Quaternary fossil fauna from the Luangwa Valley,Zambia

This paper describes a large collection of Quaternary fossil fauna from the Luangwa Rift Valley, Zambia. Stone Age artefacts have been recovered from stratified fluvial contexts, but no in situ fossil faunas have yet been recovered. We report on 500 fossil specimens collected from the surface of point bars exposed seasonally along the banks of the main Luangwa River channel. We used non‐destructive X‐ray fluorescence analysis of the fossils' chemical signatures to determine whether they derive from one or many primary contexts, and the relationship between chemical signature and state of preservation. Specimens are identified to taxon (genus) to reconstruct palaeoenvironments and biochronology. A relatively wide range of taxa is identified, including a fossil hominin talus, described here. None of the fossils is positively attributable to extinct species, except a femur of an extinct Theropithecus reported in 2003. Although no additional extinct taxa were identified, some of the remains were attributable to genera that are not currently found in this region. The results suggest that most of the assemblage derives from sediments which are Middle Pleistocene or later, and that past environments in the Luangwa Valley may have differed from the habitat availability found today.     

Organic matter accumulation during the Holocene in the Guadalquivir marshlands (SW Spain)

The distribution of biomarker compounds and magnetic susceptibility observed in the sediment from a 20 m core drilled in the marshlands of the estuarine region of the Guadalquivir River (southwest coast of Spain) has allowed us to reconstruct the palaeoenvironmental evolution of this area during the Holocene. Several organic compounds (n‐alkanes, n‐ketones, n‐alkanols, n‐alkanoic acids and organic sulphur), as well as different biomarker ratios, have been used to show changing environmental conditions through time. These geochemical proxies suggest good preservation of the organic matter, although some diagenesis has occurred to particular organic compounds, especially the n‐alkanoic acids. Our data indicate a major allochthonous supply of terrestrial plants, with less influence from aquatic plants or algae through the core. There are markedly different palaeoenvironmental conditions between the uppermost 5 m (last 6 ka cal. B.P.) and the rest of the core. From 5 m (ca 6 ka cal. B.P.) to 19 m (ca 8 ka cal. B.P.) depth the palaeoenvironmental conditions were almost constant. Based on organic sulphur content and n‐alkane content logs, anoxic conditions prevailed from 8 to 6 ka cal. B.P., while oxic conditions with enhanced convection of water (prevalence of fluvial input), and consequently a greater organic matter supply, predominated in the upper 5 m of the core. Similarly, little variation in the magnetic susceptibility profile below 5 m indicates stable environmental conditions, while in the upper 5 m conditions shifted to one with elevated water input and clastic sediment supply. This is linked to palaeofloral alterations in the Guadiamar/Guadalquivir drainage basins and/or anthropogenic effects. We propose that from ca 8 to 6 ka cal. B.P. a stable landscape physiognomy in the surroundings of the estuarine area of the Guadalquivir River, with a predominance of pines and grassland. However, over the last 6 ka cal. B.P. a variation in the terrestrial plant biomarker compounds suggests an alternation of relatively dry and humid phases and/or the impact of human populations on altering the vegetation community have occurred. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

撞击事件对古环境的影响——来自ODP1144站A孔样品的证据

本文通过对ODP1144站A孔BM界线附近样品中微玻璃陨石的挑选和研究,确定在中更新世曾发生过地外物体撞击地球的灾变事件。样品中浮游有孔虫壳体碳氧同位素的对比研究表明,在微玻璃陨石事件发生的后期,曾发生了浮游有孔虫壳体碳氧同位素组成的变化,表现为δ13 C值的降低和δ18 O值的增加。文中还探讨了其形成的原因。     

Palaeoenvironmental evolution of the Upper Permian Maomaolong Formation in Gannan area of the West Qinling: Based on ichnonetwork analysis

The continuous Permian-Triassic strata in West Qinling represent deep-marine deposits. In this paper,abundant trace fossils(seventeen ichnospecies,twelve ichnogenera)have been identified in the Upper Permian Maomaolong Formation in the Gannan area of the western Qinling orogen. As a new ichnologic method,ichnonetwork analysis focuses on the reconstruction of the community system composed of interconnected ichnotaxa,which provides useful means for studying the behavior and ecology of ichnocoenosis. In this study,an ichnonetwork analysis is conducted with trace fossils data obtained from the first hand filed trip. The results show that ichnocoenosisis structured in the Maomaolong Formaiton,and three ichnoassociations were controlled by palaeoenvironments: Palaeophycus-Lockeia-Arenicolites-Dictyodora-Planolites-Protovirgularia-Chondrites (C1,proximal turbidite zone),Palaeophycus-Lockeia-Arenicolites-Dictyodora-Protovirgularia-Phycodes-Chondrites-Helminthopsis (C2,turbidite transition zone-distal turbidite zone),and Palaeophycus-Nereites-Scolicia-Protovirgularia-Helminthopsis (C3,distal turbidite zone). The evolution from C1 to C3 in the Upper Permian Maomaolong Formation from the Gannan area of the West Qinling reveals the palaeoenvironmental changes from proximal turbidite zone to distal turbidite zone.     

关于沙漠环境演变几种研究指标的探讨

沙漠环境演变研究过程中,地层沉积序列和沙漠环境信息的重建是其研究重点。大量关于沙漠环境演变研究所取得的成果显示：在沙漠沉积地层时间序列测定中,光释光（OSL）测年比较适用,但其在高分辨率方面欠缺、精度稍差,实际研究中应该视实际情况把OSL测年与^14 C测年结合使用。在环境代用指标选择方4面,沉积粒度及地球化学元素比较适合沙漠环境演变研究;磁化率、碳酸钙、有机碳作为环境代用指标有一定的局限性,但研究中仍多使用;孢粉分析在较湿润区域的环境演变研究中作为环境代用指标效果较好,但在沙漠这个极度干旱、植被稀少的环境下适用性不强。     

Foraminifera from the Vectis Formation (Wealden Group, Lower Cretaceous) of the Wessex Sub-basin, southern England: a preliminary account

Foraminifera are documented from the uppermost part of the essentially lagoonal Vectis Formation (Barremian to possibly early Aptian) of the Isle of Wight, southern England. Monospecific and low-diversity influxes of indigenous agglutinated taxa are identified from claystones of mudflat or subaqueous origin, and their palaeoecological significance is assessed. In contrast, reworked Upper Jurassic foraminifera are associated with coarser-grained bioclastic deposits and indicate the proximity of the Wessex Sub-basin margin, immediately to the north.     

藏南定日剖面晚白垩世菊石和叠瓦蛤类的首次发现:生物地层和古环境意义(英文)

藏南定日遮普惹山剖面主要是Albian 晚期到古近纪海相沉积, Willems 等( 1996 )对岩石地层和沉积微相进行了详细研究,并通过浮游有孔虫研究建立生物地层格架。在与岗巴地区地层对比基础上,该剖面被认为是整个藏南地区白垩纪—古近纪海相地层的标准剖面。2004 年我们与中国、德国同行一道对该剖面上白垩统地层进行再考察,重点对无脊椎动物化石样品进行采集和研究。与西藏大多数白垩纪剖面一样,尽管沉积环境为陆棚环境,该剖面以前却几乎没有菊石和叠瓦蛤类化石的报道,而同样环境下的世界其他地区剖面含有大量的菊石和叠瓦蛤类化石。藏南定日剖面重新调查后发现了少量的菊石和叠瓦蛤类化石。化石数量少一方面是由于灰泥质灰岩和泥灰质灰岩内化石保存状况差,另一方面采样条件也不理想。还有,当时的环境条件可能不利于大多数无脊椎动物类群的生存,这一点或许从大量存在于岗巴群上部的小个体双壳类碎片可以得到证实。尽管获得的化石分散并且保存差,本次研究仍获得了一些有价值的生物地层数据。岗巴群上部发现的化石Calycoceras?,指示其时代为Cenomanian 晚期,随后出现不能鉴定的desmoceratids类的幼体。之上,菊石Forresteria sp.的发现表明岗巴群顶部地层属于Coniacian下部,这被同一地层内发现的其他化石所支?     

珠江三角洲PRD05孔的高分辨率介形类记录与晚第四纪古环境重建*

对珠江三角洲西江河口附近PRD05孔（113°11′ 02″E,22°31′24″N）的岩性和介形类的高分辨率分析表明,受海平面变化和河流作用的影响,研究区晚第四纪经历了多次环境变化。26600\{a BP\}以前为河流环境,底部为河道沙砾沉积,随后水动力条件减弱,发育河漫滩沉积。26600—13400\{a BP\} 前期发育泛滥平原相沉积,后期受末次冰期的影响,本区暴露地表遭受风化剥蚀,泛滥平原相沉积的上部风化成杂色黏土。珠江口地区冰后期海侵应开始于约13400\{a BP\}。13400—9000\{a BP\}为海侵初期,本区形成沼泽相沉积。9000—4850\{a BP\}为全新世大海侵时期,本区为持续的河口海湾环境,发育以海相—半咸水型为主的介形类动物群,发生了3次小规模的海平面波动,导致水体条件发生变化,从而影响了介形类动物群的组成和丰度。最大海侵发生于7500—7140\{a BP\}之间,PRD05孔主要介形类属种的丰度在这一阶段达到全新世最大值。4850\{a BP\}以来为持续海退期,河流作用增强,本区逐渐转变为上三角洲平原环境。     

准噶尔盆地的侏罗系

简介了准噶尔盆地周边侏罗系各岩组的沉积特征及所含生物群面貌。根据生物群纵向演变规律和横向对比，将八道湾组的时代归于早侏罗世早期，不排除其底部为晚三叠世的可能；三工河组为早侏罗世晚期至中侏罗世早期；头屯河组与盆地东北缘五彩湾组相当，属中侏罗世晚期。早、中侏罗世准噶尔盆地气候温暖潮湿，盆地边缘以河流沼泽相为主，是重要成煤时期，中侏罗世晚期以后，盆地开始抬升，盆地边缘以河流相为主，气候变干热，除东北缘外，生物贫乏；晚侏罗世时，盆地受燕山运动影响，激烈抬升，边缘形成河流相或山麓河流相粗碎屑沉积，伴随有强烈的火山活动。     

安徽巢湖下三叠统含巢湖龙动物群地层微相特征及古环境

安徽巢湖马家山剖面下三叠统南陵湖组中段上部—上段下部第598—630自然层中产出早三叠世巢湖龙动物群化石。通过对赋存巢湖龙动物群化石的第598—630自然层的微相类型和稳定碳氧同位素进行分析,揭示了该时期的沉积环境及其变化。在该段地层中共识别出4种微相类型,分别是红色—灰色瘤状厚层含骨针—双壳类生屑泥晶灰岩、灰色含生屑泥质泥晶灰岩、青灰色纹层状泥质泥晶灰岩和浅灰色含泥质泥晶灰岩,反映当时沉积环境从早到晚由外缓坡脚—深海盆地边缘渐变为外缓坡环境。稳定碳氧同位素分析表明,该段地层中δ¹³C值与 δ¹⁸O 值普遍偏低。综合微相、沉积相及稳定碳氧同位素特征,推断巢湖龙动物群生活在安静的外缓坡环境中,伴生的生物种类及数量相对比较稀少,海水温度总体偏高。