Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic fish faunas of Japan

Abstract A review of the chondrichthyan and osteichthyan fish fossils found in Japan is provided in the form of a series of tabular compilations covering the Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic Era. On the basis of this compilation, considerable changes are recognized in the fish faunas over a period of time. At the end of the Cretaceous Period a number of cartilaginous fishes disappeared. From the Oligocene to the Miocene, modern sharks including the family Carcharhinidae increased, whereas the Hexanchidae and Lamnidae declined. Most Miocene teleostean fishes differ from the Recent congeners at the species level.     

Quaternary volcanism of the Japanese Islands

Abstract Quaternary volcanism of the Japanese Islands is examined from the perspective of experimental petrology, geographic distribution of volcanoes and spatial geochemical variations. The dehydration of amphibole and chlorite at a 110 km depth and of phlogopite at ∼180 km in the downdragged hydrous mantle layer would result in the occurrence of two volcanic chains parallel to the trench axis. Long-term subduction of the old Pacific plate and recent subduction of the young Philippine Sea plate beneath East Japan and West Japan volcanic belts respectively, would be critical for the significant difference in intensity, style and geochemistry of Quaternary volcanism between the two volcanic belts. The geochemistry of volcanic rocks in Northeast Japan and those in the Ryukyu arc is typical of 'island-arcs' having low LIL/HFS element ratios, while alkalic basalts along the Japan Sea coast side in Southwest Japan have high LIL/HFS ratios similar to intra-continental or oceanic island basalts. Across-arc variations in eruptive volume and distributional density of volcanoes and in geochemistry are documented in Northeast Japan and are well explained by the decreasing degrees of partial melting toward back-arc side, and the difference in geochemistry of fluids supplied by the downdragged hydrous layer.     

Regional metamorphic belts of the Japanese Islands

Abstract An overview of the regional metamorphic belts of Japan is given in the context of the tectonic evolution of the Japanese Islands. The Japanese Islands were situated on an active margin of the Eurasian continent or its constituent landmass before their assembly during the Phanerozoic. The Japanese Islands are composed mainly of metamorphosed and unmetamorphosed accretionary complexes, granitoids and their effusive equivalents that were formed by the Cordilleran-type orogeny. The metamorphic belts are regarded essentially as a deep-seated portion of an accretionary complex. In spite of continuous subduction of oceanic plates beneath the continents, these orogenic rocks were formed quite episodically, as evidenced by discontinuous matrix ages of the accretionary complexes and a striking concentration of isotopic ages of the granitoids. A systematic along-arc age shift of Cretaceous large-scaled granitic magmatism and regional metamorphism suggests a tectonic control such as ridge subduction, which triggered the episodic orogeny. A tectonic model based on the paired metamorphic belts, combined with the non-steady tectonic control, works well to explain this magmatism and metamorphism in a single arc-trench system as a continental margin process. However, the juxtapositional process of the paired metamorphic belts is still a problem. Two possible cases, namely transcurrent displacement and back-arc overthrusting are discussed.     

太湖鱼类区系变化和渔获物分析

20世纪80年代之前,太湖有鱼类107种、25科,属4个生态类型:洄游型、江湖洄游型、河流型和湖沼型.自2002年9月至2006年1月进行了太湖鱼类采集,共采得鱼类60种、18科.其中,除放流的鱼类外,都能在封闭的湖泊环境中完成生命周期(湖沼生态型);团头鲂、鲮、银鲫和尼罗罗非鱼属移植种类.团头鲂、鳙、鲢、草鱼和青鱼是从20世纪60年代起每年向湖中放流的鱼类;鳗鲡则是自1976年起放流从长江采捕的鳗苗.20世纪50年末至1985年,长江和太湖之间人为隔断,不能在静水中繁殖的鱼类在湖中消失,自然鱼类资源下降;加上过度捕捞和对繁殖群体缺少保护,导致鱼类群体小型化.最后,对太湖渔业资源的优化进行了讨论,并进一步提出对策.     

Mesozoic radiolarian faunas from the northwest Ilocos Region,Luzon, Philippines and their tectonic significance

Northwestern Ilocos Norte in Luzon, Philippines, exposes cherts, peridotite and a variety of metamorphic rocks including chlorite schist, quartzo‐feldspathic schist, muscovite schist and actinolite schist. These rocks are incorporated within a tectonic mélange, the Dos Hermanos Mélange, which is thrust onto the turbidite succession of the Eocene Bangui Formation and capped by the Upper Miocene Pasuquin Limestone. The radiolarian assemblages constrain the stratigraphic range of the cherts to the uppermost Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous. Stratigraphically important species include Eucyrtidiellum pyramis (Aita), Hiscocapsa acuta (Hull), Protunuma japonicus (Matsuoka & Yao), Archeodictyomitra montisserei (Squinabol), Hiscocapsa asseni (Tan), Cryptamphorella conara (Foreman) and Pseudodictyomitra carpatica (Lozyniak). The radiolarian biostratigraphic data provide evidence for the existence of a Mesozoic basinal source from which the cherts and associated rocks were derived. Crucial to determining the origin of these rocks is their distribution and resemblance with known mélange outcrops in Central Philippines. The mélange in the northwestern Ilocos region bears similarities in terms of age and composition with those noted in the western part of the Central Philippines, particularly in the islands of Romblon, Mindoro and Panay. The existence of tectonic mélanges in the Central Philippines has been attributed to the Early to Middle Miocene arc–continent collision. This event involved the Philippine Mobile Belt and the Palawan Microcontinental Block, a terrane that drifted from the southeastern margin of mainland Asia following the opening of the South China Sea. Such arc–continent collision event could also well explain the existence of a tectonic mélange in northwestern Luzon.     

Low‐temperature thermochronological database of bedrock in the Japanese Islands

To provide better access to thermochronological data and understand the long‐term denudation history of the Japanese Islands, we compiled a low‐temperature thermochronological dataset of fission‐track (FT) and (U–Th–Sm)/He (He) ages for apatite and zircon in bedrocks. These thermochronometric ages are compiled from 90 literature sources and 1,096 localities, and include 418 apatite FT ages, 851 zircon FT ages, 42 apatite He ages, and 30 zircon He ages. Many FT ages have been reported previously; however, the number of He ages is limited in the Japanese Islands. The compiled data are spatially biased; for instance, more data are reported for the Chubu and Kinki districts and the Pacific coast of the Shikoku Island, whereas less data were available for the Tohoku and Chugoku districts. For better understanding arc‐scale uplift‐denudation history, further thermochronological research in the lesser‐studied regions and more He thermochronometric measurements are desired. This compilation will be updated and provided on the website of the Fission‐Track Research Group in Japan ( http://ftrgj.org/index.html ).     

Petrogenesis and significance of the Mesozoic North Taihang complex: Major and trace element evidence

The intensive Mesozoic magmatism in the North China Craton (NCC) has drawn great attention for its particular geochemical signatures (e.g. high-K), petrogenesis and tectonic setting. The North Taihang complex represents the westernmost magmatic belt of th…     

Kinematics and dynamics of the Mesozoic orogeny and late-orogenic extensional collapse in the Sino-Mongolian border areas

Extensional tectonic models with the major features of metamorphic core complexes were established in the Cordilleran region of western North America dur- ing the late 1970s to early 1980s of last century[1—4].Since there were previous thrust events, some re- searchers attributed the extension to crust-thickening of Mesozoic orogen[5—8], i.e. the crust thickening dur- ing orogeny led to the fact that the materials at depthswere heated and partially melted, and the heated and low-density mat…     

鱼类种群指数的定义和计算

本文在作者已建鱼类种群数学模型的基础上,进一步建立描述鱼类种群动态特征的各种指数及计算方法。     

Stratigraphy and significance of Brown Tuffs on the Aeolian Islands (southern Italy)

Brown Tuffs (BT) are volcaniclastic ash deposits prominently represented in the stratigraphic profiles of all the Aeolian Islands (and Capo Milazzo on the northern coast of Sicily). Detailed stratigraphy and tephrochronology together with available radiometric ages suggest that they were emplaced over a long time interval spanning from the end of the last interglacial period (ca. 80 ka BP) up to 4–5 ka BP (age of the overlying Punte Nere pyroclastic products on Vulcano). The most complete BT succession is documented on Lipari where 14 distinct and successive units are subdivided by the interbedding of widespread tephra layers, local volcanic products, paleosols and epiclastic deposits and the occurrence of local erosive surfaces. Inter-island occurrence of Ischia-Tephra (a widely known tephra layer in the Aeolian archipelago dated at 56 ka BP) and Monte Guardia pyroclastics from Lipari (dated at 22–20 ka BP) subdivides the BT succession in Upper (UBT), Intermediate (IBT) and Lower BT units (LBT), which can be correlated at regional level: the LBT was emplaced between 80 and 56 ka BP, the IBT between 56 and 22 ka BP and the UBT between 20 and 4–5 ka BP. On the basis of stratigraphy, similarity in lithology and textural features, morphology of glass fragments, composition and consistency of thickness and grain-size variations, UBT units correlate with Piano Grotte dei Rossi tuffs on Vulcano island. They were generated by pulsating hydromagmatic explosive activity giving rise to pyroclastic density currents spreading laterally from a source located inside the La Fossa caldera on Vulcano island. Composition is in agreement with this hypothesis since UBT compositional features match those of Vulcano magmas erupted in that period. The effect of co-ignimbrite ash clouds (or associated fallout processes from sustained eruptive columns) is seen to explain the presence of UBT in areas further away from the suggested source (e.g. Salina and Lipari islands and Capo Milazzo). The origin of UBT exposed on Panarea island is still a matter of debate, due to contrasting compositional data. Due to large uniformity of lithological, textural and componentry characters with respect to the UBT, the lower portions of the BT succession (LBT-IBT) are considered to be the result of recurrent, large scale hydromagmatic eruptions of similar type. Moreover, for the IBT units, the correlation with Monte Molineddo 3 pyroclastics of Vulcano island (on the basis of lithological, compositional and stratigraphic matching) again suggests source(s) related to the Vulcano plumbing system and located within the La Fossa Caldera.     

Variability of a cyprinid lake ecosystem with special emphasis on the native fish fauna under intensive fisheries management including common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)

The lake investigated (Lake Heiliger See near the town of Angermünde, North-East Germany) is small (10.2 ha) but deep (z_max = 12 m, ? = 6.5 m). During summer the thermocline is at a depth of 4-5 m, and the hypolimnion is filled with H₂S already by mid-June, making 60-75% of the bottom area inaccessible to fish. The native fish fauna is dominated by planktivorous roach (Rutilus rutilus). A test stocking of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) together with an unplanned and erroneous stocking of common carp (Cyprinus carpio), coupled with an incorrectly calculated strong stocking of eel (Anguilla anguilla), which assumed that the total lake area yielded fish food organisms, brought about a strong depression of the food biomass available to native fish. Both silver carp and common carp showed a pattern of behaviour which only partly agreed with results obtained in experimental ponds prior to lake stocking. At least for 10 years there was a very low zooplankton biomass (mostly below 1 mg/l fresh weight) caused by silver carp and a strongly reduced benthos biomass (frequently below 1 g/m² fresh weight) caused by common carp and eel on H₂S-free bottom areas. Despite this extreme situation, which lasted for 20 years and is rarely found in lakes elsewhere, it was not possible to demonstrate negative effects on the native fish fauna comprising 16 species. Also the dominance pattern seems uninfluenced in the long run. A strong decline of the catchable roach stock was observed for some years, but the stock reappeared soon in comparable quantity. During the time of roach stock depression the individual growth of roach (and common carp) was particularly low. Nevertheless, roach succeeded in reproduction during this time in spite of the reduced zooplankton and detritus concentrations. Fry numbers per year ranged from 500-15 000 individuals/ha. The pike perch (Stizostedion lucioperca) was perhaps the most endangered species of all those living at small population numbers in the lake, since its fry is confined to the limnion where competition from silver carp and adult roach and perhaps predation by roach is highest. However the pike perch stock remained unchanged at the low level of 1950, the time prior of carp and eel stocking. All other rare species of Lake Heiliger See spawn in the littoral zone where fry survival conditions were less impacted. In summary, we present more evidence that the fish fauna of cyprinid lakes is more robust than in salmonid lakes. The regulation capacity of fish communities of eutrophic lakes seems to be able to offset even severe direct and indirect influences of fisheries management.     

低头坝养鱼对上下游局域栖息地和鱼类群落时空格局的影响

河流鱼类的群落特征会随栖息地环境的变化而发生变化.为了解鱼类群落对低头坝养鱼的响应程度,2013—2014年共6次调查了乌龙河(长江下游支流)两个可涉水河段样点(上游坝和下游坝)的环境因子、鱼类多样性及其群落结构.共采集到5目10科21属24种鱼类,以鲤形目鲤科最多,占总数的58.3%.通过解析时空动态变化与局域栖息地条件对鱼类群落的影响,发现季节因素对鱼类群落结构无显著影响,而鱼类群落所在空间位置(上游坝,下游坝)对群落结构差异具有较显著影响,其中上游中华鳑鲏(Rhodeus sinensis)、(Hemiculter leucisculus)、棒花鱼(Abbottina rivularis)、大鳍鱊(Acheilognathus macropterus),下游食蚊鱼(Gambusia affinis)的多度决定了这种差异;而3个栖息地变量(溶解氧浓度、电导率和流速)均对鱼类群落特征具有显著性影响.栖息地环境差异对河流上、下游鱼类群落的影响较大,具体体现在下游样点鱼类的捕获重量、捕获数量、密度、多样性明显下降,推测利用低头坝养鱼是造成这些现象的重要原因.     

Characterization of magnetic particles and magnetostratigraphic dating of shallow-water carbonates in the Ryukyu Islands, northwestern Pacific

Abstract   Characterization of magnetic particles, and magnetostratigraphic dating, of Holocene and Pleistocene shallow-water carbonates (the Ryukyu Group) in the Ryukyu Islands was carried out to infer the age of reef formation. Magnetic particles from these strata are dominated by fine-grained, single-domain magnetite/maghemite (40–140 nm in length). The magnetite crystals exhibit the size and morphologies characteristic of the magnetite formed by magnetotactic bacteria. No large multidomain grains were seen in transmission electron microscopy observations. The widespread presence of single-domain magnetite in the Ryukyu Islands suggests that bacterial magnetites carry depositional remanent magnetization, which is stable enough for magnetostratigraphic dating and thereby for elucidating the evolution of shallow-water carbonates. The polarity-reversal sequence seen in a core taken from the Ryukyu Group correlates with the timescale of the Matuyama chron, including the Jaramillo subchron, Kamikatsura or Santa Rosa Excursions, through the Brunhes chron. These magnetostratigraphic results imply that the time of reef initiation in the Ryukyu Islands of the northwestern Pacific was earlier than in the Great Barrier Reef of the southwestern Pacific, where it started after the Brunhes–Matuyama boundary.     

Mesozoic radiolarian chert from the middle sector of the Yarlung Zangbo suture zone,Tibet and its tectonic implications

The middle sector of the Yarlung Zangbo suture zone stretches over 200 km long from Ngamring through Geding to Rinbung, roughly along Yarlung Zangbo River valley (Fig. 1). This belt resulted from the closure of the Tethyan ocean and the collision be- tween Indian plate and Lhasa block[1―8]. Lots of works demonstrated that rifting of the Tethyan basin in southern Tibet started from Triassic time. Initial oce- anic crust appeared in the Late Jurassic, and then ex- perienced a rapid sprea…     

Evolution of the Cañadas edifice and its implications for the origin of the Cañadas Caldera (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

The volcano-stratigraphic and geochronologic data presented in this work show that the Tenerife central zone has been occupied during the last 3 Ma by shield or central composite volcanoes which reached more than 3000 m in height. The last volcanic system, the presently active Teide-Pico Viejo Complex began to form approximately 150 ka ago. The first Cañadas Edifice (CE) volcanic activity took place between about 3.5 Ma and 2.7 Ma. The CE-I is formed mainly by basalts, trachybasalts and trachytes. The remains of this phase outcrop in the Cañadas Wall (CW) sectors of La Angostura (3.5–3.0 Ma and 3.0–2.7 Ma), Boca de Tauce (3.0 Ma), and in the bottom of some external radial ravines (3.5 Ma). The position of its main emission center was located in the central part of the CC. The volcano could have reached 3000 m in height. This edifice underwent a partial destruction by failure and flank collapse, forming debris-avalanches during the 2.6–2.3 Ma period. The debris-avalanche deposits can be seen in the most distal zones in the N flank of the CE-I (Tigaiga Breccia). A new volcanic phase, whose deposits overlie the remains of CE-I and the former debris-avalanche deposits, constituted a new volcanic edifice, the CE-II. The dyke directions analysis and the morphological reconstruction suggest that the CE-II center was situated somewhat westward of the CE-I, reaching some 3200 m in height. The CE-II formations are well exposed on the CW, especially at the El Cedro (2.3–2.00 Ma) sector. They are also frequent in the S flank of the edifice (2.25–1.89 Ma) in Tejina (2.5–1.87 Ma) as well as in the Tigaiga massif to the N (2.23 Ma). During the last periods of activity of CE-II, important explosive eruptions took place forming ignimbrites, pyroclastic flows, and fall deposits of trachytic composition. Their ages vary between 1.5 and 1.6 Ma (Adeje ignimbrites, to the W). In the CW, the Upper Ucanca phonolitic Unit (1.4 Ma) could be the last main episode of the CE-II. Afterwards, the Cañadas III phase began. It is well represented in the CW sectors of Tigaiga (1.1 Ma–0.27 Ma), Las Pilas (1.03 Ma–0.78 Ma), Diego Hernández (0.54 Ma–0.17 Ma) and Guajara (1.1 Ma–0.7 Ma). The materials of this edifice are also found in the SE flank. These materials are trachybasaltic lava-flows and abundant phonolitic lava and pyroclastic flows (0.6 Ma–0.5 Ma) associated with abundant plinian falls. The CE-III was essentially built between 0.9 and 0.2 Ma, a period when the volcanic activity was also intense in the ‘Dorsal Edifice' situated in the easterly wing of Tenerife. The so called ‘valleys' of La Orotava and Güimar, transversals to the ridge axis, also formed during this period. In the central part of Tenerife, the CE-III completed its evolution with an explosive deposit resting on the top of the CE, for which ages from 0.173 to 0.13 Ma have been obtained. The CC age must be younger due to the fact that the present caldera scarp cuts these deposits. On the controversial origin of the CC (central vertical collapse vs. repeated flank failure and lateral collapse of mature volcanic edifices), the data discussed in this paper favor the second hypothesis. Clearly several debris-avalanche type events exist in the history of the volcano but most of the deposits are now under the sea. The caldera wall should represent the proximal scarps of the large slides whose intermediate scarps are covered by the more recent Teide-Pico Viejo volcanoes.     

Marine debris accumulation in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands: an examination of rates and processes

Large amounts of derelict fishing gear accumulate and cause damage to shallow coral reefs of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). To facilitate maintenance of reefs cleaned during 1996-2005 removal efforts, we identify likely high-density debris areas by assessing reef characteristics (depth, benthic habitat type, and energy regime) that influence sub-regional debris accumulation. Previously cleaned backreef and lagoonal reefs at two NWHI locations were resurveyed for accumulated debris using two survey methods. Accumulated debris densities and weights were found to be greater in lagoonal reef areas. Sample weight-based debris densities are extrapolated to similar habitats throughout the NWHI using a spatial 'net habitat' dataset created by generalizing IKONOS satellite derivatives for depth and habitat classification. Prediction accuracy for this dataset is tested using historical debris point data. Annual NWHI debris accumulation is estimated to be 52.0 metric tonnes. For planning purposes, individual NWHI atolls/reefs are allotted a proportion of this total.     

南海南北陆缘中生代地层—构造特征及碰撞造山

为进一步深入了解南海地区中生代构造演化过程.本文对南海南北陆缘的中生代地层进行了分析对比,在此基础上挑选了南北陆缘处的两条地震测线07ns-6和97301进行了详细的解释分析.通过地震剖面的解释发现,南海北部和南部(礼乐地块)地震剖面中的中生代地层均显示有褶皱—冲断构造发育.据此推断,研究区在中生代先后经历了洋—陆俯冲活动、陆 陆碰撞造山运动及中生代晚期开始的造山带的塌陷.提出南海地区中生代晚期的“古双峰笔架碰撞造山带”概念.     

Assessment of the abiotic and biotic effects of sodium metabisulphite pulses discharged from desalination plant chemical treatments on seagrass (Cymodocea nodosa) habitats in the Canary Islands

Reverse osmosis membranes at many desalination plants are disinfected by periodic shock treatments with sodium metabisulphite, which have potentially toxic effects to the environment for marine life, although no empirical and experimental evidence for this is yet available. The aim of this study was to characterise for the first time, the physico-chemical modification of the marine environment and its biological effects, caused by hypersaline plumes during these membrane cleaning treatments. The case study was the Maspalomas II desalination plant, located in the south of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain). Toxicity bioassays were performed on marine species characteristic for the infralittoral soft bottoms influenced by the brine plume (Synodus synodus and Cymodocea nodosa), and revealed a high sensitivity to short-term exposure to low sodium metabisulphite concentrations. The corrective measure of incorporating a diffusion system with Venturi Eductors reduced nearly all the areas of influence, virtually eliminating the impact of the disinfectant.     

Nonlinear relationship between preservation of microstructure and geochemical composition of Pleistocene brachiopod shells from the Ryukyu Islands,southwestern Japan

Stable carbon and oxygen isotope composition of fossilized brachiopod shells serves as an important source to delineate Earth's paleoenvironmental evolution in the Phanerozoic. However, the original isotopic composition is potentially modified by various kinds of diagenesis. To evaluate the extent to which the original isotopic composition of fossilized brachiopod shells is modified by meteoric diagenesis, microstructure, cathodoluminescence (CL) images, and carbon and oxygen isotope composition of fossilized Kikaithyris hanzawai (rhynchonellate brachiopod) shells were examined. The shells were collected from Pleistocene shallow marine carbonates exposed on the Ryukyu Islands, southwestern Japan. The extent of diagenetic alteration is quantitatively evaluated here as both the preservation state of the original shell microstructure and the luminescence/non‐luminescence of shells. Although altered fibers were commonly observed in the brachiopod shells, the original isotopic composition was almost retained. There are no significant differences in the isotopic composition between the luminescent and non‐luminescent shells. There is no direct relationship between the preservation state of the original shell microstructure and the luminescence/non‐luminescence of shells at three of four horizons, indicating that CL images are not necessarily useful for the detection of diagenetic alteration of shells or shell portions. Applying multiple criteria to assessing diagenetic alteration and cross‐checking them are required to distinguish between diagenetically altered and unaltered brachiopod shells.