Late Changhsingian radiolarian biostratigraphy from Guangxi,South China and its correlation to conodonts

A well-preserved, abundant radiolarian fauna was obtained from three sections: the Dongpan, Liuqiao, and Paibi sections, in southern Guangxi, South China. Sixteen species belonging to Albaillella and Neoalbaillella, including seven undetermined species, are recognized. On the basis of stratigraphic distribution of these species, two radiolarian zones, the Albaillella triangularis Zone and the Albaillella yaoi Zone, are established. The correlation between radiolarian zones and conodont zones is suggested based on the discovery of coexisting conodonts. Albaillella triangularis and Albaillella yaoi zones correspond to Neogondolella postwangi and Neogondolella yini zones respectively.     

Conodont evolution and stratotype sign of carboniferous Tournaisian-Visean boundary in South China

Sediment-successive strata of the Carboniferous Tournaisian-Visean period, i.e. Aikuanian-Datangian, are widespread in South China, where it is most possi- ble to establish the GSSP of the T\V boundary. Owing to a global drop of sea-level in the period, when the dropping-range could reach to 150 m[1], sedimentary interruptions, sudden changes of facies and disjunc- tions of organic-evolutionary chains occurred com- monly and cause sharp conflicts on division and cor- relation of the bound…     

High-resolution cyclostratigraphy of geochemical records from Permo-Triassic boundary section of Dongpan, southwestern Guangxi, South China

Spectral analysis is applied to geochemical data from a deep-water Permian-Triassic Boundary (PTB) section across PTB in Dongpan, Guangxi for high-resolution cyclostratigraphic research. The characteristics of the Milankovitch Cycles have been well recorded in the strata of the Dongpan section. Spectrum on Ce/La records shows especially that the ratios among its three preponderant cycles in the section are 5:2:1, which well displays the phenomenon of the sedimentary cycles driven by orbital force. The Milankovitch theory is further confirmed by the Paleozoic records.     

The Upper Devonian orbital cyclostratigraphy and numerical dating conodont zones from Guangxi,South China

The hierarchically organized laminae, bundles, bundlesets and superbundlesets which correspond to a sub-Milankovitch, obliquity or precession, eccentricity and long eccentricity cyclothems, respectively, have been distinguished from the Upper Devonian Fras-nian-Famennian (F-F) transitional carbonate successions deposited in the carbonate-basin and slope facies of Guangxi, South China. The durations of cyclothems are 8000-10000a, 16667a or 33333a, 100000a and 400000a, respectively. The ratio of eccentricity to precession, eccentricity to obliquity, and long eccentricity to eccentricity is 1 : 6, 1 : 3 and 1 : 4 in the Devonian, respectively. Orbital cyclostratigraphical studies show that the durations of the conodont falsio-valis Zone, transitans Zone, punctate Zone, Lower hassi Zone, Upper hassi Zone, jamieae Zone, Lower rhenana Zone, Upper rhenana Zone, linguiformis Zone, Lower triangularis Zone, Middle triangularis Zone and Upper triangularis Zone are 0.4, 0.4, 0.4, 0.3, 0.4, 0.2, 0.8, 0.6, 0.8, 0.3, 0     

High-resolution Induan-Olenekian boundary sequence in Chaohu,Anhui Province

The Lower Triassic of Chaohu has been exten-sively studied owing to its classic stratigraphic se-quence formed in a unique paleogeography, very easyaccessibility and comfortable working conditions inthe area, and the Induan-Olenekian boundary stratareceived special attention in recent years to meet therequirements of defining the GSSP of the boundary.The best-studied boundary sequence in Chaohu is atthe West Pingdingshan Section, which was recom-mended as a GSSP candidate for the Induan-…     

Discovery and significance of microspherules at Lower-Middle Devonian boundary of Guangxi, South China

Microspherules are found in different facies at the Lower-Middle Devonian boundary, Guangxi, South China. There are more than 20 grains per kilogram rock sample. Composition and form of the microspherules are very similar to those of the microtektites from modern deposits of South Pacific Ocean and F-F boundary (Devonian). This may indicate that the microspherules from Guangxi are most likely the products of an extraterrestrial impact event that occurred at the end of Early Devonian Epoch. The event may be responsible for the biomass reduction and extinction of benthic organisms at the end of Early Devonian. The impact products (ejecta) can be used as a potential tool for stratigraphic correlation.     

Phosphatic microspherules and their geobiological implications from the Frasnian-Famennian transition at the Yangdi section,Guilin, South China

Abundant perfectly-preserved phosphatic microspherules have been discovered across the Frasnian-Famennian(F-F)transition from the Yangdi section in Guilin,Guangxi,South China.They are mostly spherical or elliptical in shape and about 150μm in diameter with smooth exterior surfaces.Each microspherule consistently possesses a small dimple on the surface.The internal texture of microspherules consists of concentric light-colored apatite and dark-colored organic matter bands alternating around a central core.Conodonts have also been found preserved together with phosphatic microspherules in the same horizon,and the abundance of the former is obviously higher than that of the latter.Laser Raman spectral studies show close similarities in spectral patterns between the outer shells of phosphatic microspherules and the blade of the conodont genus Palmatolepis sp.,as well as between the microspherule nucleus and the platform of the same conodont genus.Furthermore,the statistical results and geochemical data demonstrate that the elevated abundance of phosphatic microspherules roughly coincides with the blooms of bacteria and algae,but is later than the sharp increase of oceanic nutrients.The phosphatic microspherules are interpreted here to be the‘otoliths’secreted by conodont animals based on the compositional similarities between phosphatic microspherules and conodonts and their interrelated abundances.In addition,an analogous study reveals morphological and textural similarities between fish otoliths and phosphatic microspherules.The formation of phosphatic microspherules is probably related to seawater eutrophication.We speculate that the explosive growth of bacteria and algae is probably caused by the enrichment of nutrients that is most likely associated with the increase of terrestrial inputs,submarine hydrothermal activities or the upwelling anoxic bottom waters in the late Devonian,which would stimulate the conodont animals to secrete phosphatic microspherules—the‘otoliths’of conodont animals.This study reveals the coupling relationship between organisms and environments from the perspective of phosphatic microspherules and provides new evidence for the cause of faunal crisis during the Late Devonian F-F transition.     

Succession and global correlation of Late Tremadoc graptolite zones from South China

The Tremadocian is the first stage of the Ordovician System and is subdivided into two parts in general. The Upper Tremadocian, spanning a temporal interval of ca. 8 Ma, yields graptolite faunas crucial for biostratigraphic division and correlation in high resolution. Relatively complete successions of Upper Tremadoc graptolite zones have been proposed in Scandinavia, and North and South America. In South China, the coeval graptolite strata are widespread in deep water facies, but the successions of graptolite zones recognized so far are quite incomplete and thus very difficult to be correlated with those in other countries. In recent years, we have sampled bed by bed the Nanba section in the Yiyang area, Hunan Province and, below the Tetragraptus approximatus Zone, identified four Upper Tremadoc graptolite zones in descending order: the Hunnegraptus copiosus Zone, the Araneograptus murrayi Zone, the Aorograptus victoriae Zone and the Adelograptus tenellus Zone. To date, the Nanba section is the only section in China that presents a relatively complete and globally comparable succession of Upper Tremadoc graptolite zones. Therefore, this study not only confirms the existence of some Upper Tremadoc graptolite zones that were never found before in China, but also facilitates a highly resolved division and correlation for the Upper Tremadoc graptolite strata in China. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40472014)     

Frasnian-Famennian boundary events in Tarim Basin,Xinjiang, Northwest China

The Frasnian-Famennian Boundary Event (Kellwasser Event) is one of the seven strongest Phanerozoic faunal turnovers. The importance of this first order of global bio-event was taken into consideration when the International Subcommission on Devonian Strat…     

Apatite-fission-track geochronology and its tectonic correlation in the Dabieshan orogen,central China

The thermochronology based on a combination ofradiometric age and closure temperature (Tc) is widelyaccepted as a sensitive method to provide constraintson tectonic evolution of the orogen, and numerousadvances as a result of thermochronological applica-tions have been made recently in the Dabieshan oro-gen[1—5]. Zircon U/Pb, hornblende Ar/Ar and biotiteAr/Ar ages with Tc= 800—300℃[6] will yield a wealthof information on the cooling and exhumation of rockscrossing crustal levels of 30—1…     

Carbon isotope composition and correlation across the Cambrian-Ordovician boundary in Kalpin Region of the Tarim Basin, China

Biostratigraphically constrained sequences at the Wushi Yingshan and Kalpin Cement Plant sections (Kalpin Region; Tarim Basin) were densely sampled for geochemical studies. Carbonates across the Cambrian-Ordovician boundary of both sections mainly record negative carbon isotope values. Stable isotope curves show four negative and four positive excursions appearing alternately at the Wushi Yingshan section and five negative alternating with five positive excursions at the Kalpin Cement Plant section. The carbon isotope logs of these two sections are correlated with the international Cambrian-Ordovician boundary key sections: (1) Dayangcha section in China, (2) Green Point section in Canada, (3) Black mountain section in Australia and (4) Lowson Cove section in USA. These correlations suggest that the Cambrian-Ordovician boundary of the Wushi Yingshan section and the Kalpin Cement Plant section can be placed within a particular horizon that also corresponds to the observed biostratigraphic units.     

Paleo-redox conditions across the Permian-Triassic boundary in shallow carbonate platform of the Nanpanjiang Basin,South China

Ocean anoxia has been widely implicated in the Permian-Triassic extinction.However,the duration and distribution of the ocean anoxia remains controversial.In this study,the detailed redox changes across the Permian-Triassic boundary(PTB)in the shallow platform interior at Great Bank of Guizhou(GBG)has been reconstructed based on the high-resolution microfossil composition and multiple paleo-redox proxies.The shallow platform is characterized by low sulfur(total sulfur(TS)and pyrite sulfur(Spy))concentrations,low Spy/TOC ratios,and low DOP values before the mass extinction,representing oxic conditions well.Following the mass extinction,the shift of multiple geochemical proxies,including high Spy/TOC ratios and DOP values,indicates dysoxic-anoxic conditions in shallow ocean.Furthermore,we reconstruct the transition of the redox conditions of Nanpanjiang Basin:the intense volcanic eruptions,which release huge CO2 and SO2 before the mass extinction,provoke the temperature rising and the collapse of terrestrial ecosystem.As a result,the increased weathering influx causes the carbon isotopic negative excursion and the expansion of the ocean oxygen minimum zone(OMZ).When the OMZ expanded into the photic zone,the episodic H2S release events enhance the pyrite burial at Dajiang section.Thus,intense volcanic eruptions,temperature increase,and oceanic hypoxia together lead to the PTB extinction.Recent studies show high temperature might be the key mechanism of the PTB extinction.In addition,this study confirms that the microbialites were formed in the dysoxicanoxic shallow water.     

Negative carbon isotopic excursion on the Lower/Middle Cambrian boundary of Kaili Formation,Taijiang County,Guizhou Province,China: Implications for mass extinction and stratigraphic division and correlation

The stratigraphic division and correlation of the Lower/Middle Cambrian boundary is a global problem that has not yet been solved even up to now. That is because there existed two distinctly different biogeographic regions during the Early and Middle Cambrian[1]—— the Indian-Pacific biogeographic region and the Atlantic biogeographic region. In the Atlantic biogeographic region the traditional Lower/Middle Cambrian boundary was marked by the extinction of Olenellids trilobite and the in…     

New stylophorans (Echinodermata) from the upper Cambrian of Guangxi,South China

This paper describes for the first time the cornute stylophorans (Echinodermata) in China. The new material came from the Guole Formation of the Furongian (Late Cambrian) in the Guole area of Jingxi, Guangxi Province, South China. These new cornute specimens are preserved in situ and found along with well-preserved trilobites and brachiopods. One new species, Phyllocystis jingxiensis sp. nov., is proposed to accommodate these unusual materials. The new species is defined by the small, heart-shaped theca with the frame composed of ten narrow, smooth and thick marginal plates, three adoral plates and distinctive zygal and aulacophore. Both supracentrals and infracentrals are polygonal-outlined. The marginal plate M1' on the inferior face extends posteriorly to form zygal that possesses a broadened proximal end and the proximal portion joining with the conjunction between M4 and M5 on the inferior face. Aulacophore comprises ten segments at its proximal part and is conical at the middle part (named stylocone). Its distal portion is rather long and bears conspicuous ambulacrum grooves. Tectals are horizontally arranged on superior face and obliquely arranged on inferior face. Both cothurnopore and anal pyramid are vaguely seen on the right anterior corner and the extremity of theca's superior face.     

Stable isotopic studies of dinosaur eggshells from the Nanxiong Basin, South China

Stable carbon and oxygen isotopes have been observed in dinosaur eggshell samples,identified as Macroolithus yaotunensis,collected in two sections of the Nanxiong Basin,Guangdong Province,South China.Multiple positiveδ18O perturbations that occurred during the K/T transition of about 150 ka suggest that there may have been at least three periods of the extreme dry climate with a mean annual air temperature over 27℃.δ13C ranges from -8.37‰ to -11.60‰ of the dinosaur eggshells,added to the metabolic enrichment of 16‰,may indicate that the dinosaurs represented by this type of eggshells probably consumed the plant species of C3 type with the δ13C values of -24.3‰- -27.6‰.Moreover,the trend toward more negative δ13C values of the eggshells during the K/T transition could be an indirect consequence of a lasting increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration.     

Ecological evolution across the Permian/Triassic boundary at the Kangjiaping Section in Cili County,Hunan Province,China

The stratigraphic sequence of calcimicrobialite facies at the Permian-Triassic (P/Tr) boundary has well recorded the biotic and environmental transition across the end-Permian catastrophic events. The biostratigraphy, microfacies, carbon isotopes, and fossil records across the P/Tr boundary have been studied at the Kangjiaping Section in Cili County, Hunan Province. Three biostratigraphic zones, Palaeofusulina-Colaniella Zone, Hindeodus parvus Zone, and Isarcicella staeschei Zone, are identified. The excursion of δ¹³C_carb exhibits a sharp negative shift in the calcimicrobialite at the P/Tr boundary, which is roughly accordant with the abrupt bioclastic decline. In addition, five types of microfacies are recognized, including algal-foraminifer bioclastic limestone, algal-laminated calcimicrobial limestone, oolitic grainstone, vermiculate limestone, and intraclastic wackstone. The results indicate that the changeover of ecosystem from metazoan reef to calcimicrobialite in Cili is a classic case of marine ecological evolution during the Paleozoic-Mesozoic transition. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40830212, 40621002, 40730209) and National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2006CB80640)     

Evolution and global correlation for strontium isotopic composition of marine Triassic from Huaying Mountains,eastern Sichuan,China

Strontium isotope stratigraphy (SIS) has progressively become an efficient chemostratigraphic tool in the research and correlation of global geological events, such as global sea level fluctuations, orogeny, and paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental changes. In this paper, 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the Triassic marine carbonate rock samples from Huaying Mountains, eastern Sichuan are measured, and the corre-sponding Sr-isotopic curve is constructed, based on the fundamental principle of strontium isotope stratigraphy, analysis of rock fabric, luminescent intensity, chemical composition and representative evaluation for the coeval seawater information. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios show a rapid rise from 0.70721 near the Permian-Triassic transition to 0.70830 at the end of Early Triassic, and then they decline rapidly to 0.70787 in the early Middle Triassic. These data are generally coincident with 87Sr/86Sr ratios of coeval seawater from previous papers, and the curve is also similar to other previous curves. This indicates that the global geological events are the most important controlling factors to the strontium isotope evolution of the global seawater in the Early and Middle Triassic.     

The species diversity of fusulinaceans and high-frequency sea-level changes in the Carboniferous-Permian boundary section at Xikou, Zhen’an County, Shaanxi Province, China

The study on the interrelation between sea-level changes and biodiversity with its evolution has great significance for understanding the impact of global changes on organic evolution and exploring the inherent laws of life-environment coevolution in geological history. In this paper, the stratigraphic distribution of fusulinacean fauna in the Carboniferous-Permian boundary section at Xikou, Zhen’an County, Shaanxi Province, is analyzed quantitatively, and the relationship between the species diversity of fusulinaceans and relative sea-level changes is discussed. As a whole, the species numbers of fusulinacean fauna experience a rapid increase and an obvious decline in Xikou, Zhen’an County, from the Late Carboniferous to the Early Permian. There is a significant increase in species diversity around the Carboniferous-Permian boundary, which is one of the biggest bio-events of the fusulinacean fauna, and represents the radiation of Pseudoschwagerininae subfamily in the studied area. Integrated fusulinacean species diversity into sequence stratigraphic framework, detailed study suggests that the species diversity of the fusulinaceans is closely related to its relative stratigraphic location, and is essentially controlled by the sea-level changes, especially by the high-frequency sea-level changes. Generally, the species diversity of fusulinaceans is low, and the number of first and last appearance datum is small in the lower unit of high-frequency depositional cycle formed during the quick rise of the sea level; whereas the species diversity of fusulinaceans is high, and the number of first and last appearance datum is large in the upper unit of high-frequency cycle formed during the slow fall of the sea level. Within the third-order depositional sequence, the species diversity of the fusulinaceans at the first flooding surfaces and the maximum flooding surfaces is low, and it increases upward. The fusulinacean species diversity is low within the transgressive systems track, and it is high within the highstand systems track. The second-order rise and fall in sea level coincide with the bloom and decline of high order taxa of fusulinaceans.     

Interannual variations of bomb radiocarbon during 1977—1998 recorded in coral from Daya Bay, South China Sea

Radioactive isotope tracers such as 14C, 3H, 222Rn and 226Ra are extensively applied in oceanological research, simply because these radioactive isotopes can be indicative of some ex-tremely slow processes occurring in sea water, which may include the off…