Microbial biomineralization processes forming modern Ca:Mg carbonate stromatolites

Modern Ca:Mg carbonate stromatolites form in association with the microbial mat in the hypersaline coastal lagoon, Lagoa Vermelha (Brazil). The stromatolites, although showing diversified fabrics characterized by thin or crude lamination and/or thrombolitic clotting, exhibit a pervasive peloidal microfabric. The peloidal texture consists of dark, micritic aggregates of very high‐Mg calcite and/or Ca dolomite formed by an iso‐oriented assemblage of sub‐micron trigonal polyhedrons and organic matter. Limpid acicular crystals of aragonite arranged in spherulites surround these aggregates. Unlike the aragonite crystals, organic matter is present consistently in the dark, micritic carbonate comprising the peloids. This organic matter is observed as sub‐micron flat and filamentous mucus‐like structures inside the interspaces of the high‐Mg calcite and Ca dolomite crystals and is interpreted as the remains of degraded extracellular polymeric substances. Moreover, many fossilized bacterial cells are associated strictly with both carbonate phases. These cells consist mainly of 0·2 to 4 μm in diameter, sub‐spherical, rod‐like and filamentous forms, isolated or in colony‐like clusters. The co‐existence of fossil extracellular polymeric substances and bacterial bodies, associated with the polyhedrons of Ca:Mg carbonate, implies that the organic matter and microbial metabolism played a fundamental role in the precipitation of the minerals that form the peloids. By contrast, the lack of extracellular polymeric substances in the aragonitic phase indicates an additional precipitation mechanism. The complex processes that induce mineral precipitation in the modern Lagoa Vermelha microbial mat appear to be recorded in the studied lithified stromatolites. Sub‐micron polyhedral crystal formation of high‐Mg calcite and/or Ca dolomite results from the coalescence of carbonate nanoglobules around degraded organic matter nuclei. Sub‐micron polyhedral crystals aggregate to form larger ovoidal crystals that constitute peloids. Subsequent precipitation of aragonitic spherulites around peloids occurs as micro‐environmental water conditions around the peloids change.     

洛川黄土国家地质公园SWOT分析与深度开发

针对洛川黄土国家地质公园旅游市场疲软, 与黄土地质遗迹极高的科学、科普价值不匹配等问题, 运用SWOT态势分析法, 对洛川黄土国家地质公园进行系统诊断, 提出了加快现代化地质博物馆建设、加强专业人才培养、提高科普效应、整合资源、联合申报世界地质公园、产权分离、广泛融资等发展战略, 以期为洛川黄土国家地质公园深度开发和区域可持续发展提供科学依据。     

Quaternary corals from reefs in the Wakatobi Marine National Park,SE Sulawesi,Indonesia, show similar growth rates to modern corals from the same area

We have used digital photography, image analysis and measurements in the field to determine the growth rates of Quaternary corals in the Wakatobi Marine National Park, Indonesia, and compared them to growth rates of similar corals in the same area. In the Quaternary deposits it was possible to measure the growth rates of two massive coral genera Porites and Favites. For each genus, the corals reworked from better‐illuminated upslope environments had higher growth rates than the in situ fossil corals. The calculated radial growth rates for the in situ Porites are slightly lower than, but of the same order of magnitude as, the modern Porites growing in 10 m water depth at Hoga (10.04 ± 3.34 mm yr^?1 ± 1 s.d.; n = 3) and Kaledupa (15.26 ± 4.83 mm yr^?1 ± 1 s.d.; n = 3). Sedimentation rates and underwater visibility are inferred to have been similar in the fossil site to that at the modern Kaledupa site. Decreasing light penetration due to increased water depth is inferred to have been a major influence on growth rates. The in situ massive corals with good growth banding are inferred to have grown in a comparable environment to modern Kaledupa and Hoga. The study highlights that it is possible to compare coral growth rates, and their influencing parameters, from modern and well‐preserved ancient examples. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

新疆阿克苏地区寒武纪幸运期早期小壳化石

本文报道新疆阿克苏地区寒武纪幸运期最早期的小壳化石组合。化石产自玉尔吐斯组底部,包括：Protohertzina anabarica Missarzhevsky, 1973、Protohertzina unguliformis Missarzhevsky, 1973、Anabarites trisulcatus Voronova and Missarzhevsky, 1969、Anabarites ternarius Missarzhevsky in Rozanov et al., 1969、Cambrotubulus decurvatus Missarzhevsky in Rozanov et al., 1969、Olivooides sp.、Kaiyangites novilis Qian and Yin, 1984以及海绵骨针化石。据此可以在新疆阿克苏地区玉尔吐斯组下部建立Anabarites trisulcatus-Protohertzina unguliformis组合带。该组合带下界以Anabarites trisulcatus、Protohertzina ungulifo...     

藏东类乌齐地区中侏罗世地层的特征与划分

通过近年1:5万类乌齐县等四幅区域地质调查、实测剖面和综合分析研究,项目组将1:20万类乌齐幅地质调查报告所划的雁石坪群和1:25万昌都幅地质调查报告所划的东大桥组解体为莎巧木组和捷布曲组,对该区中侏罗世地层划分做了有益的尝试,有助于藏东的基础地质调查。     

陕南镇巴早寒武世一类奇特的骨板化石

本文通过对采自陕南镇巴地区下寒武统水井沱组中一类形态奇特的骨板化石的详细研究,认为它是属于生物内部构造的一部分,而不是完整的生物个体。它们的功能及在生物体中的存在方式与海绵骨针类似。关于这类骨板化石确切的分类位置现在还很难定论。目前暂将其置于海绵动物门中,作为一个形态属进行描述和讨论。现描述一属,7种。     

青海省国土资源博物馆筹建刍议

从博物馆学角度出发,通过对博物馆标本的典藏、科学研究和社会教育的介绍,阐述了筹建青海省国土资源博物馆的任务及意义,并提出了建馆初步设想,为下一步制定建馆方案奠定了基础。     

贵州瓮安陡山沱组球状化石元素地球化学浅析

本文利用电子探针微区分析技术(EPMA),首次分析了采自贵州瓮安北斗山磷矿区陡山沱组外壁呈瘤状及多边形板片状的磷酸盐化球状化石的元素地球化学含量,包括常量元素氧化物含量和部分稀土元素含量,经初步对比发现:具瘤状及板片状外壁的两类球状化石,由内至外常量元素含量的变化趋势大体相似,表明归人同一生物大门类的可能性较大;与磷块...     

Calcareous Nannofossils and Molecular Fossils in Cobalt-rich Crusts and their Response to the P/E Global Event

A biostratigraphic study on calcareous nannofossils from the CM3D06 Co-rich ferromanganese crust from the Magellan seamounts in the northwestern Pacific enabled estimation of depositional age.The bio-imprinting of calcareous nannofossils and other fossil species suggests six age ranges for the nannofossils: late Cretaceous,late Paleocene,(early,middle,late) Eocene,middle Miocene,late Pliocene,and Pleistocene.Gas chromatography(GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS) were used to test the Co-rich crusts,and a variety of molecular fossils were detected,such as chloroform bituminous "A",n-alkane,isoprenoid and sterol.Peak carbon and molecular indices(such as ΣC23 /ΣC24 +,CPI,Pr/Ph,Pr/nC17,Ph/nC18 and δ13C) indicate that the parent organic matter is dominated by marine phytoplankton and thallogen whereas there is little input of terrestrial organic matter.Researches on calcareous nannofossils,molecular fossils and molecular organic geochemistry data reveal that the Paleocene/Eocene(P/E) global event is recorded in the cobaltrich crusts from the northwestern Pacific Ocean.A succession of biomes can be observed near the 85 mm boundary(about 55 Ma),i.e.,the disappearance of the late Cretaceous Watznaueria barnesae and Zigodicus spiralis,and Broisonia parka microbiotas above the P/E boundary,and the bloom of Coccolithus formosus,Discoaster multiradiatus,Discoaster mohleri and Discoaster sp.below the boundary.Typical parameters of molecular fossils,such as saturated hydrocarbon components and carbon-number maxima,Pr/Ph,Pr/C17,Ph/C18,distribution types of sterols,Ts/Tm ratios and bacterial hopane,also exhibit dramatic changes near the P/E boundary.These integrated results illustrate that the biome succession of calcareous nannofossils,relative content of molecular fossils and molecular indices in the cobalt-rich crusts near the 85 mm boundary faithfully record the P/E global event.     

Holocene palaeoenvironmental reconstruction based on fossil beetle faunas from the Southern Altai region,north‐west China

We present here the results of the first‐ever Quaternary entomological research in China. The Halashazi Wetland, located in the southern Altai Mountain region in the northernmost part of Xinjiang Province, yielded Holocene insect fossils (mostly beetles) from two peat profiles. In total, 55 Coleoptera taxa were found, including 37 identified species. A new species, Helophorus sinoglacialis, was identified. The fauna is strongly northern Holarctic in character. The interval from 10 424 to 9705 cal a BP was probably a cold and wet period, and the study site was above the treeline. From 9665 to 9500 cal a BP it was probably warmer and drier, and treeline moved to higher elevations. Following a depositional hiatus, mid‐Holocene (5400–4400 cal a BP ) insect assemblages represent cold conditions with the site above the treeline. The exception was a brief warming around 5450 cal a BP , when bark beetle evidence suggests that the treeline moved to a higher elevation. Of the 37 identified beetle species from the Halashazi site, 34 (92%) have modern records in Siberia. The Altai Mountains probably served as a dispersal corridor between the Siberian arctic and alpine regions of northern China. Copyright © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.