Early Cretaceous palm pollen tetrads from Patagonia,Argentina

Pollen tetrads and monads of spiny pollen grains with close affinities to palms have been found in several localities from the Lower Cretaceous (Barremian-Albian) of the Austral Basin (Magallanes), Patagonia (Argentina). When found dispersed, spiny and zonasulcate pollen grains, are commonly referred to the fossil genus Spinizonocolpites Muller, with close affinities to the extant palm Nypa. The Patagonian specimens were compared with fossil and extant members of the Arecaceae, showing close similarities in shape and sculpture with the primitive members of the subfamily Calamoideae. Nypa produces tetragonal tetrads different from the tetrahedral tetrads of the Spinizonocolpites-type recovered from Patagonia. The specimens were studied with LM and SEM. The polarity, aperture orientation and tetrad type allow segregating the Patagonian grains from the Nypoideae and relating it to the Calamoideae subfamily. These records suggest an antique origin of monocots and a probably initial diversification of calamoid palms during the Early Cretaceous in high latitudes of Gondwana. The presence of palmae during the Early Cretaceous in southern South America suggests a warm and humid climate, similar to that found in present days at tropics.     

Mawsoniid remains (Sarcopterygii: Actinistia) from the lacustrine Missão Velha Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of the Araripe Basin,North-East Brazil

Mawsoniids are a lineage of extinct fresh/brackish water coelacanth fishes, common in Cretaceous Godwanan deposits of South America, North and West Africa and Madagascar. Here we formally describe mawsoniid remains from the fluvio-lacustrine Missão Velha Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of the Araripe Basin, North-East Brazil. The examples from the Missão Velha Formation are here described as Mawsonia cf. gigas, based mainly on elements of the lower jaw and opercular series. The occurrence of M. cf. gigas in the Missão Velha Formation expands the stratigraphic and geographical ranges of the type species.     

青藏高原拉萨地块西部念青唐古拉岩群的地球化学特征及构造意义

拉萨地块西部呈断块状沿狮泉河-申扎-嘉黎蛇绿混杂岩带附近分布的念青唐古拉岩群被认为是前寒武纪变质基底。本文对念青唐古拉岩群进行了系统的岩石学、地球化学、同位素年代学及构造地质学研究。研究结果表明片岩-片麻岩-变粒岩含十字石、石榴子石等特征变质矿物,遵循粒度分异规律,其原岩可能为来自冈瓦纳古陆核北缘中新元古代弧盆体系的活动大陆边缘浊积岩。斜长角闪岩具低硅、高铁镁、富钙的基性岩特征,其原岩为岛弧型基性火山岩。念青唐古拉岩群中的花岗伟晶岩锆石LA-ICPMS U-Pb年龄为1150±13Ma,具过铝质S型花岗岩地球化学特征,可能为中元古代(1150±13 Ma)以前就开始沉积的念青唐古拉岩群基底岩石通过部分熔融形成。与花岗伟晶岩渐变过渡接触的二云斜长片麻岩第一组变质重结晶锆石U-Pb年龄为701±15 Ma,结合十字石特征变质矿物,暗示了该地区中温高压变质作用的峰期变质,变质程度达角闪岩相;第二组热液流体锆石UPb年龄为301±8.4 Ma,可能与冈瓦纳大陆北缘古特提斯洋演化过程中的岩浆热液作用有关。     

Diagnosis of earth-fill dams by synthesised approach of sounding and surface wave method

The spatial distribution of the strength inside the earth-fill is identified by the sounding tests. In this research, the Swedish weight sounding (SWS) is employed, and the spatial high-density test is performed to identify the spatial correlation structure. Furthermore, the synthesised approach of the SWS and surface wave method, which is one of the geophysical method, is proposed to compensate the shortage of each approach. Consequently, the correlation structure of an earth-fill could be identified accurately, and the high resolution of the spatial distribution could be visualised based on the survey results.     

全球早古生代造山带(Ⅳ):板块重建与Carolina超大陆

古元古代与显生宙的板块构造特征和旋回演化过程具有明显区别,反映出地质记录为两种不同的板块构造体制。早古生代为这两个时期的过渡阶段,其构造过程研究与板块重建是地球板块构造旋回机制和周期分析的关键。本文采用综合集成的方法,在总结对比罗迪尼亚超大陆裂解以来全球早古生代主要碰撞造山带的地质事件基础上,分析早古生代碰撞造山带的演化特征,总结出与冈瓦纳大陆拼合、劳俄大陆拼合、古中华陆块群增生相关的7期碰撞-增生造山事件群:Brasiliano、东非、Kuunga、东亚与原特提斯洋和古亚洲洋演化相关的的加里东期造山事件、经典加里东造山、中欧加里东造山、Appalachian造山。再在这7期造山事件群基础上,结合古地磁、古生物、古地理等资料,重建了新元古代-早古生代末全球板块的拼合过程:罗迪尼亚超大陆从新元古代的~950 Ma开始经历了3个阶段裂解,此时存在泛大洋、莫桑比克洋和古太平洋3个大洋,随后615~560 Ma Iapetus洋打开,~560 Ma波罗的陆块与西冈瓦纳裂离导致狭窄的Ran洋打开;~540 Ma南半球Brasiliano、东非和Kuunga造山运动导致冈瓦纳大陆分阶段最终完成拼贴;~500 Ma冈瓦纳大陆北缘西段的微陆块群局部向北裂离,导致Rheic洋和Tornquist洋打开,并于~420 Ma随经典加里东造山带和中欧缝合带形成导致Iapetus洋闭合,此时斯瓦尔巴特和英国可能位于格陵兰地盾东南缘,同时冈瓦纳大陆北缘东段华北为代表的微陆块基本拼合在冈瓦纳大陆北缘;此外,虽然425 Ma西伯利亚板块有远离聚合了的劳俄大陆的趋势,但晚奥陶世-早泥盆世南美和北美板块靠近,北美板块与环冈瓦纳北缘西段的地体拼合碰撞。在大约400 Ma时,南、北美洲的混合生物群和古地理重建显示两者非常接近,因此,推测此时存在一个初始的逐步稳定的超大陆的可能,本文称为Carolina超大陆,因为Carolina造山带是这个超大陆最终拼合的地带。并据此判断超大陆旋回为7亿年。     

Defining the Potential of Nanoscale Re‐Os Isotope Systematics Using Atom Probe Microscopy

Atom probe microscopy (APM) is a relatively new in situ tool for measuring isotope fractions from nanoscale volumes (< 0.01 μm³). We calculate the theoretical detectable difference of an isotope ratio measurement result from APM using counting statistics of a hypothetical data set to be ± 4δ or 0.4% (2s). However, challenges associated with APM measurements (e.g., peak ranging, hydride formation and isobaric interferences), result in larger uncertainties if not properly accounted for. We evaluate these factors for Re‐Os isotope ratio measurements by comparing APM and negative thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (N‐TIMS) measurement results of pure Os, pure Re, and two synthetic Re‐Os‐bearing alloys from Schwander et al. (2015, Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 50, 893) [the original metal alloy (HSE) and alloys produced by heating HSE within silicate liquid (SYN)]. From this, we propose a current best practice for APM Re‐Os isotope ratio measurements. Using this refined approach, mean APM and N‐TIMS ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁹Os measurement results agree within 0.05% and 2s (pure Os), 0.6–2% and 2s (SYN) and 5–10% (HSE). The good agreement of N‐TIMS and APM ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁹Os measurements confirms that APM can extract robust isotope ratios. Therefore, this approach permits nanoscale isotope measurements of Os‐bearing alloys using the Re‐Os geochronometer that could not be measured by conventional measurement principles.     

Zurupleuropholis gen. nov. (Teleostei,Albian, Argentina), first pleuropholids from the Cretaceous of South America

Although the Cretaceous is characterized by a rich fish diversity, Cretaceous continental fishes from Gondwana are poorly known and comparatively scarce. Among these fishes, the family Pleuropholidae is only known by a few species relatively poorly preserved, from the Middle Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous of Europe, Africa, North America, and South America. In this paper, two new species of the pleuropholid new genus Zurupleuropholis are described, Z. quijadensis gen. et sp. nov. and Z. decollavi gen. et sp. nov. The new fishes were recovered in the Lower Cretaceous lacustrine Lagarcito Formation of central-west Argentina. This taxon constitutes a relevant finding considering that the representation of the family Pleuropholidae is rare worldwide. Zurupleuropholis gen. nov. appears to be the youngest known member of Pleuropholidae, and it represents the second record of the family in South America and the first record in the Cretaceous of the continent.     

Laurasian ancestors and “Gondwanan” descendants of Rotoitidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea): What a review of Late Cretaceous Baeomorpha revealed

Baeomorphinae Yoshimoto, 1975, based on Baeomorpha Brues, 1937, is transferred from Tetracampidae Förster, 1856 and recognized as a junior synonym of Rotoitidae Bouček and Noyes, 1987 (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) syn. nov. following ICZN (1999) article 35.5. Inclusions in Taimyr amber (84–100 Ma) assigned to Baeomorpha are reviewed and the following eleven new species, all of Gumovsky, are described: B. avamica sp. nov., B. baikurenis sp. nov., B. bianellus sp. nov., B. caeleps sp. nov., B. gracilis sp. nov., B. ingens sp. nov., B. quattorduo sp. nov., B. quattoruno sp. nov., B. popovi sp. nov., B. yantardakh sp. nov., and B. zherikhini sp. nov. The recognized species are differentiated in separate keys to females and males and illustrated through microphotography. Two of four previously described Baeomorpha species from Campanian Canadian amber are synonymized: B. distincta Yoshimoto and B. elongata Yoshimoto under B. ovatata Yoshimoto (syn. nov.). One enigmatic rotoitid inclusion, which differs from Baeomorpha species in the possession of very short stigmal vein, is described as Taimyromorpha pusilla Gumovsky gen. et sp. nov. Inclusions containing specimens identified as Baeomorpha and Taimyromorpha are found in amber from Taimyr and Canada that originated from Laurasia, not Gondwana. Two Realms are newly proposed to recognize different Cretaceous faunal elements, a more northern Baeomorpha Realm that is characterized by a temperate or warm temperate climate and very abundant aphid fossils, and the Isoptera Realm, an opposing southward territory with a warmer climate and common termite but rare aphid fossils. The newly described fossils indicate the southern hemisphere distribution of extant Rotoitidae is relictual with the pattern observed being formed at least in part by extinction events, though distributions of the only two extant rotoitid genera, Rotoita Bouček and Noyes, 1987 (New Zealand) and Chiloe Gibson and Huber, 2000 (small area in the southern Chile) may have been more extensive in the past. Both of known regions of extant Rotoitidae have highly suppressed ant faunas, which may suggest that their survival there depended on low biocenotic pressure by ants, perhaps as low as is hypothesized for the Late Cretaceous. The Canadian amber genera Distylopus Yoshimoto, 1975 (Distylopinae) and Bouceklytus Yoshimoto, 1975 (Bouceklytinae) are excluded from Tetracampidae and regarded as Chalcidoidea incertae sedis.     

铵(氮)在岩石和矿物中地球化学行为研究进展

地壳中的氮大都以NH4 储存在矿物中.由于成岩时含氮有机物质的分解作用,氮广泛分布在沉积岩和低级变质岩中;在岩浆岩和变质岩中,氮主要以NH4 存在于含钾硅酸盐(长石和云母类)中;岩浆岩的δ(15N)值和氮浓度明显地不同于沉积物和变沉积岩,主要是由于有机物的缺乏.具有明显铵含量的火成岩主要是含钾矿物的深成岩.因而NH4 可以作为一个"示踪元素"而用于成矿作用等方面的研究.文章还提出了未来的研究方向.     

Decline of Pseudodiaptomus hessei (Copepoda, Calanoida) in two water bodies located in the Senegal River hydrosystem (West Africa): Hypotheses and perspectives

Pseudodiaptomus hessei is a key species in many water bodies in the Senegal River hydrosystem but it became rare or completely disappeared from two ecosystems (Lake Guiers and Dakar Bango Reservoir; Senegal, West Africa) after major hydrological changes caused by human action, mainly impoundments on the river in 1985, and the opening of a new estuary mouth in 2003. Kâ et al. [Kâ, S., Pagano, M., Ba, N., Bouvy, M., Leboulanger, C., Arfi, R., Thiaw, O.T., Ndour, E.H.M., Corbin, D., Defaye, D., Cuoc, C., Kouassi, E., 2006. Zooplankton distribution related to environmental factors and phytoplankton in a shallow tropical lake (Lake Guiers, Senegal, West Africa). International Review of Hydrobiology 91(5), 389–405] put forward several hypotheses to explain the reasons for this decline: salinity and chemical changes in the water, predation by a cyclopid predator Mesocyclops ogunnus and/or the inhibiting effects of cyanobacteria and/or diatoms (allelopathy). This study assessed these hypotheses by studying the distribution of P. hessei in 13 stations (including the Dakar Bango reservoir and Lake Guiers) in relation to physical, chemical and biological (phyto- and zooplanktons) factors at each station. We produced a distribution pattern for this species in the Senegal River hydrosystem. Rank correlations and principal component analysis showed that P. hessei was not correlated with conductivity but was positively correlated with pH and alkalinity, suggesting chemical effects. The clear association with two filamentous cyanobacteria (Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and Anabaena sp.) did not appear to support the hypothesis of cyanobacteria inhibition but blooming conditions were never encountered during the study. Negative correlation with diatoms (especially with Fragilaria sp.) suggested that aldehyde producing diatoms had a negative effect. Negative correlations with cyclopids such as Mesocyclops supported the hypothesis of cyclopid predation to explain the decline of P. hessei. This study proposes several lines of research for future studies to test these hypotheses.