Redox condition during Ediacaran–Cambrian transition in the Lower Yangtze deep water basin, South China: constraints from iron speciation and δ^(13) Corg in the Diben section, Zhejiang

Cherts of the Piyuancun Formation and black mudstones of the Hetang Formation in Diben Town, Kaihua County, Zhejiang were deposited in a deep water basin of the Lower Yangtze area during the Ediacaran–Cambrian transition(E–C transition), offering an opportunity to reconstruct the ancient redox condition of the deep water basin. Total 53 samples were collected and analyzed for iron speciation, including pyrite iron(FePy), carbonate associated iron(FeCarb), iron oxide and hydroxide(FeOx),magnetite iron(FeMag) and total iron(FeT) as well as d13 Corgto gain a deeper understanding of specific redox condition during the period. The results show that(1) most samples have pyrite concentration \1 %, with the FePy/FeHR ratio ranging from \0.01 to 0.81(mostly \0.5), and the FeHR/FeT ratio between 0.39 and 0.93(mostly [0.5).(2) The E–C boundary in the Diben section occurred at the maximum negative excursion of organic carbon isotope within the Piyuancun Formation, which can be correlated with other sections by using d13 Corg. We thus concluded that the relatively high content of highly reactive iron and low content of pyrite iron in the Diben section indicate a minor occurrence of H2 S and a predominance of anoxic and ferruginous environment, which is similar to other reported sections such as the Longbizui and Yanwutan sections, western Hunan. In addition, oxygen concentration in sea water showed an increasing trend in the interval corresponding to the bottom and upper layer of the Hetang Formation as indicated by the FeHR/FeT ratio, which decreased from 0.7 to 0.38, however, it was not great enough to oxidize the whole deep water. Therefore, during the E–C transition deep water basin in South China was most likely an anoxic and ferruginous enrironment, which prevented metazoon from the evolution in the deep water basin. Our work offers an important reference to better understanding of the spatiotemporal occurrence and dynamic processes of the ‘‘Cambrian Explosion''.

The Ocean Redox State Evolution and Its Controls during the Cambrian Series 1–2: Evidence from Lijiatuo Section, South China

Well-exposed Lijiatuo Section was chosen to explore the temporal evolution and controls of the oceanic redox state, primary productivity and seawater sulfate levels during the Cambrian Series 1-2, South China. This section consists of Xiaoyanxi Formation（Fm.） mudstones and Liuchapo Fm. cherts that deposited in the slope and basin environment. Five oxic-anoxic cycles were identified based on V/Sc, Th/U and the enrichment factors of Mo, U, V, Ni and Cu. The Middle-Upper Liuchapo Fm. and the Middle Xiaoyanxi Fm. were deposited under oxic-suboxic conditions, and the rest of the strata were under anoxic conditions. The Re/Mo ratio demonstrated that the oxic-suboxic conditions in the Middle Xiaoyanxi Fm. were accompanied by transient sulfidic conditions, and the rest of the section was underanoxic and non-sulfidic conditions. All the TOC and the enrichment factors of Ba, Ni, Cu, Zn and Cd demonstrated that both the sinking and burial flux of organic matter（OM） in Liuchapo Fm. were lower than that in the overlying Xiaoyanxi Fm. The highest sinking and burial flux of OM in the Xiaoyanxi Fm. appeared at its lower parts; however, the lowest sinking and burial flux of OM in the Xiaoyanxi Fm. appeared in its middle parts. TOC/TS, TS and the vertical trend of δ^（34）S_（py） demonstrated that the seawater was dominated by low oceanic sulfate levels, which resulted in the absence of free H_2S. The rise of the atmospheric oxygen content may be the principal driver for the associated, transient suboxic-oxic and nearly sulfidic environment in the middle Xiaoyanxi Fm.

Lipid Evidence for Oil Depletion by Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria during U Mineralization in the Dongsheng Deposit

Fatty acids were extracted from fluid inclusions, and analyzed for distribution and individual 613C values to determine if there exists sulfate-reducing bacteria （SRB） and what substrates SRB depleted during U mineralization in the Dongsheng deposit. The 10-methylhexadecanoic acid （10Mel6：0） has been detected from most of the samples using GC-MS based on relative retention time and co-injection of standard 10Me16：0 compound. Samples with higher 10Me16： 0 concentrations, show higher U contents. The presence of 10Mel6：0 along with iso-ω7-cis-heptadecenoic acid （i17：1ω7c） and ω7-cisoctadecenoic acid （18：1ω7c） in the fluid inclusions may indicate the occurrence of SRB during the U mineralization. Saturated fatty-acids and unsaturated fatty-acids detected in this study have individual δ^13C values from-30.3‰ to-28.5‰ and-30.5‰ to-27.9‰, respectively. These values are close to those of n-alkanes of the associated oils and the bulk oils, but significantly distinct from methane, thus the oils are concluded to have been used as substrate for the microorganisms to survive on. This proposal is supported by oil biodegradation and ore-stage calcite cement with δ^13C values from-1.4‰ to-17.2‰.

Biological manipulation of eutrophication in West Yangchen Lake

This paper aims to share findings on nonclassical biomanipulation from a field study on eutrophic West Yangcheng(WY)Lake.In the forty years before 2009,cyanobacteria frequently bloomed in WY Lake,an event which has not occurred since 2009.The stocking density of filter-feeding carp was estimated to be more than 50 g/m^(3) in July after 2009,approximately double the amount observed before 2009,and the ratio of silver carp to bighead carp(SBR)increased from 0.8 to more than 1.6.Compared with the water quality between 2004 and 2007,the total nitrogen(TN)and the chlorophyll-a(Chl-a)concentration decreased while total phosphorus(TP)and transparency(SD)increased significantly after 2009(P<0.05).The decreasing Chl-a concentration was observed in Jul,Jun,May,Jul,and Mar in 2009,2010,2011,2016,and 2017,respectively.The Chl-a concentration was significantly negatively correlated with TP(P<0.05),and no significant correlation with TN was observed(P>0.05).A significant negative correlation was observed between fish yield and SD(P<0.05).The results also showed that filter-feeding carp more effectively restrained algae growth when SD was low.These results indicated that a high density of filter-feeding fish with increased SBR interfered with the driving effects of nutrients and temperature on the growth of algal biomass and then restrained bloom of algae.It may be necessary to take SD into consideration for determining the appropriate fish stocking density for the biomanipulation of algae.

Chemical, carbon and sulfur isotopic compositions constrain the origin of Upper Carboniferous-Lower Triassic gases in eastern Sichuan Basin, SW China

Methane dominated gas is one of the cleanest energy resources;however, there is no direct method to determine its source rock. Natural gases produced from the eastern Sichuan Basin together with seismic data were studied for their sources and secondary alteration by thermochemical sulfate reduction(TSR). Our results demonstrate that Upper Permian to Lower Triassic(P_(3)ch-T_(1)f) gases in the surrounding of the Kaijiang-Liangping area show volatile organic sulfur compounds(VOSCs) δ^(34)S values close to those of the associated H_(2)S, and may have been altered by methane-dominated TSR, resulting in positive shift in methane δ^(13)C_(1)values with increasing TSR extents. Other(or group 2) gases produced from the P_(3)ch-T_(1)f reservoirs from the southern area and the Upper Carboniferous to Middle Permian(C_(2)h-P_(2)q) from the eastern Sichuan Basin are not significantly changed by TSR, show similar δ^(34)S values between the kerogens and some VOSCs, and may have been derived from the Lower Silurian and Middle Permian source rocks. This study demonstrates a case for the first time showing the δ^(34)S values of VOSCs can be used as a tool for direct correlation between non-TSR altered gas and source rocks. Methane-dominated gas pools can be found using gas and source rock geochemistry combined with seismic data.