南黄海盆地基底及海相中、古生界地层分布特征

南黄海盆地是大型海相中、古生界和陆相中、新生界两期叠合型盆地,本文根据最新地震资料结合钻井资料及与海陆地质资料的对比研究对盆地内地震层序进行了划分,得到了陆相中、新生界盆地基底即中、古生界海相盆地的顶界埋深、三叠系和上二叠统的残留厚度,推断了陆相层基底地层分布,并根据磁力异常资料推测了海相中、古生界盆地结晶基底埋深,推断了海相中、古生界整体残留情况.下三叠统青龙组和上二叠大隆及龙潭组在南黄海盆地南部坳陷及勿南沙隆起广泛存在,而在北部坳陷的分布则狭窄,中部隆起则由于隆起和剥蚀作用导致这两套地层几乎没有残余.对中-古生界海相盆地和中-新生界陆相盆地的基底特征进行了比较,认为海相中、古生界在南黄海地区区域性存在,海相层厚度分布特征受基底起伏控制,同时受到印支板块运动的影响,中部隆起区是海相中、古生界比较稳定的地区.下古生界可能在南黄海盆地广泛分布,但受资料限制,还难以获知其残余地层的特征.     

High‐resolution lithostratigraphy and organic carbon isotope stratigraphy of the Lower Triassic pelagic sequence in central Japan

After the severest mass extinction event in the Phanerozoic, biotic recovery from the extinction at the Permian–Triassic boundary required approximately 5 my, which covers the entire Early Triassic. It is important to obtain information on the superocean Panthalassa, which occupied most of the world ocean, to explore paleoenvironmental changes during the Early Triassic at the global scale. In order to establish the continuous lithostratigraphy of pelagic sediments in Panthalassa during the Early Triassic, high‐resolution reconstruction of the Lower Triassic pelagic sequence in Japan was conducted for the first time based on detailed field mapping and lithostratigraphic correlation in the Inuyama area, central Japan. The reconstructed Early Triassic sequence is approximately 9.5 m thick, consists of five rock types, and is divided into eight lithological units. For the reconstructed continuous sequence, measurement of carbon isotopic composition of sedimentary organic matter (δ¹³C_org) was carried out. Stratigraphic variation of the δ¹³C_org value shows large‐amplitude fluctuations between ?34.4 and ?21.0‰ throughout the sequence. In order to establish a higher resolution age model for the reconstructed Lower Triassic pelagic sequence, we correlated δ¹³C_org records in the Inuyama area with high‐resolution isotopic profiles of carbonate carbon (δ¹³C_carb) from shallow‐marine carbonate sequences in southern China based on the similarity in general variation patterns with age constraints by radiolarian and conodont biostratigraphy. The result provides a high‐resolution time scale for the pelagic sequence of Panthalassa during the Smithian and Spathian. The age model suggests a drastic increase in sedimentation rate during the late Smithian, which should have been caused by the increase in terrigenous input to this site.     

The microfacies and sedimentary responses to the mass extinction during the Permian-Triassic transition at Yangou Section,Jiangxi Province,South China

A Permian-Triassic (P-Tr) boundary section of continuous carbonate facies, which well recorded the biotic and environmental processes through the great P-Tr transition in the shallow non-microbialite carbonate facies, has been studied in Yangou, Leping County, Jiangxi Province. The P-Tr sequence is well correlated with the Meishan section according to the conodont biostratigraphy and the excursion of carbon isotopes. A series of high-resolution thin-sections from the P-Tr boundary carbonate rocks at the Yangou section are studied to explore the interrelation between environmental change and biological evolution during the transitional time. Six microfacies have been identified based upon the observation of the thin-sections under a microscope on the grains and matrix and their interrelation. Combined with the data of fossils and carbon isotopes, Microfacies 4 (MF-4), coated-grain-bearing foraminifer oolitic sparitic limestone, and Microfacies 6 (MF-6), dark shelly micritic limestone, should be the different responses to the two episodes of mass extinction and environmental events that can be correlated throughout South China and even over the world. The oolitic limestone of MF-4 is the first finding from the latest Permian strata in South China and it might be a proxy of an unusual environmental condition of high pCO₂, low sulfate concentration and of microbial blooming in the aftermath of the latest Permian mass extinction. The micritic limestone of MF-6 containing rich micro-gastropods and ostracods probably represents the blooming event of disaster taxa in the earliest Triassic environment. The microfacies analysis at the Yangou section can well reveal the episodic process of the biological evolution and environmental change in the shallow non-microbialite carbonate facies throughout the great P-Tr transition, thus the Yangou section becomes an important complement to the Meishan section.     

Triassic deep-marine sedimentation in the western Qinling and Songpan terrane

Triassic sequences in both the western Qinling and Songpan terrane are composed mostly of deep-marine sediments. A detailed study was carried out on main sedimentary facies of Triassic successions, showing that they resulted from diverse sedimentary processes, such as submarine debris-flows, turbidity currents, bottom-flows, suspension fallout, and fluidized sediment flows. Debris-flows are dividable into two types, gravelly and sandy debris-flows, respectively, and the sandy debris-flow deposits make up considerable portion of the Triassic successions concerned. Turbidite is characterized by occurrence of normal grading, and the whole Bouma sequences, though widely developed, are not totally attributed to true turbidity currents. The non-graded Ta division is thought to originate from sandy debris flows, whereas the rest divisions result from low-density currents or from bottom-current modification if they contain sedimentary structures related to traction currents. Four types of facies associations are distinguished within Triassic deep-marine successions: massive and thick-bedded coarse-grained facies association, medium- and thick-bedded sandstone with interlayered fine-grained facies association, interlayered thin-bedded fine-grained facies association, and syn-sedimentary slump/breccia facies association. Spatial distribution of the different facies associations suggests that Lower Triassic sedimentation occurred primarily in continental slope, submarine channels, and base-of-slope aprons in the Hezuo-Jianzha region of the western Qinling, whereas the Middle Triassic consists mainly of sedimentary facies of base-of-slope aprons and submarine incised valleys. The counterparts in the Dangchang-Diebu region, in contrast, are characterized by platform carbonates. The shallow-marine carbonates evolved into deep-marine facies since the Ladinian, indicative of rapid drowning of the Carnian carbonate platform in Middle Triassic times. Depositional history of Lower Triassic and lower portion of Middle Triassic successions in the northern Songpan terrane is similar to that of the Dangchang-Diebu region of the western Qinling, as manifested by development of Lower-early Middle Triassic shallow-marine carbonate and a rapid shift to base-of-slope apron sediments since the Ladinian.

     

Triassic integrative stratigraphy and timescale of China

The Triassic rocks are widespread in China, and both marine and terrestrial strata are well developed. The Triassic stratigraphic architecture of China is very complex in both spatial variation of the so-called "South Marine and North Continental", i.e. the southern areas of China occupied mostly by marine facies while the northern China by terrestrial facies during the Triassic Period, and temporal transition of the "Lower Marine and Upper Continental", i.e. the lower part of the Triassic System composed mainly of marine facies and the upper part of terrestrial strata especially in South China. Although the Global Stratotype Section and Point(GSSP) of the Permian-Triassic boundary is located in South China, the Triassic of China except for some marine Lower-Middle Triassic depositions shows significantly local characteristics and is hardly correlated with the global chronostratigraphic chart. Consequently, the Triassic of China contains not only the international research hotspots but also difficult points in stratigraphic study. This paper aims to present a brief review of the Triassic in China, including chronostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy, and summarize an integrated Triassic stratigraphic framework of China. Accordingly, a stratigraphic correlation is proposed for the lithostratigraphic sequences among the three tectono-paleogeographic stratigraphic regions. The comprehensive study indicates that ammonoids are the classic index fossils in Triassic biostratigraphy but conodonts are more advantageous in the study and definition of the Triassic chronostratigraphic boundaries. China still has the potential to optimize the GSSPs of the Induan-Olenekian boundary and Olenekian-Anisian boundary. The correlation of the Permian-Triassic boundary between marine and terrestrial facies might be achieved with the help of the Permian-Triassic "transitional bed" and its related biotic and environmental events in association with the biostratigraphic study of conchostracan, vertebrate and plant fossils. In addition, the carbon isotopes have been proved to be one of the powerful methods in marine Triassic stratigraphic study, whereas the oxygen and strontium isotopes may be additional important bridges to establish the correlation between the marine and terrestrial strata, but as yet lacking of relevant studies in terrestrial strata. Considering the most stratigraphic intervals of the Triassic and the terrestrial Triassic in China are difficult to be correlated to the global chart, the proposed Chinese(regional) Triassic chronostratigraphic chart of marine and terrestrial stages would be of importance to the study of Chinese Triassic stratigraphy and related aspects, but the stages must be conceptually in line with international standards and studied as soon as possible in order to finalize the definition.     

Carbon isotope composition of the Lower Triassic marine carbonates, Lower Yangtze Region, South China

The Early Triassic is a critical period in earth his- tory. A series of events such as volcano eruptions[1,2], sea-level fluctuations, changes in environmental con- ditions[3], mass extinctions[4,5] as well as global negative carbon isotope excursions[6-9] have been discovered in the uppermost Permian or across the Permian-Triassic boundary. Large scale sea-level rise[10-12], restoration of environment conditions, re- covery of ecosystem[13], including gradual carbon iso- tope rise[14] occur…     

南海北部神狐海域天然气水合物钻探区第四纪以来的沉积演化特征

南海北部神狐海域是我国首次获取海洋天然气水合物实物样品的海域.然而,陆坡区深水水道和海底峡谷的侵蚀以及频发的沉积物失稳,将会加剧地层对比和沉积相识别的难度,导致目前该区域典型地震相-沉积相特征、沉积体类型、成因机制和空间匹配关系等方面还缺少精细的研究,特别是第四纪以来的沉积演化涉及较少,区域内水合物形成和分布的沉积地质条件尚不清晰.基于海底地形特征的描述、层序地层格架的对比和地震资料的综合解释,本次研究在第四纪以来的沉积充填序列中识别出5种典型的地震相类型,并分析了对应的沉积体类型:进积型的陆坡、第四纪早期发育的小型浊积水道、沉积物失稳(滑移和滑塌)、海底峡谷和伴生的沉积物变形、以及深海沉积-块体流沉积的复合体.通过沉积单元的空间匹配关系,将沉积演化划分为3个阶段:浊积水道侵蚀-沉积物再沉积阶段、陆坡进积-沉积物失稳阶段、海底峡谷的侵蚀-充填阶段.研究结果表明,受第四纪早期小型浊积水道的侵蚀,再沉积的沉积物将在中-下陆坡以"近源"的方式堆积下来,可能具有相对较好的物性条件,从而可被视为适于水合物赋存的有利沉积体.进积型陆坡带来的沉积物易于发生失稳,在研究区内广泛分布,因其具有较小的沉积物颗粒粒度和较好的垂向连续性,可被认为是水合物的区域盖层.大量发育的海底峡谷及伴生的沉积物变形,将会侵蚀和破坏先前沉积的有利沉积体,使其呈现为"斑状/补丁状"的平面展布特征,进而影响了神狐海域水合物的分布.因此,神狐海域第四纪以来的沉积演化是钻探区水合物不均匀性分布的关键控制因素之一.     

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.     

The marine Triassic sequence stratigraphy of Lower Yangtze

Based on detailed field observation and multidisciplinary studies of integrated stratigraphy, the marine Lower and Middle Triassic of Lower Yangtze region is divided into five third-order sequences, the general approach of the outcrop sequence stratigraphical study of carbonate ramp is proposed, the pattern in the development of the Early and Middle Triassic sequence under the major regression is summarized, and the sequence stratigraphical and chronostratigraphical frameworks across various paleogeographical facies zones on the marginal platform are established. Project supported by the Stake Key Project “SSLC” and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 49502022, 49632070).     

Deep-water sediments and evolution of the Lower Triassic Xikou Formation in southwestern Fujian, China

The Lower Triassic Xikou Formation in southwestern Fujian, China is a set of complex deep-water sediments which includes turbidites, sandy contourites and isolated olistoliths. Five facies and seven subfacies are recognized in the deep-water turbidites, which are considered to belong to five facies associations of upper, middle and lower fans, respectively. The sandy contourites, which occur within turbidites as isolated thin layers with structures of traction current, are formed by reworking turbidites. They occur in discrete units, not as a part of a vertical sequence of structures, such as Bouma sequence. Paleocurrent directions derived from sandy contourites are perpendicular to or at a large angle of those derived from turbidites. In some areas, within the Formation there exist large oolitic limestone blocks slided from shallow sea. The temporal-spatial distribution of three types of sediments mentioned above and the related evidences could indicate that a passive continental margin from shallow sea to bathyal-abyssal region, dipping toward southeast, once occurred in study area during the early Triassic. The early Triassic represents a period of sealevel uprising. The uprising of sea level and the development of isolated olistoliths probably imply gradual shrinking of an ocean basin at that time. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 49490011, 49702036).     

Progress and review of the studies on the end-Triassic mass extinction event

The pioneering studies by Newell[1,2] about 40 years ago and the statistical work of Raup and Sepkoski[3] have made the end-Triassic mass extinction event of marine organisms gradually familiar to the geologists. Evidences of considerable extinction have been ob- tained both in the terrestrial and marine ecosystems[4―10]. Based on the database of Benton[11], 61 of the 257 sta-tistic animal families which lived in the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic disappeared within or at the end of the …     

Community replacement sequences and paleoenvironmental changes in reef areas of South China from Late Permian to Early Triassic exemplified by Panlongdong section in northeastern Sichuan Basin

The well-known Permian Changhsingian calcisponge reef located at Panlongdong section,Xuanhan county,northeastern Sichuan Basin has attracted wide attention.Due to severe dolomitization and poor quality of the fossils,the P-T boundary in this section is difficult to determine.This study,for the first time,recognized six communities in the Upper Permian Changhsingian Changxing Formation through the Lower Triassic Induan Feixianguan Formation of the Panlongdong section.They are Bryozoan-Archaeolithoporella-calcisponge Community,Calcareous green algae-foraminifer-crinoid Community,Microgastropod-foraminifer Community,Ostracod-microgastropod-cystic microbe Community,Ostracod-small brachiopod Community,and Non-calcified cyanobacteria Community.By using community replacement and palaeoenvironmental analysis,for the first time,we set the P-T boundary of the Panlongdong section at the middle of the calcimicrobialite containing cystic microbes.The community replacement sequence in the Panlongdong section is similar to that in other contemporaneous sections in reef areas of South China,indicating universal palaeoenvironmental changes during the Permian-Triassic transition.The results show that:(1)Changhsingian calcisponge reefs in South China generally vanished before the mass extinction and may be related to the large regression in the Late Permian.(2)The Calcareous green algae-foraminifer-crinoid Community replaced reef community and continued till the mass extinction.The mass extinction was probably related to the global sea-level drop.(3)The first aftermath community was dominated by specialized microgastropods,followed by the microbes,and then by the specialized microgastropods and small brachiopods.The succession of the three communities reflected the change in environmental conditions from dysoxic to anoxic and again to dysoxic.(4)In the Early Triassic,the relict community in shallow sea had very low diversity and low abundance,and was dominated by crinoids,gastropods,and bivalves.     

Velocity anisotropy characteristics and pre-stack time migration imaging of the marine sedimentary strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin

The South Yellow Sea is a superimposed basin overlying Mesozoic-Cenozoic continental sediments, which in turn overlie Paleozoic-Mesozoic marine deposits that are now the target of hydrocarbon exploration. Strongly modified by multiple tectonic events, the marine sediments feature a large tectonic relief, with obvious horizontal anisotropy in seismic velocity, which significantly affects the seismic image quality. In this study, the sedimentary velocity anisotropy and its influence on image quality were analyzed using an analytical theory method, assuming transversely isotropic medium with vertical axis of symmetry (VTI), and using seismic and well-log data. Additionally, an anisotropic prestack time migration was used for the imaging of the field data. The results showed that the anisotropic pre-stack time migration processing could be used to significantly improve the accuracy of the seismic images in areas with distinct faults, offering clear images of accurately located fault planes and fault edges, thereby improving the lateral resolution of the seismic data and its signal-to-noise ratio.     

Biotic recovery from the Late Devonian F-F mass extinction event in China

The Frasnian-Famennian (F-F) mass extinction is one of the five great extinctions of marine life during the Phanerozoic. The F-F event killed most of the Devonian reefs, the characteristic Devonian corals, stromatoporoids, bryozoans, nearly all tentaculites, a few superfamilies of brachiopods, such as Atrypacea and Pentameracea and some important elements of goniatites, such as Manticoceras. The end-Frasnian was a phase of mass extinction. A large number of shelly benthos were killed by the F-F event. Early and middle Famennian was the survival interval. The marine faunas were very rare at that time. The late Famennian was the recovery interval. There appeared to have many new taxa in the Strunian stage. It lacked a radiation interval in Late Devonian Famennian because another event (the D-C mass extinction) happened at the Devonian-Carboniferous boundary. Several causes for the F-F mass extinction have been proposed by some geologists, which have been grouped into two broad types, terrestrial and extraterrestrial. The former is related to sea level changes, climate changes and anoxic water event. The latter is linked with some forms of meteorite impact. A large-scale eustatic change of sea level and black shales representing an anoxic environment has been invoked to explain one of the causes for the F-F mass extinction.     

Timing of the terrestrial Permian-Triassic boundary biotic crisis: Implications from U-Pb dating of authigenic zircons

The Late Permian to Early Triassic transition represents one of the most important Phanerozoic mass extinction episodes. The cause of this event is still in debate between catastrophic and gradual mechanisms. This study uses the U-Pb method on zircons from the uppermost Permian/lowermost Triassic clay deposits at Chahe (Guizhou Province, SW China) to examine time constraints for this event. The results of both this and previous studies show that the ages of Bed 68a and 68c (the upper clay bed of the terrestrial Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB)) respectively are 252.6±2.8 and 247.5±2.8 Ma. This age (within the margin of error) almost accords with the upper clay bed (Bed 28) age of Meishan and the eruption age of Tunguss Basalt, and is so far the most accurate age obtained from terrestrial PTB. The claystone of Bed 68 was formed in the earliest Triassic. The biotic crisis occurred at nearly the same time in terrestrial and marine environments during Permian-Triassic interval; however the extinction patterns and processes are different. The extinction pattern of the terrestrial plants shows a major decline at the PTB after long-term evolution, followed by a retarded extinction of the relicts in the earliest Triassic.     

Texture and tectonic attribute of Cenozoic basin basement in the northern South China Sea

Based on the drilling data,the geological characteristics of the coast in South China,and the interpretation of the long seismic profiles covering the Pearl River Mouth Basin and southeastern Hainan Basin,the basin basement in the northern South China Sea is divided into four structural layers,namely,Pre-Sinian crystalline basement,Sinian-lower Paleozoic,upper Paleozoic,and Mesozoic structural layers.This paper discusses the distribution range and law and reveals the tectonic attribute of each structural layer.The Pre-Sinian crystalline basement is distributed in the northern South China Sea,which is linked to the Pre-Sinian crystalline basement of the Cathaysian Block and together they constitute a larger-scale continental block—the Cathaysian-northern South China Sea continental block.The Sinian-lower Paleozoic structural layer is distributed in the northern South China Sea,which is the natural extension of the Caledonian fold belt in South China to the sea area.The sediments are derived from southern East China Sea-Taiwan,Zhongsha-Xisha islands and Yunkai ancient uplifts,and some small basement uplifts.The Caledonian fold belt in the northern South China Sea is linked with that in South China and they constitute the wider fold belt.The upper Paleozoic structural layer is unevenly distributed in the northern South China.In the basement of Beibu Gulf Basin and southwestern Taiwan Basin,the structural layer is composed of the stable epicontinental sea deposit.The distribution areas in the Pearl River Mouth Basin and the southeastern Hainan Basin belong to ancient uplifts in the late Paleozoic,lacking the upper Paleozoic structural layers.The stratigraphic distribution and sedimentary environment in Middle-Late Jurassic to Cretaceous are characteristic of differentiation in the east and the west.The marine,paralic deposit is well developed in the basin basement of southwestern Taiwan but the volcanic activity is not obvious.The marine and paralic facies deposit is distributed in the eastern Pearl River Mouth Basin basement and the volcanic activity is stronger.The continental facies volcano-sediment in the Early Cretaceous is distributed in the basement of the western Pearl River Mouth Basin and Southeastern Hainan Basin.The Upper Cretaceous red continental facies clastic rocks are distributed in the Beibu Gulf Basin and Yinggehai Basin.The NE direction granitic volcanic-intrusive complex,volcano-sedimentary basin,fold and fault in Mesozoic basement have the similar temporal and spatial distribution,geological feature,and tectonic attribute with the coastal land in South China,and they belong to the same magma-deposition-tectonic system,which demonstrates that the late Mesozoic structural layer was formed in the background of active continental margin.Based on the analysis of basement structure and the study on tectonic attribute,the paleogeographic map of the basin basement in different periods in the northern South China Sea is compiled.     

Lithostratigraphy of Permian marine sequences, Khao Pun Area, central Thailand: Paleoenvironments and tectonic history

Geologic mapping and subsurface lithostratigraphic investigations were carried out in the Khao Pun area (4 km²), central Thailand. More than 250 hand specimens, 70 rock slabs, and 70 thin sections were studied in conjunction with geochemical data in order to elucidate paleoenvironments and tectonic setting of the Permian marine sedimentary sequences. This sedimentary succession (2485 m thick) was re‐accessed and re‐grouped into three lithostratigraphic units, namely, in ascending order, the Phu Phe, Khao Sung and Khao Pun Formations. The Lower to lower Upper Permian sedimentary facies indicated the transgressive/regressive succession of shelf sea/platform environment to pelagic or abyssal environment below the carbonate compensation depth. The sedimentological and paleontological aspects, together with petrochemical and lithological points of view, reveal that the oldest unit might indicate an Early Permian sheltered shallow or lagoonal environment. Then the depositional basin became deeper, as suggested by the prolonged occurrence of bedded chert‐limestone intercalation with the local exposure of shallower carbonate build‐up. Following this, the depositional environment changed to pelagic deposition, as indicated by laminated radiolarian (e.g. Follicucullus sp.) cherts. This cryptic evidence might indicate the abyssal environment during middle Middle to early Late Permian; whereas, previous studies advocated shelf‐facies environments. Following this, the depositional condition might be a major regression on the microcontinent close to Indochina, from the minor transgressive/regressive cycles that developed within a skeletal barrier, and through the lagoon with limited circulational and anaerobic conditions, on to the tidal flat to the sheltered lagoon without effective land‐derived sediments.     

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     

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)     

Proposed new Lower Triassic stages in South China

As the global Lower Triassic stages are not properly defined, a Chinese scheme of the Lower Triassic subdivision was recently proposed to meet the insistent need of the general investigation in China. The Lower Triassic sequences of South China are briefly summarized and the twofold Lower Triassic subdivision is discussed. The type sections of the two Chinese Lower Triassic stages, Yinkengian and Chaohuan, and their definitions are stated.