摘要
The trace fossil Zoophycos was enriched in the lower part of the Guadalupian Maokou Formation of Permian in Laibin, Guangxi of South China, and characterized by observable lamellae within its spreiten. Associated with these lamellae are the prolific coccus- and spirillum-shaped microbe fossils. These microbes morphologically identified are 0.4―3.0 μm in diameter or length. Molecular fossils, including normal alkanes (dominated by C18, without an odd-over-even predominance), acyclic isoprenoids (such as pristane (Pr) and phytane (Ph)), extended tricyclic terpanes, pentacyclic triterpanes, steranes, al-kylcyclohexanes, dibenzothiophenes, benzonaphthothiophenes, benzobisbenzothiophenes, were in-strumentally identified in the wackestone characterized by the occurrence of abundant Zoophycos (composite ichnofabric indices are 4) and crowded microbial fossils. The value of the Pr/Ph ratio is less than 1, indicative of a dysoxic condition. The identification of abundant sulfur compounds (the thio-phene series) related to the contribution of reductive sulfur favors the occurrence of sulphate-reducing bacteria. The association of abundant microbial colonies with microbial molecular fossils within the spreiten suggests that trace fossils Zoophycos would be a multifunctional garden carefully constructed by the Zoophycos-producer, where different microbial colonies were orderly and carefully planted and cultured in different minor lamellae within spreiten. Hence, it is proposed that the Zoophycos-producer symbiosed with microbial colonies on the mutual basis of food supply and the redox conditions.
The trace fossil Zoophycos was enriched in the lower part of the Guadalupian Maokou Formation of Permian in Laibin, Guangxi of South China, and characterized by observable lamellae within its spreiten. Associated with these lamellae are the prolific coccus- and spirillum-shaped microbe fossils. These microbes morphologically identified are 0.4–3.0 μm in diameter or length. Molecular fossils, including normal alkanes (dominated by C18, without an odd-over-even predominance), acyclic isoprenoids (such as pristane (Pr) and phytane (Ph)), extended tricyclic terpanes, pentacyclic triterpanes, steranes, alkylcyclohexanes, dibenzothiophenes, benzonaphthothiophenes, benzobisbenzothiophenes, were instrumentally identified in the wackestone characterized by the occurrence of abundant Zoophycos (composite ichnofabric indices are 4) and crowded microbial fossils. The value of the Pr/Ph ratio is less than 1, indicative of a dysoxic condition. The identification of abundant sulfur compounds (the thiophene series) related to the contribution of reductive sulfur favors the occurrence of sulphate-reducing bacteria. The association of abundant microbial colonies with microbial molecular fossils within the spreiten suggests that trace fossils Zoophycos would be a multifunctional garden carefully constructed by the Zoophycos-producer, where different microbial colonies were orderly and carefully planted and cultured in different minor lamellae within spreiten. Hence, it is proposed that the Zoophycos-producer symbiosed with microbial colonies on the mutual basis of food supply and the redox conditions.
基金
the Special Project of Basic Research of China (Grant No. 2005CCA05000)
the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40472020, 40621002 and 40525008)
the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (Grant No. 2004000127)
other projects (Grant Nos. IRT0546 and G0800-06-ZS-319)
