Cenozoic plant diversity of Yunnan： A review

Yunnan in southwestern China is renowned for its high plant diversity.To understand how this modern botanical richness formed,it is critical to investigate the past biodiversity throughout the geological time.In this review,we present a summary on plant diversity,floristics and climates in the Cenozoic of Yunnan and document their changes,by compiling published palaeobotanical sources.Our review demonstrates that thus far a total of 386 fossil species of ferns,gymnosperms and angiosperms belonging to 170 genera within 66 families have been reported from the Cenozoic,particularly the Neogene,of Yunnan.Angiosperms display the highest richness represented by 353 species grouped into 155 genera within 60 families,with Fagaceae,Fabaceae,Lauraceae and Juglandaceae being the most diversified.Most of the families and genera recorded as fossils still occur in Yunnan,but seven genera have disappeared,including Berryophyllum,Cedrelospermum,Cedrus,Palaeocarya,Podocarpium,Sequoia and Wataria.The regional extinction of these genera is commonly referred to an aridification of the dry season associated with Asian monsoon development.Floristic analyses indicate that in the late Miocene,Yunnan had three floristic regions:a northern subtropical floristic region in the northeast,a subtropical floristic region in the east,and a tropical floristic region in the southwest.In the late Pliocene,Yunnan saw two kinds of floristic regions:a subalpine floristic region in the northwest,and two subtropical floristic regions separately in the southwest and the eastern center.These floristic concepts are verified by results from our areal type analyses which suggest that in the Miocene southwestern Yunnan supported the most Pantropic elements,while in the Pliocene southwestern Yunnan had abundant Tropical Asia(Indo e Malaysia)type and East Asia and North America disjunct type that were absent from northwestern Yunnan.From the late Miocene to late Pliocene through to the present,floristic composition and vegetation types changed markedly,presumably in response to altitude changes and coeval global cooling.An integration of palaeoclimate data suggests that during the Neogene Yunnan was warmer and wetter than today.Moreover,northern Yunnan witnessed a pronounced temperature decline,while southern Yunnan experienced only moderate temperature changes.Summer precipitation was consistently higher than winter precipitation,suggesting a rainfall seasonality.This summary on palaeoclimates helps us to understand under what conditions plant diversity occurred and evolved in Yunnan throughout the Cenozoic.

Viséan Fossil Plants from the Jiujialu Formation in Central Guizhou Province: Implications for Age of Bauxite and Palaeoenvironment

Fossil plants from the carbonaceous shale of upper part of the Lower Carboniferous Jiujialu Formation in Lindai bauxite deposit fill a gap regarding the distribution of Early Carboniferous flora in Central Guizhou Province.Here the Lindai plant assemblage is systematically described,and its composition and geological age are discussed.Research demonstrates that 9 species in 6 genera of the fossil plants are discovered in this study,and they belong to lycopsids,sphenopsids and ferns,respectively.Based on the analysis of the floral composition,the geological age of the Lindai plant assemblage belongs to the Early Carboniferous Viséan.The discovery of Lindai plant assemblage not only provides a new fossil evidence to restrict the age of bauxite deposits in Lower Carboniferous Jiujialu Formation of Central Guizhou Province,but also has great significance to further research the palaeoecological setting and floral evolution during the Early Carboniferous.

Researches on Plants from the Lower Devonian Xujiachong Formation in the Qujing District, Eastern Yunnan

Fossil plants Hedeia sinica Hao et Gensel 1998, Huia gracilis Wang Ct Hao2001 and Guangnania cuneata Wang et Hao are described from the Lower Devonian Xujiachong Formation,the Qujing district, eastern Yunnan, China. They contribute to our knowledge of the flora in thisdistrict. Based on the occurrence of common plants (Hedeia, Huia, Guangnania and Zosterophyllumaustralianum) and their horizons, it is proved for the first time that the mid-lower assemblage ofthe Xujiachong flora is comparable with the Early Devonian ((late) Pragian) Posongchong flora ofsoutheastern Yunnan and the upper Baragwanathia flora of Australia. In view of this fact and thestratigraphic sequence, the mid-lower part of the Xujiachong Formation is considered to be of (late)Pragian age. Through comprehensive analyses of plant, bivalve and fish assemblages and thelithology, the upper part of the Xujiachong Formation is dated to he of early Emsian age. TheXujiachong flora belonged to the northeastern Gondwana palaeophytogeographic unit during the EarlyDevonian. The early Emsian assemblage of this flora inherited the characters of the Posongchongflora and also exhibited the endemic elements. Belonging to different phytogeographic units, theXujiachong and Posongchong floras differ from the coeval flora of the Laurussian palaeocontinent.The Xujiachong flora is comparatively simple in composition, while the Posongchong flora hasabundant and highly diversified endemics. The disparity between them has resulted from the differentenvironments.

The state-of-the-art of steel technology used for chinese power plants and its future

The development and construction of Ultra Super Critical(USC) fossil fired power plants and advanced nuclear power plants are the most important and effective issue to improve national electricity structure in China and to fulfill the national emission aim which had been proposed and promised.Further, steel technology is one of the most imperative fundamentals to ensure the development and construction of USC fossil fired power plants and advanced nuclear power plants.This paper briefly introduced the state-of-the -art and achievement of steel technology used for USC fossil fired power plants and advanced nuclear power plants in China so far.Meanwhile,the authors also analyzed and discussed the potential research and development plans of the important steel technology in China in the near future.

A Comparison between Fossil and Nuclear Power Plants Pollutions and Their Environmental Effects

New researches on serious public health problems such as respiratory disease, heart attacks, and premature deaths, show the threat of air and environmental pollution on human＇s health. Exhausting greenhouse gases for electrical energy production in fossil fueled power plants is one of the major reasons of environmental pollutions. Increasing energy demand has made global concerns about the environmental pollutions of fossil power plants. In this article, fossil power plant productive pollutants such as Sulfur Dioxide, Mercury, and Carbon Dioxide, are investigated. On the other hand, nuclear power plant and its produced waste are discussed as the future power generation source. In this article, fossil and nuclear power plants are compared as power sources, pollutants, and their environmental effects. First, investigations are made on fossil power plants and their effects on environment and climate changes. On the other hand, nuclear power plants are discussed as a possible replacement for fossil power plants. In this part, effects of radiation on human health and environment like important nuclear accidents are investigated. This paper summarizes several types of power plants and it is deduced that the nuclear power plant is more clean energy producer in comparison to other power plants.

Latest Neogene Paleoclimate Variation in Yunnan,Southwest China,Revealed by Fossil Leaf Physiognomy

Yunnan Province,located in the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau,can provide important information on how climate change was influenced by global cooling.However,its variation patterns in temperature and precipitation during the latest Neogene are not well-understood.Based on the 357 specimens assigned to 31 morphotypes of plant fossils from the upper Pliocene Ciying Formation in Yiliang County,Yunnan Province,Southwest China,paleoclimate was estimated by Leaf Margin Analysis and Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program.Compared to the present climate,the mean annual temperature and coldest month temperature have not changed significantly since the late Pliocene,whereas the warmest month temperature has decreased significantly.All precipitation-related parameters have decreased,particularly winter precipitation.Combined with the climatic data of the same period in other areas of Yunnan,the western and eastern Yunnan has shown a similar pattern in temperature variation since the late Pliocene except for central Yunnan;whereas the variation in precipitation does not follow a common law except for a consistent decrease in winter precipitation.Our study reinforced the fact that under the background of global cooling and intensified monsoon systems,different areas of Yunnan exhibit different climatic responses to these changes because of their topographic heterogeneities.

Evidence for marine transgression between 7500–5400BC at the Luotuodun Site in Yixing,Jiangsu Province

Based on archaeological excavations, 217 samples were collected from the Luotuodun Site. Of them 63 samples from the section plane of the site layer were used for identification analysis of foraminifera, plant debris and seed fossils, and four samples were used for 14C dating and relevant analysis. Through many kinds of experiments, we have drawn some conclusions. Firstly, benthic foraminifera, such as Ammonia compressiuscula and Ammonia cff. sobrina, are found in the lOth layer, indicating that between 7500 and 5400 BC, i.e. before the emergence of the Majiabang Culture, Luotuodun Site and its nearby regions had ever experienced a marine transgression event. Secondly, we have found 450 plant fossils in this site, such as Polygonum sp., Scripus sp., Najas sp., Physalis sp., which indicated lacustrine or swamp environment.

Botanical Study on Early Cretaceous Coal-Bearing Strata in Northeast China and Inner Mongolia, China

Study on the fossil plants and the palynological assemblage is the basic botanical research on the coal bearing strata. The practice indicate that comprehensive data from the study on the fusinized wood fossil, the phyterals and the analysis of dispersed cuticles will effectively improve the level of the study on the coal bearing strata as a whole.

Lipovtsy flora of Razdolnaya( Suifun) River Basin,Primorye region,Russia

The Lipovtsy flora originates mostly from the synonymous Formation exposed at the coal quarries in the Razdolnaya( Suifun) River Basin in Heilongjiang Province( China) and Primorye Region( Russia). The thorough study of this flora has revealed its high diversity and abundance. One of the most prominent groups in the Lipovtsy flora is the ferns. Next in diversity are conifers( Miroviaceae,Taxodiaceae,Podozamitaceae,Taxaceae,Cephalotaxaceae). It was revealed the remarkable quantity of bennettitalean remains( 24 taxa). The main peculiarity of this flora is the appearance of first angiosperms( pollen,dispersed cuticle,leaves). The fine preservation of the cuticles from the coals allows us to research the taxonomical composition of peat-forming plants and clear main components of the swamp plant communities. These plants supplied the material for the accumulation of resinite coals on the territory of Razdolnaya River Basin were conifers Miroviaceae,taxodialeans,bennettites,as well as gleicheniaceous and cyatheaceous ferns.

Vegetation changes across the Eocene-Oligocene transition:Global signals vs.regional development

The Eocene-Oligocene transition(EOT)marked a rapid global cooling event,often considered as the beginning of the modern icehouse world.Influenced by various factors,including tectonic activity and paleogeographic settings,the terrestrial records indicate a diverse response of fauna and vegetation to this global event.We examined nine macrofossil assemblages from seven fossil localities on the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and from the mid-latitudinal Europe ranging from the latest Bartonian and Priabonian(37.71-33.9 Ma)to the Rupelian(33.9-27.82 Ma).Our aims were to trace and compare the vegetation history of both regions in the late Eocene and early Oligocene.The results show that both regions experienced changes in vegetation composition in response to climate change,characterized by a decrease in the percentages of broad-leaved evergreen elements and distinctive changes in general vegetation types.A general change in the overall vegetation type from subtropical broad-leaved evergreen forests in the late Eocene to temperate broad-leaved mixed deciduous evergreen forests,or mixed mesophytic forests,in the early Oligocene is recognized in both regions.The results indicate a clear change in leaf architecture,leaf margin states,and secondary venation types in the mid-latitudinal Europe,while the results from the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau show a distinct reduction in leaf size.Our data suggest that both global and regional factors played key roles in shaping the vegetation in the two regions.

Pliocene flora and paleoenvironment of Zanda Basin, Tibet, China

This paper describes a plant megafossil assemblage from the Pliocene strata of Xiangzi, Zanda Basin in the western Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Twenty-one species belonging to 12 genera and 10 families were identified. Studies show that the Pliocene vegetation in Zanda Basin was mostly deciduous shrub composed of Cotoneaster, Spiraea, Caragana, Hippophae,Rhododendron, Potentilla fruticosa, etc. Leaf sizes of these taxa were generally small. Paleoclimate reconstruction using Coexistence Analysis and CLAMP showed that this area had higher temperature and precipitation in the Pliocene than today, and distinct seasonal precipitation variability was established. The reconstructed paleoelevation of Zanda Basin in the Pliocene was similar to modern times. In the context of central Asian aridification, the gradual drought in the area beginning in the late Cenozoic caused vegetation to transition from shrub to desert, and the flora composition also changed.

A New Approach to Reconstruct Paleogene Atmospheric Hydrology at High Latitudes

Reconstruction of ancient atmospheric conditions through the analysis of precipitation patterns is a novel endeavor in the study of paleoclimate. A new approach is now available for a quantitative reconstruction of Paleogene atmospheric hydrological conditions in High Arctic. It is based on 1） the discovery of exceptionally-preserved Paleogene plant fossils from the Canadian Arctic which yielded in situ labile biomolecules 2） the development of compound-specific hydrogen isotope analysis which can be applied to small amount of plant material and 3） taxon-specific apparent hydrogen isotope fractionation factors obtained from empirical measurement. A new moisture recycling model is established to explain the reconstructed paleohydrologic pattern in the High Arctic during Paleogene.

The Paleogene to Neogene climate evolution and driving factors on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

The growth of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP)during the Cenozoic drove dramatic climate and environmental change in this region.However,there has been limited comprehensive research into evolution of climate during this interval.Here we present a quantitative reconstruction using Bioclimatic Analysis(BA)and Joint Probability Density Functions(JPDFs)based on data available for 48 fossil floras,including macrofossils and palynological fossils collected in the QTP area from the Paleogene to Neogene(66–2.58 Ma).Both methods indicate that there was an overall decline in temperature and precipitation.Paleoclimatic simulations using Hadley Centre Coupled Model version3(HadCM3)show that the most prominent climate change was very likely driven by QTP orographic evolution from the late Eocene,which was accompanied by a shift in temperature from a latitudinal distribution to a topographically controlled pattern.In addition,with the growth of the QTP,temperature and precipitation decreased gradually in the northeastern part of the plateau.Different sources of evidence,including plant fossil records,climate simulations and other proxies,indicate that the topographic evolution of the QTP and other geological events,in conjunction with global cooling,may have been the main factors driving climate change in this region.This research can provide insights into Cenozoic environmental change and ecosystem evolution.