Principal stages in evolution of Precambrian organic world: Communication 1. Archean and Early Proterozoic

Expounded in this work are the results of critical consideration of published and original data on biologic nature and appearance chronology of different groups of Archean and Lower Proterozoic (3.5–1.65 Ga) paleontological remains known from geological record. Conclusions are substantiated by morphological analysis of structurally preserved microfossils, their facies distribution, and by inferable genesis and principal evolutionary trends of Archean stromatolites. A special attention is paid to variations of organic and carbonate carbon isotope composition in sedimentary successions with paleontological remains and to recent information about discovered, most ancient biomarkers of large groups of organic world. As a result of this approach, a detailed model of Precambrian organic world evolution is suggested.     

藻类勃发—湖相油源岩形成的一种重要机制

浮游藻类是重要的湖相生油母质，本文以渤海湾盆地济阳坳陷早第三纪湖相生油岩为例，研究了其中藻类（主要是颗石藻和沟鞭藻＿化石的分布特征，并通过与现代水体中藻类生产和沉积作用的比较，探讨了生油湖泊中藻类生产和沉积方式及其对油源岩形成所起的控制作用，结果显示，藻类勃发现象在早第三纪生油湖泊中相当普遍，而且贯穿于各类油源岩的形成过程，这类快速事件性沉积是湖相油源岩形成的一种重要机制。     

Petrographic and geochemical evidence for the formation of primary, bacterially induced lacustrine dolomite: La Roda 'white earth' (Pliocene, central Spain)

Upper Pliocene dolomites (‘white earth’) from La Roda, Spain, offer a good opportunity to evaluate the process of dolomite formation in lakes. The relatively young nature of the deposits could allow a link between dolomites precipitated in modern lake systems and those present in older lacustrine formations. The La Roda Mg‐carbonates (dolomite unit) occur as a 3·5‐ to 4‐m‐thick package of poorly indurated, white, massive dolomite beds with interbedded thin deposits of porous carbonate displaying root and desiccation traces as well as local lenticular gypsum moulds. The massive dolomite beds consist mainly of loosely packed 1‐ to 2‐μm‐sized aggregates of dolomite crystals exhibiting poorly developed faces, which usually results in a subrounded morphology of the crystals. Minute rhombs of dolomite are sparse within the aggregates. Both knobbly textures and clumps of spherical bodies covering the crystal surfaces indicate that bacteria were involved in the formation of the dolomites. In addition, aggregates of euhedral dolomite crystals are usually present in some more clayey (sepiolite) interbeds. The thin porous carbonate (mostly dolomite) beds exhibit both euhedral and subrounded, bacterially induced dolomite crystals. The carbonate is mainly Ca‐dolomite (51–54 mol% CaCO₃), showing a low degree of ordering (degree of ordering ranges from 0·27 to 0·48). Calcite is present as a subordinate mineral in some samples. Sr, Mn and Fe contents show very low correlation coefficients with Mg/Ca ratios, whereas SiO₂ and K contents are highly correlated. δ¹⁸O‐ and δ¹³C‐values in dolomites range from ?3·07‰ to 5·40‰ PDB (mean=0·06, σ=1·75) and from ?6·34‰ to ?0·39‰ PDB (mean=?3·55, σ=1·33) respectively. Samples containing significant amounts of both dolomite and calcite do not in general show significant enrichment or depletion in ¹⁸O and ¹³C between the two minerals. The correlation coefficient between δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C for dolomite is extremely low and negative (r=?0·05), whereas it is higher and positive (r=0·47) for calcite. The lacustrine dolomite deposit from La Roda is interpreted mainly as a result of primary precipitation of dolomite in a shallow, hydrologically closed perennial lake. The lake was supplied by highly saturated HCO₃^?/CO₃^2? groundwater that leached dolomitic Mesozoic formations. Precipitation of dolomite from alkaline lake waters took place under a semi‐arid to arid climate. However, according to our isotopic data, strong evaporative conditions were not required for the formation of the La Roda dolomite. A significant contribution by bacteria to the formation of the dolomites is assumed in view of both petrographic and geochemical evidence.     

南极菲尔德斯半岛湖泊沉积物的稀土地球化学

本文研究了燕鸥湖、西湖和基太湖湖泊沉积物的稀土地球化学。这些湖泊沉积物的稀土分布模式与菲尔德斯半岛第三纪火山岩非常相似，它们的物质来源是菲尔德斯半岛岛弧火山岩。湖泊沉积相与冰碛层稀土模式的差异，反映了它们经历的化学风化程度不同、粘土含量不同。Ｃｅ异常意味着每个湖泊沉积旋回结束的阶段气候是比较干燥的。湖泊沉积物的稀土含量和分布模式变化小，也意味着在中晚更新世时气候是比较干燥的。     

Suspended sediment transport and deposition in a high arctic meromictic lake

A study of sedimentary processes and sediment yields in a high arctic meromictic lake (Lake C2, Taconite Inlet, Northern Ellesemere Island, Canada) was undertaken from May 1990 through August 1992 to understand the links between climatic controls, hydrology, and the laminated sediment record preserved in the lake. Understanding the relationships between processes and the sediment record is critical for interpreting the climatic significance of the laminated sediments in a region where high resolution climate proxy records are quite limited.Sediment transport to Lake C2 is dominated by fluvial processes. During the early part of the melt season slushflows transport sediment to the lake surface. Subsequently, suspended sediment is delivered to the lake by the main inlet stream and distributed lakeward by a plume emanating the main inlet channel. Due to the strong density stratification of the water column the plume distributes sediment downlake by overflows and interflows in the epilimnion. In general, overflows are generated by lower discharge events whereas interflows penetrate to the halocline during high discharge with increased suspended sediment concentration.Sediment trap analysis demonstrates that suspended sediment transport and deposition responds to diurnal through annual changes in stream discharge. Seasonal and annual sediment trap yields agree with average accumulation rates determined from varve thickness measurements and cumulative suspended sediment discharge from the main inlet stream indicating a close link between climatological, hydrological, and sedimentological controls and varve deposition.This is the fourth in a series of papers published in this issue on the Taconite Inlet Lakes Project. These papers were collected by Dr R. S. Bradley.     

山西宁武地区高山湖泊全新世湖相地层划分及干海组的建立

通过山西宁武地区高山湖泊湖相沉积地层的浅井挖掘,在天池湖泊群一带发现了厚度大于6m的以草炭、泥炭、粘土及砂层为主的湖相沉积物.根据实测的干海、天池和琵琶海3条剖面,将分布于高山湖盆区内的湖相地层划分为12层,层序地层显示出以干海为代表的古湖泊由浅湖→滨湖→沼泽的演化趋势.湖相沉积的14C法测年结果为10950～260aBP,ESR法年龄测定结果为(9±3～8±1)ka,这表明高山湖盆内湖相沉积的形成时代为全新世.根据沉积相、岩相组合等特征,结合同位素测年、孢粉分析、微体古生物鉴定等资料,首次建立了山西宁武地区高山湖泊全新世湖相沉积地层序列,并将该套地层命名为干海组.     

青藏高原北部新生代湖相碳酸盐岩碳氧同位素特征及古环境意义

对青藏高原北部地区新生代陆相地层中湖相碳酸盐岩进行了系统采样分析，以碳氧同位素作为古环境和古气候变化的替代指标,试图从古湖泊演化的角度，阐明高原新生代早期环境演变历史和过程。研究结果表明，该区所有分析样品中生物碎屑灰岩类样品的δ¹⁸O和δ¹³C显示最低值，反映它们沉积在一个水体滞留时间短的开放性淡水湖泊系统中。泥晶灰岩类样品的δ¹⁸O和δ¹³C之间具有正相关关系，表明它们发育在蒸发作用明显的封闭性咸水湖泊体系中，而叠层石灰岩类明显富集13C可能与微生物活动有关。从始新世到渐新世至中新世，湖相碳酸盐岩δ¹⁸O值具有逐渐增大的趋势，δ¹³C则由古近纪的负值变为新近纪的正值，反映该区古湖泊系统经历了一个由开放到封闭的过程，预示古近纪到新近纪之交高原古气候格局发生了重大变革。     

Changing lake dynamics and sequence stratigraphy of synrift lacustrine strata in a half-graben: an example from the Triassic Ischigualasto–Villa Unión Basin, Argentina

Well‐exposed Triassic rift strata from the Ischigualasto–Villa Unión Basin (NW Argentina) include a 80 to ca 515 m thick lacustrine‐dominated package that can be correlated across a half‐graben using key stratigraphic surfaces (sequence boundaries, lacustrine flooding surfaces and forced regressive surfaces). The characteristics of the synrift lacustrine fill in different parts of the half‐graben have been examined and the mechanisms controlling sedimentation inferred. A variety of sedimentary environments are recognized including; volcaniclastic floodplain, mildly saline lake and playa lake, offshore lacustrine, delta front to fluvial‐dominated and wave‐dominated deltas, distributary and fluvial channel, and interdistributary bay. The succession can be divided into four stratigraphic sequences (SS1 to SS4), the oldest of which (SS1) contains volcaniclastic, fluvial and saline lake deposits; it is thickest close to the western border fault zone, reflecting more rapid subsidence here. Accommodation exceeded sediment and water input during SS1. The second and third sequences (SS2 and SS3) mark the onset of widespread lacustrine sedimentation, reflecting a balance between accommodation creation and water and sediment fluxes. Sequences SS2 and SS3 are represented by offshore meromictic lacustrine and deltaic deposits, the latter mostly sourced from the flexural and southern axial margins of the half‐graben. The presence of stacked parasequences bound by lacustrine flooding surfaces is related to climatically induced lake‐level fluctuations superimposed on variable rates of subsidence on the controlling rift border fault zone. The youngest sequence (SS4) is represented by the deposits of littoral lacustrine and shallow shelf deltas distinguished by a change in lithofacies, palaeocurrents and sandstone composition, suggesting a switch in sediment supply to the footwall margin to the NW. The change in the sediment source is related to reduced footwall uplift, the possible presence of a relay ramp and/or supply from a captured antecedent drainage network. During SS4, the rate of creation of accommodation was exceeded by the sediment and water discharge. The stratigraphic evolution of lacustrine strata in the half‐graben was mainly controlled by tectonic processes, including subsidence rate and the growth and evolution of the border fault zone, but changing climate (inducing changes in water balance and lake level) and autocyclic processes (delta lobe switching) were also important.