Brachiopod survival and recovery from the latest Ordovician mass extinctions in South China

South China contains many complete sections through the upper Ordovician and lower Silurian. Brachiopod data including 130 brachiopod genera, assigned to 13 orders and 27 superfamilies from mid-Ashgill through late Aeronian intervals reveal that brachiopod macroevolution before and after the latest Ordovician mass extinction shows important changes in the diversity, composition and stratigraphical distribution of the phylum. The following six intervals are recognized: (1) a faunal plateau before the latest Ordovician mass extinction (mid-Ashgill, Rawtheyan); (2) a survival–recovery interval following the first phase of the mass extinction (late Ashgill, Normalograptus extraordinarius Zone and lower Glyptograptus? persculptus Zone; Hirnantian); (3) first survival interval following the mass extinction (latest Ashgill, upper Glyptograptus? persculptus Zone; end Hirnantian); (4) a second survival interval after the mass extinction (earliest Llandovery, Parakidograptus acuminatus Zone; early to mid-Rhuddanian); (5) a recovery interval in the Silurian (early to mid-Llandovery; late Rhuddanian to early Aeronian); and (6) a radiation interval in the Silurian (mid-Llandovery; mid- to late Aeronian). Only near-shore, low-diversity, benthic assemblages (mainly BA2), characterized by Ordovician relicts with a few Lazarus taxa and progenitors, are known from the southern marginal area of the Upper Yangtze epicontinental sea during the early to mid-Rhuddanian. They were replaced by newly established Silurian brachiopod communities (mainly BA2–3) in the late Rhuddanian to early Aeronian. These are marked by many newly evolved endemic forms and new immigrants, expressing a clear recovery within the Brachiopoda, but the recovery interval of the major brachiopod groups was heterochronous. In China the typical Silurian brachiopod fauna was mainly composed of indigenous Atrypida, Pentamerida and Spiriferida with stropheodontids derived from elsewhere, such as Baltica and Avalonia, two apparent refugia in the survival interval. The Atrypida was the first major group of Brachiopoda to diversity in the late Rhuddanian. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

古海洋氧化还原条件的遗迹化石定量表征特征:以华南二叠纪末生物大灭绝事件为例*

地质历史时期的重大生物—环境事件往往伴随着古海洋海水氧化还原条件的改变,而遗迹化石作为原位保存的生物成因沉积构造,对于解读古海洋氧化还原条件具有显著的优势。通过对前人常用的遗迹学参数进行分析总结,发现遗迹化石多样性、生物扰动强度、潜穴直径、特征遗迹化石组合这4项定量参数可以表征古海洋氧化还原条件的变化。文中以华南二叠系乐平统遗迹化石及生物扰动构造作为研究对象,系统分析了二叠纪末生物大灭绝事件前后遗迹化石参数表征的古海洋氧化还原条件变化特征:自吴家坪期晚期华南古海洋开始出现缺氧,然而该缺氧状态在长兴期不具有持续性,而是呈现出周期性缺氧/贫氧→富氧/有氧的波动特征;在二叠纪末生物大灭绝之前,煤山剖面高精度的定量遗迹学参数指示长兴组24e层顶部存在缺氧事件,并与大灭绝事件有着良好的对应关系。这一实例具体展示了遗迹学参数在古海洋水体氧化还原条件重建中应用前景广阔。     

Coincident negative shifts in sulfur and carbon isotope compositions prior to the end-Permian mass extinction at Shangsi Section of Guangyuan, South China

Sulfur isotope composition of carbonate-associated sulfate (δ³⁴S_CAS) and carbon isotope composition of carbonate (δ¹³C_carb) were jointly investigated on the Late Permian rocks at Shangsi Section, Guanyuan, Northeast Sichuan, South China. Both δ³⁴S_CAS and δ¹³C_carb show gradual decline trends in Late Permian strata, inferring the occurrence of the long-term variation of marine environmental conditions. Associated with the long-term variation are the two coincident negative shifts in δ³⁴S_CAS and δ¹³C_carb, with one occurring at the boundary between Middle Permian Maokou Formation and Late Permian Wujiaping Formation and another at Middle Dalong Formation. Of significance is the second shift which clearly predates the regression and the biotic crisis at the end of Permian at Shangsi Section, providing evidence that a catastrophic event occurred prior to the biotic crisis. The frequent volcanisms indicated by the volcanic rocks or fragments, and the upwelling are proposed to cause the second negative excursion. An abrupt extreme negative δ³⁴S_CAS (ca. −20‰) associated with a low relative concentration of CAS and total organic carbon without large change in δ¹³C_carb is found at the end of the second shift, which might arise from the short-term oxygenation of bottom waters and sediments that resulted from the abrupt sea level drop.     

华南陡山沱期晚期宏体生物生态系统的出现及其意义*

生态系统的演化是生物起源与演化的主要驱动动力之一。在生命演化早期,生态系统的演化大体经历了“微生物席生态系统”、“浮游真核生物生态系统”、“宏体藻类生态系统”、“宏体生物生态系统”和寒武纪及其后较为完善生态系统的演化历程。早期生态系统的演化主要表现为：生物生境从沉积物表层到水体之中再到沉积物内部的扩展,生物种群之间的关系从被动地接受到对环境因子需求的相互竞争,能量传递方式从生物体外摄取或体外同化到体外摄食体内同化,生态金字塔结构由简单到多层次化和复杂化,生物参与对环境的改造能力逐渐增强。随着华南伊迪卡拉纪陡山沱期晚期“宏体生物生态系统”的出现,生物对环境因子需求的竞争性和改造能力大幅度增强,实现了生物体内能量的传递方式,生态金字塔多层次化和复杂化,成为生物迅速演化和其后“寒武纪生命大爆发”的重要转折。     

江西修水二叠纪·三叠纪界线地层海平面下降的岩石学证据

在江西修水四都镇东岭村发现了一个连续的、出露完好的二叠纪-三叠纪界线地层剖面。在剖面中有一段厚约2.1m 的地层具有指示海平面下降的岩石组构。这段地层的底部为红色的碳酸盐颗粒岩。红色是颗粒表面的红色铁染,成分为褐铁矿,是出露地表风化形成的。这层红色颗粒岩之上有约2.0 m 的去白云石化灰岩,其中保留了原来粉晶白云石的晶形。去白云石化作用是白云岩受淡水影响而发生的,指示海平面下降事件。这段地层之上是厚1m 的颗粒岩和灰泥岩,代表浅水潮下环境。其上是二叠系-三叠系的界线。这段地层之下的地层中生物丰富多样,并且有复(蜒)、钙藻等大绝灭前的生物。这段地层及其以上的地层中生物种类很少,(蜓)、钙藻等已经消失,表明集群绝灭事件开始于这段地层之下,生物大绝灭的发生与海平面下降事件的发生是基本同时的。由此认为,可能是海平面下降有关的环境剧变事件引发了二叠纪末的集群绝灭事件。     

华南寒武纪碳酸盐岩中最早腕足动物的辐射、发育与分布

腕足动物是寒武纪冠轮动物分支的重要类群,在寒武纪大爆发期间海洋底栖动物群落结构构建中发挥着重要作用。研究表明华南最早的腕足动物出现在寒武系第二统。通过大量酸蚀处理和系统分析,发现华南寒武纪第二世碳酸盐岩相中赋存的腕足动物可分为8属12种和3个未定属种,都属于磷酸钙质舌形贝型,揭示了寒武纪早期磷酸钙质壳腕足动物的多样性及其形态差异。通过全球对比,力求探索寒武纪最早腕足动物的起源、多样性、分布与辐射。通过个体发育研究,揭示了异时发育在乳孔贝形态多样性中发挥的重要作用,同时表明寒武纪舌形贝型腕足动物发育中普遍存在滤食型浮游幼虫和变态发育的过程。因此变态发育的浮游幼虫可能是腕足动物的祖先特征。这与现代舌形贝明显不同,现代舌形贝的浮游幼虫为次级幼虫,演变为直接发育。此外,对比全球不同大陆腕足动物的首现,认为舌形贝型亚门腕足动物可能在寒武纪第二世初起源于东冈瓦纳与华南板块,随后开始向全球扩散。对寒武纪早期腕足动物多样性、个体发育与生物地层的深入研究,有助于增进对关键动物门类的早期起源与系统演化的认识,同时也将推动全球和区域寒武纪生物地层的划分与对比。     

A New Species of Amsassia from the Ordovician of Korea and South China: Paleobiological and Paleogeographical Significance

A new species of the probable calcareous alga Amsassia, A. koreanensis, is recognized from the Duwibong Formation (Middle Ordovician, Darriwilian) of the Taebaeksan Basin in mid-eastern Korea. This is the first report of the genus from the Korean Peninsula, expanding its geographical range to the eastern Sino-Korean Block. The new species also occurs in the Xiazhen Formation (Upper Ordovician, Katian) at Zhuzhai in the South China Block. Amsassia koreanensis is the smallest species of this modular genus, having a maximum module diameter of 0.28 mm. Module increase is by bipartite, tripartite and quadripartite types of longitudinal axial fission, but unlike other species of the genus, quadripartite fission is common. The types of fission are comparable to those in some Tetradiida (now Prismostylales, florideophycean rhodophyte algae), although the processes of fission are different. The distribution of A. koreanensis further strengthens the biogeographical connection between the Sino-Korean and South China blocks, suggesting that these two paleocontinents were located closer together during the Middle to Late Ordovician than previously speculated.     

Temporal Distribution of Diagnostic Biofabrics in the Lower and Middle Ordovician in North China: Clues to the Geobiology of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event

Abstract: The temporal distribution of the diagnostic biofabrics in the Lower and Middle Ordovician in North China distinctly illustrates that the sedimentary systems on the paleoplate have been changed markedly as consequences of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE). The pre-GOBE sedimentary systems deposited in Tremadoc display widespread microbialite and flat-pebble conglomerates, and a less extent of bioturbation. Through the transitional period of early Floian, the sedimentary systems in the rest of the Early and Mid- Ordovician change to GOBE type and are characterized by intensive bioturbation and vanishing flat-pebble conglomerates and subtidal microbial sediments. The irreversible changes in sedimentary systems in North China are linked to the GOBE, which conduced the increase in infaunal tiering, the expansion of infaunal ecospace, and the appearance of new burrowers related to the development of the Paleozoic Evolutionary Fauna during the Ordovician biodiversification. Thus, changes in sedimentary systems during the pivotal period of the GOBE were consequences of a steep diversification of benthic faunas rather than the GOBE’s environmental background.     

塔里木盆地北部塔河油田奥陶系加里东期岩溶作用及其油气地质意义

详细的钻井地质学、地球物理和地球化学研究表明,塔河油田南部奥陶系内部和顶部发育多幕次的加里东期岩溶作用,主要表现在奥陶系内部牙形石带缺失、钻井放空和泥浆漏失、地震剖面上奥陶统反射波组底部上超和顶部削截,以及溶洞充填方解石的Sr同位素特征等方面。加里东期岩溶储层主要受不整合面、断裂、岩性和古地貌等因素控制,表现出明显的断控和层控特征。由此预测该储层发育区位于古风化壳剥蚀区、加里东期断裂发育区和滩相储层发育区的叠合部位,主要位于阿克库勒凸起的轴部倾没端和塔河西南部、东南部的北东向、近南北向断裂发育区。     

塔里木盆地北部塔河油田奥陶系加里东期岩溶作用及其油气地质意义

详细的钻井地质学、地球物理和地球化学研究表明,塔河油田南部奥陶系内部和顶部发育多幕次的加里东期岩溶作用,主要表现在奥陶系内部牙形石带缺失、钻井放空和泥浆漏失、地震剖面上奥陶统反射波组底部上超和顶部削截,以及溶洞充填方解石的Sr同位素特征等方面。加里东期岩溶储层主要受不整合面、断裂、岩性和古地貌等因素控制,表现出明显的断控和层控特征。由此预测该储层发育区位于古风化壳剥蚀区、加里东期断裂发育区和滩相储层发育区的叠合部位,主要位于阿克库勒凸起的轴部倾没端和塔河西南部、东南部的北东向、近南北向断裂发育区。