A late Early Pleistocene pollen record from Fontana Ranuccio (central Italy)

A pollen record from a sediment core drilled underneath the Acheulian site of Fontana Ranuccio provides new data on the vegetation characters in central Italy during the late Early Pleistocene, in a forest phase possibly corresponding to a substage of Marine Isotope Stage 21. A number of tree taxa nowadays extinct in Europe (Cathaya, Tsuga, Taxodium type, Carya and Pterocarya) are present at Fontana Ranuccio in a temperate phase characterised by dense forest conditions, dominated by Alnus and Pterocarya. The comparison of the Fontana Ranuccio record with other dated sites distributed along the Italian peninsula indicates that the floristic and vegetational characters of the Mid Pleistocene revolution present a rather distinct succession of biostratigraphic events. Compared to other Early Pleistocene pollen records from southern Europe, the Italian Peninsula shows greater floristic similarities with the Eastern Mediterranean regions than with the Iberian Peninsula. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Early Cretaceous Climate Changes Recorded in Magnetic Susceptibility and Color Index Variations of the Lower Liupanshan Group, Central China

This study carried out comprehensive analysis on sedimentology, magnetic susceptibility(χlf) and color data of the continental sediments of the Liupanshan Group in Central China so as to obtain climatic change information during the 129.14–122.98 Ma interval. Based on the results of the ?lf and of the redness(a*), the section can be divided into two segments:(1) 129.14–126.3 Ma, with the lowest ?lf values and strongly variable relatively high values of redness and(2) 126.3–122.98 Ma, with high ?lf values and relatively low redness. Analysis of the lithology and facies as well as the magnetic minerals and their contents points to a detrital origin of the magnetic minerals and this allow us to interpret the relationship between magnetic susceptibility variations and climate changes. Our study shows that the climate was significantly dry and hot during the whole studied interval although the interval between 126.3 Ma and 122.98 was a little bit cooler with increased humidity.     

西天山巴音布鲁克地区早古生代成矿地质环境:岩浆岩及其时代和元素同位素约束

西天山位于中亚造山带(CAOB)西南部,是其重要组成部分。CAOB晚古生代金属成矿环境和过程尤为典型,但早古生代成矿地质环境还不甚清楚。新疆巴音布鲁克地区出露(原定时代晚志留世)巴音布鲁克组火山岩夹浅海相碎屑岩和灰岩,是认识西天山早古生代成矿地质环境的难得对象。巴音布鲁克组出露于Nikolaev-那拉提山北缘断裂与Atbash-Inylchek-那拉提山南缘断裂之间的中天山,在巴音布鲁克地区典型发育,火山岩包括玄武岩、玄武安山岩、英安岩、流纹岩及相应的火山碎屑岩,其中侵入岩有正长斑岩和花岗闪长岩。LA-ICP-MS测得玄武安山岩、英安岩、正长斑岩、花岗闪长岩、流纹岩锆石U-Pb年龄分别为455.6±8.1Ma、444.5±1.9Ma、441.4±1.6Ma、455.4±5.3Ma、424±1.9Ma,岩浆活动于晚奥陶-早志留世,喷出和侵入时代接近,原定巴音布鲁克组地层时代晚志留世应改为晚奥陶-早志留世。这些岩浆岩具有相似的稀土元素地球化学特征,微量元素相比原始地幔均亏损Nb、Ta、P、Ti。玄武岩正的ε(t)=+1.6~+6.7,低的(~(87)~Sr/~(86)NdSr)i=0.70377~0.70489,指示岩浆源区具有亏损地幔特征,弱的Zr-Hf负异常,低的Th/Nb比值,较窄的同位素变化范围暗示地壳混染并不显著,微量元素及铅同位素特征(~(206)Pb/~(204)Pb=18.26~18.77,~(207)Pb/~(204)Pb=15.63~15.69,~(208)Pb/~(204)Pb=38.21~38.34)表明岩浆源区可能是俯冲流体及洋底沉积物交代的地幔楔橄榄岩部分熔融成因。西天山巴音布鲁克地区早古生代岩浆岩应是南天山洋晚奥陶-早志留世向北向中天山陆块之下俯冲在中天山-伊犁板块南缘活动大陆边缘的岩浆产物,指示了陆缘岩浆弧环境。这种陆缘弧环境有利于斑岩铜金成矿系统发育,值得高度关注相关铜金矿的地质找矿。     

Rock associations and their spatial-Temporal variations of the early mesozoic igneous rocks in the NE Asia: Constraints on the initial subduction timing of the paleo-pacific plate北大核心CSCD

This paper summarizes rook associations and spatial-Temporal variations of the early Mesozoic igneous rocks in the NE Asia, with the aim of revealing the initial subduction timing of the Paleo-Pacific Plate beneath the Eurasia, and the relationships between the early Mesozoic magmatisms and the Paleo-Asian tectonic system, Mongol-Okhotsk tectonic system, and amalgamation of the Yangtze and North China cratons. Dating results indicate that the early Mesozoic magmatisms in the NE Asia can be subdivided into three stages, i.e., Early-Middle Triassic, Late Triassic, and Early Jurassic. The early Mesozoic calc-Alkaline magmatisms within the Erguna Massif reveal southward subduction of the Mongol-Okhotsk oceanic plate. The Triassic alkaline and bimodal magmatisms within the northern margin of the North China Craton indicate an extensional environment related to the final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. The Late Triassic A-Type rhyo- lites and bimodal magmatisms, together with the Late Triassic stable sedimentary rocks, in eastern Heilongjiang-Jilin provinces, reveal an extensional environment and passive continental margin setting, whereas the Early Jurassic calc-Alkaline magmatisms and its compositional variations, together with the coeval accretionary complex, reveal the onset of the Paleo- Pacific plate beneath the Euirasian continent.     

Early Mesozoic Southward Subduction of the Eastern Mongol–Okhotsk Oceanic Plate: Evidence from Zircon U–Pb–Hf Isotopes and Whole‐rock Geochemistry of Triassic Granitic Rocks in the Mohe Area,NE China

In this paper, we present new U–Pb zircon ages, Hf isotope data and major and trace elements for Early Mesozoic granitic rocks in Mohe area in the Erguna Massif of northeast China to elucidate the southward subduction of the eastern Mongol–Okhotsk Oceanic plate in Early Mesozoic. Zircons from two representative intrusions, syenogranites and monzogranites, in the Mohe area are euhedral–subhedral in shape, display oscillatory growth zoning in cathodoluminescence (CL) images, and have Th/U ratios of 0.10–0.72, and in combination these features indicating that the zircons are of igneous origin. U–Pb zircon dating results demonstrate that the syenogranites formed at 245.1 ± 1.4 Ma and monzogranites formed at 212.2 ± 1.7 Ma. These granitic rocks are characterized by high SiO₂, Al₂O₃ and (Na₂O + K₂O), low TFeO, MgO, TiO₂ and P₂O₅ concentrations, belonging to the high‐K calc‐alkaline series. They are enriched in LREE and large ion lithophile elements (e.g., Rb, K, and Sr), depleted in HREE and high field strength elements (e.g., Nb, Ta, Th, and Ti), as well as very weak negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.48 ~ 1.01). Their zircon εHf(t) values range from −7.9 to −2.0 and range from 0.20 to 0.49, in response to their two‐stage Hf model ages (T_DM2) range from 1.40 Ga to 1.77 Ga range from 0.94 Ga to 1.24 Ga, respectively, indicating that primary magmas of syenogranites were derived from partial melting of newly accreted juvenile crustal material that formed from the enriched mantle during the Mesoproterozoic, monzogranites are generated by partial melting of newly accreted juvenile crustal material that formed from the depleted mantle during the Meso‐ to Neoproterozoic. We conclude, therefore, that the early Mesozoic granitic rocks of the Mohe area are associated with the continuous southward subduction of the Mongol–Okhotsk oceanic plate rather than the Paleo‐Asian and circum‐Pacific tectonic regimes.     

河北围场早中新世藓类化石的植物地理学意义

对河北省围场地区广发永剖面藓类植物薄网藓Leptodictyum riparium、似叶镰刀藓Drepanocladus trichophyllus和多姿柳叶藓Amblystegium varium的古地理及其对应的现代植物地理分布研究显示,这些植物最早出现于早中新世的围场地区,可能起源于该时期的古北大陆,东亚为起源中心。之后向东通过白令陆桥扩散到北美,向西沿欧亚大陆扩散至欧洲西部,至全新世时主要分布在北半球。全新世后,薄网藓与多姿柳叶藓进一步向南扩散,分别由北美及亚洲东部扩散到南美洲及澳大利亚地区,逐步形成现在的分布格局;毛叶镰刀藓则在更新世就已形成与现代相近的分布格局。该研究确立了3种藓类植物的地理起源、地史分布及迁移路线。     

湖南汝城盆地原定中侏罗世地层发现早白垩世孢粉组合

通过对湖南汝城盆地原定为中侏罗统的李家洞水库剖面28个孢粉样品的分析处理,发现24个样品有孢粉化石,化石呈现早白垩世孢粉化石组合特征。发现的早白垩世特征分子有高含量的无突肋纹孢Cicatricosisporites,徐氏孢Hsuisporites,刺毛孢Pilosisporites,膜环弱缝孢Aequitriradites,二连粉Erlianpollis,有突肋纹孢Appendicisporites,微囊粉Parvisaccites,以及少量被子植物花粉。依据孢粉化石组合特征,建议将本剖面时代重新厘定为早白垩世。     

全球早古生代造山带(Ⅲ):华南陆内造山

华南早古生代加里东期变形、岩浆、沉积等特征表现为陆内造山带特征。通过对加里东期角度不整合分布、褶皱、断裂逆冲极性等特征的分析,发现大明山、大瑶山地区EW轴向的寒武系褶皱不对称性和角度不整合空间上向北的拓展变新规律,指示晚寒武世—早奥陶世的由南向北推覆挤压可能是云开、滇—桂北越地块依次向北推挤的结果;从全球背景看,可能和华南陆块南部一些地块与冈瓦纳大陆北缘依次碰撞接触导致的远程陆内效应有关。然而,湘赣边境、桂北元宝山及越城岭地区的早古生代NE向褶皱不对称性指示向西拓展,这可能是由于华夏地块与扬子地块在晚奥陶世—早志留世沿郴州临武断裂陆内收缩挤压的结果,其全球背景可能和华南陆块顺时针旋转与冈瓦纳全面碰撞相关。总之,加里东期构造运动总体由南向北、由东向西渐新,变形强度由强到弱的特征,反映华南陆内碰撞造山事件的根本原因是其与冈瓦纳北缘碰撞的远程效应。450~420 Ma华南已经属于冈瓦纳北缘一部分。