Littoral landforms of Lake Hulun and Lake Buir(China and Mongolia):Wind-driven hydro-sedimentary dynamics and resulting clastics distribution

Two rectangular-shaped lakes,Lake Hulun and Lake Buir,located at the boundary between China and Mongolia,only c.75 km apart and therefore experiencing similar wind fields,have been studied based on satellite images and field surveys in order to compare their geomorphological and sedimentological characteristics.The wind-driven hydrodynamics,which have a significant effect on the development of littoral landforms and on sediment distribution,have been discussed for the two similar lakes that experienced a prevailing wind perpendicular to their long axis.A conceptual model related to wind-driven water bodies and sediment distribution is proposed.Wave-influenced to wave-dominated deltas,beaches,spits,and eolian dune deposits develop around these two lakes,with a strikingly similar distribution pattern.These features locally inform the longshore drift and help reconstruct the water circulation induced by wind forcing.Under the NW prevailing wind regime,the spits developed on the SW coast with a NW—SE extension,which was influenced by the NW—SE longshore currents.The same influence was observed in the delta extension in the NE area.The differences lie in the presence of fan deltas in the NW region of Lake Hulun,but not in Lake Buir.Additionally,the width of the beach and eolian deposits on the downwind coast of Lake Hulun is three times greater than that of Lake Buir which were caused by the differences in sediment supply and wind fetch between the two lakes.Lake Hulun and Lake Buir provide two reliable examples to understand the relationship among the wind field,provenance,hydrodynamics,landforms,and asymmetrical distribution of clastics in elongated lakes.They also represent relevant modern analogs,which may also be of guiding significance to wind-driven sand body prediction in lacustrine basins.

Copernicrinus zamorae gen.et sp.nov.,the oldest thiolliericrinid crinoid(Crinoidea,Echinodermata) from the Bajocian strata of Algeria,Africa

The thiolliericrinids(Thiolliericrinidae) are comatulids(Comatulida),which retained their stalks as adults.Here,we report a centrodorsal from the Bajocian strata(Middle Jurassic) of the Djebel Kérdacha area,northwestern Algeria(Africa).It is the first thiolliericrinid report from outside of Europe and also the oldest representative of the Thiolliericrinidae whose first occurrence is from the Oxfordian.The crinoid is assigned to Copernicrinus zamorae gen.et sp.nov.The reported new taxon shows strong similarities with the stemless ‘true’comatulids,Solanocrinites;the only difference is the presence of a facet to the stem in Copernicrinus.The closest comparable thiolliericrinid to Copernicrinus is the Oxfordian Thiolliericrinus,interpreted as a descendant of the latter.The origin and overview of all thiolliericrinid representatives are also discussed herein.

Trace fossil evidences of an Early Miocene paleoseismic event and depositional regime change from the Kutch(Kachchh) Basin

Unconsolidated siliciclastic sediments can undergo post-burial deformation, which leads to the formation of distinctive sedimentary structures, known as soft-sediment deformation structures(SSDS). The presence of a series of sand volcanoes confined to a particular lithostratigraphic horizon can represent a paleoseismic activity and, thereby, exemplifies the concept of “seismite”. The Kutch Basin has been a tectonically active region since the initiation of eastern Gondwana rifting followed by a tectonic inversion during the Cenozoic due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. A stratum-bound series of sand volcanoes belonging to the Khari Nadi Formation(KNF) is exposed along the banks of Khari River. They separate the shallow marine deposits below and non-marine deposits above with their characteristic marine and paleosol trace fossil suites, respectively. Although a seismogenic origin has been much debated for the SSDS,the ichnofabric analysis of the sand-volcano-bearing stratum unequivocally points toward such an origin under a shallow seafloor condition. In addition to the sedimentary regime change from an open shallow-marine setting to a continental depositional environment concomitant with basinal uplift, the behavior of the burrowing crustaceans testifies to a syn-depositional development of a fault network associated with the fluidization, sand volcanism, and the resilience of the trace-producers in surviving those processes until the sedimentary regime change in the overlying strata. Although the ichno-sedimentological evidence apparently differs from the previous works that proposed a continuous base-level rise from the beginning of deposition of the Khari Nadi Formation up to the middle part of the overlying Chhasra Formation, the paleoseismic activity,its ichnologic signature, and the depositional regime change refer to a higher-resolution(i.e., lower-order)sequence-stratigraphic change causing a short-duration regression within a longer-duration cycle of base-level rise.

Substrate control in track registration and preservation:insights across the Triassic—Jurassic boundary in southern Africa

Tracks registration is influenced by the dynamic interplay between the pedal anatomy of the trackmaker,its behaviour,and the substrate conditions it interacts with.Differences in substrate conditions,especially those linked to grain size and moisture content,often result in the most dramatic variations in track morphology.In the upper Stormberg Group,main Karoo Basin of southern Africa,diverse trace fossils,primarily comprising Late Triassic—Early Jurassic dinosaur tracks,are preserved.Numerous studies have extensively documented individual ichnosites,investigating variations between sites over time,with recent studies suggesting that track abundance and anatomical fidelity increase up-stratigraphy.Despite the well-established link between substrate and track morphology,past studies have not specifically focused on substrate conditions,often emphasizing macro-sedimentary features instead.Here,we examine the micro-sedimentary features of track-bearing units in the upper Stormberg Group using petrographic techniques to better understand the palaeosubstrate and its effect on fossil track registration and preservation.The analysis revealed that very fine-grained sandstones and substrates modified by microbial activity tend to preserve tracks with greater abundance and/or higher anatomical fidelity.Furthermore,the prevalence of very fine-grained and microbially modified strata,and their associated track trends increases in younger stratigraphic units.Across the Triassic—Jurassic boundary in southern Africa,a boom in dinosaur track abundances is observed and credited to the proliferation of dinosaur populations during the Early Jurassic.Our findings,however,suggest that the observed local increase in track abundance(and anatomical fidelity)up-stratigraphy may be linked to substrate composition differences,which were ultimately controlled by large-scale changes in the palaeoenvironment from high-energy meandering fluvial to lower-energy aeolian-lacustrine settings in the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic,respectively.These findings have implications for global macroevolutionary patterns,palaeo-geographical reconstructions,and biostratigraphic correlations in the early Mesozoic.

The reservoir characteristics and their controlling factors of the sublacustrine fan in the Paleogene Dongying Formation, Bohai Sea,China

Sublacustrine fan is an important element in continental lacustrine basins and is significant for reservoir exploration. Oil and gas resources have been found in the sublacustrine fan sandstone reservoirs of the Paleogene Dongying Formation in the Bohai Sea. In this study, the characteristics of the sublacustrine fan reservoirs and the controlling factors are studied using information from logging, cores, physical properties,casting thin sections, X-ray diffraction of clay minerals, vitrinite reflectance, rock pyrolysis, manometry data,and 3D seismic data. The sublacustrine fans of the Dongying Formation in the LD10, QHD34, and BZ21 structures show high-quality reservoirs with porosity >15 % and permeability >5 m D. The main controlling factors of the high-quality reservoirs are attributed to the favorable sedimentary facies type and negligible compaction,and cementation, substantial dissolution of K-feldspar, overpressure, and the development of faults and fractures. A high-quality sublacustrine fan reservoir model has been established to explain how these factors affected the physical properties. The favorable targets for oil and gas exploration in the Dongying Formation of Bohai Sea include undercompacted sandy debris flow reservoirs showing the dissolution of K-feldspar, and the reservoirs which are connected to the source rocks by faults. This study provides insights to establish the relationship between sedimentology, diagenesis and reservoir quality. The results of this study are significant for the exploration and development of the sublacustrine fan sandstone reservoirs in the Bohai Sea and analogous sandstone reservoirs elsewhere.

Biological sources, paleoenvironment, and organic matter enrichment in source rocks of the Ordovician Majiagou Formation, Ordos Basin, China:Evidence from biomarkers,microfossils, and inorganic geochemical analyses

Carbonate deposits in the Ordovivian Majiagou Formation are significant source rocks for natural gas generation in the Ordos Basin, northwestern China. Previous studies mainly focused on the organic matter enrichment mechanism of shales rather than carbonate rocks. The biological sources and paleoenvironment of carbonate source rocks, and the main controlling factors of organic matter enrichment in the carbonate source rocks were studied in this paper in combination with evidence from biomarkers, microfossils and inorganic geochemistry analysis. The results show that four types of microfacies were identified in the Majiagou Formation, respectively as: mud flat microfacies, mud-dolomite flat microfacies, dolomite flat microfacies, and open marine microfacies. The biological sources of organic matter are chiefly planktonic algae, followed by bacteria. The mud flat and mud-dolomite flat contain a high abundance of terrigenous detrital inputs, as indicated by the high content of Al_(2)O_(3), TiO_(2), Th, and Zr. The low Sr/Cu and high Rb/Sr values reveal warm and humid paleoclimate conditions in the mud flat and mud-dolomite flat, whereas the dolomite flat and open marine were likely formed in hot and arid paleoclimate conditions. The mud flat and mud-dolomite flat deposits were characterized by high paleoproductivity of the Majiagou Formation. Low Sr/Ba values were found in the mud flat samples, indicating fresh to brackish water condition, whereas samples of other facies have a relatively high degree of salinity. Based on U_(auth), Mo_(auth), Cr_(auth), Co_(auth), δCe, and δEu values, the mud flat microfacies was formed in a suboxic and anoxic environment, whereas the mud-dolomite flat, dolomite flat and open marine microfacies were within dysoxic to oxic conditions. A model of organic matter enrichment in the Majiagou Formation is thus established. The level of terrigenous detrital inputs is the principal factor of organic matter enrichment in the Majiagou Formation, secondly are redox condition and then paleoproductivity. The mud flat and mud-dolomite flat microfacies show abundant terrestrial detrital inputs and nutrient elements, indicative of warm and humid climate that facilitated biotic productivity, including an abundance of planktonic algae(microfossils). The suboxic and anoxic environments promoted the preservation of organic matter, as evidenced by the relatively high TOC content. The mud flat as well as the mud-dolomite flat of the Majiagou Formation is prospecting for forming source rocks.

Stratigraphy of the Alveolina elliptica group from the Middle Eocene of Iran:Calibration with calcareous nannofossils biozones and description of Alveolina ozcani n. sp.

Precise taxonomy and the chronostratigraphic calibration of the Middle Eocene Alveolina from Central Iran is here undertaken from the Chah-Talkh section of the southern Sabzevar region(Central Iran). We have identified Alveolina kieli, Alveolina stercusmuris and Alveolina nuttalli along with the new species Alveolina ozcani n. sp. that we include into the Alveolina elliptica group. We have also found Nummulites uroniensis, Nummulites obesus and Nummulites cf. verneuili and associated calcareous nannofossils that look reliable to make thoughtful correlations with the Shallow Benthic Zones(SBZ). The foraminiferal biostratigraphy suggests an assignment to the upper part of the lower Lutetian-lower part of the middle Lutetian,SBZ13(Middle Eocene), further strengthened through the identification of the calcareous nannofossil NP14b-NP15b or CNE8-CNE10 biozones, providing a solid correlation with the global stratigraphic standards.

Circum-Indian Holocene sea-level database:A repository of distinct relative sea-level plots across the Indian Peninsula

The Indian Peninsula is one of the most well-studied regions for Holocene sea-level fluctuations in the world, however, standardized relative sea-level datasets are missing. This study provides an archive of sealevel indicators(n = 162, 20 locations) along the western and the eastern sides of the peninsula, that have been used to develop Relative Sea Level(RSL) plots. Each dated sea-level indicator is recalibrated for its elevation based on tidal and tectonic correction, as well as age with reservoir correction, and have been separated into six zones based on coastal geomorphology and number of datasets. The database spans throughout the Holocene and covers sea-level depth/elevations from-45 m to +5 m from mean sea-level(MSL). Approximately 90 % of the dataset range from 8 ka to the present day. The first transgression is highly variable and identified between 8.5-8 ka BP in Gujarat(Zone 1), ~ 5.5 ka BP in Maharashtra(Zone 2), between 8 and 7 ka BP in Tamil Nadu(Zone 4) and between 8 and 7.5 ka BP in the Bengal coasts(Zone 6). No transgression above present sea-level is observed along Andhra Pradesh(Zone 5)(no data for Kerala-Zone 3).Further, Zones 1, 2, 4 and 6 show a strong uplift component(tectonic), whereas Zone 5 exhibits subsidence during the Holocene(Zone 3-insufficient data). Based on these findings, and given the region's coastal topography and tidal components, Zones 6 and 1 will likely undergo the largest coastal inundation, followed by Zones 5, 4, 2, and 3. These insights are critical in planning future coastal inundation measures across the Indian Peninsula.

Power-law patterns in the Phanerozoic sedimentary records of carbon, oxygen, sulfur,and strontium isotopes

Power-law patterns appear in a variety of natural systems on the modern Earth;nevertheless,whether such behaviors appeared in the deep-time environment has rarely been studied. Isotopic records in sedimentary rocks, which are widely used to reconstruct the geological/geochemical conditions in paleoenvironments and the evolutionary trajectories of biogeochemical cycles, offer an opportunity to investigate power laws in ancient geological systems. In this study, I focus on the Phanerozoic sedimentary records of carbon, oxygen, sulfur, and strontium isotopes, which have well documented and extraordinarily comprehensive datasets. I perform statistical analyses on these datasets and show that the variations in the sedimentary records of the four isotopes exhibit power-law behaviors. The exponents of these power laws range between 2.2 and 2.9;this narrow interval indicates that the variations in carbon, oxygen, sulfur, and strontium isotopes likely belong to the same universality class, suggesting that these systematic power-law patterns are governed by universal, scale-free mechanisms. I then derive a general form for these power laws from a minimalistic model based on basic physical principles and geosystem-specific assumptions, which provides an interpretation for the power-law patterns from the perspective of thermodynamics. The fundamental mechanisms regulating such patterns might have been ubiquitous in paleoenvironments, implying that similar power-law behaviors may exist in the sedimentary records of other isotopes.

New material of Coniopteris simplex from the Middle Jurassic of the Ordos Basin,Inner Mongolia,China and implications on its spatio-temporal distribution and paleogeography

Coniopteris simplex is a common component in many Jurassic floras.However,due to morphological variations in sterile fronds and incomplete preservation of reproductive organs,its classification has been controversial for a long time.Here,we present new material collected from the Middle Jurassic Yan’an Formation in the Ordos Basin,Inner Mongolia.The new material reveals important morphological characters,including hemi-dimorphic fronds,two forms of sterile pinnae,short-stalked sori and sporangia on fertile fronds,annulus of sporangium composed of about 30 cells,in situ rounded triangular spores with protruded suture,and the lips of trilete laesura encircled by one or two rows of small ostioles.Based on these observations,we emended the diagnosis of this common species.The spatio-temporal distribution of Coniopteris simplex shows that the iconic species was restricted to the paleolatitudes ranging from 19.5°N to 48.9°N in the Northern Hemisphere during the Early—Late Jurassic,mainly distributed in the tropical to paratropical zones,and the paleolongitude ranging from 9.6°E to 129.3°E,which may be limited by the opening of the Viking Corridor and the splitting of the Central Atlantic Ocean.

Marinoan glaciation in the Indian subcontinent——Anatomy and global implications

Detailed sedimentological analysis of the Pokaran Boulder Bed,representing the most basal unit of the Neoproterozoic-Lower Cambrian Marwar Supergroup,clearly indicates its glacial origin.The glacial sediments are interpreted as an ice-contact submarine fan deposit.Based on the detrital and inherited zircon population of the Marwar Supergroup sediments and interlayered pyroclastic deposits,a Marinoan cryochron of the Cryogenian Period is envisaged for the Pokaran Boulder Bed.The well-preserved Ediacaran elements in the post-glacial sedimentary succession also support a Cryogenian to Early Cambrian age of the Marwar Supergroup.The glacial deposition at the base of the Marwar Supergroup strengthens the regional correlation between the studied sediments with the Lesser Himalayan Blaini-Krol-Tal sediments and the Haqf Supergroup of Oman.The available zircon ages and paleomagnetic data of the Malani Igneous suite,along with the Marinoan glacial deposits,detrital zircon ages,and Ediacaran fossil elements of the Marwar Supergroup add significant information to the Neoproterozoic Earth history.

Global paleobiogeography of Albian—Cenomanian(mid-Cretaceous)marine ostracods

Despite their potential for providing important information for paleobiogeography,studies using ostracod assemblages compiled from global datasets have been scarce so far.In this study,the paleogeographic implications of the relationship between different ostracod assemblages are analyzed and discussed for the Albian and Cenomanian.We compiled an ostracod dataset at the genus level,with 168 genera for the Albian and 174 for the Cenomanian,to which different multivariate statistical methods of grouping were applied.The affinity between different ostracod assemblages from different regions allowed for the delineation of 30 operational geographic units(OGUs)for the Albian,and 32 OGUs for the Cenomanian,grouped in three paleobiogeographic units(PBUs;Megatethys,Persia,and Austral)and one sub-unit(PBSU;Maghreb associated to the Megatethys).The Maghreb PBSU showed minor changes between the Albian and Cenomanian.The relationship among the OGUs grouped in each PBU is related to different factors,such as eustatic sea level events,similar climatic zones,and marine current circulation patterns.A relationship was observed between the Gabon and Nigeria OGUs with the Persia PBU,which suggests a direct east—west connection between them during the Cenomanian.The affinity observed in the Austral PBU between the South American,South African,and Australian regions during the Albian can be explained by their relative geographic isolation due to the Walvis Ridge barrier.The eventual flooding of this barrier led to the relationship observed between the SE Brazilian and Bolivian regions with the Austral PBU.Finally,the data also suggested that the separation of the Indian subcontinent from the Austral PBU took place during the Cenomanian.

MIS 5e sea surface temperature estimation;a multi-proxy approach using a marine macrofossil assemblage(Mar Piccolo,Gulf of Taranto,Southern Italy)

It is reported a multi-proxy palaeoclimatic study conducted on a MIS 5e calcarenite from the Mar Piccolo Basin(MP),Gulf of Taranto(GT)(Central Mediterranean).The calcarenite returned a rich malacofauna consisting of 120 extant species,including four of the tropical Senegalese Fauna,today absent in the Mediterranean.The biogeographic-climatic affinity of the assemblage shows,compared to today,a double percentage of warm affinity species,while the cold affinity species are nearly equally represented,indicating a warmer but not strictly tropical SST.This is confirmed by the most recurring preferred SST ranges of the assemblage,indicating an average of 20℃.The skeletal compositions of five well-preserved molluscan and coral specimens were analyzed for trace elements and stable isotopes for further mean SST estimations.From the comparison of the results of several equations available in literature,it appears that only some SST estimations are realistic,converging into similar values of,on average,20.8±0.9℃.Considering all the used proxies,the MIS 5e SST difference compared to today falls in the range 1.2—2.0℃for the GT(being a more reasonable scenario)and 2.0—2.8℃for the MP.This is not a firmly tropical-like SST setting as suggested by the sole Senegalese fauna,indicating at least 2.7℃—3.5℃more than today’s GT and MP,respectively.The approximations and assumptions made for obtaining SST values with any single proxy indicate the need of a multi-proxy approach to define the best SST estimation.

On the occurrence of Neoplanorbulinella Matsumaru, 1976(Foraminifera) from the late Oligocene of Central Iran(Qom Formation):Palaeobiogeographic implications

The shallow marine carbonates of the upper Oligocene Qom Formation yielded several occurrences of the foraminiferan genus Neoplanorbulinella Matsumaru. Neoplanorbulinella saipanensis Matsumaru has so far been recorded from the late Eocene-early Miocene of Japan and late Oligocene of NE Italy whereas N. malatyaensis Gedik is only reported from the Oligocene from its type locality in the Malatya Basin, eastern Turkey. The new records reported here from the Qom Formation indicate that both species occur in the Dobaradar section, ca. 10 km south of the city of Qom in North-Central Iran. The palaeogeographic distribution of these two species therefore has to be extended as far as the palaeolongitude of current Central Iran.The accompanying larger benthic foraminifers, including Miogypsinoides complanatus(Schlumberger),M. formosensis Yabe and Hanzawa, Spiroclypeus margaritatus(Schlumberger), Operculina complanata(Defrance), and Risananeiza pustulosa Boukhary et al., indicate the upper Chattian SBZ 23 Zone. The coexistence of the N. saipanensis and N. malatyaensis points to suitable palaeobiogeographic conditions of Central Iran to host Western and Eastern Tethyan taxa.

Interpreting siliciclastic sedimentation in the upper Paleozoic Mulargia-Escalaplano Basin(Sardinia, Italy):influence of tectonics on provenance

Late to post-Variscan molassic basins of Late Pennsylvanian-Permian age are exposed in Sardinia(Italy). Here, the compositional and stratigraphic evolution of the Mulargia-Escalaplano sedimentary basin(central Sardinia) has been investigated to highlight how the tectono-magmatic processes have influenced the sedimentation. Ruditic and arenitic samples were collected along well-characterized stratigraphic sections to provide a new insight into the impact of the tectono-magmatic processes on siliciclastic sedimentation. As a result, the conglomerates are mainly clast-supported, petromictic, and thus immature, with no defined maturity trend upwards. Nevertheless, pebble composition changes in times from Variscan basement pebble-rich to volcanic rock-rich, as a consequence of the basin widening and the dismantling and reworking of the coeval volcanic activity. The sandstone composition clearly changes from quartzolithic to feldspatholithic upwards, as a response to the same change of feeding and reworking of the volcanic rocks. Occasionally, interbedded quartzolithic arenites suggest exceptional floods carrying debris from the far borders of the basin. Also, the immature sandstone composition has been interpreted as being controlled by a continuous supply of fresh debris and to a rapid burial rate. In addition, the disappearance of metaradiolarite(lydite AA) Paleozoic grains in the sandstone mineral suite could represent a distinctive marker of a progressive unroofing of the Variscan chain and a clastic supply from deeper tectonic units.

Evolution of Cenozoic sedimentary architecture in Central and Southern South China Sea basins

The Central and Southern South China Sea(CSSCS) has a complex tectonic dynamic background and abundant oil and gas resources, which has always been a hot topic of academic and industrial attention.However, systematic analyses are still lacking regarding its sediment filling structure and evolution, mostly due to limited borehole penetration and poor quality of seismic reflection data for deeply buried sequences. No consensus has been reached yet on the sedimentary infilling processes, which impeded the reconstruction of the palaeogeography of Southeast Asia and the oil-and-gas exploration undertakings. Here, we illustrate the Cenozoic sedimentary evolution of the CSSCS region by synthesizing relevant data from previous literature and our own observations and displaying the evolution of depositional systems in sequential reconstructions. Besides, the controlling factors of preferred sedimentary scenarios in the CSSCS incorporate the latest interpretations of the spreading of South China Sea(SCS) as well as the demise of the hypothetical Proto-South China Sea(PSCS). The results show that there are three types of sedimentary basins in the CSSCS(foreland,strike-slip, and rift basins) with different sedimentary filling structures. The foreland basins formed a depositional pattern of ‘transition from deep water to shallow water environments', dominated by deep-water depositional systems which were formed before the Early Oligocene with submarine fans developed. Later,the foreland basins were gradually dominated by shallow-water depositional systems with deltas and shallow marine facies. The strike-slip basins showed the depositional architecture of ‘transition from lake to marine environments', i.e. the basins were dominated by lacustrine deposits during the Eocene and evolved into the marine depositional environment since Oligocene with delta developed in the western part of the basin. The depositional evolution of rift basins illustrated the characteristics of 'transition from clastic to carbonate deposits', i.e., the rift basins were dominated by Eocene-Oligocene shallow marine clastic depositional systems, while carbonate platforms started to develop since the Early Oligocene from east to west. The above-mentioned differences of depositional architecture in the CSSCS were controlled by the scissor-style closure of the PSCS and the progressive-style expansion of the SCS. Specifically, the early-period deep-water sedimentary environment of CSSCS basins was controlled by the distribution of PSCS in the Eocene. As the scissor-style closure of PSCS progressed from west to east during the Oligocene to Early Miocene, the northwest of Borneo continued to rise, providing a great number of clastic materials to the basins and gradually developing large-scale deltas from west to east. The distribution of early-period lacustrine sedimentation of strike-slip basins was affected by paleo uplift, and the basins transgressed from the northeast and gradually evolved into marine sedimentary environment due to the expansion of SCS. The expansion of SCS also controlled the sedimentary filling evolution of the rift basins, which broke away from the South China continent and drifted southward. Thus, the rift basins lacked the supply of terrigenous clastic sediments which hindered the development of large-scale deltas and formed a clear water environment conducive to the development of carbonate platforms from east to west.

A synthesis of the Cretaceous wildfire record related to atmospheric oxygen levels?

The Cretaceous was a significant greenhouse period in Earth's history with higher atmospheric CO_(2) levels and temperatures than today. Although evidence of combustion has been widely described from the Cretaceous deposits, our understanding of the spatiotemporal diversification pattern and process of the Cretaceous wildfires is still limited. In this study, we comprehensively synthesize a total of 271 published Cretaceous wildfire occurrences based on the by-products of burning, including fossil charcoal, pyrogenic inertinite(fossil charcoal in coal), and pyrogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs). Spatially, the dataset shows a distinctive distribution of reported wildfire evidence characterized by high concentration in the middle latitudinal areas of the Northern Hemisphere(30°N-60°N) over the Cretaceous. Temporally, an overall increasing trend of the reported wildfire data from the Early Cretaceous to the Late Cretaceous is coincident with higher atmospheric O_(2) levels. However, the spatial and temporal patterns may result from many types of factors, such as taphonomy, preservation, and researcher biases, instead of a real picture of the Cretaceous wildfire evolution. To better understand the spatiotemporal diversification of the Cretaceous wildfire, more investigations on the record of wildfire occurrences during this period would be necessary in the future.

Untangling the biotic stress in the late Maastrichtian Deccan-benchmark interval of Bidart(France)

The late Maastrichtian witnessed substantial surges in Deccan volcanism,prompting the hypothesis that these voluminous pulses may have instigated repeated episodes of ocean acidification during this period.The Cretaceous-Palaeogene(K/Pg)boundary at Bidart(France)is preceded by a~0.5 m thick interval with geochemical and taphonomic vestiges of an ocean acidification event linked with Deccan volcanism.New planktic foraminifera census and morphometric data now confirm biotic stress conditions related to acidification in the Deccan benchmark interval.The absolute abundance data of larger(>150μm)heavily calcified planktic morphogroups show fluctuating populations throughout zone CF1(spanning the final~225 ky),lowest peaks within the Deccan benchmark,and a demographic collapse(>90%)at the K/Pg boundary.The analyzed species are generally reduced in size,with thinner test walls in this~0.5 m interval,indicating the likelihood of calcification stress as a contributor to the overall biotic stress.At the K/Pg boundary,maximum biotic stress is recorded in all the tested faunal proxies.A preliminary graphic correlation of zone CF1 at Bidart with the auxiliary GSSP at Elles(Tunisia)constrains the Deccan benchmark interval of high biotic stress to the final~58ky of the late Maastrichtian,culminating in the K/Pg mass extinction.The volcanogenic Hg peaks coincident with faunal and taphonomic evidence of ocean acidification strengthen the Deccan-related ocean acidification hypothesis.

Cyclicity of the Lower Buntsandstein in the eastern part of the Central European Basin:implications for Early Triassic palaeogeography and for geochronological calibration

Lower Buntsandstein small—scale cycles recognized in the Central European Basin(CEB) are readily used for astrochronological calibration of the Early Triassic time scales,although they are not well studied sedimentologically.Three borehole sections from the eastern part of the CEB,forming a south-north transect perpendicular to the basin axis,were studied in terms to better understand the depositional history of the Lower Buntsandstein developed as the Baltic Formation in the studied Polish part of the basin.Eleven sedimentary facies were recognized,based on lithological and sedimentological investigations of 655.7 m of drill cores from the Otyń IG 1,Gorzów Wielkopolski IG 1 and Kamień Pomorski IG 1 boreholes.The facies can be grouped according to a lithological criterion into facies of predominantly siliciclastic lithology(including 9facies types) and facies of predominantly carbonate lithology(including 2 facies types).Facies analysis allowed to distinguish 8 facies associations of:1) alluvial fan,2) playa,3) sandy-muddy coastal plain,4)embayment and distal delta,5) lagoon,6) sand bars or shoals,7) ooidal shoals or bars,and 8) offshore.Deepening-upward(DC) and shallowing-upward(SC) sedimentary cycles were recognized in parts of the Baltic Formation,with DCs dominating in the southernmost located Otyń IG 1,and SCs dominating in Gorz ow Wielkopolski IG 1,located in the axial part of the basin.Symmetrical cycles are very rare.The statistical significance of the sedimentary cycles is relatively low according to Markov-chain analysis conducted with the phpSedistat software of Stanova et al.(2009).Analysis of small—scale cycles performed on well logs of investigated boreholes and additional boreholes in the vicinity of Otyń IG 1,implementing the earlier study of Becker(2005),showed that the correlation of well-log cycles(GR cycles) and sedimentary cycles is not obvious.GR cycles can be roughly correlated with lithological carbonate—siliciclastic cycles(c-s cycles),reflecting alternations of facies groups of predominantly carbonate and siliciclastic lithology.Calibration of GR cycles to earlier magnetostratigraphic results of Nawrocki(1997) and Becker and Nawrocki(2014) showed that neither the boundaries of GR cycles serve as reference horizons,nor the cycles document equal time periods.All existing depositional models of the Lower Buntsandstein were discussed,stressing the possible simultaneous interaction of allochthonous and autochthonous processes.Moreover,the tectonic overprint of the Central European Basin system during the Early Triassic should be taken into account.The presented results suggest that the Lower Buntsandstein cyclicity of the CEB cannot serve as a basis for astrochronological analysis.

General regulations about submitting manuscripts to Journal of Palaeogeography

1.Journal of Palaeogeography[JoP]publishes in the general fields of sedimentology and palaeontology that include a distinct and noticeable palaeogeographic aspect or perspective.High-quality original research articles and authoritative reviews are welcomed.