Temporal Distribution of Diagnostic Biofabrics in the Lower and Middle Ordovician in North China:Clues to the Geobiology of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event

The temporal distribution of the diagnostic biofabrics in the Lower and Middle Ordovician in North China distinctly illustrates that the sedimentary systems on the paleoplate have been changed markedly as consequences of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event （GOBE）. The pre-GOBE sedimentary systems deposited in Tremadoc display widespread microbialite and flat-pebble conglomerates, and a less extent of bioturbation. Through the transitional period of early Floian, the sedimentary systems in the rest of the Early and Mid- Ordovician change to GOBE type and are characterized by intensive bioturbation and vanishing flat-pebble conglomerates and subtidal microbial sediments. The irreversible changes in sedimentary systems in North China are linked to the GOBE, which conduced the increase in infaunal tiering, the expansion of infaunal ecospace, and the appearance of new burrowers related to the development of the Paleozoic Evolutionary Fauna during the Ordovician biodiversification. Thus, changes in sedimentary systems during the pivotal period of the GOBE were consequences of a steep diversification of benthic faunas rather than the GOBE＇s environmental background.

A Fresh Look at the Geobiology & Sedimentary Environments of the Hypersaline Great Salt Lake,USA

1 Introduction The Great Salt Lake(GSL)is the defining hydrological feature of the Great Basin,North America’s largest desert--and it is the largest waterbody in the western USA.Despite the early(Eardley,1938)recognition of"bioherms,"algal layers,and mats covering hundreds of square km of lake area,these features have not been the

Discussion on geobiology, biogeology and geobiofacies

Here we first discuss the definition of and the difference between geobiology and biogeology following a brief introduction of recent geobiology research in China. Geobiology is defined as an interdisciplinary study of life sciences and earth sciences, and biogeology as an interdisciplinary study of biology and geology. Scope of the term geobiology covers that of the term biogeology. Branch interdisciplines of both are listed. We then propose the term geobiofacies, defined as the facies of a geologic body embodying the whole process of interaction between organisms and environments. Differences among geobiofacies, biofacies, and organic facies are discussed. Main parameters defining a geobiofacies include habitat type, biotic composition and productivity, paleo-oxygenation regimes, and early diagenesis phases. Each of them is discussed in detail, and a semi-quantitative assessment of the biogeofacies of source rocks is proposed based on these parameters. A two-fold terminology for geobiofacies is recommended, namely, the biological and environmental aspects of biota and the redox conditions during life-burial-diagenesis process

Calcified Biofilms from Cambrian Oolitic Limestones in China

Calcified biofiims are preserved as thin micritic coatings in the Cambrian oolitic limestone of two sections in North and South China. Standard petrographic examination revealed that the biofilms were developed during the early diagenetic stage immediately after the freshly deposited ooids, proceeding in the continuous sequence of depositional processes. The biofilm outlines are highly irregular, with steep sides, tower-like structures and overhanging projections; the internal fabric of the biofilms is composed of roughly laminated micrite aggregates with channel-like structures. Biofilms exhibit a strong fluorescent reaction. Detailed SEM examination suggests that the biofilms are biotically dominated by cyanobacteria. Our study demonstrates that microbial colonies, such as biofilms, can develop on ooid cortices and influence the formation and microstructures of those ooids.

Molecular Records of Primary Producers and Sedimentary Environmental Conditions of Late Permian Rocks in Northeast Sichuan,China

A series of biomarkers were identified in the aliphafic and aromatic fractions of the extracts from Late Permian Dalong （大隆） and Wujiaping （吴家坪） formations in Shangsi （上寺） Section, Northeast Sichuan （四川）, South China, on the basis of the analysis of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MC）. The dominance of lower-molecular-weight n-alkanes throughout the profile suggests the dominant contribution of algae and bacteria to the organics preserved in the marine section. Wujiaping Formation is characterized by the elevated contribution from algae as well as other photoautotrophs such as photosynthetic bacteria as shown by the molecular ratios of hopanes to steranes or tricyclic terpanes as well as the ratio of pristane （Pr） and phytane （Ph） to C17 and C18 n-alkanes. This is in accord with the data from the microscopic measurement on the calcareous algae. In contrast, Dalong Formation is featured by enhanced contribution from bacteria and probably terrestrial organics indicated by the enhanced C24 tetracyclic terpanes relative to tricyclic terpanes. The two formations also show a distinct discrimination in sedimentary environmental conditions including redox condition and salinity. The anoxic condition was only found in the middle of the Dalong Formation as shown by the ratios of Pr/Ph and dibenzothiophene to phenanthrene, consistent with the reported data of Mo and U. An enhanced salinity indicated by the homohopane index is observed at the shallow Wujiaping Formation. On the basis of the composition of primary productivity and the redox condition, Dalong Formation is proposed, herein, to be potential hydrocarbon source rocks in the study site. It is notable that the topmost end-Permian is characterized by a large perturbauce in both the redox condition and salinity, with oxic conditions being frequently interrupted by short-term anoxia, likely showing a causal relationship with the episodic biotic crisis across the Permian-Triassic boundary.

A spectroscopic study on the effect of ultra-violet solar radiation in Antarctica on the human skin fbroblast cells

A study on the effect of the solar ultra-violet radiation on the human skin fibroblast cells revealed that the production of matrix metalloproteinase-2 was inhibited by the radiation.A CO2 incubator connected by optical fibers to a reflector telescope for collecting the solar light was built at Syowa station by the 49th Japanese Antarctica Research Expedition.The direction of the telescope was continuously controlled by a sun-tracker to follow the movement of the Sun automatically.The intensity of the collected light was monitored by a portable spectrophotometer housed inside.The human skin fibroblast cells were incubated in the CO2 chamber to investigate the effect of the solar radiation at Syowa station and were compared with those reference experiments at a laboratory in Japan.The results showed cell damage by strong UV radiation.The production of matrix metalloproteinase-2 was prompted by the moderate UV-B,but was inhibited by the strong UV-B radiation,as studied under laboratory conditions in Japan.The effect of strong solar radiation at Syowa station involving the radiation of UV-B region was estimated to be of the same extent of the radiation caused by an artificial UV-B light with the intensity more than 50 mJ/cm2.

Mineral weathering and element cycling in soil-microorganism-plant system

Soil is an essential part of the critical zone,and soil-microbe-plant system serves as a key link among lithosphere,biosphere,atmosphere and hydrosphere.As one of the habitats with the richest biodiversity,soil plays a critical role in element biogeochemistry on the earth surface(weathered crust).Here we review the soil biological processes that are relevant to mineral weathering,element cycling,and transformation,with an emphasis on rock weathering mediated by soil microbes,plant root and the rhizosphere.

Geobiological processes of the formation of lacustrine source rock in Paleogene

Gypsum-salt rocks and coccolith calcareous shale are widely deposited in the lower part of the Paleogene Shahejie Formation in the Dongying Sag, Sbandong Province. The gypsum-salt rock is believed to be formed during the earlier deposition in salt lake, while the overlying coccolith shale in saline lake with relatively low salinity. By comparing the lake environment and la- custrine microbial communities between ancient and recent lakes, cyanobacteria are regarded as the main representative of productivity during the formation of gypsum-salt strata series, with the annual productivity of 1500-2000 gC m-2 yr1. Based on the research of ultramicrofossils in the calcareous shale, coccolith is considered as the main contributor to the productivity during the formation of calcareous shale. On the basis of statistic data of sedimentary rates, shale laminations, and coccolith fossils in each lamination, the quantitative value of productivity is calculated, with the annual productivity of 2250 3810 gC m 2 yr-1 （averagely 3120 gC m-2 yr-1）. Statistic data of large amount of pyrite framboids indicate that the lower water col- umn was persistently in sulfidic or anoxic conditions during the deposition of gypsum-salt strata series, but it changed to be dysoxic when the coccolith calcareous shale was deposited. Both of these water conditions are favorable for the preservation of organic matter. It is estimated that the organic carbon burial efficiency of the Lower Paleogene salt lakes and saline lakes of Dongying Depression is about 10%-15%, which is calculated and analyzed using the multi-parameter geobiological model.

The geobiological formation process of the marine source rocks in the Middle Permian Chihsia Formation of South China

The Chihsia Formation is one of the four sets of regional marine hydrocarbon source rocks from South China.In the past two decades,detailed geochemical and sedimentological studies have been carried out to investigate its origination,which have demonstrated that the high primary productivity plays a primary role in the deposition of sediments enriched in the organic matter.However,the mechanism of this high productivity and the path of the deposition and burial of the organic matter have always been a mystery.Based on the previous studies on the Shangsi Section in Guangyuan City,Sichuan Province,we proposed that the development of the equatorial upwelling due to the sea level rise is responsible for the relatively high productivity in the Chihsia Formation.The sea waters with high nutrient were transported by the sub-surface currents along the equator.High organic carbon flux was deposited on the deeper shelf,and then decomposed by bacteria,leading to the occurrence of anaerobic respiration.The metabolism of the microorganisms consumed the dissolved oxygen in waters,which was in favor of the preservation of the organic matter.This suggested geobiological model integrating with paleoclimatology,paleoceanography and geomicrobiology will help us to understand the causes of this particular sedimentary sequence.

Microbial roles equivalent to geological agents of high temperature and pressure in deep Earth

Microbes not only show sensitive responses to environmental changes but also play important roles in geochemical and geophysical systems. It is well known that microbes have caused major changes in surface environments and biogeochemical cycles through Earth history. Microbial processes can also induce the synthesis of certain minerals under Earth-surface conditions that previously were believed to form only under high temperatures and pressures in the deep Earth. For example, microbes can promote the conversion of smectite to illite, synthesis of authigenic plagioclase, precipitation of dolomite, and biotransformation of geolipids. These effects of microbes are due to their large surface/volume ratios, enzyme production, and abundant functional groups. Microbial catalyzation of chemical reactions proceeds through reaction-specific enzymes, a decrease in Gibbs' s free energy, and/or break through the dynamics reaction thresholds via their metabolisms and physiology. Microbes can lower the surface free energy of mineral nuclei via biophysical adsorption due to their large surface/volume ratios and abundant functional groups. The mineral precipitation and transformation processes induced by microbes are functionally equivalent to geological processes operating at high temperatures and pressures in the deep Earth, suggesting that microbial processes can serve as analogs to deep abiotic processes that are difficult to observe.

Tectonomicrobiology:A new paradigm for geobiological research

Geomicrobiology is a sub-discipline of geobiology and emphasizes the interaction between microorganisms and their environment on Earth. There is a need to explicitly emphasize the biogeochemical processes performed by microorganisms associated with Earth's tectonic activities, especially under the framework of the modern theory of plate tectonics. Tectonomicrobiology aims to create a better synergy between microbial and active tectonic processes. This explicit synergy should also foster better communications between solid Earth scientists and life scientists in terms of holistic Earth system dynamics at both tectonic and micro-scales.

The shift of biogeochemical cycles indicative of the progressive marine ecosystem collapse across the Permian-Triassic boundary:An analog to modern oceans

Global warming,the most severe faunal mass extinction and the shift of biogeochemical cycles were observed in the ocean across the Permian-Triassic boundary about 252 million years ago,providing an analog to understanding the modern oceans.Along with the progressive global warming,the biogeochemical cycle was documented to show a shift from the decoupled processes of carbon,nitrogen and sulfur prior to the mass extinction to the coupled biogeochemical processes during faunal mass extinction.The coupled biogeochemical cycle was further observed to shift from the coupled C-N processes during the first episode of the faunal mass extinction to the coupled C-N-S processes during the second episode,diagnostic of the progressive development of more deteriorated marine environmental conditions and the more severe biotic crisis across the Permian-Triassic boundary.The biogeochemical cycles could thus be an indication to the progressive collapse of marine ecosystems triggered by the global warming in Earth history.In modern oceans,the coupled C-N cycle triggered by the global warming was observed in some regions.If these local C-N processes develop and expand to the global oceans,the coupled C-N-S processes might be brought into existence and the marine ecosystems are inevitable to suffer from complete collapse as observed at 252 million years ago.

Geobiological approach to evaluating marine carbonate source rocks of hydrocarbon

Evaluating the pre-Jurassic marine source rocks in China has been difficult because these rocks are generally too highor over-maturated for most traditional methods to work.As to the remaining parameter TOC (%),its lower limit for recognizing the carbonate source rocks in China has been in dispute.Nineteen Phanerozoic sections in the Middle-Upper Yangtze Platform and the Guizhou-Hunan-Guangxi Basin have been studied in search for a different approach to complementing the traditional evaluation method for these source rocks.We have applied a geobiological approach to tracing the organic carbon (OC) output and accumulation from the living stage (primary productivity) to the post-mortem deposited remains,and finally to the preserved burial organics.Four biological and geological parameters are employed to represent the OC of the three stages.A series of proxies of these parameters are discussed and integrated to establish a geobiological evaluation system independent of TOC and other traditional methods.Here we use the Guangyuan section in Sichuan as an example for the geobiological evaluation.Our results indicate that in the argillaceous rocks,the geobiological parameters show the qualified source rocks in accordance with high TOC values;but in the carbonates,the good source rocks delineated by the geobiological parameters have a wide range of TOC,from 0.03% to 1.59%,mostly<0.3%.We suggest that it is still premature to set TOC=0.3% or 0.5% as the lower limit for the pre-Jurassic carbonate source rocks in South China.