底栖有孔虫Δδ^(13)C定量重建海洋深水氧气含量的原理及应用

海洋中的溶解氧是生物地球化学循环的重要参数。在全球变暖的背景下,海洋缺氧是当前面临的环境问题之一,定量重建海水氧气含量在预测未来气候和生态环境变化中尤为重要。以往常用的代用指标大多只能定性或半定量地重建海洋深水氧气含量,而近年来新发展的底栖有孔虫表生种Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi和内生种Globobulimina spp.的碳同位素梯度(Δδ^(13)C)被认为可以在20~235μmol/kg范围内定量重建海洋深水氧气含量。目前,底栖有孔虫Δδ^(13)C重建深水氧气含量的研究多集中于边缘海,对开阔大洋的关注不足。本文通过对比不同海洋深水氧气含量代用指标的异同,厘清底栖有孔虫Δδ^(13)C重建海洋深水氧气含量的原理及影响因素,归纳底栖有孔虫Δδ^(13)C在全球范围内的应用,这对约束地球系统模型的结果具有重要意义。

Causes for the Unimodal Pattern of Leaf Carbon Isotope Composition in Abies faxoniana Trees Growing in a Natural Forest along an Altitudinal Gradient

Leaf morphological and physiological traits of Abies faxoniana growing in a natural forest along an altitudinal gradient were measured with the aim to identify the central mechanism for the marked variation in foliar δ13C determined by an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. There is a unimodal pattern of plant functional traits in these temperate and semi- humid areas. Stomatal parameters, specific leaf area, and C/N ratio increased, whereas C, N and δ13C values decreased with increasing altitude below 3000 m a.s.1. In contrast, they exhibited opposite trends above 3000 m a.s.l.. Our results demonstrated that high-altitude plants achieve higher water use efficiency （WUE） at the expense of decreasing nitrogen use efficiency （NUE）, whereas plants at 3000 m can maintain a relatively higher NUE but a lower WUE. Such intra-specific differences in the trade-off between NUE and WUE may partially explain the altitudinal distribution of the plants in relation to moisture and nutrient availability. Our results clearly indicate that the functional relations between nutritional status and the structure of leaves are responsible for the altitudinal variations associated with δ13C. The pivotal role of specific leaf area in regulating plant adaptive responses provides a potential physiological mechanism for the observed growth advantage of populations occupying the medium altitude. These adaptive responses altitudinal gradients showed that an altitude to of approximately 3000 m a.s.1, is the optimum distribution zone for A. faxoniana, allowing the most vigorous growth and metabolism. These results improve our understanding of the various roles of environmental and biotic variables upon δ13C dynamics and provide useful information for subalpine coniferous forest management.

Organic carbon isotope gradient and ocean stratification across the late Ediacaran-Early Cambrian Yangtze Platform

Organic carbon isotope （δ-13 Corg） data from two well-preserved sections across a shallow-to-deep water transect of the late Edi- acaran-Early Cambrian Yangtze Platform in South China show significant temporal and spatial variations. In the shallow-water Jiulongwan-Jijiapo section, δ-13Corg values of the late Ediacaran Dengying Formation range from -29‰ to -24%0. In the deep-water Longbizui section, δ-13Corg values from time-equivalent strata of the Dengying Formation are mostly between -35‰ and -32‰）. These new data, in combination with δ-13Corg data reported from other sections in South China, reveal a 6‰-8‰ shallow-to-deep water δ-13Corg gradient. High δ-13Corg values （〉-30‰） occur mostly in shallow-water carbonate rocks, whereas low δ-13Corg values （〈-32‰） dominate the deep-water black shale and chert. The large temporal and spatial δ-13Corg variations imply limited buffering effect from a large dissolved organic carbon （DOC） reservoir that was inferred to have existed in Edi- acaran-Early Cambrian oceans. Instead, δ-13C-org variations between platform and basin sections are more likely caused by dif- ferential microbial biomass contribution to total organic matter. High δ-13Corg values （〉-30‰） documented from shallow-water carbonates are within the range of typical Phanerozoic δ-13Corg data and may record the isotope signature of organic matter from primary （photosynthetic） production. In contrast, low δ-13Corg values （〈-32‰） from deep-water sections may have resulted from higher chemoautotrophic or methanotrophic biomass contribution to bulk organic matter in anoxic environments. The δ-13Corg data provide indirect evidence for ocean stratification and episodic chemocline fluctuations in the Ediacaran-Early Cambrian Yangtze Platform.

The large increase of δ^(13)C_(carb)-depth gradient and the end-Permian mass extinction

Carbonate carbon isotope （δ^13Ccarb） has received considerable attention in the Permian-Triassic transition for its rapid negative shift coinciding with the great end-Permian mass extinction event. The mechanism has long been debated for such a c~ δ^13Ccarb negative excursion through the end-Permian crisis and subsequent large perturbations in the entire Early Triassic. A δ^13Ccarb depth gradient is observed at the Permian-Triassic boundary sections of different water-depths, i.e., the Yangou, Meishan, and Shangsi sections, and such a large δ^13Ccarb-depth gradient near the end-Permian mass extinction horizon is believed to result from a stratified Paleotethys Ocean with widespread anoxic/euxinic deep water. The evolution of δ^13Ccarb-depth gradient com- bined with paleontological and geochemical data suggests that abundant cyanobacteria and vigorous biological pump in the immediate aftermath of the end-Permian extinction would be the main cause of the large δ^13Ccarb-depth gradient, and the enhanced continental weathering with the mass extinction on land provides a mass amount of nutriment for the flourishing cyanobacteria. Photic zone anoxia/euxinia from the onset of chemocline upward excursion might be the direct cause for the mass extinction whereas the instability of chemocline in the stratified Early Triassic ocean would be the reason for the delayed and involuted biotic recovery.