Thoughts of geographical indication in Shanxi province based on comparison with six provinces of Central China

Geographical indication is indication not only of origin but also of quality, and what＇s more, it is a kind of intellectual property rights. The paper analyzes the problems of geographical indication in Shanxi province by comparison with six provinces of Central China, suggesting that in order to actively expand protective space of geographical indication, two key things should be done： Firstly, the transition from resource advantages to brand advantages should be actively promoted; secondly, the governments and industry associations should play their effective roles.

The evolution of the coral reefs in the middle and north parts of the South China Sea and its relation with tectonic and eustatic movements

In this paper, the morphogenesis, stratigraphic sequences and dates of the coral reefs in the middle and north parts of the South China Sea are discussed, the position of the distributary regions of Cenozoic coral reefs in plate tectonics, the relationships of coral-reef evolutionary characteristics and dates with sea-basin spreading. Neogene sea-water transgression and Quaternary global climate-eustatic fluctuation are expounded and proved, and the latitudinal variation of the distribution of coral reefs in various geologic times are summed up.

Review on Drought Disasters in the Five Provinces of Northern China in 1920

This paper analyzed the severe drought that took place in the five provinces of Northern China in 1920.Study suggested that the severe damage caused by the drought was resulted from many reasons,such as certain specific natural conditions,deterioration of ecological environment,malformations of the rural economy and turbulence of domestic politics.However,some new phenomena took shapes during this time disaster relief activity.

Coral records of Mid-Holocene sea-level highstands and climate responses in the northern South China Sea

High-resolution sea-level data and high-precision dating of corals in the northern South China Sea(SCS)during the Holocene provide a reference and historical background for current and future sea-level changes and a basis for scientific assessment of the evolutionary trend of coral reefs in the SCS.Although sporadic studies have been performed around Hainan Island in the northern SCS,the reconstructed sea level presents different values or is controversial because the indicative meaning of the sea-level indicators were neither quantified nor uniform criteria.Here,we determined the quantitative relationship between modern living coral and sea level by measuring the top surfaces of 27 live Porites corals from the inner reef flat along the east coast of Hainan Island and assessed the accuracy of results obtained using coral as sea-level indicators.Additionally,three in situ fossil Porites corals were analyzed based on elevation measurements,digital X-ray radiography,and U-Th dating.The survey results showed that the indicative meanings for the modern live Porites corals is(146.09±8.35)cm below the mean tide level(MTL).It suggested that their upward growth limit is constrained by the sea level,and the lowest low water is the highest level of survival for the modern live Porites corals.Based on the newly defined indicative meanings,6 new sea-level index points(SLIPs)were obtained and 19 published SLIPs were recalculated.Those SLIPs indicated a relative sea level fluctuation between(227.7±9.8)cm to(154.88±9.8)cm MTL between(5393±25)cal a BP and(3390±12)cal a BP,providing evidences of the Mid-Holocene sea-level highstand in the northern SCS.Besides that,our analysis demonstrated that different sea-level histories may be produced based on different indicative meanings or criteria.The dataset of 276 coral U-Th ages indicates that coral reef development in the northern SCS comprised the initial development,boom growth,decline,and flourishing development again.A comparison with regional records indicated that synergistic effects of climatic and environmental factors were involved in the development of coral reefs in the northern SCS.Thus,the cessation of coral reef development during the Holocene in the northern SCS was probably associated with the dry and cold climate in South China,as reflected in the synchronous weakening of the ENSO and East Asian summer monsoon induced by the reduction of the 65°N summer insolation,which forced the migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone.

Spatio-temporal Evaluation of Multi-scale Cultivated Land System Resilience in Black Soil Region from 2000 to 2019:A Case Study of Liaoning Province,Northeast China

It is of great significance to systematically analyze the cultivated land system resilience(CLSR) for the black soil protection and national food security.The CLSR is impacted by planting structure adjustment and cultivated land quality decline,posing major hidden dangers to food security.It is urgent to evaluate the CLSR at multiple spatio-temporal scales.This study took Liaoning Province in the black soil region of Northeast China as an example.Based on the resilience theory,this study constructed the CLSR evaluation system from the input-feedback perspective at the provincial-scale and the city-scale,and used the rank-sum ratio comprehensive evaluation method(RSR) to analyze the key influencing factors of CLSR in Liaoning Province and its 14 cities from 2000 to 2019.The results showed that:1) the time series changes of CLSR at the provincial-scale and the city-scale in Liaoning Province were similar,both showing an increasing trend.2) The CLSR in Liaoning Province presented a spatial pattern of ‘high in the west and low in the east’ at the city-scale.3) There were seven and six main influencing factors of CLSR at the provincial-scale and the city-scale,respectively.In addition to the net income per capita of rural households,other influencing factors of CLSR were different at the provincial-scale and the city-scale.The feedback factors were dominant at the provincial-scale,and the input factors and feedback factors were dominant at the city-scale.The results could provide a reference for the utilization of black soil and draw on the experience of regional agricultural planning and adjustment.

First Record of Protorosaurid Reptile (Order Protorosauria) from the Middle Triassic of China

A new genus and species of the family Tanystropheidae, Dinocephalosaurus orientalis gen. et sp. nov., is described based on a nearly complete skull. This is the first record of the order Protorosauria from China. It also represents the only known occurrence of Tanystropheidae outside Europe, the Middle East and North America. Dinocephalosaurus is quite similar to Tanystropheus from Monte San Giorgio, Switzerland. Primarily it is distinguished from Tanystropheus in the shape of the premaxilla, maxilla, jugal and parietal. Although the family Tanystropheidae is now referred to the order Protorosauria, the new material from China indicates that the archosauromorph affinities of tanystropheids need further investigation. The discovery of Dinocephalosaurus provides new clues for the study of the evolution and radiation of Protorosauria and Tanystropheidae. It is also important for the study of the eastern Tethyan Fauna and the paleobiogeographical relationship between Europe and southern China in the Triassic.

Biodiversity and Sequence of the Middle Triassic Panxian Marine Reptile Fauna,Guizhou Province,China

The Middle Triassic Panxian fauna is a physical marker and representative record of the rapid recovery of the Triassic marine ecosystem following the Early Triassic stagnant stage after the end-Permian mass extinction. Ten marine reptile taxa have been found from the 1.82-2.10 m-thick fossiliferous level in the Upper Member of the Guanling Formation, which can be subdivided into three marine reptile beds through the analysis on the stratigraphic distributions of fossil reptiles. The Lower Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygians Placodus inexpectatus Jiang et al., 2008 and Lariosaurus hongguoensis Jiang et al., 2006, the ichthyopterygians Xinminosaurus catactes Jiang et al., 2008 and Phalarodon cf. Phalarodon fraasi Merriam, 1910, associated with Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006, representing a stage of predominance of durophagous taxa. In this bed, the large complete skeletons may reach up to 2.3 m in length, and lithofacies and chemostratigraphic analyses indicate a relatively deep carbonate platform with an oxic water environment near the bottom, as well as a rising sea level The Middle Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygian Nothosaurus yangjuanensis Jiang et al., 2006 and the archosaur Qianosuchus mixtus Li et al., 2006, associated with Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006. The fossils in this bed are characterized by its pincering dentition and large overall body size, with the largest possibly exceeding 3 m in length. This bed might represent a time of deepest basin with relatively anoxic condition near the bottom. The Upper Reptile Bed yields the sauropterygians Wumengosaurus delicatomandibularis Jiang et al., 2008, Keichousaurus sp., the protorosaur Dinocephalosaurus orientalis Li, 2003, and the ichthyopterygian Mixosaurus panxianensis Jiang et al., 2006. In this bed, reptilian taxa characterized by suction feeding appeared, and most are less than 1 m long. This bed corresponds to a period of decreasing water depth.

Conodont Biostratigraphy of the Middle Cambrian through Lowermost Ordovician in Hunan, South China

Since 1985, samples with a total weight of more than 14,000 kg, mainly from three key sections in western and northwestern Hunan, South China, have been processed for conodonts. In strata older than the late Late Cambrian paraconodonts have proved useful for stratigraphic subdivision and correlation. Thirteen conodont zones are proposed in the Middle Cambrian through lowermost Ordovician. The correlation between these zones and those of North China, western U. S.A., western Newfoundland, Canada, and Iran is discussed. In ascending order, these 13 zones are as follows: The Gapparodus bisulcatus-Westergaardodina brevidens Zone, Shandongodus priscus-Hunanognathus tricuspidatus Zone, Westergaardodina quadrata Zone, Westergaardodina matsushitai-W. grandidens Zone, Westergaardodina lui-W. am Zone, Westergaardodina cf. calix-Prooneotodus rotundatus Zone, Proconodontus tenuiserratus Zone, Proconodontus Zone, Eoconodontus Zone, Cordylodus proavus Zone, Cordylodus intermedius Zone, Cordylodus lindstromi Zone, and Cordylodus angulatus Zone (lower part). The Westergaardodina lui-W. ani and Westergaardodina cf. calix-Prooneotodus rotundatus Zones replace the Westergaardodina proligula and Westergaardodina cf. behrae-Prooneotodus rotundatus Zones, respectively, in the lowermost Upper Cambrian. Two new species (Westergaardodina Iui and Westergaardodina ani) and one conditionally identified species (Westergaardodina cf. calix) are described.

A New Darwinopterid Pterosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Western Liaoning,Northeastern China and its Ecological Implications

A new species of Darwinopterus,D.robustodens sp.nov.is described and named.Based on the new specimen,the diagnostic characters of Darwinopterus are amended and include：rostral dentition composed of well-spaced,spike-like teeth;the longest teeth are confined to the anterior half of the tooth row;tooth alveoli have raised margins;nasoantorbital fenestra confluent;inclined quadrate;elongate cervical vertebrae with low neural spine and reduced or absent ribs;long tail of more than 20 caudals partially enclosed by filiform extensions of the pre-and postzygapophyses;short metacarpus less than 60 per cent length of humerus,fifth toe with two elongate phalanges and curved second pedal phalanx of the fifth toe with the angle between the proximal and distal segments about 130 degrees.The complete specimen of the new pterosaur D.robustodens sp.nov.provides much more osteological information.The differences in tooth morphologies between Darwinopterus modularis and D.robustodens sp.nov.suggest that they filled different ecological niches.The hard integument-bearing Coleoptera may have been the main food source of Darwinopterus robustodens.

A New Perleidiform(Actinopterygii,Osteichthyes)from the Middle Anisian(Middle Triassic)of Yunnan,South China

Two complete specimens from the Pelsonian （Middle Anisian, Middle Triassic） of Luoping, Yunnan Province, South China are referred to a new actinopterygian genus, Luopingichthys gen. nov., and ascribed to the perleidiform family Polzbergidae based especially on a typical synapomorphy of a peculiar premaxillary-maxillary complex, i.e., the fusion between premaxillary and maxillary along the antero-dorsal margin of the maxillary. The new taxon differs from other deep-bodied representatives of the family, Felberia and Stoppania, in its fusiform or deep fusiform body shape; sickle-shaped preopercular with short infraorbital process; lack of modified scales at the base of the anal fin; the short-based dorsal fin; scarcely ornamented scales; and thin anterior teeth. Based on a redescription of the holotype of the taxon Ctenognathichthys hattichi from the Middle Triassic （Ladinian） Prosanto Formation, Canton Graubiinden, eastern Switzerland, the only known specimen, which shows the same fusion between premaxillary and maxillary, the systematic position of the species is clarified and the taxon is proposed to be a further representative of the family Polzbergidae, and is transferred to the new genus.

A New Basal Neoceratopsian Dinosaur from the Middle Cretaceous of Jilin Province,China

A new basal neoceratopsian dinosaur, Helioceratops brachygnathus gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Quantou Formation （late Early Cretaceous or early Late Cretaceous） in the Liufangzi locality （Jilin province, China）. Helioceratops differs from other basal neoceratopsians with its deep dentary ramus, its steeply-inclined ventral predentary facet, its heterogeneous dentary crowns, and by the denticles and secondary ridges asymmetrically distributed on either side of the primary ridge on its dentary teeth. Along with Auroraceratops and Yamaceratops, Helioceratops represents one of the most derived non-coronosaurian neoceratopsians. The palaeogeographical distribution of basal neoceratopsians appears limited to northern China and southern Mongolia in the current state of our knowledge. It is therefore probable that this region constituted the birthplace for more advanced, Late Cretaceous Coronosanria.

Intracontinental Collisional Orogeny During Late Permian-Middle Triassic in South China: Sedimentary Records of the Shiwandashan Basin

Sedimentary response to an orogenic process is important for determining whether South China had compressional or extensional orogeny during the period from the Late Permian to the Middle Triassic besides the tectonic and magmatologic evidence. An intracontinental collision event took place between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks in the Late Permian. Beginning at the Late Triassic, the tectonic movement was completely changed in nature and entered a post-collisional extensional orogenic and basin-making process. This paper presents sedimentological evidence from the Late Permian to the Middle Triassic in the Shiwandashan basin at the southwestern end of the junction zone between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks.

A New Species of Phoenicopsis Subgenus Windwardia(Florin) Samylina(Czekanowskiales) from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China

A new species of Phoenicopsis subgenus Windwardia （Florin） Samylina, Phoenicopsis neimengguensis sp.nov., is recognized from the Middle Jurassic Zhaogou Formation in the Shiguai Basin, a Jurassic coal-bearing sedimentary basin in Inner Mongolia, China. Linear leaves are in bundles of six to eight and are attached on a short shoot. The leaf is amphistomatic with one or two irregular rows of longitudinally oriented stomata in each intercostal zone on the upper epidermis and three or four （occasionally six） rows of stomata in each intercostal zone on the lower epidermis. Each stomata is surrounded by four to six subsidiary cells with unevenly developed papillae. The anticlinal walls of epidermal cells are straight. Cuticular thickenings or papillae are present on the outer surface of the periclinal walls. This is the first time that Phoenicopsis subgenus Windwardia （Florin） Samylina is recognized from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China. The occurrence of the new species is noteworthy because it extends the geological and geographic distribution of Phoenicopsis subg. Windwardia in China and Eurasia. The discovery is significant as it increases our knowledge of Phoenicopsis subg. Windwardia by providing new data on morphological and epidermal features.

Biostratigraphic and Chemostratigraphic Correlation for the Base of the Middle Ordovician between Yichang and Western Zhejiang Areas,South China

The base of the Middle Ordovician （i.e. Dapingian Stage） has been defined at the first appearance datum （FAD） of conodont Baltoniodus？ triangularis at Huanghuachang, Yichang, China,but the precise correlation of the boundary to regions of other facies remain to be resolved. Herein we review the biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy of the Huanghuachang Global Standard Stratotype-Section and Point （GSSP） section, and present our latest stratigraphic work on the nearby Chenjiahe s ection in Yichang, and the Hengtang Quarry section, Jiangshan, Zhejiang, which is regarded as representative of slope facies. The conodont and graptolite biostratigraphy as well as chemostratigraphy of the Chenjiahe section indicate that the base of the Middle Ordovician also falls within the graptolite Azygograptus suecicus Zone, and coincides with a high or maximum δ13C value within a minor positive carbon isotope excursion, suggesting that the base boundary can be readily recognized across the entire Yangtze Gorges area. The integrated graptolite and conodont biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy of the Hengtang section, Jiangshan, indicates that the basal boundary probably falls within the graptolite lsograptus caduceus imitatus Zone that overlies the Azygograptus suecicus Zone, and coincides with a remarkable drop of δ13C. This difference indicates that a multi-disciplinary approach is critical to identify the base boundary in those regions where the Baltoniodus ？ triangularis is absent.

Cuticles and Spores in Situ of Coniopteris hymenophylloides from the Middle Jurassic in Gansu, Northwestern China

Coniopteris was a ubiquitous plant of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and played an important role in the flora of the time. However, its anatomical structure is relatively poorly known. The specimens of Coniopteris hymenophylloides(Brongniart) Seward described here were collected from the Yaojie Formation in Gansu Province, northwestern China. The sterile fronds are characterized as being at least bipinnate with alternate arranged linear pinnae covered by thin cuticles. Fertile fronds are linear-lanceolate, with single sorus at the margin of each fertile pinnule. In situ spores are typically trilete, triangle to subcircular in polar view, cap-shaped in equatorial view, and 37 μm in average diameter. The trilete marking is straight and narrow, generally extends to 4/5 of the spore radius. The spore surface is smooth, and parts of the exine are granulated. The epidermal cells of cuticles are irregular in shape, approximately 40-60μm long and 10-20 μm wide. The elliptical stomatal complexes are paracytic,approximately 30 μm long and 19 μm wide,and irregularly distributed. On the basis of its epidermal structures and comparisons with extant ferns, we consider that Coniopteris displays combined features of the related extant genera.

Mineral provinces and material provenance of the surficial sediments near the Zhongsha Islands in the South China Sea

Characteristics and distribution patterns of clastic minerals （0. 063 -0. 125 mm） in bottom sediments represent a significant indi- cator for the identification of the origin of sediment. One hundred and fourteen surface sediment samples, which were collected from the area near the Zhongsha Islands in the South China Sea, were analysed to identify the mineral suites and their distributions in the study area. The area can be divided into three mineral provinces ： （Ⅰ） a province of biogenic minerals, which mainly originate from the Zhongsha Atoll ; （ Ⅱ） a province of volcanogenic minerals, which are mainly derived from local basaltic seamounts and small-scale volcanoes that are probably erupting, with some influences from the island-arc volcanic region around the South China Sea; and （ Ⅲ） a mixed mineral province whose material source includes biogenic minerals, volcanogenic minerals and terrigenous minerals; the last province can be subdivided into a mixed mineral sub-province of the northeastern part of the study area, in which terrigenous minerals are mainly derived from China＇ s Mainland and do not exceed 17°N, and a mixed mineral subprovince of the southeastern part of the study area, in which terrigenous minerals are derived from Kalimantan and Indochina Peninsula and might be further transported into the deep sea basin through submarine canyons.

New Fossils of Eoptychopteridae (Diptera) from the Middle Jurassic of Northeastern China

Three new species of the extinct genus of Eoptychopterina from the Eoptychopteridae family, Eoptychopterina antica sp. nov., Eoptychopterina adnexa sp. nov., and Eoptychopterina mediata sp. nov., are described and illustrated. These three new species are established based on fossil specimens with bodies and complete wings. All were collected from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou in eastern Inner Mongolia, China. Based on the new materials, the name of two species in Eoptychopterina from China-Eoptychopterina elenae Ren and Krzeminski and Eoptychopterina gigantea Zbang-is sysnonymum junius.

New Isophlebioid Dragonflies from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia,China(Insecta:Odonata:Isophlebioptera:Campterophiebiidae)

Three new species of fossil dragonflies assigned to Sinokaratawia Nel, Huang and Lin in family Campterophlebiidae, i.e.S, daohugouica sp. nov., S. magica sp. nov. and S. gloriosa sp. nov., and new materials of male S. prokopi Nel, Huang and Lin, 2007 are described from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. An emended diagnosis of genus Sinokaratawia was proposed.

Land Cover Changes and Drivers in the Water Source Area of the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China from 2000 to 2015

The Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project(MR-SNWDP)in China,with construction beginning in 2003,diverts water from Danjiangkou Reservoir to North China for residential,agriculture and industrial use.The water source area of the MR-SNWDP is the region that is most sensitive to and most affected by the construction of this water diversion project.In this study,we used Landsat Thematic Mapper(TM)and HJ-1 A/B images from 2000 to 2015 by an object-based approach with a hierarchical classification method for mapping land cover in the water source area.The changes in land cover were illuminated by transfer matrixes,single dynamic degree,slope zones and fractional vegetation cover(FVC).The results indicated that the area of cropland decreased by 31%and was replaced mainly by shrub over the past 15 years,whereas forest and settlements showed continuous increases of 29.2% and 77.7%,respectively.The changes in cropland were obvious in all slope zones and decreased most remarkably(–43.8%)in the slope zone above 25°.Compared to the FVC of forest and shrub,significant improvement was exhibited in the FVC of grassland,with a growth rate of 16.6%.We concluded that local policies,including economic development,water conservation and immigration resulting from the construction of the MR-SNWDP,were the main drivers of land cover changes;notably,they stimulated the substantial and rapid expansion of settlements,doubled the wetlands and drove the transformation from cropland to settlements in immigration areas.

Study of Noble Metal Elements in Lower Cambrian Black Rock Series of Guizhou-Hunan Provinces, China

Systematic analyses of noble metal elements in the Lower Cambrian black rock series of South China are reported. Correlations of w (Os)/ w (Ir), w (Au)/ w (Ir), w (Ag)/ w (Au), w (Pt+Pd)/ w (Os+Ru+Rh+Ir), relations of noble metal and platinum group element (PGE) distribution patterns reveal that the noble metals are not directly from extraterrestrial materials. Studying the data of 9 aspects, the authors conclude that the noble metals were mainly from ultramafic mafic igneous rocks and their enrichment in black rocks is mainly controlled by hydrothermal fluid.