Sporopollen and algae research of core B106 in the northern South China Sea and its paleoenvironmental evolution

Based on the high-resolution sporopollen and algae research of the sediments from core B106 in the northern South China Sea, three sporopollen assemblage zones have been distinguished in ascending order: Zone 1 (294–194 cm): Pinus-Quercus (evergreen)-Gramineae-Polypodiaceae- Pterdium-Dicranopteris. Zone 2 (194–94 cm): Pinus-Quercus (evergreen)-Polypodiaceae-Pteridium- Dicranopteris. Zone 3 (94–4 cm): Pinus-Polypodiaceae-Pteridium-Quercus (evergreen)-Dicranopteris. The three sporopollen zones correspond to three stages of vegetation, climate and paleoenvironment evolution of the northern part of the South China Sea since 11 000 years ago. Combined with AMS ¹⁴C dating, the sporopollen and algae data can be a scientific basis for stratigraphic division and reconstruction of paleoclimate and paleoenvironment in the South China Sea. __________ Translated from Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology, 2007, 27(5): 9–14 [译自: 海洋地质与第四纪地质]     

Geological characteristics and evolution of the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan plateau since the late Cenozoic

The eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau developed an integrated series of late Cenozoic lacustrine, loess, red and moraines deposits. Various genetic sediments recorded rich information of Quaternary palaeoenvironment changes. Xigeda Pliocene lacustrine deposits, formed during 4.2 Ma B.P.–2.6 Ma B.P., experienced nine periodic warm-cold stages. Eolian deposition in western Sichuan began at 1.15 Ma B.P., and the loess-soil sequences successively record fourteen palaeomonsoon change cycles. Red clay in the Chengdu plain record five stages of paleoclimatic change stages since 1.13 Ma B.P.. There was an old glacial period of 4.3 Ma B.P. in the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. During the Quaternary, there were five extreme paleoclimatic events corresponding to five glaciations. __________ Translated from Geological Bulletin of China, 2007, 26(12): 1620–1626 [译自: 地质通报]     

Rock magnetic record of Cenozoic lake sediments from the Linxia basin and aridification of the Asian inland

High resolution research of rock magnetic records and quartz sands from the Maogou Section in the Linxia basin reveals that after a relatively stable environment between 13.07 Ma and 8.6 Ma, the basin was gradually influxed by eolian dusts at about 8.6 Ma, with two rapid increases at about 6.4 Ma and 5.3 Ma, respectively. The study suggests that drying of northwest China began at 8.6 Ma and strengthened rapidly at about 6.4 Ma and 5.3 Ma. __________ Translated from Marine geology & Quaternary geology, 2007, 27(4): 103–110 [译自: 海洋地质与第四纪地质]     

Redox environment effect on redox sensitive elements in surface sediments of the Changjiang Estuary hypoxia zone

The grain size and element (including redox sensitive elements and terrigenous elements) concentration of surface sediments from the Changjiang Estuary hypoxia zone and its adjacent sea area were measured in this research. Based on the obtained data, the hypoxic environment’s influence on the distribution of elements in surface sediments was further studied. We believe that the “redox environment effect” greatly influences the distribution of the RSE, which reveals the “patchy enrichment pattern” offshore in the hypoxia zone, while the distribution of the terrigenous elements which shows the “stripped enrichment pattern” near shore is mainly affected by “granularity effects”. Due to the existence of the hypoxia zone of the Changjiang Estuary, the distribution of the RSE such as Mo, Cd and V in the study area exhibits the characteristics of “redox environment effects”. __________ Translated from Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology, 2007, 27(3):1–8 [译自: 海洋地质与第四纪地质]     

Pelagic records from the Equatorial Ninetyeast Ridge and significant environmental events during the past 3.5 Ma

This paper presents pelagic records of planktic foraminifera, as well as data of stable isotope stratigraphy and carbonate stratigraphy since 3.5 Ma B.P. from site ODP758 in the Ninetyeast Ridge of the Indian Ocean. Based on these data, manifestations and related mechanisms of major tectonic and environmental events such as the rapid uplift of the Himalaya Mountains, “middle Pleistocene climatic transition” and “mid-Brunhes dissolution event” in the region are discussed. According to the analysis and comparison of various indices and changes in terms of foraminifera assemblage, paleotemperature, paleosalinity and themocline from site ODP758, the authors deduce that the paleoclimatic changes might correlate with the mid-Pleistocene transition at 1.4–1.7 Ma B.P. The changes of CaCO₃, mass accumulation rates (MAR) of CaCO₃ and non- CaCO₃ MAR indicate that the loaded terrigenous sediments increased at 1.7 Ma, which is in agreement with the uplift history of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau as shown by the available data. The last two changes coincide with the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, hence they are called “Qinghai-Tibet movement” (1.7 Ma), and the “Kunlun-Yellow River movement” (1.2–0.6 Ma). The changes of the CaCO₃ content, coarse fraction (> 150 μm) content and planktonic foraminifera biostratigraphy show that strong dissolution of abyssal CaCO₃ occurred in the study region during 0.5–0.4 Ma. The event was consistent with the “mid-Brunhes dissolution event” in the sedimentary records of the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Nansha sea area of the South China Sea. __________ Translated from Geological Bulletin of China, 2007, 26(12): 1627–1632 [译自: 地质通报]     

Late Oligocene sedimentary environments and provenance abrupt change event in the northern South China Sea

A significant change in composition was recorded in late Oligocene sediments from the northern South China Sea. This abrupt event coincided with the seafloor spreading axis jump across the Oligocene/Miocene boundary, leading to sedimentation breaks and slumps as well as obvious changes in sediment geochemical composition, and representing the greatest tectonic activity in the South China Sea region since the Oligocene. Through this tectonic event, the sedimentary environment in the Baiyun sag area transformed from a continental shelf in the late Oligocene to a continental slope since the early Miocene, the provenance of the sediments changed from neighboring areas to the hinterland of the South China block, and the sea level rose since the early Miocene in the area. Therefore, this abrupt change event has a profound influence on the evolution of petroleum offshore in the northern South China Sea. __________ Translated from Geology in China, 2007, 34(6): 1022–1031 [译自: 中国地质]     

Molybdenum isotope composition from Yangtze block continental margin and its indication to organic burial rate

The paper presents the molybdenum isotope data, along with the trace element content, to investigate the geochemical behavior of authigenic Mo during long-term burial in sediments in continental margin settings of the Yangtze block, as well as their indication to the burial of original organic carbon. The burial rate of original organic carbon was estimated on the basis of the amount of sedimentary sulfur (TS content), whilst the carbon loss by aerobic degradation was estimated according to calculated Mn contents. On these points, the original organic carbon flux was calculated, exhibiting a large range of variation (0.17–0.67 mmol/m²/day). The strong correlation between sedimentary Mo isotope values and organic carbon burial rates previously proposed on the basis of the investigations on modern ocean sediments, was also used here to estimate the organic carbon burial rate. The data gained through this model showed that organic carbon burial rates have large variations, ranging from 0.43–2.87 mmol/m²/day. Although the two sets of data gained through different geochemical records in the Yangtze block show a deviation of one order of magnitude, they do display a strong correlation. It is thus tempting to speculate that the Mo isotope signature of sediments may serve as a tracer for the accumulation rate of original organic carbon in the continental margin sediments. __________ Translated from Earth Science—Journal of China University of Geosciences, 2007, 32(6) [译自: 地球科学—中国地质大学学报]     

Depositional characteristics of Dalong Formation and its potential as hydrocarbon source rocks in Hubei,Hunan ,Guizhou and Guangxi

The Late Permian Dalong Formation in Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou and Guangxi in South China could be subdivided into several sedimentary types according to the lithology, indicative of the great spatial variations of both the lithology and sedimentary facies. The Dalong Formation deposited during the highest transgression of Late Permian, in particular under the anaerobic and suboxic conditions, which shows a strong linkage with the hydrocarbon source rocks. The Dalong Formation has some favorable properties such as hydrocarbon source rocks, including the sediments deposited in highest transgression sea level, the deep slope sedimentary environments and the low sedimentary rate, which raises the importance of the investigations on the sedimentary features, the geochemical properties and their relationship with the oil potential. __________ Translated from Earth Science—Journal of China University of Geosciences, 2007, 32(6): 774–780 [译自: 地球科学—中国地质大学学报]     

南黄海沉积物磁性特征及其对物源变化的指示 ——以南黄海中部泥质区YSC-10孔为例

南黄海中部泥质区是东亚大陆沉积物巨大的汇,识别这一地区的物源变化对理解古气候和古海洋变化有重要作用.基于黄河和长江携带的碎屑物质在磁性特征上的差异,环境磁学参数、磁化率—中值粒径的相关性可用于指示南黄海中部泥质区物源的可能变化.根据YSC?10孔环境磁学参数变化和磁化率—中值粒径的相关关系,推测4.8 cal ka B...     

Calci-microbialite as a potential source rock and its geomicrobiological processes

The calci-mircobialite is a special carbonate buildup, which is formed due to the activities of different kinds of microbes. Abundant microfossils preserved in the microbialite show the high-level productivity during deposition, while characteristic sedimentary minerals and geochemical compositions suggest an anoxic marine environment for organic burial. The high-level productivity and anoxic sedimentary environment favor the efficient preservation of organic matter and thus the formation of source rocks. On these points, microbialites could be one of the potential hydrocarbon source rocks, awaiting further geobiological investigation and exploration. Precambrian and some of the great transitional stages in Phanerozoic are critical periods when microbialites were well developed. Widespread microbialites have been found in North and South China. Bitumen observed in many outcrops of Precambrian and late Devonian microbialites further raises the possibility of the calci-microbialite as a potential hydrocarbon source rock. __________ Translated from Earth Science-Journal of China University of Geosciences, 2007, 32(6): 797-802 [译自: 地球科学-中国地质大学学报]     

北京市昌平区钻孔岩芯的磁化率与粒度组份变化的相关性研究

以昌平区钻孔岩芯为例,分析沉积物粒级组分与磁化率大小变化的相关性。从厚约150 m的剖面选取590多个样品,分别测试从0.5~500 μm各个粒度区间颗粒的百分含量和磁化率。通过计算它们之间的相关关系,认为湖相沉积物磁化率的变化与0.5~30 μm间细粒物质的含量,特别是与0.5~10 μm区间悬浮物质的含量反相关,而与65~500 μm间较粗粒物质的含量正相关。这种相关性与黄土沉积刚好相反,反映了二者之间磁化率不同的变化机制, 蕴涵着一定的古气候信息。     

Spatial distribution features and environment effect of heavy metal in intertidal surface sediments of Guanhe estuary, Northern Jiangsu Province

In northern Jiangsu coastal zone area, Guanhe River is the biggest river and has the best navigation conditions among rivers which flow into the Yellow Sea. The grain sizes show gradual increase from the high intertidal zone to lower intertidal zone. The heavy metal values have slight changes along both sides of the river mouth, but show an evident change perpendicular to the tidal flat. In the latter case, they show a good correlation with grain size fluctuation, that is, the heavy metal values gradually decline when the grain size increases from the high intertidal zone to the lower intra-tidal zone. Analyses of the heavy metal elements show that on the Guanhe estuary surface sediment, the content of the elements Hg, As and Cu is above background values; Pb and Zn contents are rather close to the background values; and Cd content is less than the background values. The element Hg comes out to be harmful in a medium level to ecological environment, while the elements of Cr, As, Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd fall in a safe range of MPL. On the whole, Guanhe estuary tidal flat is not very harmful to the ecology in terms of the heavy metals. __________ Translated from Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology, 2007, 27(5): 23–32 [译自: 海洋地质与第四纪地质]     

Holocene depocenter shift in the middle-lower Changjiang River basins and coastal area in response to sea level change

Authors collected 38 sedimentary boreholes and numerous seismic profiles from previous publications to delineate the Holocene sedimentation rate of six major depositional sinks in the middle-lower Changjiang River basins and its river coast. The results demonstrate that the highest sedimentation rate of ca. 15 m/ka occurred in the mono-depositional sink of the former Changjiang River mouth during 10 000–8000 aBP, when post-glacial transgression happened and the Changjiang water level remained at lower stand. With the rising of the Changjiang water level in response to sea level rise, Jianghan Basin of the middle Changjiang River becomes the other important depositional sink with highest sedimentation rate of 10 m/ka since 7000 aBP. As Jianghan Basin was mostly filled up at ca. 4000 aBP, Dongting Basin and the lower Changjiang valley trapped sediments in great amounts like in the river mouth. A considerable amount of Changjiang sediments has been delivered, both eastward and southward, to the inner continental shelf of the East China Sea, especially after 2000 aBP. This indicates reduced sediment storage capacity of the middle-lower Changjiang valley and the river mouth. In total, ca. 1307.4 billion tons of sediment have deposited in the middle-lower Changjiang floodplain since 7000 aBP. In the meantime, ca. 947 billion tons of sediment have been deposited in the river coast to form the Changjiang subaqueous delta and the Zhejiang-Fujian along-shelf mud wedge. Our result also reveals two time stages with lower sedimentation rates(< 4 m/ka) in all basins during 8000–7000 aBP and in the estuarine area during 4000–2000 aBP, probably owing to stengthened chemical weathering of decline of monsoon precipitation. __________ Translated from Journal of Palaeogeography, 2007, 9(4):419–429 [译自: 古地理学报]     

The paleoclimatic records and the relevance with the formation of hydrocarbon source rocks:A case study of Huanghekou depression,Bohaiwan basin

Bohaiwan basin, covering an area of 200 000 km², is one of the most important oil-bearing basins in Eastern China. Rifting processes formed the basin, and two evolution phases can be recognized. The rifting phase developed in Paleogene, and post-rifting phase occurred in Neogene. More than 200 oil fields have been found in the onshore and offshore area in Bohaiwan basin in recent years. The distribution of the oil fields is closely related to the rich hydrocarbon depressions, and the Huanghekou depression is one of these rich hydrocarbon depressions. A number of large and medium-sized oil and gas fields have been found in this area, such as BZ25-1, BZ34 etc., and the hydrocarbon was mainly from the Huanghekou depression. The formation of rich hydrocarbon source rocks depended on the tectonic setting of rapid subsidence, favorable paleoclimatic conditions and paleolimnology environments. The effects of paleoclimatic condition on hydrocarbon source rocks are the focus of this paper. __________ Translated from Geological Bulletin of China, 2007, 26(7): 830–840 [译自: 地质通报]     

Geochemistry characteristics and evaluation of the pollution extent of arsenic in wastewater irrigated soil in the North of Tianjin City

Based on sampling depths, the research environment of the soil in a study area is divided into two parts: the I environment (I-E) and the II environment (II-E). The results of the statistical analysis of arsenic (As) in the soil of the I-E indicates that the statistical characteristic value obey a normal distribution. The mean value of As is close to the world mean value, China and Tianjin City. Also, the contrast between the spatial change characteristics of As of the I-E and the II-E soils showed that the I-E resembles the II-E in the content variety of As. On the other hand, geochemistry methods were applied in the estimation of contaminated extent. The results indicated that the contamination extent of the north of Tianjin City has not been serious. __________ Translated from Geological Bulletin of China, 2007, 26(11): 1486–1493 [译自: 地质通报]     

On the geobiological evaluation of hydrocarbon source rocks

Hydrocarbon source rocks are characterized by the hydrocarbon discharge, and the alteration and variation in organic compositions and organic content due to the enhanced thermal maturation. These variations throw constraints on the application of the conventional inversion evaluation of hydrocarbon potential by assessing the residual organic matter left in source rocks. Geobiology, probing the interaction between the life system and the earth system, provides new principles in deciphering the whole dynamic processes related to the organic evolution history from living biomass to organic burial. Geobiological subdisciplines, including molecular geobiology, geomicrobiology, geoecology and biogeochemistry, offer new methodology and techniques to estimate the paleoproductivity, depositional organics and organic burial capacity and their components. Geobiofacies, newly proposed herein, is terminologized to define the geobiological dynamic processes through the combination of biofacies with organic facies and sedimentary facies, and expressed by the biohabitat types, paleoproductivity, depositional and preserved organics. Geobiofacies is identified as a useful means to create the geobiological evaluation system, which in turn rectifies the conventional evaluation system for the marine source rocks. __________ Translated from Earth Science—Journal of China University of Geosciences, 2007, 32(6): 727–740 [译自: 地球科学—中国地质大学学报]     

Sedimentary characteristics of terrigenous debris at site MD05-2905 in the northeastern part of the South China Sea since 36 ka and evolution of the East Asian monsoon

Sediments with high sedimentation rate at site MD05-2905 in the Northeastern slope of the South China Sea provide unique materials for a high-resolution study on the paleoenvironment. Based on precise dating of AMS ¹⁴C, grain size analysis of terrigenous debris at core MD05-2905 was conducted after organic matter, biological carbonate and biogenic opal were removed. The results show that 15.5–63.5 μm coarse grain size ingredients may indicate East Asian winter monsoon changes and that 2–9 μm fine grain size ingredients may be used as a proxy of evolution of the East Asian summer monsoon. The results of grain size analysis, which suggest East Asian monsoon intensity, reveal that a winter monsoon dominated the glacial regime and a summer monsoon dominated the Holocene regime. It was also shown that the summer monsoon increased gradually, experienced several abrupt changes and reached a culmination in the early Holocene (11200–8500 a B.P.) since 36 ka. Controlled by precession periodicity, it may be related with the amount of solar radiation at the highest stage, which needs further study. __________ Translated from Advances in Earth Science, 2007, 22(10): 1012–1018 [译自: 地球科学进展]     

全新世以来毛乌素沙地东南缘成壤环境演变研究——以榆林镇北台为例

古土壤是重建古环境重要的信息源。毛乌素沙地东南缘的古土壤在发育程度上尚未有明确解释。陕西省榆林市的镇北台地区位于毛乌素沙地东南边缘,对气候响应敏感。本文选取厚度为524 cm的镇北台(ZBT)剖面,按照古土壤2 cm、风成砂5 cm的间隔共采集古土壤样品156个,风成砂样品58个。基于6个AMS14C和3个OSL年代样品,推测剖面古土壤底部年龄为10 cal.ka B.P.,顶部年龄为3.2 cal.ka B.P.;并结合土壤微形态特征,对镇北台剖面沉积物中常量元素特征与成壤强度进行分析探讨。结果表明,镇北台(ZBT)剖面常量元素组成以SiO2、Al2O3和Na2O为主。CIA指数指示剖面处于脱Ca、Na为主的初级风化阶段,反映了毛乌素沙地东南缘全新世以来可能以相对干旱的气候环境为主,风化成壤作用较弱,但其中也不乏幅度较小的冷暖气候旋回。土壤微形态特征也表明ZBT剖面风化程度较弱,主要矿物由石英、长石、云母和岩屑矿物构成,可见胶结物和泥岩岩屑等土壤形成物。其成壤强度变化与化学元素特征表现一致:10.0~8.1 cal.ka B.P.左右,成壤较弱,气候向暖湿转变;6.9 cal.ka B.P.左右,成壤作用稍有加强;5.5~3.7 cal.ka B.P.左右,成壤作用最强,气候相对暖湿,化学、生物风化加强,但此阶段具有明显的不稳定性.     

Geobiological interpretation of the oxygen-deficient deposits of the Middle Permian marine source rocks in South China:A working hypothesis

To decipher the origin of oxygen-deficient shelfal deposits is significant for tracing the distribution of marine source rocks and interpreting the evolution of depositional environment. The origin of the Middle Permian Chihsia Formation in South China remains a puzzle for long with its evident oxygen-deficient features but diverse benthos. This paper shows a typical Chihsian depositional rhythm composed of the massive and the laminated limestones with ecological and geochemical features. Massive bioclastic limestone from the rhythm was aerobic in paleoxygenation condition indicated by both the ecological and geochemical features. However, a contradictory oxygenation was inferred for the “laminated” counterpart from the rhythm, with the ecological signal being aerobic and the geochemical one being anoxic. The difference in ecological and geochemical indications was interpreted as the instability of paleoxygenation condition in shelf environments, caused by an enhanced paleoproductivity. Rhythmic occurrence of the oxygen-deficient condition might have been stemmed from paleo-Tethyan paleocurrents flowing across South China. __________ Translated from Earth Science—Journal of China University of Geosciences, 2007, 32(6): 789–796 [译自: 地球科学—中国地质大学学报]     

Petrochemistry of peridotites from North China: Significance for lithospheric mantle evolution

A petrochemical analysis was undertaken of peridotitic xenoliths in volcanic rocks that erupted from the Paleozoic to the Cenozoic within the eastern part of the North China craton, and the peridotites as tectonic intrusion in the Early Mesozoic from the Sulu orogen. The results show that the cratonic mantle, which was refractory and existed when the kimberlites intruded in the Paleozoic, had almost been replaced by the newly accreted fertile lithospheric mantle during the Mesozoic-Cenozoic. The erosion, metasomatism, and intermingling caused by the accreted asthenospheric material acting on the craton mantle along the weak zone and deep fault (such as the Tanlu fault) in the existing lithosphere resulted in the lithospheric thinning at a larger scale 100 Ma ago (but later than 178 Ma). The largest thinning would be in the Eogene. The upwelling asthenospheric material transformed into accreted lithospheric mantle due to the asthenospheric temperature falling in the Neogene (leading to relatively slight lithospheric incrassation), and finally accomplished mantle replacement. The peridotitic body in the Sulu orogen represents the products spreading from the modified cratonic lithospheric mantle. Translated from Earth Science—Journal of China University of Geosciences, 2006, 31(1): 49–56 [译自: 地球科学—中国地质大学学报]