植物化石角质层分析实验技术总结及探索

植物化石角质层的微细构造特征是植物化石重要的鉴定和分类依据之一,同时也是获取地质历史时期气候信息的重要途径之一。对保存有角质层的植物化石,如何更好的获取角质层特征,选择合适的实验技术尤为重要。本文采用三种不同的实验方法,即王水+次氯酸钠浸解法,次氯酸钠浸解法以及硝酸浸解法,对地质时期植物化石角质层的获取方法进行了探索性实验研究。实验结果表明,对于砂质泥岩中的植物化石适合用王水+次氯酸钠浸解法进行处理;含煤层或者聚煤期泥岩中的植物化石适合用次氯酸钠浸解法进行处理;灰白色泥岩或者含有硅藻土泥岩中的植物化石适合用硝酸浸解法进行处理。本文采用的三种角质层浸解法在角质层研究方面可根据化石材料的具体情况进行选择,也可同时进行三种方法的尝试进而获得最佳实验效果。该研究总结了不同地质时期植物化石角质层对三种实验方法的反应,为研究植物化石的角质层特征提供更加有效的实验途径。     

Separation of core and intact polar archaeal tetraether lipids using silica columns: Insights into living and fossil biomass contributions

Intact polar lipids (IPLs) are frequently used as biomarkers for living microbial cells and can be separated from core lipids (i.e. lipids without polar headgroups), which are mainly derived from fossil (i.e. dead) cell material, using column chromatography. We have compared the effect of various silica column conditions on the separation and recovery of archaeal glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) core lipids, glycolipids and phosphoglycolipids using authentic standards and direct analysis with various high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) techniques. The commonly used procedure to separate these compound classes using dichloromethane, acetone and methanol as eluents, respectively, did not separate core GDGTs from glyco- and phosphoglyco-GDGTs. In contrast, a recently described procedure using hexane:ethyl acetate (3:1, v:v), ethyl acetate and methanol achieved both high recovery and successful separation of core GDGTs from the other IPLs. Application of the method to a geothermally heated soil and suspended particulate matter from the North Sea showed that it separates most of the core GDGTs from the other IPLS and that considerable qualitative and quantitative differences can occur between core and IPL-GDGTs. We conclude that the method is therefore appropriate for the separation of intact archaeal IPLs and their fossil analogues.     

Analysis of modern and fossil plant cuticles by Curie point Py-GC and Curie point Py-GC-MS: Recognition of a new, highly aliphatic and resistant biopolymer

This paper investigates to what extent the chemical constituents of plant cuticles (waxes and cutin) can survive diagenesis. Recent and fossil plant cuticles were analyzed by means of Curie point pyrolysis-gas chromatography and Curie point pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Recent cuticles were analyzed without treatment, after solvent extraction and after cutin depolymerization. Extensive series of straight-chain alkanes, alk-1-enes and α,ω)-alkadienes dominate the pyrolysates, especially after removal of the wax and cutin. ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy of the residue after removal of the cutin confirmed the presence of a new, highly aliphatic biopolymer and a polysaccharide fraction.The abundance of straight-chain alkanes, alk-1-enes and α,ω-alkadienes in the fossil plant cuticles indicates the chemical resistence of the biopolymer to diagenesis and may explain the occurrence of straight-chain aliphatic moieties in organic-matter-rich sediments and coals as revealed by “C-NMR spectroscopy and flash pyrolysis methods. The highly aliphatic biopolymer may function as an important oil precursor.     

Effect of incubating plant cuticles in soil on their sorptive capabilities

Sorption and desorption are the major processes influencing the fate of hydrophobic organic compounds （HOCs） in soils. Among the natural sorbents in the environment, soil organic matter （SOM） plays a significant role in the overall sorption of many organic compounds. Recently, several reports have emphasized the role of aliphatic-rich sorbents in the binding of HOCs. The main source of aliphatic compounds for SOM is biopolymers derived from above- and below-ground plant cuticular matter. The plant cuticle is a thin layer of predominantly lipid material that covers all primary aerial surfaces of vascular plants. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of decomposition and transformation of plant cuticles on their sorption behavior with triazine herbicides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons （PAHs）. Sorption-desorption behavior was studied during 12 months of incubation of cuticles isolated from tomato fruits and pummelo leaves in sandy soil. Sorption and desorption experiments and spectroscopic and chemical analyses were performed using the samples after 0, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of incubation. The decomposition of the cuticles （46-49% after 12 months） did not affect the organic carbon-normalized Freundlich distribution coefficient （KFOC） for the PAHs. In addition, throughout the incubation period, the two PAHs exhibited linear and reversible sorption isotherms with both cuticles. However, the isotherms of the triazines were significantly affected by the decomposition of the cuticles from pummelo leaves, whereas only minor changes were recorded for the tomato cuticle samples. For the microcosm with cuticles from the pummelo leaves, the KFOC values of the triazines increased with increasing decomposition.     

微量元素分布揭示腕足化石壳体原始信息保存现状

以产于四川龙门山地区泥盆系观雾山组的有铰纲腕足化石Ｉｎｄｅｐｅｎｄａｔｒｙｐａ ｌｅｍｍａ Ｃｈｅｎ为研究对象,利用激光熔样等离子质谱（ＬＡ－ＩＣＰ－ＭＳ）对其壳体棱柱层中Ｆｅ、Ｍｇ、Ｍｎ、Ｎａ、Ｂａ和Ｓｒ六种微量元素进行了就位分析。它们在壳体横切面中的对称分布特征总体上与壳体增生方式和过程相一致,表明壳体的绝大部分未经成岩作用的改造。与常用的结构判据、阴极发光判据和微量元素含量判据相比较,微量元     

A resilience framework for safety management of fossil fuel power plant

In the present study, cut slope stability assessment along ghat road section of Kolli hills was carried out by using various geotechnical parameters of rock and soil slope sections and structural kinematics of major discontinuities is presented. The rock slope (RS) stability assessment was carried out using Rock Mass Rating basic (RMR_basic) and Slope Mass Rating (SMR) classification systems. The type of failure and their Factor of Safety (FOS) for individual RS was calculated using Hoek and Bray method. In the case of soil slopes (SS), the FOS was calculated using Circular Failure Chart (CFC) and Limit Equilibrium (LE) methods. The input data for the slope stability analyses were collected through extensive field work followed by stereonet plotting and laboratory test. There are six rock slope sections, and five soil slope sections were taken into consideration for the cut slope stability analyses. The area depicts class II (RS-1, 2, & 6) and class III (RS-3, 4, & 5) of RMR classes. The SMR result depicts for RS-1, RS-2, and RS-6 are 64.40, 60.02, and 60.70, respectively, and falls in class II stable condition. The SMR values of RS-3 and RS-5 were 44.33 and 57, respectively, and come under the class III partially stable condition. The RS-4 with SMR value of 17.33 falls under the class I completely unstable condition. The FOS of planar failure case indicates that RS-3 (FOS = 0.22) is more unstable, while all other sections are having greater than 1 FOS. The calculated FOS values using CFC method reveals that the FOS is very close to 1 for all the SS sections that fall under completely saturated condition which indicates that these slope sections may fail during heavy rainfall. In LE method, the sections SS-3 and SS-4 are unsafe under partially and completely saturated (natural slope) condition. In average slope condition, all the SS sections are unsafe under partially or completely saturated conditions. The facets 2, 3, 4, and 5 required mitigation measures, to improve the stability of slopes. Site-specific mitigation measures were suggested for partially or completely unstable rock and soil cut slopes.     

High fidelity preservation of fossil insects from the Crato Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of Brazil

Fossil insects from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) Crato Formation of north-east Brazil are preserved as goethite replacements in laminated limestones of lacustro-lagoonal origin. They display remarkable degrees of morphological detail down to the macromolecular level in some examples. We document the fidelity of preservation and reveal an astonishing variety of morphological detail comparable in some instances with that found in amber inclusions.     

Exceptional fidelity of preservation in a reworked fossil,Chalk drift,South London,England

Reworking of fossils commonly leads to loss of morphological detail and inferior preservation; the main contributions of such specimens to geology are in sedimentology, regional geology and neoichnology. A reworked specimen of the Late Cretaceous (chalk) sponge boring Entobia cretacea Portlock is unusually well preserved. This specimen is from superficial deposits and is well enough preserved that delicate apertural and intercameral canals are apparent. Two factors are recognized as important in maintaining the fine features of this trace fossil: preservation in flint and, presumably, minimal fluvial transport. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

晚震旦世陡山沱期后生生物群的古生态环境探讨

早期后生生物群是当前古生物学研究热点之一。我国上扬子区的庙河生物群和瓮安生物群是震旦纪的重要生物群,而生物群是怎样繁盛和埋藏保存是研究早期后生生物群的一个重要方面。作者研究认为翁安生物群是由于洋流上升提供了大量的ＳｉＯ２和Ｐ２Ｏ５等养分,使生物在台地边缘大规模繁盛,其海水由于富ＳｉＯ２和Ｐ２Ｏ５所引起强烈的磷酸岩化及硅化作用,使大量的生物尸体被快速矿化,形成具有抗水动力强的骨架,避免水动力和氧化作     

晚震旦世陡山沱期后生生物群的古生态环境探讨

早期后生生物群是当前古生物学研究热点之一。我国上扬子区的庙河生物群和瓮安生物群是震旦纪的重要生物群,而生物群是怎样繁盛和埋藏保存是研究早期后生生物群的一个重要方面。作者研究认为瓮安生物群是由于洋流上升提供了大量的ＳｉＯ２ 和Ｐ２Ｏ５ 等养分,使生物在台地边缘大规模繁盛,其海水由于富ＳｉＯ２ 和Ｐ２Ｏ５ 所引起强烈的磷酸岩化及硅化作用,使大量的生物尸体被快速矿化,形成具有抗水动力强的骨架,避免水动力和氧化作用的破坏,因此,矿化作用是生物体保存为化石的另一个重要因素。最后,提出上扬子区陡山沱期为有利于生物群繁盛和保存区域     

Insights into Wasatch fault vertical slip rates using the age of sediments in Timpanogos Cave, Utah

Timpanogos Cave, located near the Wasatch fault, is about 357 m above the American Fork River. Fluvial cave sediments and an interbedded carbonate flowstone yield a paleomagnetic and U–Th depositional age of 350 to 780 ka. Fault vertical slip rates, inferred from calculated river downcutting rates, range between 1.02 and 0.46 mm yr^− 1. These slip rates are in the range of the 0–12 Ma Wasatch Range exhumation rate ( 0.5–0.7 mm yr^− 1), suggesting that the long-term vertical slip rate remained stable through mid-Pleistocene time. However, the late Pleistocene (0–250 ka) decelerated slip rate ( 0.2–0.3 mm yr^− 1) and the accelerated Holocene slip rate ( 1.2 mm yr^− 1) are consistent with episodic fault activity. Assuming that the late Pleistocene vertical slip rate represents an episodic slowing of fault movement and the long-term (0–12 Ma) average vertical slip rate, including the late Pleistocene and Holocene, should be  0.6 mm yr^− 1, there is a net late Pleistocene vertical slip deficit of  50–75 m. The Holocene and late Pleistocene slip rates may be typical for episodes of accelerated and slowed fault movement, respectively. The calculated late Pleistocene slip deficit may mean that the current accelerated Wasatch fault slip rate will extend well into the future.     

江宁五通群上部古羊齿及其植物化石组合

南京江宁上坊上泥盆统五通群上部发现古羊齿，且较丰富，植物组合以鳞木类为主，钩蕨、古羊齿亦相当发育。这一组合与下石炭统的古植物有差异，其中古羊齿的标准性具广泛的地层对比意义。     

Diagenesis of plant biopolymers: Decay and macromolecular preservation of Metasequoia

Analysis of modern Metasequoia leaves revealed the presence of the structural polyester cutin, guaiacyl lignin units and polysaccharides. Analysis of environmentally decayed Metasequoia leaves revealed that guaiacyl lignin units and cellulose were degraded more than vinyl phenol (the last being the primary pyrolysis product of cutin and plant cuticles) suggesting that cutin is more stable than lignin and cellulose during degradation, contrary to some previous studies. This observation is supported by electron microscopy showing changes in the cellular structure and cuticle of modern, decayed and fossil Metasequoia leaves. Metasequoia fossils from the Eocene of Republic (Washington State) showed a significant aliphatic component, but biopolymeric lignin and polysaccharides were not detected. Fossils from the Eocene of Axel Heiberg revealed the presence of lignin and an aliphatic polymer up to C₂₉ with cellulose, and fossils from the Miocene Clarkia deposit (Idaho) revealed lignin and an aliphatic polymer up to C₂₇ without any polysaccharides. Modern Metasequoia needles heated experimentally in confined conditions generated a macromolecular composition with an aliphatic polymer up to C₃₂ and additional phenolic compounds similar to those present in the fossils. Experimental heating of cutin is known to generate an aliphatic polymer with carbon chain length units <C₂₀. Thus, the n-alkyl component with chain length units >C₂₀ in the heated Metasequoia needles is a product of incorporation of longer chain plant waxes, indicated by the odd/even predominance of the >C₂₇ n-alkanes. The resistant nature of cutin compared to lignin and polysaccharides explains the presence of an n-alkyl component (<C₂₀) in fossil leaves even when polysaccharides are absent and lignin has decayed; cutin and its diagenetically altered products contribute significantly to the presence of aliphatic components in terrestrially derived sedimentary organic matter.     

Insights into Holocene relative sea-level changes in the southern North Sea using an improved microfauna-based transfer function

In light of global warming and rising relative sea level (RSL), detailed reconstructions of RSL histories and their controlling processes are essential in order to manage coastal-protection challenges. This study contributes to unravelling Holocene RSL change on the East Frisian North Sea coast in high resolution and with a new approach for the German Bight. For the first time, a transfer function (vertical error: 29.7 cm ? ~11% of the mean tidal range) for RSL change based on a combined training set of benthic foraminifers and ostracods from the back-barrier tidal basin of Spiekeroog is applied to the Holocene record of the back-barrier tidal basin of Norderney. The resulting RSL curve for the Norderney tidal basin is corrected for decompaction and shows a deceleration in RSL rise between 6000 and 5000 cal bp. The smallest possible error envelope (~1 m) results from the good suitability of salt-marsh layers between 5000 and 4000 cal bp. The RSL curve provides an approach towards the closure of the common data gap of peat-based curves for the southern North Sea related to a lack of basal peats in the youngest age range, and verifies regional differences in glacial isostatic adjustment.     

The formation of large diameter plant fossil moulds and the Walton theory of compaction

Hollow plant organs can react in different ways to the forces exerted during compaction of the surrounding sediments. Large infilled lycophyte stems, lying flat in the sediments, flatten and expand in width. The width of the mould that is ultimately formed will therefore approach half the original circumference of the stem rather than being equal to its original diameter.     

江西峡江马埠地区Manica植物化石的发现及其意义

在峡江县马埠地区进行1:5万峡江县幅区调工作中,在原石溪组之下发现一套岩性底部为灰白色石英质砾岩与灰白色含砾石英砂岩互层,下部为猪肝、土黄、青灰色粉砂岩、含粉砂质泥岩、含碳质泥岩,间夹少量薄层细砂岩,发育平行层理,中部为浅灰色石英质砾岩与灰色粗中粒长石岩屑砂岩互层,上部为紫红色含角砾流纹质弱熔结凝灰岩组合的地层,并采获植物化石Manica.其时代属早白垩世.其岩石地层单位划归石溪组下部.     

甘肃省重要古植物化石产地区划及保护利用

古植物化石是地质历史时期各类植物实体或遗迹的残留。对古植物化石产地进行系统的调查和区划研究是开展古生物化石保护和利用工作的基础。在资料研究和实地调查的基础上,对甘肃省24处重要古植物化石产地进行了评价和区划研究。甘肃省古植物化石产地可划分为北山地区、祁连山——河西走廊地区、鄂尔多斯和秦岭地区4个古生物化石大区以及6个古植物化石产地集中区。根据古植物化石产地的科学价值和美学价值,具体从科学性、稀有性、完整性、保存程度、可保护性5个单因素分别对24处重要古植物化石产地进行了评价。在单因素评价基础上进行了综合鉴评,共鉴评出世界级化石产地1处,国家级化石产地7处,省级化石产地16处。根据产地自然区划、行政区划等要素划分了古植物化石产地集中保护区6个。根据保护区内古植物化石产地级别及重要程度,划分出特级保护区2个,重点保护区2个和一般保护区2个。提出对重要古植物化石产地实行化石标本保护加原产地保护的建议。     

甘肃省重要古植物化石产地区划及保护利用

古植物化石是地质历史时期各类植物实体或遗迹的残留.对古植物化石产地进行系统的调查和区划研究是开展古生物化石保护和利用工作的基础.在资料研究和实地调查的基础上,对甘肃省24处重要古植物化石产地进行了评价和区划研究.甘肃省古植物化石产地可划分为北山地区、祁连山——河西走廊地区、鄂尔多斯和秦岭地区4个古生物化石大区以及6个古...