Palaeobotanical evidence of wildfires in the Late Palaeozoic of South America – Early Permian, Rio Bonito Formation, Paraná Basin, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Fossil charcoal, as direct evidence of palaeowildfires, has repeatedly been reported from several plant-bearing deposits from the Late Palaeozoic of the Northern Hemisphere. In contrast charcoal reports from the Late Palaeozoic deposits of the Southern Hemisphere are relatively rare in comparison to the Northern Hemisphere. Although the presence of pyrogenic coal macerals has repeatedly been reported from Late Palaeozoic coals from South America, no detailed anatomical investigations of such material have been published so far. Here is presented an anatomical analysis of charcoal originating from Early Permian sediments of the Quitéria Outcrop, Rio Bonito Formation, Paraná Basin, located in the central-eastern portion of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This charcoal comes from two different coaly facies, and it was possible to scrutinize between three types, based on anatomical characters of the charcoal. Two of these charcoal types can be correlated to gymnosperm woods, and the other type corresponds to strongly permineralized bark with characteristic features of lycopsids. The presence of charcoal in different facies, ranging from parautochtonous to allochtonous origin, indicates that different vegetation types, i.e. plants which grew under wet conditions in the lowland as well as in the more dry hinterland, have experienced wildfires. Taking into account previous petrographic and lithological analyses from the facies in which the charcoal occurs and from the conditions of the wood and bark fragments, it was possible to speculate that the intensity of such wildfires most probably corresponds to forest-crown fires. Moreover, it is possible to state that wildfires have been a more or less common element in distinct Late Palaeozoic terrestrial ecosystems in the South American part of Gondwana. The data support previous assumptions on the occurrence of wildfires in the Early Permian of the Paraná Basin which were based solely on coal-petrographic data.     

Peace Parks and jaguar trails: transboundary conservation in a globalizing world

An increasingly utilized strategy for expanding conservation in the developing world has been the promotion of protected areas that supersede national borders. Alternatively known as transfrontier biosphere reserves, transfrontier or transboundary conservation areas, or Peace Parks, these protected areas are aggressively advanced by conservation agencies for their purported ecological and economic benefits. This article provides a comparative assessment of two case studies to understand the various impacts of transboundary conservation. The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, which unites protected areas in South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, is contrasted with efforts to protect jaguars along the United States–Mexico border. We argue that while these cases are promising for the purposes of biodiversity protection, they demonstrate that transboundary conservation can minimize political context, contributes to the hegemony of international conservation agendas, and remains closely linked to economic neoliberalism and decentralization in the developing world.

南海东北部下地壳高速层的成因探讨

通过对南海北部大陆边缘地壳结构分析,指出南海东北部存在下地壳高速层,大致分布在112°E~120°E,19°N~22°N的陆坡和拉张程度大的陆架地区,呈NEE向延伸,在海底地震仪剖面上最大的厚度有8km,向南海海盆方向减薄。通过对比综合分析认为,高速层物质组成是底侵作用形成的熔岩垫,由于伸展作用,南海海底扩张（30Ma）前后底侵作用形成了熔岩垫,并促使南海北部大陆边缘地壳抬升,导致区域性抬升剥蚀。     

南海西部海域新生代构造古地理演化及其对油气勘探的意义

南海西部海域构造复杂,主要发育有北东—北东东向、北西向和近南北向3组深大断裂。其中,北西向断裂与板块汇聚、碰撞有关,多具走滑性质;北东—北东东向断裂具有与中国东部裂谷盆地相似的发育特点,呈张扭性质;近南北向断裂可能是南海在扩张活动期间于洋、陆壳过渡部位形成的走滑调节断裂,是洋盆扩张的西部边界。新生代里,南海经历了4次成盆事件与3期扩张活动,盆地经历了古新世—中始新世陆缘断陷、渐新世—早中新世扩展与中中新世以来的热沉降3个演化阶段。陆缘断陷阶段的充填系列主要是北东—北东东向与北西向的河流—冲积扇、湖泊沼泽等陆相沉积及火山岩等;盆地扩展阶段表现为中-小型断陷、断-坳陷逐渐复合与联合为大-中型坳陷,古地理格局逐渐由河流与湖沼陆相环境演变为滨海至浅海相的沉积环境;热沉降阶段的成盆活动逐渐减弱以至停止,地层表现超覆,盆地出现联合迹象。结合以往勘探与油气资源调查成果分析,认为南海西部海域陆架陆坡区发育的大-中型沉积盆地石油地质条件良好,蕴藏着丰富的油气资源,勘探潜力巨大。     

塔里木盆地西部吐木休克断裂带的主要特征和构造演化

塔里木盆地西部的吐木休克断裂带是中央隆起(前身是晋宁期碰撞造山带)的次级单元巴楚断隆与北部坳陷的次级单元阿瓦提凹陷之间的分界。本文以大量的地质和地球物理证据,证明它是一条内部结构复杂且切穿地壳的深断裂。结合区域构造演化恢复了断裂发育史,指出它经历过三期重大的冲断活动,分别发生在加里东期、海西期和新近纪。新近纪的冲断与巴楚断隆的南界断裂带有相同的构造样式,可分为两幕:中新世的冲断受制于南天山前陆冲断带的向南扩展,更新世的冲断主要受制于西昆仑前陆冲断带的向北扩展。吐木休克断裂带的东西走向段和北西走向段的构造特征尚有若干差异,前者在加里东期活动较强,反映了构造的继承性;北西走向段则是加里东期出现的新生构造,在海西期进一步发展,更新世时因被卷入西昆仑的前陆冲断作用,表现出强烈而复杂的变形。     

气候变化对塔里木河来自天山的地表径流影响

塔里木河水资源主要来自天山南坡两条源流,选择西段阿克苏河和中段开都河-孔雀河作为研究区.1956-2003年研究河源山区气温呈持续升温且降水波动增加的趋势,其中1995-2003年升温强劲,升温速率高出48 a期间平均的3倍以上;降水自1986年后持续增加,20世纪90年代较80年代增幅达18%,并显示出河源山区湿岛向塔里木盆地扩展.因高山缺少气象观测,出山径流过程变化可以综合反映中高山带的气候变化.塔里木河来自天山的地表径流在1986-2003年间持续增长,以冰川融水补给为主的库玛拉克河,1994年以来年径流量增加已在前期平均值基础上提升了一个台阶;开都河以降水径流补给为主,1986-2002年出现了观测记录以来的丰水期,并使1986年后博斯腾湖水位快速上升,恢复到1958年记录的最高水位以上.两河年径流变化趋势基本相似,但也显示有西、中段的气候变化局部差异,出现丰枯水期的不一致;然而,在近16 a升温过程中,年径流增长幅度和快慢相近.     

冈底斯新近纪钾质火山作用:消减沉积物折返的地球化学与Sr-Nd-Pb同位素证据

在冈底斯岩浆岩带的羊八井地区,林子宗火山岩系上部出现小规模的粗面质火山岩.岩石学与地球化学研究表明粗面岩与时空密切相关的大体积安山质-英安质-流纹质火山岩属于不同的火山岩系:碱性钾质系列与钙碱性系列.详细的地球化学研究证明林子宗晚期小体积钾质岩具有独立的岩浆源区,而非早期钙碱性系统低压岩浆过程演化的产物.粗面质熔岩SiO2含量为62.91%～64.63%,具有高K2O(7.52%～8.05%)、Al2O3(16.64%-17.35%)、低TiO2(0.59%～0.68%)与MsO(0.15%～0.77%).钾质熔岩富集LILE与LREE,亏损HFSE,具有高Rb/Sr(1.1～2.3)、Th/La(0.59～0.80)、Th/U(6.3～10.9)和低Ce/Pb(4.1～6.2)与Ba/Th(4.3～14.5)比值,其同位素组成变化范围分别是87Sr/86Sr(I)=0.7068～0.7075、143Nd/144Nd(I)=0.51241～0.51252、206Pb/204Pb=18.87～18.95、207Pb/204Pb=15.63～15.70和208Pb/204Pb=39.24～39.68.粗面岩的地球化学与同位素特征表明冈底斯新近纪钾质火山岩来源于角闪岩相的消减沉积物熔融.因此,羊八井新近纪钾质火山熔岩提供了印度-亚洲大陆碰撞早期消减沉积物折返的证据.     

东天山黄山-镜儿泉过铝花岗岩矿物学、地球化学及年代学研究

对东天山黄山-镜儿泉一带黄山南、镜儿泉、图拉尔根沟三个过铝花岗岩作了岩相学、矿物学、地球化学、sr-Nd同位素和锆石U-Pb年代学研究.锆石U-Pb LA-ICP-MS原位定年测得黄山南岩体结晶年龄为259.9±1.4Ma(MSWD=0.86),图拉尔根沟岩体结晶年龄为275.4±8.3Ma(MSWD=29),均侵位于二叠纪碰撞后伸展环境.三个过铝花岗岩均具有低锶同位素初始比值(Isr=0.6969～0.70396)、高εNd(t)值( 5.5～ 7.2)以及年轻的亏损地幔单阶段模式年龄(tDM=0.48～0.56Ga),表明其岩浆源区均为来源于亏损地幔的新生地壳岩石.这种新生地壳岩石可能为偏酸性的火山岩.三个岩体的矿物学和地球化学可分为两类:一类以黄山南白云母花岗岩为代表,为强过铝花岗岩(A/CNK>1.1),强烈亏损Ba、sr和Ti而富集Cs、Rb和K,具有高的Rb/sr(2.03～14.5)和Al2O3/TiO2(110～1592),低的Nb/Ta(3.24～6.76)比值,其稀土元素配分曲线呈"V"字形,显示强烈铕亏损(Eu/Eu*=0.04～0.55),表明这类岩体的直接源岩以泥质岩为主.另一类以图拉尔根沟二云母花岗岩为代表,为弱过铝(1   

新疆塔里木北缘色日牙克依拉克一带泥盆纪花岗质侵入体的确定及其地质意义

位于新疆南天山色日牙克依拉克一带发育较多的中酸性侵入岩,前人均划为石炭纪侵入岩,作者对其中花岗闪长岩锆石进行SHRIMP定年,获得侵入岩形成年龄387±8Ma,另有一组捕获锆石的年龄为418.4±6.5Ma,通过对这些侵入岩的岩石学研究,结果显示该区泥盆纪侵入岩均具较典型活动陆缘侵入岩的特征.结合区域岩浆活动资料及前人成果,初步确定在塔里木北缘木札尔特、色日牙克依拉克、虎拉山南缘野云沟至库尔勒一带在古生代为一活动陆缘.     

西天山特克斯达坂库勒萨依序列埃达克岩的确立及钼找矿意义

库勒萨依序列斑岩体δ平均3.05,属于钙碱性系列岛弧浅成岩。 SiO₂含量为57.06％~70.74％,高Al₂O₃、Na₂O、Sr和相对富集LREE,低MgO、Y、Yb,强烈亏损HREE。Na₂O/K₂O＞1,Sr/Y平均57.67,正Eu异常,因而具有典型O型埃达克岩特征。库勒萨依序列斑岩体与Mo异常套合好,已发现钼矿体,找矿前景良好。该埃达克岩的确立,对深化西天山区域成矿规律和指导今后找矿具有借鉴和指导意义。