Rhuddanian to Aeronian (Llandovery,early Silurian) carbon isotope stratigraphy throughout carbonate sequences in the upper Yangtze region,South China block

The Xiangshuyuan Formation (middle Rhuddanian to middle Aeronian stages of the Llandovery Series, lower Silurian) records a shelly fauna representing recovery after the end-Ordovician mass extinction in a well-oxygenated shallow carbonate platform of the Upper Yangtze region, South China Block. Carbon isotope stratigraphy is documented from limestone sequences of the formation at the Qiankou section, northeast Guizhou. The early Aeronian carbon isotope excursion (EACIE, with an amplitude of about 2 ‰ and peak value of 2.44 ‰) is identified in the middle and upper parts of the formation (Ozarkodina obesa conodont Biozone). The EACIE recorded herein correlates well with those in Baltica, Canada, and the United States; together with its records from organic material (δ¹³C_org) the data verify that the EACIE is a global event. The beginning of the EACIE can be used as a chemostratigraphic marker defining the Rhuddanian/Aeronian boundary in strata that lack high-resolution biostratigraphic constraints.     

再论华南志留系红层的时代

牙形刺P.eopennatus带的确立和P.celloni带、P.amorphognathoides带的细分,使华南Llandovery统的划分和对比发生了变化,以往归入P.celloni带的地层,极大多数都要归属到P.eopennatus带,层位变低。依据牙形刺生物地层的分析,溶溪组（下红层）的时代可能为埃隆期晚期,...     

Toward a stepwise Kwangsian Orogeny

The Kwangsian Orogeny originated along the southeast coast of China and stepwise developed in a northwest direction. It includes two stages, a long locally varying uplift from the Late Ordovician to the early Silurian and a finally tectonic movement near the Silurian and Devonian transition. The Kwangsian uplift event shows a stepwise delay northwestwards from the southeastern coast area in Nemagraptus gracilis Biozone (Sa1) to the south side of the Xuefeng Mountains in or later than Cystograptus vesiculosus Biozone (R3) to Coronograptus cyphus Biozone (R4). In the southern of Yangtze Platform, the Yichang Uplift was droved by the Kwangsian Orogeny forming a diachronous stratigraphical break through Rhuddanian and Aeronian. The distribution of the early Telychian lower marine red beds indicates a northwestward increase of the Cathaysian Oldland. Stratigraphical evidence may explain why the Kwangsian movement was marked by an angular disconformity during the Pridoli to earliest Devonian interval.     

Sedimentary characteristics,formation mechanisms and geological significance of the Shiniulan Formation reefs (lower Silurian) in the Upper Yangtze Platform

The lower Silurian Shiniulan Formation of the Upper Yangtze Platform contains small-scale coral–stromatoporoid reefs, generally from less than 10?km long and from 10 to 30?m in thickness, especially in the middle–upper parts. The reef-building organisms were dominantly tabulate and rugose corals, with fewer stromatoporoids. Reef-inserted organisms include bryozoans, brachiopods, cephalopods, algae, crinoids and bivalves. The Shiniulan Formation is characterised by biohermal limestone, bioclastic limestone, sandstone and mudstone, and is divided into four members according to lithological characteristics. The reefs generally occur in the middle–upper layer, which corresponds to four growth stages: stabilisation, colonisation, diversification and domination. In the reefs, the argillaceous and sandy contents decrease, and the carbonates increase from the base to the top. The growth characteristics, evolution, scale and size of the reefs in the Shiniulan Formation were influenced by three factors: agitation of terrigenous debris, fluctuation of sea level and seawater temperature. The Upper Yangtze region was mainly a shallow marine environment with a warm or torrid tropical and subtropical climate and high salinity in the late Aeronian. However, the Shiniulan Formation has significant differences in growth, evolution and extension scale compared with corresponding reefs in Laurentia and the Siberia and Kazakhstan blocks. Analysis of the geological factors of the Shiniulan Formation and the Menier Formation of Anticosti Island, which has revealed that the two sections have similar reef types, lithology and biology, aims to explain the under-development of large-scale reefs in the Upper Yangtze Platform during the middle–upper Silurian.     

上扬子地台南缘早志留世埃隆期碳酸盐岩岩石学特征及沉积环境

上扬子地台南缘早志留世埃隆期发育的碳酸盐岩,近期揭示具有较好的油气勘探前景,但有关该套岩层的岩石学特征及其沉积环境研究需要进一步深入。论文以野外地质剖面和室内薄片鉴定为基础,对上扬子地台南缘早志留世埃隆期碳酸盐岩开展系统的岩石颗粒组分、岩石类型和沉积环境分析。发现早志留世埃隆期碳酸盐岩颗粒类型主要为生物碎屑,含少量内碎屑与鲕粒;根据曾允孚先生等的碳酸盐岩结构成因分类方案,该地区碳酸盐岩主要有7种类型:包括亮晶鲕粒灰岩、亮晶生物屑灰岩、珊瑚礁灰岩、亮晶砂屑灰岩、砂屑-生物屑微晶灰岩、微晶砂屑灰岩和微晶灰岩。根据岩石学特征和野外露头分析,认为在早志留世埃隆期研究区从早期到晚期沉积环境经历了碳酸盐缓坡到碳酸盐台地的转变,并发育了外缓坡、内缓坡、台地边缘斜坡、台地边缘滩、台地边缘生物礁、开阔台地等亚相。以三级层序为编图单元,揭示了礁滩沉积区域展布特征,生物礁滩体主要发育于SQ2层序,具有环带状展布的特征。     

Carbon isotope composition of graptolite periderm and whole-rock from the Aeronian (Silurian, Llandovery) in Wales and Scotland and its use in chemostratigraphy

Here we show the use of graptolite periderm for chemostratigraphic study. Using material from the Aeronian (Silurian) interval from Wales and Scotland as examples, we show that the carbon isotope composition of the periderm (δ¹³C_grap.) provides a signal that is locally different but not consistently so from surrounding whole-rock samples (δ¹³C_whole-rock). Graptolite periderm δ¹³C seems not influenced by astogenetic stage of development or gross rhabdosome type and differences between δ¹³C_grap. from different metamorphic grades are minimal. Taken as a whole, the Aeronian interval examined shows little overall change, but large variations are seen on the small scale, possibly reflecting very local carbon cycling. For carbon isotope stratigraphy in such rocks, therefore, large-scale bulk sampling will likely reduce inhomogeneities and give more reproducible results. Furthermore, in situations (for instance associated with sea level fluctuations) where terrestrial organic matter has been incorporated into the sediment, then graptolite carbon may more faithfully reflect bulk marine organic matter.