桑托斯盆地白垩系湖相碳酸盐岩微生物礁滩的成因

巴西桑托斯盆地为典型的南大西洋被动大陆边缘含盐盆地,裂谷期白垩系Barra Velha组发育湖相碳酸盐岩微生物礁滩,是盐下含油气系统主要储层,叠层石微生物灰岩是组成微生物礁滩的主要岩石成分。本文通过地震剖面的振幅反射结构、钻井岩性剖面、岩心观察、岩心薄片分析,研究微生物礁滩主要特征。叠层石颗粒组成岩石格架,粒间孔发育,是优质储层,主要分布在东部隆起带上。鲕粒灰岩颗粒为叠层石,颗粒形态多样、大小不一,为叠层石微生物礁破碎后就近堆积、经波浪改造后的产物。桑托斯盆地湖相碳酸盐岩微生物礁滩的形成主要受控于古环境、水体深度变化及藻类改造作用。     

Model of carbon fixation in microbial mats from 3,500 Myr ago to the present

Biological carbon fixation is an important part of global carbon cycling and ecology. Fixation that took place 3,500 million years ago is recorded in the laminated sedimentary rock structures known as stromatolites, which are fossilized remains of microbial mat communities. Stromatolites are the most abundant type of fossil found in the Proterozoic (2,500 to 590 Myr ago), but they then declined, possibly because of predation and competition. Using modern microbial mats as analogues for ancient stromatolites, we show that the rate of carbon fixation is higher at the greater levels of atmospheric CO2 that were probably present in the past. We suggest that carbon fixation in microbial mats was not carbon-limited during the early Precambrian, but became carbon-limited as the supply of inorganic carbon decreased. Carbon limitation led to a lower rate of carbon fixation, especially towards the end of the Precambrian. Thus, another reason for the decline of the stromatolites could have been a decrease in available CO2.     

Stromatolite reef from the Early Archaean era of Australia

The 3,430-million-year-old Strelley Pool Chert (SPC) (Pilbara Craton, Australia) is a sedimentary rock formation containing laminated structures of probable biological origin (stromatolites). Determining the biogenicity of such ancient fossils is the subject of ongoing debate. However, many obstacles to interpretation of the fossils are overcome in the SPC because of the broad extent, excellent preservation and morphological variety of its stromatolitic outcrops--which provide comprehensive palaeontological information on a scale exceeding other rocks of such age. Here we present a multi-kilometre-scale palaeontological and palaeoenvironmental study of the SPC, in which we identify seven stromatolite morphotypes--many previously undiscovered--in different parts of a peritidal carbonate platform. We undertake the first morphotype-specific analysis of the structures within their palaeoenvironment and refute contemporary abiogenic hypotheses for their formation. Finally, we argue that the diversity, complexity and environmental associations of the stromatolites describe patterns that--in similar settings throughout Earth's history--reflect the presence of organisms.     

青藏高原当雄错晚更新世末期-全新世早期叠层石新发现

 在青藏高原首次发现当雄错第四纪晚期叠层石群,其发现对于阐明高原第四纪晚期古环境演化有重要意义。通过对当雄错第四纪晚期发育的3层叠层石的地球化学特征以及14C年龄研究发现：叠层石发育最佳温度20~30℃,当温度低于12~15℃时,蓝藻停止生长。目前,当雄错湖水年均温度为4.8℃,可知当时水温高于现代10℃;这3层叠层石的¹⁴C年龄分别与同布林（Bölling）和阿路罗德（Allevöd）两次暖期事件,及10.5 ka~9 kaBP全新世早期转暖期一致,并且叠层石中δ¹⁸O均值在-7.23~-6.6之间,δ¹³C均值在4.75~5.65之间,两者均较高,可知当雄错当时气温较高。该时段3个暖期的发现,对详细建立划分青藏高原第四纪晚期气候-年代学标尺有重要价值。     

Biodiversity and biogeography of phages in modern stromatolites and thrombolites

Viruses, and more particularly phages (viruses that infect bacteria), represent one of the most abundant living entities in aquatic and terrestrial environments. The biogeography of phages has only recently been investigated and so far reveals a cosmopolitan distribution of phage genetic material (or genotypes). Here we address this cosmopolitan distribution through the analysis of phage communities in modern microbialites, the living representatives of one of the most ancient life forms on Earth. On the basis of a comparative metagenomic analysis of viral communities associated with marine (Highborne Cay, Bahamas) and freshwater (Pozas Azules II and Rio Mesquites, Mexico) microbialites, we show that some phage genotypes are geographically restricted. The high percentage of unknown sequences recovered from the three metagenomes (>97%), the low percentage similarities with sequences from other environmental viral (n = 42) and microbial (n = 36) metagenomes, and the absence of viral genotypes shared among microbialites indicate that viruses are genetically unique in these environments. Identifiable sequences in the Highborne Cay metagenome were dominated by single-stranded DNA microphages that were not detected in any other samples examined, including sea water, fresh water, sediment, terrestrial, extreme, metazoan-associated and marine microbial mats. Finally, a marine signature was present in the phage community of the Pozas Azules II microbialites, even though this environment has not been in contact with the ocean for tens of millions of years. Taken together, these results prove that viruses in modern microbialites display biogeographical variability and suggest that they may be derived from an ancient community.     

四川盆地深层微生物碳酸盐岩储层特征及其油气勘探前景

微生物碳酸盐岩是油气勘探储层的新类型。四川盆地微生物碳酸盐岩储层主要发育在上震旦统灯影组和中三叠统雷口坡组。灯影组微生物碳酸盐岩储层主要发育在灯二段和灯四段。灯影组微生物碳酸盐岩遍布全盆,岩石结构具有全盆地相似性,灯二段以凝块石和葡萄石为主,灯四段以纹层石和叠层石为主。灯二段储集空间主要为喀斯特孔洞、葡萄-花边状孔洞、微生物体腔孔、微生物格架间孔和凝块间溶孔,灯四段则以窗格孔和喀斯特孔洞为主。灯影组微生物碳酸盐岩优质储层形成的主控因素是微生物席、白云石化和风化壳喀斯特作用。雷口坡组微生物碳酸盐岩主要分布在川西地区的雷四段,主要为叠层石和凝块石,储集空间主要为微生物窗格孔和格架孔。雷口坡组微生物碳酸盐岩优质储层形成的主控因素是微生物礁滩（微生物席）、白云石化和埋藏溶蚀作用。目前,在灯影组和雷四段微生物碳酸盐岩储层均已发现大型气田,并具有非常广阔的勘探前景。四川盆地西部中北段是深层－超深层海相领域油气勘探的最有利地区之一。     

中上元古界柱状叠层石生长过程浅析

柱状叠层石柱体因趋光性而弯曲向上生长.高能环境是柱体不断生长的前提条件.潮下带柱状叠层石无壁,柱体成分与柱体间成分相似;潮间带产出的柱状叠层石有壁.柱体成分不同于柱体间充填物的成分.叠层石露出水面干裂后可导致分叉现象.本文就柱状叠层石的生长过程作一简要的分析.     

Microbialite resurgence after the Late Ordovician extinction

Microbialites, including biogenic stromatolites, thrombolites and dendrolites, were formed by various microbial mats that trapped and bound sediments or formed the locus of mineral precipitation. Microbialites were common and diverse during the Proterozoic, but declined in abundance and morphological diversity when multicellular life diversified during the Cambrian Radiation. A second decline occurred during the Ordovician Radiation of marine animals, and from then until the present microbialites have been confined largely to high-stress environments where multicellular organisms are rare. The microbialite declines in the Phanerozoic are attributed to disruption of the mats by animals. A resurgence of stromatolite abundance and size during reduced animal diversity after the Permian extinction has been documented anecdotally. Here we show, with statistical support, that a microbialite resurgence also occurred after the Late Ordovician extinction event in western North America. The resurgences were associated with loss of mat-inhibiting animals, providing insights into shallow-water community structures after extinction events.     

Biomineralization of phototrophic microbes in silica-enriched hot springs in South China

Microbial mats in two hot springs in South China were sampled for the research of mineralization of microbes and its mechanism by the methods of geology and modern biology. The results show that hot spring microbes have the key capability for enrichment of Si, Al, Fe, Ca and other elements, and the microbes are also crucial for the formation of SiO2, CaCO3, clay and so on. The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) play important roles in the process of mineralization of hot spring microbes, which mainly takes place in the layer of EPS outside cell wall or sheath of cyanobacteria. The sheath outside cell wall, which keeps the normal metabolism of cyanobacteria during the process of mineralization on its surface, is also considerable for the biomineralization of cyanobacteria. According to structure and mineralization characteristics of two microbial mats, the process of mineralization can be divided into three stages, namely, early surface mineralization, middle degradation mineralization, and late des- quamation of mineral. The above conclusions are significant for comprehension of the process of mineralization, the process of deposition and the preservation of microfossil in modern and ancient extreme environments.     

Geochemical evidence for terrestrial ecosystems 2.6 billion years ago

Microorganisms have flourished in the oceans since at least 3.8 billion years (3.8 Gyr) ago, but it is not at present clear when they first colonized the land. Organic matter in some Au/U-rich conglomerates and ancient soils of 2.3-2.7 Gyr age has been suggested as remnants of terrestrial organisms. Some 2.7-Gyr-old stromatolites have also been suggested as structures created by terrestrial organisms. However, it has been disputed whether this organic matter is indigenous or exogenic, and whether these stromatolites formed in marine or fresh water. Consequently, the oldest undisputed remnants of terrestrial organisms are currently the 1.2-Gyr-old microfossils from Arizona, USA. Unusually carbonaceous ancient soils--palaeosols--have been found in the Mpumalanga Province (Eastern Transvaal) of South Africa. Here we report the occurrences, elemental ratios (C, H, N, P) and isotopic compositions of this organic matter and its host rocks. These data show that the organic matter very probably represents remnants of microbial mats that developed on the soil surface between 2.6 and 2.7 Gyr ago. This places the development of terrestrial biomass more than 1.4 billion years earlier than previously reported.     

湖北兴山中寒武统覃家庙群微生物岩及其古环境意义

通过野外考察及对岩石光面的观察,发现湖北兴山古洞口剖面中寒武统覃家庙群微生物岩的类型主要为波状-半球状叠层石,少量为凝块石。显微镜下观察发现叠层石及凝块石中保存有蓝绿菌类丝状微生物Girvanella,依据Girvanella丝状体在微生物岩中的赋存状态,认为覃家庙群的微生物岩是由底栖微生物群落的钙化和粘结、捕获等共同作用形成的。此外,古洞口剖面中寒武统微生物岩的宏观形态和巨型构造及其伴生的碳酸岩沉积相,指示其形成环境位于深潮下带和浅潮下带。通过对比研究,发现扬子地块表现出的中寒武世微生物岩再繁盛现象具有全球性,推测后生动物的匮乏或衰退是其主要控制因子,反映了生物礁结构由元古代的叠层石礁演变为显生宙的后生生物礁的重要转折。     

Genetic diversity in Sargasso Sea bacterioplankton

Bacterioplankton are recognized as important agents of biogeochemical change in marine ecosystems, yet relatively little is known about the species that make up these communities. Uncertainties about the genetic structure and diversity of natural bacterioplankton populations stem from the traditional difficulties associated with microbial cultivation techniques. Discrepancies between direct counts and plate counts are typically several orders of magnitude, raising doubts as to whether cultivated marine bacteria are actually representative of dominant planktonic species. We have phylogenetically analysed clone libraries of eubacterial 16S ribosomal RNA genes amplified from natural populations of Sargasso Sea picoplankton by the polymerase chain reaction. The analysis indicates the presence of a novel microbial group, the SAR11 cluster, which appears to be a significant component of this oligotrophic bacterioplankton community. A second cluster of lineages related to the oxygenic phototrophs--cyanobacteria, prochlorophytes and chloroplasts--was also observed. However, none of the genes matched the small subunit rRNA sequences of cultivated marine cyanobacteria from similar habitats. The diversity of 16S rRNA genes observed within the clusters suggests that these bacterioplankton may be consortia of independent lineages sharing surprisingly distant common ancestors.     

Coupling controls of neotectonism and paleoclimate on the Quaternary sediments of the Yangtze （Changjiang） coast

1 Introduction The Quaternary sediments of the Yangtze coast, re-garding their distribution and origin, have been intensively discussed over the last decades since they are deeply in-volved into many aspects of Quaternary study, such as sea-level fluctuations, paleoclimate change and sediment facies evolution[1―6]. A painstaking effort has been made on the sediment study, which tends to elucidate what the primary control on sediment deposition and sedimentary facies formation is. Of note, nu…     

论碳酸盐与陆源碎屑的混合沉积

对碳酸盐与陆源碎屑的混合沉积的研究具有重要意义。本文讨论了各种环境中混合沉积作用的特点,并总结出了其主要的控制因素,即构造作用、气候、沉积物的供给、再改造和再沉积作用。这些因素常共同起作用,并且在不同的环境中所起的作用不同。     

阿中地块南缘晚元古代火山岩地质特征及构造环境分析

阿中地块南缘晚元古代索尔库里群基性火山岩与滨浅海相细粒陆源碎屑岩、成熟度较高的石英砾岩和碳酸盐岩共生,这套火山-沉积岩发生浅变质强变形作用改造,其形成于大陆裂谷构造环境,基性火山岩为大陆裂谷拉斑玄武岩,火山岩-火山碎屑岩上覆岩系--碳酸盐岩中含大量小型叠层石,通过区域对比证明该套地层时代为晚元古代青白口纪,其沉积建造、岩相古地理环境与塔里木北缘库鲁克塔格地区同时代地层特征相似,说明青白口纪时南、北塔里木就有了统一的盖层.     

喀斯特洞穴叠层石及其沉积模式

在研究喀斯特洞穴有光及黑暗环境中的洞穴叠层及其沉积作用的基础上,总结出喀斯特洞穴叠层石的沉积模式,进一步确定了喀斯特洞穴石灰华沉积物的生物成因观点。     

鄂尔多斯盆地西部马家沟期层序岩相古地理

针对鄂尔多斯盆地西部下奥陶统马家沟组Osq7、Osq8和Osq9层序,以体系域作为成图单元,采用体系域压缩法进行层序岩相古地理编图实践,研究鄂尔多斯盆地西部早奥陶世马家沟期层序岩相古地理的特征及演化。研究表明：下奥陶统地层主要由巨厚的海相碳酸盐岩和蒸发岩组成,可划分为19个三级层序,其中的马家沟组包含了8个三级层序,而且大多数属于Ⅱ型层序,主要由陆架边缘－陆架内低位、海侵、高位体系域构成。陆架边缘－陆架内低位域以中央古隆起出露海面成为规模较大的古陆为特色;海侵域以发育碳酸盐台地相以及出现碳酸盐陆棚、斜坡、海槽相为特征;高位域以云坪扩大、碳酸盐台地增生以及台内浅滩出现为典型特征。在盆地西部中央古隆起、贺兰拗拉槽等组成的古构造格局以及海平面升降变化的控制下,该区早奥陶世马家沟期层序岩相古地理总体上呈现出自西向东依次为海槽、斜坡、陆棚、台地/古陆、陆架内盆地边缘等错落有序的相带展布格局。     

淮南地区新元古代刘老碑组叠层石消失原因初探

安徽淮南地区新元古代刘老碑组主要由页岩和中薄层泥质、粉砂质灰岩组成。在该组上部中薄层砂质灰岩中产有该地区新元古代最古老的叠层石Baicalia和?Linella。大量的臼齿碳酸盐脉体穿插在该组叠层石的基本层中的现象较为独特,该组上部发育的滑塌构造和臼齿碳酸盐岩脉体的特征表明该沉积时期发生过强烈的地震活动;此外,在叠层石礁体周围还有大量的风暴沉积产出。这些现象表明,该组叠层石发育于风暴活动和地震活动交织的环境之中,地震活动是导致该组叠层石消失的主要原因。     

Genomic and functional adaptation in surface ocean planktonic prokaryotes

The understanding of marine microbial ecology and metabolism has been hampered by the paucity of sequenced reference genomes. To this end, we report the sequencing of 137 diverse marine isolates collected from around the world. We analysed these sequences, along with previously published marine prokaryotic genomes, in the context of marine metagenomic data, to gain insights into the ecology of the surface ocean prokaryotic picoplankton (0.1-3.0?μm size range). The results suggest that the sequenced genomes define two microbial groups: one composed of only a few taxa that are nearly always abundant in picoplanktonic communities, and the other consisting of many microbial taxa that are rarely abundant. The genomic content of the second group suggests that these microbes are capable of slow growth and survival in energy-limited environments, and rapid growth in energy-rich environments. By contrast, the abundant and cosmopolitan picoplanktonic prokaryotes for which there is genomic representation have smaller genomes, are probably capable of only slow growth and seem to be relatively unable to sense or rapidly acclimate to energy-rich conditions. Their genomic features also lead us to propose that one method used to avoid predation by viruses and/or bacterivores is by means of slow growth and the maintenance of low biomass.     

Modern freshwater microbialite analogues for ancient dendritic reef structures

Microbialites are organosedimentary structures that can be constructed by a variety of metabolically distinct taxa. Consequently, microbialite structures abound in the fossil record, although the exact nature of the biogeochemical processes that produced them is often unknown. One such class of ancient calcareous structures, Epiphyton and Girvanella, appear in great abundance during the Early Cambrian. Together with Archeocyathids, stromatolites and thrombolites, they formed major Cambrian reef belts. To a large extent, Middle to Late Cambrian reefs are similar to Precambrian reefs, with the exception that the latter, including terminal Proterozoic reefs, do not contain Epiphyton or Girvanella. Here we report the discovery in Pavilion Lake, British Columbia, Canada, of a distinctive assemblage of freshwater calcite microbialites, some of which display microstructures similar to the fabrics displayed by Epiphyton and Girvanella. The morphologies of the modern microbialites vary with depth, and dendritic microstructures of the deep water (> 30 m) mounds indicate that they may be modern analogues for the ancient calcareous structures. These microbialites thus provide an opportunity to study the biogeochemical interactions that produce fabrics similar to those of some enigmatic Early Cambrian reef structures.