Cretaceous, the Early Cretaceous age of the Zhoujiadian Formation is affirmed. The fossils of Pseudofrenelopsis show obvious xeromorphic characteristics, such as apparent thickening of the cuticles, subsidiary cells with obvious papillae, and anticlinal walls with strong cutinization, and they are found associated with gypsum beds and close to red beds. All of these features indicate an arid climate.     

Size variation of the end Permian conodont <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neogondolella</Emphasis> at Meishan Section,Changxing, Zhejiang and its significance

This study is based on both a generic and species level investigation of the individual size of the latest Permian conodont Neogondolella Pa elements collected from Meishan Section A, Changxing, Zhejiang Province. In this study, an obvious size reduction of Neogondolella Pa elements within bed 24e of the upper Changxing Limestone is recognized. The size variation of the Neogondolella occurs simultaneously with some important events including the negative shift of δ ¹³C, change in the ratio of the abundance of cyanobacterial biomarkers versus that of other general bacterial biomarkers and the shallowing of the sea water. Through the investigation of the paleoenvironmental changes and the analysis of the paleoecology of the conodont genus Neogondolella, the authors propose that the major factors for the size reduction of species of the conodont genus Neogondolella are food shortages caused by the mass extinction, the shallowing of the sea water as well as the increase in opacity of the sea water during the end Permian. The same phenomenon of Neogondolella size reduction is also observed in preliminary research from the same horizon at Shangsi Section, Sichuan Province. All the evidence suggests that there was a mass extinction that occurred at the horizon of bed 24e, and the evidence supports the viewpoint of a multi-phase mass extinction during the Permian and Triassic transition in South China.     

Thermal histories of Cretaceous basins in Korea: Implications for response of the East Asian continental margin to subduction of the Paleo‐Pacific Plate

Thermal histories of Cretaceous sedimentary basins in the Korean peninsula have been assessed to understand the response of the East Asian continental margin to subduction of the Paleo‐Pacific (Izanagi) Plate. The Izanagi Plate subducted obliquely beneath the East Asian continent during the Early Cretaceous and orthogonally in the Late Cretaceous. First, the Jinan Basin, a pull‐apart basin, was studied by illite crystallinity and apatite fission‐track analyses. Analytical results indicate that Jinan Basin sediment was heated to a maximum temperature of approximately 287°C by burial. The sediment experienced two cooling episodes during ca 95–80 Ma and after ca 30 Ma, with a quiescent period between them. A similar cooling pattern is recognized in the Gyeongsang Basin, the largest Cretaceous basin in Korea. The Jinan and Gyeongsang Basins were cooled mainly by exhumation between ca 95 and 80 Ma, but the former was exhumed slightly earlier than the latter by transpressional force due to the subduction direction change of the Izanagi Plate. Comparison of thermal history of Korean Cretaceous basins with those of granitoids in northeastern China and the accretionary complexes in southwestern Japan reveals that the Upper Cretaceous regional exhumation of the East Asian continental margin including the Korean peninsula during ca 95–80 Ma was facilitated by the subduction of the Izanagi–Pacific ridge, which migrated northeastwards with time, resulting in the end of regional exhumation at ca 80 Ma in this region.     

Devonian shallow marine ostracods from central Japan

Thirteen ostracod species including two new species, Clavofabellina fukujiensis n. sp. and Bythocypris wangi n. sp., are reported from the Middle Shale Member of the Fukuji Formation, Devonian of central Japan. The ostracods demonstrate species‐links with South China, indicating that the Hida‐Gaien Terrane of central Japan shared biogeographical affinities with the shallow marine faunas of the South China paleocontinent during the Early Devonian.     

Sulfur and carbon isotopic systematics of Guadalupian‐Lopingian (Permian) mid‐Panthalassa: δ34S and δ13C profiles in accreted paleo‐atoll carbonates in Japan

Immediately before the extinction of the end‐Guadalupian (Middle Permian; ca 260 Ma), a significant change to the global carbon cycle occurred in the superocean Panthalassa, as indicated by a prominent positive δ¹³C excursion called the Kamura event. However, the causes of this event and its connection to the major extinction of marine invertebrates remain unclear. To understand the mutual relationships between these changes, we analyzed the sulfur isotope ratio of the carbonate‐associated sulfate (CAS) and HCl‐insoluble residue, as well as the carbon isotope ratio of bulk organic matter, for the Middle‐Upper Permian carbonates of an accreted mid‐oceanic paleo‐atoll complex from Japan, where the Kamura event was first documented. We detected the following unique aspects of the stable carbon and sulfur isotope records. First, the extremely high δ¹³C values of carbonate (δ¹³C_carb) over +5 ‰ during the Capitanian (late Guadalupian) were associated with large isotopic differences between carbonate and organic matter (Δ¹³C = δ¹³C_carb ? δ¹³C_org). We infer that the Capitanian Kamura event reflected an unusually large amount of dissolved organic matter in the expanded oxygen minimum zone at mid‐depth. Second, the δ³⁴S values of CAS (δ³⁴S_CAS) were inversely correlated with the δ¹³C_carb values during the Capitanian to early Wuchiapingian (early Late Permian) interval. The Capitanian trend may have appeared under increased oceanic sulfate conditions, which were accelerated by intense volcanic outgassing. Bacterial sulfate reduction with increased sulfate concentrations in seawater may have stimulated the production of pyrite that may have incorporated iron in pre‐existing iron hydroxide/oxide. This stimulated phosphorus release, which enhanced organic matter production and resulted in high δ¹³C_carb. Low δ³⁴S_CAS values under high sulfate concentrations were maintained and the continuous supply of sulfate cannot by explained only by the volcanic eruption of the Emeishan Trap, which has been proposed as a cause of the extinction. The Wuchiapingian δ³⁴S_CAS–δ¹³C_carb correlation, likely related to low sulfate concentration, may have been caused by the removal of oceanic sulfate through the massive evaporite deposition.     

Depositional model of Early Permian reef-island ocean in Eastern Kunlun

Many fusulinid fossils have been found in thin- to middle-bedded limestones which are distributed between the Early Permian limestone hills and formerly considered as Early Triassic. The fusulinid fossils, identified asNeoshwagerina sp.,Verbeekina sp. andSchwagerina sp., can also be found in massive limestone hills. At the same time, Early Permian radiolarian chert of deep basin facies was discovered in Animaqing. All the above show that the massive limestone hills, thin- to middle-bedded limestones and radiolarian chert belong to syndeposits in Early Permian ocean. The sediments in the study area can roughly be divided into three types: shallow facies, basin facies and transitional facies. The carbonate buildup can be subdivided into massive bioclastic limestone and reef framestone. Basin facies contains thin- or middle-bedded limestone, abyssal red mudstone or ooze, blue-green mudstone and radiolarian chert. Transitional facies includes reef talus and platformal skirt facies. The Early Permian ocean in Eastern Kunlun is recognized as a kind of reef-island ocean environment according to distribution and composition of different facies. The reef-island ocean in Eastern Kunlun is characterized by reef islands (or carbonate buildups) alternating with basins, complicated sea-floor topography, sharp facial change and well-developed reefs.     

Time-temperature relation of mineral isochrons: a thermodynamic model, and illustrative examples for the RbSr system

We have developed a thermodynamic model for the determination of the closure temperature (T_C) at which the minerals defining an internal isochron in RbSr, or similar, geochronological system were set with a geochronological clock. It is shown that the equilibrium fractionation of⁸⁷Rb and⁸⁷Sr between a pair of minerals at T_C [K_D(⁸⁷Rb⁸⁷Sr)_C] is given by the ratio of the quantity (⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr) in the two minerals as measured at the present time. K_D(⁸⁷Rb-⁸⁷Sr), which equals the element distribution coefficient K_D(RbSr) under equilibrium condition, can be calibrated as a function of temperature, and compared with the retrieved value of K_D(⁸⁷Rb⁸⁷Sr)_C in a natural pair to obtain T_C. The various mineral pairs defining an internal isochron will yield concordant or discordant values of T_C depending on whether or not they closed simultaneously with respect to the diffusion of Rb and Sr. Both types of results are expected, and are important in the analyses of the evolutionary history of the host rocks. Preliminary analyses of the published data in the RbSr system suggest a fairly wide range of T_C even for the same mineral pair, reflecting differences in the cooling rates and physico-chemical environments of the host rocks.     

汉江上游干流和秦岭南麓典型支流的底栖动物群落特征及水质生物评价

汉江上游是丹江口水库的水源区,其生态环境状况对保障汉江全流域及南水北调中线生态安全起着举足轻重的作用.本研究于2017年11月和2018年4月对汉江上游干流及源于秦岭南麓的5条典型支流开展了系统调查,旨在摸清汉江上游干支流的底栖动物群落特征,以及评价其水质状况.共采集到大型底栖动物240种,其中水生昆虫209种,软体动物13种,环节动物9种,其他类群9种.其中四节蜉Baetis sp.在各条河流中均为优势种,此外其他优势种还有拟细裳蜉Paraleptophlebia sp.、细蜉Caenis sp.、扁蜉Heptagenia sp.、花翅蜉Baetiella sp.、直突摇蚊Orthocladius sp.、纹石蛾Hydropsyche sp.、蜉蝣Ephemera sp.、带肋蜉Cincticostella sp.、高翔蜉Epeorus sp.、似波摇蚊Sympotthastia sp.和真开摇蚊Eukiefferiella sp..从各类群的密度来看,水生昆虫在汉江及五条支流中均占有绝对优势,占总密度的90.8%～98.9%,而在生物量上,除汉江干流中软体动物占绝对优势外,水生昆虫在各支流中均占绝对优势,占总生物量的47.0%～98.9%.就功能摄食类群的密度而言,直接收集者在汉江干支流中均为最主要功能摄食类群,而从生物量方面来看则表现出差异性,捕食者是金水河和旬河中最主要功能摄食类群,刮食者为汉江干流和月河中最主要功能摄食类群,直接收集者是金钱河中最主要功能摄食类群,滤食者为湑水河中最主要功能摄食类群.冗余分析结果表明,流速、总磷和电导率为影响汉江干支流底栖动物分布的关键环境因子.采用底栖动物生物指数(BI)和Shannon-Wiener指数进行水质生物评价,结果显示除汉江的极个别断面、湑水河和月河下游及旬河的中下游河段处于轻-中度污染状态外,其他调查河段均处于清洁状态.本研究结果可为汉江上游流域生态管理和科学保护提供依据.