Late Devonian red tide and mass extinction

Molecular stratigraphical, carbonate carbon isotopic, stratigraphical and paleontological data show that algal booming, eutrophication, anoxia, hypersalinity, positive δ¹³C excursion and biomass decreasing occurred in the offshore carbonate environments of the Frasnian-Famennian (F-F) transition, which hints that red tide might frequently take place in the F-F transition of Guangxi, South China. We suggest that the mass extinction of the reef ecosystems and the shallow-water marine organisms in the F-F transition of the lower-middle latitudes may be related to the frequent occurrence of red tide in that time.     

中国二叠纪末期生物集群灭绝及其原因的探讨

该文总结了近几年来地球化学、地质和古生物等学者关于P-T生物灭绝事件的研究,对比我国南方和北方海、陆相二叠—三叠纪地层及生物群研究的新进展,并结合国外某些地区的研究成果,从可能的外因及内因两个方面探讨了古-中生代之交的全球变化与生物效应,分析出决定性因素,提出了火山-气候成因的新假说。     

Gymnosperms on the eve of the terminal Permian mass extinction in North China and their survival strategies

Main characteristics of the Permian redbed gymnmprms in North China have been summarized: dominant peltasperms and conifers, numerous enigmatics such asGigantonoclea andPsygmophyllum, and abundant precursors of Mesozoic gymnosperm. Furthermore, stresses affecting these plants survival are suggested to be paleoatmospheric CO₂ concentration, water stress, wind and fire activities, und fungal infection. Consequently, a preliminary analysis accounts for the ecological strategies of these gymnosperms to the P-Tr event.     

The palaeoenvironmental implication of Early-Middle Ordovician acritarch communities from South China

As primary producers,acritarchs that represented the base of the food chain in the Early Paleozoic marine ecosystem formed the marine phytoplankton communities whose distributions might affect those of other faunas.Ten acritarch ecological assemblages with their distributions controlled by the environmental factors were recognized in the Meitan Formation of the Honghuayuan section,Tongzi,Guizhou Province,the Dawan Formation of the Huanghuachang and Daping section,Yichang,Hubei Province,and the Dacao Formati...     

南海深水块体搬运沉积体系及其油气勘探意义

依据块体搬运沉积体系的地球物理识别特征,利用最新采集的二维和三维高分辨率地震资料,在南海深水区域的琼东南盆地、白云凹陷和文莱深水地层中发现了块体搬运沉积体系(MTDs);建立典型MTDs的沉积模式,探讨MTDs的深水油气勘探意义.结果表明:MTDs表现为弱振幅和反射杂乱的特点,发育正断层、逆冲断层、挤压脊和褶皱等沉积构造;典型的MTDs可以划分为头部拉张区域、体部滑移—挤压区域和趾部挤压区域3个结构单元;MTDs主要是富泥沉积物,在深水油气勘探中往往充当良好盖层,容易与浊流沉积体系一起形成深水地层圈闭,也有部分MTDs是富砂沉积物,可以成为潜在油气储层.     

Carbon isotopic record of foraminifers in surface sediments from the South China Sea and its significance

Since the 1990s, the papers and data involved withthe South China Sea (SCS) have been emerging in largenumbers in the world as people pay more attention to thepaleoceanography of the SCS. There have been more than100 cores mentioned in papers containing p…     

High-precision U-series dating of Holocene corals from South China Sea by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS)

Using the isotopic diluting and thermal ionization mass spectrometric (TIMS) technique, the U-series dating procedure was established on the basis of measurement of national standard GBW04412. With this highly precise technique the Holocene corals from the South China Sea were dated. Comparison between this method and α-spectrometry was made. The results show that a thriving period of corals in the South China Sea appeared at 6 800-5 800 a BP, during which the paleosea level was the higher than at present in the Holocene.     

南海表面海温异常对南海季风影响的数值模拟

采用P-σ混合坐标系区域气候模式模拟了4－7月南海季风的爆发、演变过程，并进行了3组敏感性数值试验，研究南海表面海温异常对南海季风的影响，得到以下结论：（1）南海4月份海温异常对南海季风的爆发日期影响不大，但对季风爆发后的强度有所影响，异常增温造成南海季风增强，异常降温则南海季风减弱。（2）南海季风爆发和强度的变化与南海本身的海温变化情况有密切的关系，尤其是5月份南海海温异常。5月份南海异常增温可以使南海季风提前爆发，季风增强，南海海温异常降低时，南海季风爆发的时间推迟，季风减弱。（3）南海海温持续异常可以影响南海及中国大陆的高低空环流变化，海温持续异常增温可以使南海季风提前爆发，显地加强南海季风，并有利于南海季风向北推进，但当海温在6月份进一步持续增温时，则有利于季风维持在较南地区，阻碍季风向北发展；当海温持续异常降低时，南海季风推迟爆发，且明显减弱。     

Extinction pattern of reef ecosystems in latest Permian

Studies of two Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) sections on top of a Changhsingian reef in Ziyun, Guizhou Province, southwestern China indicate that the end-Permian mass extinction of reef ecosystems occurred in two steps. The first step is the extinction of all stenotropic organisms such as calcisponges and fusulinids in the latest Permian (in the Clarkina yini conodont zone). The biota after the first extinction is simple, comprising eurytropic organisms including microgastropods, ostracods, and some small burrowing organisms, or only algal mats. At the beginning of the Early Triassic (i.e. the beginning of the Hindeodus parvus zone), the environments became anoxic, and the microgastropod dominated biota or algal mats disappeared, which constituted the second episode of the mass extinction. The biota after the second extinction comprises small spherical microproblematica, some kinds of specialized organisms tolerant of anoxic or oxygen-poor conditions. As the environments became oxygenated, the specialized biota was replaced by a microgastropod-dominated simple biota. When the environmental conditions improved further, the simple biota was replaced by a diverse biota with normal-sized ammonoids, bivalves, and gastropods, representing restoration of normal oceanic condi- tions. Comparison with PTB sections in Dolomites, Italy and Meishan, Zhejiang Province shows that non-reef ecosystems had a similar first episode of mass extinction in the latest Permian. In the case that oceanic anoxia happened, non-reef ecosystems had a second extinction episode similar to that of reef ecosystems.     

U-Pb dating of detrital zircons from the Wudangshan Group in the South Qinling and its geological significance

U-Pb dating was made by the LA-ICP-MS method for detrital zircons from the Wudangshan volcanic-sedimentary succession in the South Qinling. Samples comprise quartz sandstones of the Wudangshan Group collected from the base of the Yangping Formation and an upper layer of the Shuangtai Formation overlain its volcanic sequence, and two river-sand collections from the drainage systems cutting across the two formations, respectively. The results show that the Yangping detrital zircons are dominated by 830–780 Ma grains with a minor population of ~1.0–0.84 Ga and sporadic grains of ~2.6, ~2.4 and 2.0 Ga, whereas the Shuangtai zircons yield an upper intercept age of 763±33 Ma, identical to the timing of the Wudangshan volcanism within error, with few concordant grains of 1.9 and 0.86 Ga. Age spectra for the two river-sand samples are similar to those of the Yangping and Shuangtai Formations, respectively. It thus suggests that the Wudangshan strata are less than 780 Ma, whereas their major detrital zircon populations of 1.0–0.85 Ga and 830–780 Ma are consistent with timing of the Hannan magmatic activities along the northwestern margin of the South China Block. This suggests a Hannan or adjacent area provenance for the Wudangshan strata. The Wudang area is characterized by rift-related igneous events at ~755 and ~680 Ma, respectively, pointing to a tectono- magmatic history different from the Hannan area. It is inferred that the ~755 Ma magmatism is likely to indicate a separation of the South China Block from the supercontinent Rodinia, while the ~680 Ma event suggests a further split between the South Qinling and some unknown continent.     

华南春旱特征及其与水汽输送的关系

利用1979-2005年华南47个基准站降水资料及由NCAR/NCEP II再分析资料计算所得的水汽输送通量资料,对华南春季降水特征及其与水汽输送的关系进行研究,结果表明:华南春季降水可以110.5°E为界划分为两个区域,以东区域为华南I区,以西区域为华南II区。I区降水具有显著的下降趋势,即干旱趋势显著;而II区降水下降趋势要弱得多,未超过信度检验。此外,I区降水在1994年发生突变,由多雨期突然跃变到干旱期。华南春季水汽主要来源于南海和西太平洋,并经中南半岛转向输送到华南,当南海中北部的偏南水汽输送偏弱(强)时,I区降水偏少(多),I区偏旱(涝),当南海西南部-中南半岛南部的偏南水汽输送偏弱(强)时,II区降水偏少(多),II区偏旱(涝)。     

Rodinia裂解与华南微板块形成和演化

介绍了Rodinia研究的历史、现状及主要进展,分析了华南相关地块在Rodinia中的位置以及从Rodinia到Pangea的演化历程.分析结果表明,扬子陆块从Rodinia裂离后,其间在Gondwana形成时,可能发生过湘桂地体、云开地体、浙闽地体、保山地体和腾冲地体的碰撞拼贴造山作用过程.在古特提斯演化阶段,这些地体随古特提斯洋的开启而与扬子陆块裂离,并逐渐形成多岛洋的构造格局,之后又随Pangea的形成而再次与扬子陆块碰撞拼贴增生.因此,Rodinia,Gondwana,Pangea等的形成、裂解和裂离后地体的拼贴增生是认识华南大地构造格局和演化的关键之一.Rodinia应该是华南大地构造研究值得重视的重要课题.     

Barrier layer in the northeastern South China Sea and its formation mechanism

A VERTICALLY UNIFORM LAYER OF TEMPERATURE(ISOTHERMAL LAYER),SALINITY(ISOHALINE LAYER)AND DENSITY(MIXED LAYER)IS USUALLY FORMED IN THE UPPER OCEAN DUE TO THE WIND STIRRING.UNDERNEATH IS THE LAYER WITH RELATIVELY STRONG VERTICAL GRADIENT AS THE THERMOCLINE,…     

Late Neogene radiolarian absence event in the southern South China Sea and its paleoceanographic implication

Down-core variations of radiolarians at ODP Site 1143 in the southern South China Sea （SCS） are presented for the last 12 Myr. The fluctuations of radiolarian abundances since the Late Miocene can be divided into three stages： a high abundance stage at 12-5.96 Myr, a radiolarian absent stage at 5.96-3.30 Myr and a gradual increasing stage after 3.30 Myr. The three stages correspond to the forming and vicissitudes of the Western Pacific Warm Pool （WPWP） and the Eastern Asian Summer Monsoon （EASM）. The radiolarian absence event （RAE） was also absent of diatom and occurred nearly simultaneously with the closures of the Panama Isthmus and the Indonesian seaway, which probably caused the reorganization of oceanic circulation systems. Accompanied this circulation reorganization was the weakening of the WPWP and the EASM, which probably led to a weakened upwelling in the southern SCS. In addition dissolved silica （Dsi） content in surface seawater might be very low during 5.96-3.30 Myr due to the ＂biogenic bloom＂ event, which consumed a large amount of Dsi in the surface seawater. All these factors together might lead to a great decrease of siliceous production in the southern SCS and consequently caused the RAE. Moreover, the dissolution of siliceous skeletons might also influence the abundance of radiolarians.     

Late Neogene radiolarian absence event in the southern South China Sea and its paleoceanographic implication

Down-core variations of radiolarians at ODP Site 1143 in the southern South China Sea (SCS) are presented for the last 12 Myr. The ?uctuations of radiolarian abundances since the Late Miocene can be divided into three stages: a high abundance stage at 12–5.96 Myr, a radiolarian absent stage at 5.96–3.30 Myr and a gradual increasing stage after 3.30 Myr. The three stages correspond to the forming and vicissitudes of the Western Paci?c Warm Pool (WPWP) and the Eastern Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM). The radiolarian absence event (RAE) was also absent of diatom and occurred nearly imultaneously with the closures of the Panama Isthmus and the Indonesian seaway, which probably caused the reorganization of oceanic circulation systems. Accompanied this circulation reorganization was the weakening of the WPWP and the EASM, which probably led to a weakened upwelling in the southern SCS. In addition dissolved silica (Dsi) content in surface seawater might be very low during 5.96–3.30 Myr due to the ‘‘biogenic bloom” event, which consumed a large amount of Dsi in the surface seawater. All these factors together might lead to a great decrease of siliceous production in the southern SCS and consequently caused the RAE. Moreover, the dissolution of siliceous skeletons might also in?uence the abundance of radiolarians.     

华南早石炭世亚鳞木属(Sublepidodendron)植物研究及其分类学意义

描述了湖北省长阳县资丘镇淋湘溪剖面下石炭统高骊山组的两种亚鳞木属(Sublepidodendron)植物——奇异亚鳞木(S.mirabile)和松滋亚鳞木(S.songziense)以及相关的生殖器官和根器官。重新认识了这两个种的叶座形态,进一步确认了亚鳞木属的整体植物性状。详细比较了奇异亚鳞木、松滋亚鳞木和葛利普亚鳞木的生物学特征,讨论了我国亚鳞木属的分类,并提出了新的归并方案。     

华南季节干旱及连旱特征分析

 利用1951-2006年实测降水量资料,通过统计方法分析了华南各季节降水量的时空变化及季节干旱特征。结果发现,各季降水量总体上在华南区域空间尺度上有显著的同号变化关系。华南夏季降水量的距平幅度增大,并有增多的长期趋势;秋季降水量则有距平幅度减弱的长期趋势;冬春季降水量的逐年变化存在显著的同相关系。华南秋季发生干旱的频数较其它季节高;春－夏连旱频数较其它季节连旱事件频数要低。     

中国溲疏属种子形态及其分类学意义

在光学显微镜下观察了中国溲疏属32种13变种的种子形态,探讨了种子形态的分类学意义,结果表明,1该属植物的种子可分为两大类:①大型种子,较原始,包括小花溲疏组和溲疏组下溲疏亚组;②小型种子,较进化,包括溲疏组下大花溲疏亚组、狭萼溲疏亚组和聚伞花序溲疏亚组;2拥有相似的种子特征,支持溲疏属的单源性假设;3在种子形态上系间或种间差别不明显,而组间或亚组间却存在一定的规律性变化;4种子形态支持长江溲疏隶属于溲疏亚组,恢复A.Rehder建立的大花溲疏亚组,以及将城口溲疏独立成种而非四川溲疏的变种的处理.     

Thirty million year deep-sea records in the South China Sea

In the spring of 1999 the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 184 Shipboard Party cored 17 holes at 6 deep water sites in the northern and southern parts of the South China Sea (SCS). Chinese scientists actively participated in the entire process of this first deep-sea drilling leg off China, from proposal to post-cruise studies. More than 30 categories of analyses have been conducted post-cruise in various Chinese laboratories on a large number of core samples, and the total number of analyses exceeded 60 thousand.The major scientific achievements of the Leg 184 studies are briefly reported in three successive papers, with the first one presented here dealing with deep-sea stratigraphy and evolution of climate cycles. This ODP leg has established the best deep-sea stratigraphic sequences in the Western Pacific: the 23-Ma isotope sequence from the Dong-Sha area is unique worldwide because of its continuity; the last 5-Ma sequence from the Nansha area represents one of the best 4 ODP sites worldwide with the highest time-resolution for that time interval, and the sequences of physical properties enable a decadal-scale time resolution. All these together have provided for the first time high-quality marine records for paleoenvi-ronmental studies in the Asian-Pacific region. This new set of stratigraphic records has revealed changes in climate cyclicity over the last 20 Ma with the fluctuating power of the 100 ka, 400 ka, 2000 ka eccentricity cycles, indicating the evolving response of the climate system to orbital forcing along with the growth of the Antarctic and Northern Hemisphere ice sheets.