Remains of trilobites and other species discovered in a volcanic ash bed of the end-Permian,Yangtze craton,South China |
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Authors: | Zejin Shi Leixun Lu Guan Yin Hongyu Long Wenjie Li Huaixin Yang |
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Affiliation: | 1. State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China;2. College of Energy Resources, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China;3. College of Energy Resources, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China;4. College of Earth Sciences, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China |
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Abstract: | The remains of trilobites and other species were unexpectedly discovered in a volcanic ash layer beneath the Permian–Triassic Boundary (PTB). Based on a biostratigraphic investigation of the Zhongliangshan section in Chongqing, South China, the quantity of the species gradually decreased with subsequent volcanism. This finding provides an opportunity to further understand the disappearance of trilobites and the evolution of the mass extinction event. The temporal coincidence between the volcanic eruption event and the loss of trilobites and other species supports the idea of a cause-and-effect relationship. The species remains in the ash bed appeared before the disappearance of Clarkina yini and the climax of the negative carbon isotope excursion, which implies that the onset of the mass extinction occurred at the end-Permian. The explosive volcanic events caused massive releases of CO2, toxic gases and volcanic ash and resulted in loss of habitat for certain species in the Tethys domain. This phenomenon may have led to the abrupt death of trilobites and the catastrophic collapse of biodiversity. |
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Keywords: | Volcanic ash beds trilobites species remains biodiversity crisis end-Permian South China |
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