Aliphatic biomarker signatures of early Oligocene-early Miocene source rocks in the central Qiongdongnan Basin:Source analyses of organic matter

The geochemical signatures of fifty-four rock samples and three supplementary drill stem test(DST)oils from the Yacheng-Sanya formations in the central Qiongdongnan Basin(CQB)were analysed.Reconstruction of the early Oligocene-early Miocene(36–16 Ma)palaeovegetation and source analyses of organic matter(OM)were conducted using aliphatic biomarkers in ancient sediments and DST oils.Both the interpreted aquatic and terrigenous OM contributed to the CQB source rocks(SRs)but had varying relative proportions.The four distribution patterns derived from n-alkanes,terpanes,and steranes are representative of four OM composition models of the Yacheng-Sanya SRs,including model A,model B,model C,and model D,which were classified based on the increasing contribution from terrigenous OM relative to aquatic OM.Some terrigenous higher plantderived biomarkers,including oleanane,des-A-oleanane,C_(29)ααα20R sterane,bicadinanes,the C_(19)/(C_(19)+C_(23))tricyclic terpane ratio,and other n-alkane-derived ratios suggest that angiosperms had increased proportions in the palaeoflora from early Oligocene to early Miocene,and the bloom of terrigenous higher plants was observed during deposition of upper Lingshui Formation to lower Sanya Formation.These findings are consistent with the incremental total organic carbon and free hydrocarbons+potential hydrocarbons(S_1+S_2)in the lower Lingshuilower Sanya strata with a significant enrichment of OM in the E_3l_1-N_1s_2 shales.The maturity-and environmentsensitive aliphatic parameters of the CQB SRs and DST oils suggest that all the samples have predominantly reached their early oil-generation windows but have not exceeded the peak oil windows,except for some immature Sanya Formation shales.In addition,most of the OM in the analysed samples was characterised by mixed OM contributions under anoxic to sub-anoxic conditions.Furthermore,terrestrial-dominant SRs were interpreted to have developed mainly in the Lingshui-Sanya formations and were deposited in sub-oxic to oxic environments,compared to the anoxic to sub-anoxic conditions of the Yacheng Formation.

A New Fossil Termite (Isoptera,Stolotermitidae,Stolotermes) from the Early Miocene of Otago,New Zealand

The forewing of a termite from Early Miocene lake sediments in Otago, southern New Zealand is figured and described. It exhibits the generic characters of the damp-wood termite Stolotermes Hagen, but differs from forewings of the known species in size and venation pattern and is described as Stolotermes kupe sp. nov. S. kupe represents the first confident record of fossil Stolotermitidae and extends the fossil record of the family back to the Early Miocene. It also is the first direct evidence of fossil Isoptera from New Zealand, though silicified termite faecal pellets, referable to Kalotermes brauni, have been previously described. S. kupe indicates that Stolotermitidae has been present in the Australasian region since at least the Early Miocene.

Tectonics and Topography of the Tibetan Plateau in Early Miocene

Early Miocene stratigraphy,major structural systems,magmatic emplacement,volcanic eruption,vegetation change and paleo-elevation were analyzed for the Tibetan Plateau after regional geological mapping at a scale of 1：250,000 and related researches,revealing much more information for tectonic evolution and topographic change of the high plateau caused by Indian-Asian continental collision.Lacustrine deposits of dolostone,dolomite limestone,limestone,marl,sandstone and conglomerate of weak deformation formed extensively in the central Tibetan Plateau,indicating that vast lake complexes as large as 100,000-120,000 km2 existed in the central plateau during Early Miocene.Sporopoilen assemblages contained in the lacustrine strata indicate the disappearance of most tropical-subtropical broad-leaved trees since Early Miocene and the flourishing of dark needle-leaved trees during Early Miocene.Such vegetation changes adjusted for latitude and global climate variations demonstrate that the central Tibetan Plateau rose to ca.4,000-4,500 m and the northeastern plateau uplifted to ca.3,500-4,000 m before the Early Miocene.Intensive thrust and crustal thickening occurred in the areas surrounding central Tibetan Plateau in Early Miocene,formed Gangdise Thrust System （GTS） in the southern Lhasa block,Zedong-Renbu Thrust （ZRT） in the northern Himalaya block,Main Central Thrust （MCT） and Main Boundary Thrust （MBT） in the southern Himalaya block,and regional thrust systems in the Qaidam,Qilian,West Kunlun and Songpan-Ganzi blocks.Foreland basins formed in Early Miocene along major thrust systems,e.g.the Siwalik basin along MCT,Yalung-Zangbu Basin along GTS and ZRT,southwestern Tarim depression along West Kunlun Thrust,and large foreland basins along major thrust systems in the northeastern margin of the plateau.Intensive volcanic eruptions formed in the Qiangtang,Hoh-Xil and Kunlun blocks,porphyry granites and volcanic eruptions formed in the Nainqentanglha and Gangdise Mts.,and leucogranites and granites formed in the Himalaya and Longmenshan Mts.in Early Miocene.The K2O weight percentages of Early Miocene magmatic rocks in the Gangdise and Himlayan Mts.are found to increase with distance from the MBT,indicating the genetic relationship between regional magmatism and subduction of Indian continental plate in Early Miocene.

Early Miocene Mosses from Weichang, North China, and their Environmental Significance

Twenty-seven moss specimens collected from the Guangfayong section （Early Miocene,22.1 Ma） of the Weichang District,North China were investigated in the present study.Based on the morphological and anatomical features of gametophytes,all specimens were found to belong to three species：Leptodictyum riparium,Drepanocladus subtrichophyllus sp.nov.,and Amblystegium varium,all of which belong to the family Amblystegiaceae.The microhabitats and living environments of fossil mosses were also investigated based on comparison with living mosses.The results suggest that these mosses grew primarily at the edges of rivers,streams,and lakes and favored being submerged in streams or lakes in the Weichang District in the Early Miocene.

Plant-Arthropod Associations from the Lower Miocene of the Most Basin in Northern Bohemia(Czech Republic):A Preliminary Report

Terrestrial plants and insects currently account for the majority of the Earth＇s biodiversity, and approximately haft of insect species are herbivores. Thus, insects and plants share ancient associations that date back more than 400 Myr. However, investigations of their past interactions are at the preliminary stages in Western Europe. Herein, we present the first results of our study of various feeding damage based on a dataset of nearly 3500 examined plant specimens from the Lower Miocene of the Lagerstaette Bflina Mine in the Most Basin, Czech Republic. This site provides a unique view of the Neogene freshwater ecosystems. It has long been studied by scientists working in different branches of sedimentology, paleobotany, and paleozoology. The fossils are preserved in three characteristic horizons overlaying the coal seam （Clayey Superseam Horizon, Delta Sandy Horizon, and Lake Clayey Horizon）, reflecting paleoenvironmental changes in a short time period of development. The trace fossils are classified as functional feeding groups or ＂guilds＂, without searching for a direct cause or a recent analog host relation. Approximately 23% of specimens of dicotyledonous plant leaves were found to be damaged and associated with some leaf ＂morphotypes＂. Deciduous plant-host taxa, and those with a chartaceous texture typical of riparian habitats, were frequently damaged, such as Populus, recorded with two species Populus zaddachii and Populus populina （57.9% and 31% herbivory levels, respectively）, followed by Acer, Alnus, and Carya, averaging almost 30% of damaged leaves/leaflets. There has been evidence of 60 damage types （DT） representing all functional feeding groups recorded at the Bflina Mine, including 12 types of leaf mines and 16 gall- type DT. In total, Lower Miocene of the Lagerstaette Bilina Mine exhibits a high level of external foliage feeding types （23.7%）, and a low level of more specialized DT, such as galls （4.3%） and leaf mines （〈1%）. A broader comparison based on DT of the main sedimentary environments shows significance supporting different biomes by frequency of damage levels and DT diversities.

Astronomical Dating of the Middle Miocene Hanjiang Formation in the Pearl River Mouth Basin,South China Sea

The Hanjiang Formation of Langhian age （middle Miocene） in the Pearl River Mouth Basin （PRMB）, South China Sea consists of deltaic siliciclastic and neritic shelf carbonate rhythmic alternations, which form one of the potential reservoirs of the basin. To improve stratigraphic resolutions for hydrocarbon prospecting and exploration in the basin, the present study undertakes spectral analysis of high-resolution natural gamma-ray （NGR） well-logging record to determine the dominant frequency components and test whether Milankovitch orbital signals are recorded in rhythmic successions. Analytical results indicate the orbital cycles of precession （~19 ka and ~23 ka）, obliquity （-41 ka）, and eccentricity （~100 ka and --405 ka）, which provide the strong evidence for astronomically driven climate changes in the rhythmic alternation successions. Within biochronological constraint, a high-resolution astronomical timescale was constructed through the astronomical tuning of the NGR record to recent astronomically calculated variation of Earth＇s orbit. The astronomically tuned timescale can be applied to calculate astronomical ages for the geological events and bioevents recognized throughout the period. The first downhole occurrences of foraminifers Globorotalia peripheroronda and Globigerinoides sicanus are dated at 14.546 Ma and 14.919 Ma, respectively, which are slightly different from earlier estimates in the South China Sea. When compared with the global sea-level change chart, the astronomical estimate for the sequences recognized based on microfossil distributions have the same end time but the different initiation time. This is probably due to the local or regional tectonic activities superimposed on eustatic rise which postponed the effect of global sea-level rising. Astronomical timescale also resolves the depositional evolution history for the Langhian Stage （middle Miocene） with a variation that strongly resembles that of Earth＇s orbital eccentricity predicted from 13.65 Ma to 15.97 Ma. We infer that the main factor controlling the variability of the sedimentation rate in the Hanjiang Formation is related to the ^-405-ka-period eccentricity.

Late Cenozoic uplift of the Liupan Mountains:Evidence from the Neogene loess deposits

The Liupan Mountains,one of the important mountain ranges in western China,are located on the boundary between the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and the Ordos Block.The uplift history of the Liupan Mountains remains controversial.Loess deposits are good tracers of regional tectonic and geomorphic changes,because loess is sensitive to erosion and the formation and preservation of loess requires relatively flat highlands and relatively stable tectonic environments.We investigated the distribution of Neogene loess deposits on the western piedmont of the Liupan Mountains and examined a near-continuous loess section(Nanping section)on the piedmont alluvial highlands.Correlation of magnetic susceptibility stratigraphy with the QA-ⅠMiocene loess sequence dates this 56-m section covering the interval from~8.1 to 6.2 Ma.The lower boundary age of this section,together with previously reported Zhuanglang red clay(sand-gravel layers with intercalated loess during~9–8 Ma and near-continuous loess during~8–4.8 Ma)and Chaona red clay(~8.1–2.58 Ma),indicates that the Liupan Mountains were uplifted in the late Miocene(~9–8 Ma)and basically formed by~8 Ma,attesting to no intense mountain building since that time.In addition,based on the information from the Zhuanglang core and the QA-Ⅰsection,we infer that sizable parts of the Liupan Mountains were uplifted during the late Oligocene–early Miocene and did not experience intense uplift during~22–9 Ma.

The first Choerolophodon (Proboscidea, Gomphotheriidae) skull from China

Here we report the first discovery of a relatively complete skull of Choerolophodon from the late early Miocene Dalanggou quarry of Linxia Basin, Gansu Province in China. The skull is low and elongated, with two enamel-less and out ward-and-upward curved incisors and the choerolophodont molars. These characters indicate that the new specimen can be as signed to the genus Choerolophodon, as it is quite distinct from other common gomphotheres in northern China such as Gom photherium, Platybelodon, and Sinomastodon. The skull is also primitive in possessing laterally-expanded zygomatic arches, anteriorly-positioned orbits, weakly-developed cheek teeth cement, and retention of a P4. Prior to this discovery, Cho erolophodon was found primarily from the middle-late Miocene of Africa, Eastern Europe, and western and southern Asia. The discovery of this new material expands the known temporal and spatial distributions of this taxon and helps us better un derstand the phylogeny, evolution, and adaptive radiation of gomphotheres in early Miocene of China.