The continental record of Ediacaran volcano‐sedimentary successions in southern Brazil and their global implications

The Ediacaran is one of the most important periods on Earth evolution, including the first appearance of soft‐bodied macrofossils, major climatic changes and a supposed rise in free oxygen. In southernmost Brazil, this period is represented by Camaquã Supergroup, including the Bom Jardim Group and the Acampamento Velho Formation, both of which record continental palaeoenvironmental changes in a more than 5000 m thick stratigraphic succession. Age constraints are given by seven Ar‐Ar and U‐Pb determinations on volcanic rocks, which bracket these units between c. 605 and 574 Ma, revealing the best dated and most continuous documented Ediacaran continental succession to date. Depositional systems evolution supports a Phanerozoic‐type glacial context during the last Neoproterozoic glacial event and presents the Picada das Graças Formation (580 ± 3.6 Ma) as the first dated non‐glacial unit coeval to the Gaskiers Formation.     

中国北方埃迪卡拉纪冰碛岩及冰川作用

中国北方从东到西绵延3000 km范围上的华北克拉通、塔里木克拉通及其中间微地块上都保存有埃迪卡拉纪冰川沉积记录,但有关它的年代学、冰川规模、古地理重建和大地构造背景等存有争论。本文基于中国北方埃迪卡拉纪冰碛岩空间分布、地层与沉积层序,沉积环境与沉积相等,结合以往国内外文献,系统分析了埃迪卡拉纪冰川上述有关问题。研究揭示,埃迪卡拉纪时期,国内外应存在年轻于(Gaskiers)580 Ma的冰期;中国北方埃迪卡拉纪冰川时限约562.5～551 Ma,堆积了冰下、冰缘和冰前沉积相(物),构成垂向上(由下至上)从冰下至冰前与海相冰碛物沉积层序,符合大陆冰川(盖)沉积响应样式;此外,国内外埃迪卡拉纪冰碛岩及冰川剥蚀地貌均十分发育;部分冰碛岩之上还可见盖帽白云岩,并呈现与成冰纪盖帽白云岩类似的沉积构造,但彼此碳同位素剖面却不尽相同;本研究推测,埃迪卡拉纪时期,原特提斯洋及周缘大陆(群)可能普遍存在至少是洲际性大陆冰盖,甚至是全球性的冰期。研究认为,埃迪卡拉纪时期的亚洲陆块群应与冈瓦纳大陆缺乏构造亲缘性的若干重要证据。本文研究结果在埃迪卡拉纪大陆及其古地理重建和大地构造背景恢复方面具有重要科学意义...     

成冰纪全球冰期事件的环境效应研究进展

成冰纪全球冰期是地球历史上最极端的冰室气候事件,冰川作用波及赤道区域,全球可能都遭受了冰封,海洋广泛缺氧,生物演化进程迟滞。然而,冰期结束之后,大气氧浓度迅速升高,海洋发生逐步氧化,大型带刺疑源类和真核多细胞藻类在埃迪卡拉纪开始繁盛,出现最早的动物,地表生物圈发生了翻天覆地的变化。显然,成冰纪全球冰期事件是地球系统演化的重要转折。认识冰期的环境效应是认识埃迪卡拉纪生物演化的关键,也是打开地表宜居环境演化的钥匙。本文总结了近年来成冰纪全球冰期的气候假说、冰期沉积特征、海洋氧化还原条件及冰期后的大气与海洋环境剧变等方面的研究进展,简要分析了全球冰期研究中存在的问题,并对该领域未来研究提出了展望与建议。     

塔里木板块上元古界火山岩SHRIMP定年及其对新元古代冰期时代的制约

新疆库鲁克塔格地区贝义西组顶部火山岩锆石的SHRIMP定年结果为732±7Ma,它表明贝义西冰期的上限。考虑该组杂砾岩之下火山岩已有的定年结果,贝义西冰期的时限为740~732Ma。综合上元古界三层火山岩SHRIMP定年结果,可以明确地将库鲁克塔格地区上元古界四个含杂砾岩的组限定在三个时间段内,即740Ma到732Ma的贝义西组,732Ma到615Ma之间的阿勒通沟组和特瑞爱肯组,以及615Ma到542Ma之间的汉格尔乔克组,这些年龄段代表了库鲁克塔格地区新元古代各冰期的时代范围。与冰期有关的同位素年代学资料分析表明,贝义西冰期可与Kaigas冰期对比; 阿勒通沟冰期和特瑞爱肯冰期可能与Sturtian冰期和Elatina冰期对比; 而汉格尔乔克冰期和Gaskiers冰期可以对比。     

Investigating mid‐Ediacaran glaciation and final Gondwana amalgamation using coupled sedimentology and 40Ar/ 39Ar detrital muscovite provenance from the Paraguay Belt,Brazil

Understanding the evolution of the northern Paraguay Belt, Brazil, is critical in two current controversies: (i) the number, timing and significance of Ediacaran glaciations; and (ii) the timing of amalgamation of South American Gondwana. The Neoproterozoic Alto Paraguay Group forms much of the northern Paraguay Belt. The Serra Azul Formation, within this Group, contains unequivocal evidence for a glacial influence on sedimentation, including multi‐directional striations on sandstone clasts and striated, polished and bullet‐shaped mudstone clasts. However, the age of the Serra Azul Formation is not well‐constrained. The northern Paraguay Belt also formed after the traditionally accepted time for amalgamation of South American Gondwana. If the orogen represents closure of an ocean, then this traditional view is incorrect. A significant number of single grain ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar detrital muscovite cooling ages (ca 120) from the Alto Paraguay Group are presented. The three youngest grains from the Serra Azul Formation yield a weighted mean age of 640 ± 15 Myr, providing a robust maximum depositional age for this formation. This age, when considered with other data, suggests that the Serra Azul Formation developed in a mid‐Ediacaran glaciation consistent with that expressed in the Gaskiers Formation of Newfoundland, Canada. Cryogenian ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar detrital muscovite ages from the Alto Paraguay Group are hard to reconcile with the known geology of Amazonia and are interpreted as being sourced from the evolving orogen to the east – from an arc terrane, possibly the Goiás–Paranapanema Massif. Detrital muscovites in the upper part of the Alto Paraguay Group are as young as 544 ± 7 Myr, consistent with mounting evidence that indicates a Cambrian age for orogenesis within the Paraguay Belt during the final amalgamation of Gondwana. This article suggests that the data best support a model where ocean closure in the region continued until Ediacaran/Cambrian times, with final ocean closure represented by orogenesis in the Paraguay–Araguaia orogen.     

Exploring an Ediacaran ‘nursery’: growth,ecology and evolution in a rangeomorph palaeocommunity

The recent discovery of a fossilized assemblage of juvenile Ediacaran rangeomorph macro‐organisms, fern‐like impressions from the Drook Formation of Newfoundland, suggests that the morphological diversity present within the earliest known communities of the Ediacaran biota was relatively high. The fledgling population of these Proterozoic organisms was smothered by volcanic material from a nearby eruption, preserving the standing community on the seafloor. As many as six different genera are identified, present less than three million years after the end of the Gaskiers glacial event. This hints at a hidden evolutionary history for these organisms that is yet to be discovered. Co‐occurring filamentous impressions, and other fossils interpreted to represent the remains of decayed and ‘effaced’ organisms, suggest that the bedding plane exhibits unusual ecological completeness, with the assemblage as a whole documenting an early example of secondary community succession. Discoveries such as this reveal the potential for high‐quality preservation of soft‐bodied Ediacaran organisms in siliciclastic successions, and provide valuable insights into rangeomorph development and palaeoecology.     

Acritarchs of Las Ventanas Formation (Ediacaran, Uruguay): Implications for the timing of coeval rifting and glacial events in western Gondwana

Acritarchs and other organic-walled microfossils occurring in siltstones of the Las Ventanas Formation (Quebrada de Viera and El Perdido members) are systematically described and illustrated. The assemblage includes the following species: Leiosphaeridia tenuissima, Leiosphaeridia minutissima, Lophosphaeridium sp., Soldadophycus bossii, Soldadophycus major, Soldadophycus sp. and Vendotaenia antiqua. The microflora is characterized by low diversity (six species), dominance of L. tenuissima, absence of acanthomorphic acritarchs, and relatively large size of sphaeromorphs, reaching 400 μm in diameter. A number of species are shared with acritarch assemblages preserved in the overlying Arroyo del Soldado Group. Differences between assemblages include the occurrence of abundant Bavlinella faveolata and small size of spheroids in the Arroyo del Soldado Group. The assemblage occurring in Las Ventanas Formation is assigned to the Ediacaran Leiosphere Palynoflora, which spans the interval between the base of the Ediacaran (end of the Marinoan Glaciation, 635 Ma) and the termination of the Gaskiers Glaciation (582 Ma). An early Ediacaran age between 615 and 579 Ma is also supported by available radiometric ages. An extensional setting for Las Ventanas basin is suggested on the basis of the bimodal, synsedimentary volcanism, strong palaeorelief, great thickness of alluvial fan conglomerates and the evolution from continental to open marine environments. Diamictites occurring in the Quebrada de Viera Member are described for the first time, including associated dropstones which suggest a glacial origin. If confirmed, this would be one more example of the association between rifting and glaciation in the Neoproterozoic, coeval with a low-diversity, high-abundance acritarch microflora. A causal relationship between these tectonic, climatic and biologic events is discussed.     

伊犁果子沟地区新元古代冰成沉积的碎屑锆石 LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年龄及其地质意义

为了对新疆果子沟地区塔里萨依组冰成沉积进行时代限定及前寒武纪地质演化讨论,开展了碎屑锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年工作。碎屑锆石最年轻年龄介于620~610 Ma和580~572 Ma之间,表明塔里萨依组冰成杂砾岩代表了埃迪卡拉纪时期的产物,而且在一次大冰期中发生了2次的小冰期旋回,同库鲁克塔格地区的汉格尔乔克组冰碛砾岩对应。碎屑锆石年龄谱没有反映出1000~700 Ma的年龄分布,但这个年龄段相关的岩浆活动在伊犁以北至温泉地区被广泛发现。而在年龄谱中大量存在的650~600 Ma年龄,本区附近却没有相关岩浆活动记录的报道,结合本区同库鲁克塔格地区新元古代冰期沉积存在的相似性,说明塔里萨依组冰期沉积物可能接收了更远的"伊犁块体"以南地区的物源。同时探讨了650~600 Ma岩浆活动可能与"伊犁块体"同塔里木板块分离,向哈萨克斯坦板块聚合有关。     

Late Cryogenian glaciation in South Australia:Fluctuating ice margin and no extreme or rapid post-glacial sea-level rise

Postulated extreme sea-level rise of up to 1-1.5 km with the late Cryogenian Ghaub deglaciation in Namibia is contentious,as is the great rapidity(<104 yr)of the sea-level rise.Such extreme glacioeustatic events,if real,would have been global and affected all continents.In South Australia,up to six glacial advances and retreats during the late Cryogenian Elatina glaciation indicate a fluctuating ice margin.The latter stage of the Elatina glaciation and the immediate post-glacial environment are examined here for evidence of extreme and rapid sea-level rise.In the central Adelaide Rift Complex,diamictite with faceted and striated clasts occurs at the top of the Elatina Formation<1-2 m beneath the early Ediacaran Nuccaleena Formation’cap carbonate’.One hundred kilometres to the south,~30 m of siltstone and sandstone followed by^6 m of clast-poor diamictite with clasts 10+cm long occur between tidal rhythmites and the cap carbonate.Three hundred kilo metres further south,~70 m of siltsto ne,dolo mitic siltstone and minor dolomite separate tidal rhythmites and early Ediacaran strata.Hence the rhythmites were deposited during a high stand(interstadial or interglacial),not during post-glacial sea-level rise.Storm-generated erosional surfaces within tidal rhythmites at Warren Gorge indicate intermittent rhythmite deposition,and water depth and other palaeoenvironmental factors are uncertain,casting doubt on a published estimate of rapid sea-level rise during rhythmite deposition.The lack of late Cryogenian deeply incised valleys and thick valley-fill deposits in South Australia and central Australia argues against extreme sea-level variations.A hiatus occurred between Elatina deglaciation and deposition of the Nuccaleena cap carbonate,and three palaeomagnetic polarity chrons identified in the cap carbonate imply slow deposition spanning 10^5-10^6 yr.This is supported by independent evidence from magnetic chronostratigraphy for Ediacaran strata in South Australia and California,and by stratigraphic and sedimentological arguments for condensed deposition of cap carbonates.It is concluded that neither extreme nor rapid sea-level rise was associated with late Cryogenian deglaciation in South Australia.     

Palaeoenvironments and weathering regime of the Neoproterozoic Squantum ‘Tillite’, Boston Basin: no evidence of a snowball Earth

The snowball Earth hypothesis describes episodes of Neoproterozoic global glaciations, when ice sheets reached sea‐level, the ocean froze to great depth and biota were decimated, accompanied by a complete shutdown of the hydrological cycle. Recent studies of sedimentary successions and Earth systems modelling, however, have brought the hypothesis under considerable debate. The Squantum ‘Tillite’ (Boston Basin, USA), is one of the best constrained snowball Earth successions with respect to age and palaeogeography, and it is suitable to test the hypothesis for the Gaskiers glaciation. The approach used here was to assess the palaeoenvironmental conditions at the type locality of the Squantum Member through an analysis of sedimentary facies and weathering regime (chemical index of alteration). The stratigraphic succession with a total thickness of ca 330 m documents both glacial and non‐glacial depositional environments with a cool‐temperate glacial to temperate non‐glacial climate weathering regime. The base of the succession is composed of thin diamictites and mudstones that carry evidence of sedimentation from floating glacial ice, interbedded with inner shelf sandstones and mudstones. Thicker diamictites interbedded with thin sandstones mark the onset of gravity flow activity, followed by graded sandstones documenting channellized mass gravity flow events. An upward decrease in terrigenous supply is evident, culminating in deep‐water mudstones with a non‐glacial chemical weathering signal. Renewed terrigenous supply and iceberg sedimentation is evident at the top of the succession, beyond which exposure is lost. The glacially influenced sedimentary facies at Squantum Head are more consistent with meltwater dominated alpine glaciation or small local ice caps. The chemical index of alteration values of 61 to 75 for the non‐volcanic rocks requires significant exposure of land surfaces to allow chemical weathering. Therefore, extreme snowball Earth conditions with a complete shutdown of the hydrological cycle do not seem to apply to the Gaskiers glaciation.     

上扬子西北缘晚震旦世古环境演化

上扬子地区震旦系灯影组不仅记录了埃迪卡拉纪晚期环境与生命的协同演化，而且大量发育的丘滩体沉积正成为四川盆地深层古老碳酸盐岩油气勘探的重要目标。因此分析灯影组沉积环境演化不仅可以约束埃迪卡拉纪晚期全球海平面变化、古海洋环境演化，而且对于四川盆地深层油气勘探具有重要意义。前人对于上扬子地区震旦系灯影组的沉积环境演化、相对海平面变化仍缺乏较为精细的刻画和解释，严重制约了以上研究的进展。本文通过对上扬子西北缘绵竹清平剖面灯影组详细的野外沉积学解剖及室内微相分析解释，识别出以各类颗粒云岩、微生物云岩为主的21类岩石微相；根据微相组合关系分析，认为发育多种向上变浅的潮下—潮间—潮上沉积序列以及若干颗粒滩、微生物丘沉积构成的米级沉积旋回；以此为基础详细刻画出灯一段—灯二段下部、灯二段中上部—灯二段顶部、灯三段底部—灯四段下部、灯四段中上部—灯四段顶部构成的四次海侵—海退次级旋回以及灯二段和灯四段顶部暴露侵蚀的沉积环境演化及海平面变化历程，并建立了扬子台地西缘绵竹地区埃迪卡拉纪晚期以潮坪相、微生物丘滩体、颗粒滩为典型沉积特征的浅水碳酸盐岩台地沉积模式。综合沉积微相特征、微相组合特征及剖面沉积相演化规律认为，该地区沉积环境演化主要受次级海平面波动影响，海侵—海退次级旋回的中上部可能为灯影组优质储层发育的主要层位，其内部的两次暴露不整合可能与冰期事件导致的海平面下降密切相关。     

伊通火山群地区“白土山组”地层研究新进展

近十几年来 ,随着同位素地质年代学的发展 ,伊通火山群地区新生代地层断代问题的研究取得了突破性的进展 ,对重新厘定过去东北泛称下更新统“白土山组”地层的年代找到了突破口。通过火山岩年龄的测定、火山岩与“白土山组”接触关系及孢粉组合的研究 ,确认伊通火山岩群地区的“白土山组”的地质时代为新近纪中新世 ,与松辽平原中心的“白土山组”时代不同。     

One,two or no record of late neoproterozoic glaciation in South-East Cameroon?

Severe climate changes culminating in at least three major glacial events have been recognized in the Neoproterozoic sedimentary record from many parts of the world. Supportive to the global nature of these climatic shifts, a considerable amount of data have been acquired from deposits exposed in Pan-African orogenic belts in southwestern and western Africa. By comparison, published data from the Pan-African belts in Central Africa are scarce. We report here evidence of possibly two glacial events recorded in the Mintom Formation that is located on the margin of the Pan-African orogenic Yaoundé belt in South-East Cameroon.In the absence of reliable radiometric data, only maximum and minimum age limits of 640 and 580 Ma, respectively, can at present be applied to the Mintom Formation. The formation consists of two lithostratigraphic ensembles, each subdivided in two members (i.e., in ascending stratigraphic order the Kol, Métou, Momibolé, and Atog Adjap Members). The basal ensemble exhibits a typical glacial to post-glacial succession. It includes diamictites comprising cobbles and boulders in a massive argillaceous siltstone matrix, and laminated siltstones followed by, in sharp contact, a 2 m-thick massive dolostone that yielded negative δ¹³C values (<?3‰ V-PDB) similar to those reported for Marinoan cap carbonates elsewhere. However, uncertainty remains regarding the glacial influence on the siliciclastic facies because the diamictite is better explained as a mass-flow deposit, and diagnostic features such as dropstones have not been seen in the overlying siltstones. The Mintom Formation may thus provide an example of an unusual succession of non-glacial diamictite overlain by a truly glacial melt-related cap-carbonate.We also report the recent discovery of ice-striated pavements on the structural surface cut in the Mintom Formation, suggesting that glaciers developed after the latter had been deposited and deformed during the Pan-African orogeny. Striations, which consistently exhibit two principal orientations (N60 and N110), were identified in two different localities, in the west of the study area on siltstones of the Kol Member, and in the east on limestones of the Atog Adjap Member, respectively. N60-oriented striae indicate ice flow towards the WSW. Assigning an age to these features remains problematical because they were not found associated with glaciogenic deposits. Two hypotheses can equally be envisaged, i.e., either the striated surfaces are correlated: (1) to the Gaskiers (or Neoproterozoic post-Gaskiers) glaciation and represent the youngest Ediacaran glacial event documented in the southern Yaoundé belt; or (2) to the Late Ordovician Hirnantian (Saharan) glaciation, thereby providing new data about Hirnantian ice flows in Central Africa.     

吉林南部马达岭组时代再研究: 基于碎屑锆石 SHＲIMP 测年证据

根据对吉林南部马达岭组砂岩碎屑锆石 SHＲIMP U--Pb 测年以及对白山-临江地区碎屑锆石年龄谱系对比研究结果,确定马达岭组中最年轻锆石为 1. 0 Ga,且没有中生代火山活动留下的任何记录。因此马达岭组时代非中生代,同时依据钓鱼台组平行不整合在马达岭组之上的接触关系而应将其时代置于新元古代青白口纪。     

华北克拉通南缘洛峪群-汝阳群属于中元古界长城系——河南汝州洛峪口组层凝灰岩锆石LA—MC-ICPMSU—Pb年龄的直接约束

运用LA—MC—ICPMS方法,对河南汝州阳坡村附近洛峪口组中部层凝灰岩夹层开展了锆石U-Pb同位素年代学研究,获得了1611±8Ma的高精度年龄。这一年龄第一次精确标定了该地区洛峪口组的形成时限,并显示该组顶界应接近1600Ma。由于洛峪口组位于华北克拉通南缘原划归“新元古界青白口系”洛峪群的最顶部,洛峪群又覆于“中元古界蓟县系”汝阳群之上,因此,这一新的年代学进展实际上同时也将洛峪群和汝阳群都下压到了中元古界长城系,并将洛峪群顶界限定为该地区长城系与蓟县系分界。结合区域资料,特别是熊耳群（下伏于汝阳群）火山岩近年来的年代学标定（多集中于1750～1780Ma）,可初步将该地区汝阳群一洛峪群的形成年代限定为1750～1600Ma之间,对应于国际固结纪（Statherian。1800～1600Ma）即中国长城纪中晚期。华北南缘洛峪口组形成年龄的直接约束及相关地层划分的重新厘定,为中元古代华北克拉通南北缘的准确对比及其与哥伦比亚超大陆关系、早期生命演化等重大地学命题提供了新的重要的年代学证据。     

New U-Pb age constraints on the upper Banxi Group and synchrony of the Sturtian glaciation in South China

The Nanhua basin in South China hosts well-preserved middle–late Neoproterozoic sedimentary and volcanic rocks that are critical for studying the basin evolution, the breakup of the supercontinent Rodinia, the nature and dynamics of the “snowball” Earth and diversification of metazoans. Establishing a stratigraphic framework is crucial for better understanding the interactions between tectonic, paleoclimatic and biotic events recorded in the Nanhua basin, but existing stratigraphic correlations remain debated, particularly for pre-Ediacaran strata. Here we report new Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) U-Pb zircon ages from the middle and topmost Wuqiangxi Formation (the upper stratigraphic unit of the Banxi Group) in Siduping, Hunan Province, South China. Two samples show similar age distribution, with two major peaks at ca. 820 Ma and 780 Ma and one minor peak at ca. 910 Ma, suggesting that the Wuqiangxi sandstone was mainly sourced from Neoproterozoic rocks. Two major age peaks correspond to two phases of magmatic events associated with the rifting of the Nanhua basin, and the minor peak at ca. 910 Ma may correspond to the Shuangxiwu volcanic arc magmatism, which represents pre-collision/amalgamation subduction on the southeastern margin of the Yangtze Block. The youngest zircon group from the topmost Wuqiangxi Formation has a weighted mean age of 714.6 ± 5.2 Ma, which is likely close to the depositional age of the uppermost Banxi Group. This age, along with the ages reported from other sections, constrains that the Banxi Group was deposited between ca. 820 Ma and ca. 715 Ma. The age of 714.6 ± 5.2 Ma from the top of the Wuqiangxi Formation is indistinguishable with the SIMS U-Pb age of 715.9 ± 2.8 Ma from the upper Gongdong Formation in the Sibao village section of northern Guangxi, South China. It is also, within uncertainties, overlapped with two TIMS U-Pb ages from pre-Sturtian strata in Oman and Canada. These ages indicate that the Jiangkou (Sturtian) glaciation in South China started at ca. 715 Ma instead of ca. 780 Ma and support a globally synchronous initiation of the Sturtian glaciation at ca. 715 Ma.     

Phosphogenesis of phosphorite from the Sinian Doushantuo Formation in Guizhou Province and its coupling relation with the Neoproterozoic Oxygenation Event

Phosphate deposits of the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation accumulated in the central Guizhou Province are the typical phosphate-rich sediments during the Neoproterozoic Phosphogenic Episodes,which occurred after the “Snowball Earth”period and Neoproterozoic Oxygenation Event. However,the mechanisms of phosphate enrichment in seawater have always been hotly debated,and the research for correlations between phosphogenesis and transition of Ediacaran palaeo-ocean environments is still unsubstantial. This study focused on the sedimentological,petrological,mineralogical and geochemical analyses on the Doushantuo pristine phosphorite in Weng'an,Zunyi and Danzhai area. Documented by spherulitic phosphorites in the Lower Phosphorite beds from Weng'an area that contain abundant autogenetic Fe-bearing minerals such as pyrite and glauconite and show weak Ce negative anomaly,Fe-redox pumping in low-oxygen environments are the important phosphogenesis mechanism but only limited in coastal waters in the Early Doushantuo Period. Phosphorite in the Upper Phosphorite beds deposited within organic-rich beds and contain massive biological fossils suggests that phosphogenesis might have been triggered by degradation of organic matter and biological action in the Late Doushantuo Period,and distribution of phosphatic sediments extended to the deeper shelf to slope setting. Obvious Ce negative anomaly implies the increase of oxygen content in seawater. The transition of phosphogenesis mechanisms and the expansion of phosphorite deposits are the sedimentary response of ocean oxygenation,and the associated evolution of metazoans also changed the redox conditions of the deep seawater. These sedimentary and geochemistry data reflect the closed coupling relation between Doushantuo phosphorite in Guizhou Province and the Neoproterozoic Oxygenation Event.     

Glacial diamictites of Serra Azul Formation (Ediacaran,Paraguay belt): Evidence of the Gaskiers glacial event in Brazil

Discontinuous outcrops of diamictites and siltstones are found above post-Marinoan carbonates from the Araras Formation and represent the record of a second glaciation in the northern Paraguay belt, Brazil. This new stratigraphic unit, named the Serra Azul Formation, varies in thickness between 250 and 300 m; it lies on top of dolomites of the Araras Group and is overlain by sandstones of the Raizama Formation. Massive diamictite, approximately 70 m thick, composes the basal unit (Unit A), followed by 200 m thick laminated siltstones (Unit B), which contain sparse intercalations of very fine-grained sandstone lenses. This new diamictite level is probably related to the Gaskiers Glaciation, with an age of approximately 580 Ma, and represents the youngest Neoproterozoic glacial event recorded in South America.     

Neoproterozoic microfossils from the margin of the East European Platform and the search for a biostratigraphic model of lower Ediacaran rocks

A ca. 600 m thick siliciclastic succession in northern Russia contains abundant and diverse microfossils that document early to middle Ediacaran deposition along the northeastern margin of the East European Platform. The Vychegda Formation is poorly exposed but is well documented by a core drilled in the Timan trough region (Kel’tminskaya-1 borehole). Vychegda siliciclastics lie unconformably above Tonian to lower Cryogenian strata and below equivalents of the late Ediacaran Redkino succession that is widely distributed across the platform. The basal 10 m of the formation preserve acritarchs and fragments of problematic macrofossils known elsewhere only from pre-Sturtian successions. In contrast, the upper, nearly 400 m of the succession contains abundant and diverse large acanthomorphic acritarchs attributable to the Ediacaran Complex Acanthomorph Palynoflora (ECAP). This distinctive set of taxa is known elsewhere only from lower, but not lowermost, Ediacaran rocks. In between lies an additional assemblage of relatively simple filaments and stratigraphically long ranging sphaeromorphic acritarchs interpreted as early Ediacaran in age. Bearing in mind that knowledge of late Cryogenian (post-Strurtian/pre-Marinoan) microfossils is sparse, the Vychegda record is consistent with data from Australia and China which suggest that diverse ECAP microfossil assemblages appeared well into the Ediacaran Period. Accumulating paleontological observations underscore both the promise and challenges for the biostratigraphic characterization of the early Ediacaran Period.