The Global Stratotype Section and Point （GSSP） for the boundary between the Capitanian and Wuchiapingian Stage （Permian）

The Global Stratotype Section and Point （GSSP） for the boundary between the Capitanian and Wuchiapingian stages, also the boundary between the Guadalupian and Lopingian Series is defined at the First Appearance Datum （FAD） of the conodont Clarkina postbitteri postbitteri at the base of Bed 6k in the Penglaitan Section along the Hongshui River in Guangxi Province, South China. This point is within a chronomorphocline from Clarkina postbitteri hongshuiensis to C. dukouensis and nearly coincides with the Middle-Upper Absaroka Megasequence boundary and as such is documented within a continuously deposited carbonate lowstand succession with deep-water facies of the Maokou Formation below and deep-water facies of the Heshan Formation above. Furthermore, this point also coincides with a major extinction of various Permian fossils including corals, fusulinaceans, ammonoids and brachiopods. The proximity to an apparently global major sequence boundary and extinction event will serve as a means of correlation of this GSSP into other regions in which the defining taxon is not present because of profound provincialism during the Middle and Upper Permian. Carbon isotopic trends and magnetostratigraphic signatures are also provided to help correlate this GSSP into other regions, including those with continental facies successions. The Tieqiao Section near the county town of Laibin is also described as a supplementary reference section.

The Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point （GSSP） for the base of Changhsingian Stage （Upper Permian）

The Global Stratotype Section and Point （GSSP） for the base-Changhsingian Stage is defined at the First Appearance Datum （FAD） of the conodont Clarkina wangi within the lineage from C. longicuspidata to C. wangi at a point 88 cm above the base of the Changxing Limestone in the lower part of Bed 4 （base of 4α-2） at Meishan D section, Changxing County, Zhejiang Province, South China. This level is consistent with the first appearance of Changhsingian index fusulinid Palaeofusulina sinensis and tapashanitid ammonoids. The speciation event from Clarkina longicuspidata to C. wangi occurs just above the flooding surface of the second parasequence in the Changxing Limestone. In addition, the boundary interval is clearly recognizable by the depletion of isotopic carbon ratios and the normal polarity zone appearing above the Late Wuchiapingian reversed polarity zone. Section C, about 300 m to the west of Section D, exposes more of the upper Longtan Formation. It clearly shows the transitional nature of deposition across the Longtan/Changxing formational boundary, and thus is described as a supplementary reference section.

Carbon isotope excursions across the Permian-Triassic boundary in the Meishan section, Zhejiang Province, China

Both gradual and sharp decrease in organic and carbonate carbon isotope values were detected across the Permian-Triassic boundary in the Meishan section, Changxing, Zhejiang Province, China. The gradual decrease in organic carbon isotope values started at the bottom of Bed 23, coinciding with the strong oscillations of total organic carbon (TOC) contents, indicates increasing fluxes from carbonate to organic carbon reservoir during this interval. A 2.3‰ sharp drop of inorganic carbon isotope values occurred at the uppermost part of Bed 24e. A 3.7‰ sharp drop of organic carbon isotope values occurred in Bed 26. The dramatic drop of inorganic carbon isotope value of 8‰ reported previously is not confirmed from the unweathered carbonate samples in Bed 27. The large-scale fluctuation of organic carbon isotope values in the Yinkeng Formation reflects different extent of mixing of marine and terrestrial organic matters. The gradual depletion and subsequent sharp drop of carbon isotopes near the

Permian integrative stratigraphy and timescale of China

A series of global major geological and biological events occurred during the Permian Period. Establishing a highresolution stratigraphic and temporal framework is essential to understand their cause-effect relationship. The official International timescale of the Permian System consists of three series(i.e., Cisuralian, Guadalupian and Lopingian in ascending order) and nine stages. In China, the Permian System is composed of three series(Chuanshanian, Yansingian and Lopingian) and eight stages, of which the subdivisions and definitions of the Chuanshanian and Yangsingian series are very different from the Cisuralian and Guadalupian series. The Permian Period spanned ～47 Myr. Its base is defined by the First Appearance Datum(FAD) of the conodont Streptognathodus isolatus at Aidaralash, Kazakhstan with an interpolated absolute age 298.9±0.15 Ma at Usolka, southern Urals, Russia. Its top equals the base of the Triassic System and is defined by the FAD of the conodont Hindeodus parvus at Meishan D section, southeast China with an interpolated absolute age 251.902±0.024 Ma. Thirty-five conodont, 23 fusulinid, 17 radiolarian and 20 ammonoid zones are established for the Permian in China, of which the Guadalupian and Lopingian conodont zones have been served as the standard for international correlation. The Permian δ13 Ccarbtrend indicates that it is characterized by a rapid negative shift of 3–5‰ at the end of the Changhsingian, which can be used for global correlation of the end-Permian mass extinction interval, but δ13 Ccarbrecords from all other intervals may have more or less suffered subsequent diagenetic alteration or represented regional or local signatures only. Permian δ18 Oapatitestudies suggest that an icehouse stage dominated the time interval from the late Carboniferous to Kungurian(late Cisuralian). However, paleoclimate began to ameriolate during the late Kungurian and gradually shifted into a greenhouse-dominated stage during the Guadalupian.The Changhsingian was a relatively cool stage, followed by a globally-recognizable rapid temperature rise of 8–10°C at the very end of the Changhsingian. The87 Sr/86 Sr ratio trend shows that their values at the beginning of the Permian were between 0.70800,then gradually decreased to the late Capitanian minimum 0.70680–0.70690, followed by a persistent increase until the end of the Permian with the value 0.70708. Magenetostratigraphy suggests two distinct stages separated by the Illawarra Reversal in the middle Wordian, of which the lower is the reverse polarity Kiaman Superchron and the upper is the mixed-polarity Illawarra Superchron. The end-Guadalupian(or pre-Lopingian) biological crisis occurred during the late Capitanian, when faunal changeovers of different fossil groups had different paces, but generally experienced a relatively long time from the Jinogondolella altudensis Zone until the earliest Wuchiapingian. The end-Permian mass extinction was a catastrophic event that is best constrained at the Meishan section, which occurred at 251.941±0.037 Ma and persisted no more than 61±48 kyr. After the major pulse at Bed 25, the extinction patterns are displayed differently in different sections. The global end-Guadalupian regression is manifested between the conodont Jinogondolella xuanhanensis and Clarkina dukouensis zones and the endChanghsingian transgression began in the Hindeodus changxingensis-Clarkina zhejiangensis Zone. The Permian Period is also characterized by strong faunal provincialism in general, which resulted in difficulties in inter-continental and inter-regional correlation of both marine and terrestrial systems.

A comparison of the biological,geological events and environmental backgrounds between the Neoproterozoic-Cambrian and Permian-Triassic transitions

The Neoproterozoic-Cambrian(N-C) and Permian-Triassic(P-T) transitions have been regarded the two most critical transitions in earth history because of the explosive biological radiation in the early Cambrian(the Cambrian Explosion) and the largest mass extinction at the end-Permian.Previous studies suggest that these two critical transitions showed certain comparability in major evolutionary events.In other words,a series of biological,geological,and geochemical events that had happened in the N-C transition occurred repeatedly during the P-T transition.Those events included continental re-configuration related to the deep mantle dynamics,global-scale glaciations,large C-,Sr-,and S-isotope perturbations indicating atmospheric and oceanic changes,abnormal precipitation of carbonates,and associated multiple biological radiations and mass extinctions.The coupling of those events in both N-C and P-T transitions suggests that deep mantle dynamics could be a primary mechanism driving dramatic changes of environment on the earth's surface,which in turn caused major biological re-organizations.A detailed comparison of those events during the two critical transitions indicates that despite their general comparability,significant differences do exist in magnitude,duration,and frequency.The supercontinent Rodinia began to rift before the Snowball Earth time.By contrast,the supercontinent Pangea entered the dispersal stage after the greatest glaciation from the Late Carboniferous to Cisuralian.Quantitative data and qualitative analyses of different fossil groups show a more profound mass extinction during the N-C transition than at the end-Permian in terms of ecosystem disruption.This is indicated by the disappearance of the whole Ediacaran biota at the N-C boundary.The subsequent appearances of many new complex animals at phylum level in the early Cambrian mark the establishment of a brand new ecosystem.However,the end-Permian mass extinction is manifested mainly by the extinction of many different taxa at class and order levels.Although it caused the extinction of 95% of marine species and 75% of terrestrial species as well as complete cessation of coal and reef deposits after the mass extinction,this high-level biological re-organization still occurred within an established ecosystem,however drastic it may seem.Survived or Lazarus taxa re-occupied the existing ecospace in a relatively short duration after the end-Permian mass extinction.C-isotope excursions display large perturbations during both transitions,yet also in different magnitudes and frequencies,which suggest different atmospheric and oceanic conditions.The recurrent geological and geochemical events as well as the coupled major biological turnovers during the two transitions provide new clues to understanding the interplays among the earth-life system.Thus,it is essential to carry out multidisciplinary studies from the deep internal system to the surface of the Earth as a whole in order to unravel the interactions of different spheres of the earth.

Late Permian magnetostratigraphy and its global correlation

A calibration among magnetic polarity sequence, biostratigraphy zonation and isotopicage reveals that the boundary between the Carboniferous-Permian reversed Polarity Superzone and Permian-Triassic Mixed Polarity Superzone occurs at the top of the wordian Stage of the Guadalupian Series and is dated as 265 Ma. The Late Permian magnetic polarity sequence integrates four polarity zones, corresponding to the Upper Guadalupian Series, the wuchiapingian Stage, and the Lower and the Upper Changhsingian Stage of the Lopingian Series. This reference magnetostratigraphy polarity sequence may serve as a useful guide to the chronostratigraphic correlation of Late Permian strata across major biogeographic and facies barriers.