Decoupled δ^(13)Ccarb and δ^(13)Corg records at Triassic–Jurassic boundary interval in eastern Tethys: Environmental implications for spatially different global response

Althoughδ^(13)C data(eitherδ^(13)Ccarb orδ^(13)Corg)ofmany Triassic–Jurassic(T-J)sections have been acquired,pairedδ^(13)Ccarb andδ^(13)Corg from continuous T-J carbonate sections,especially in eastern Tethys,have been scarcely reported.This study presents paired and decoupledδ^(13)Ccarb andδ^(13)Corg data from a continuous T-J carbonate section in Wadi Naqab.The T-J Wadi Naqab carbonate section,located in United Arab Emirates,Middle East,represents tropical and shallow marine sedimentation in eastern Tethys.At the T-J boundary interval,an initial carbon isotope excursion(CIE)is observed with different magnitude of isotope excursion and timing inδ^(13)Ccarb andδ^(13)Corg,while subsequently a positive CIE is only distinct inδ^(13)Ccarb.Based on petrological,carbon isotope,Rock-Eval and elemental analyses,theδ^(13)Ccarb is thought to record marine inorganic carbon,and theδ^(13)Corg to record terrigenous organic carbon.Therefore,the pairedδ^(13)Ccarb andδ^(13)Corg herein potentially document simultaneous changes in T-J atmospheric and marine settings of eastern Tethys.Their decoupled behavior may likely be caused by different changes or evolution of carbon pool between marine and atmospheric settings.The initial CIE present in bothδ^(13)Ccarb andδ^(13)Corg may indicate influence of isotopically light carbon release related to CAMP activity in both atmospheric and marine settings.The following positive CIE only inδ^(13)Ccarb suggests relatively steady carbon isotope composition in atmosphere,but enhanced burial of isotopically light carbon in marine settings.Furthermore,the T-J carbonates in the studied section were possibly deposited in normal and oxic shallow marine conditions.Global correlation based on the Wadi Naqab section and other T-J sections suggests spatially different T-J environmental parameters:in eastern Tethys and western Panthalassa,oxic condition,lacking organic-rich sediment,weaker ocean acidification and less influence of isotopically light carbon are more prevalent;in western Tethys and eastern Panthalassa,oxygen-depleted condition,black shales,stronger acidification and heavier influence of isotopically light carbon are more prevalent.These differences may be related to spatial distance from the CAMP or to different paleogeography.

Human activity and climate change triggered the expansion of rocky desertification in the karst areas of Southwestern China

It is conducive to the sustainable development of human beings in karst regions to research the mechanism of karst rocky desertification(KRD)expansion.Whether the large-scale KRD in southwestern China is caused by climate change or human activities is still controversial.In this study,the evolution of the KRD in southwestern China over the past 2000 years was reconstructed through the high-precisionδ^(13)C record of stalagmites from Shijiangjun(SJJ)Cave,Guizhou Province,China.Theδ^(13)C of the stalagmites from SJJ Cave exhibited heavy values from the Medieval Warm Period(MWP)to the Little Ice Age(LIA).Furthermore,theδ^(13)C records of other stalagmites and tufa from southwestern China also showed the same significant heavy trend.Because the stalagmiteδ^(13)C could record the change of ecological environment,it indicated that the consistent change of the stalagmitesδ^(13)C may record the process of KRD expansion in the karst regions of southwestern China.During the MWP,the stronger Asian summer monsoon and the northward movement of the rain belt led to a dry period in southwestern China and a wet period in northern China.In contrast,it was wet in southwestern China and dry in northern China during the LIA.In addition,after the Jing-Kang event(JK event,AD1127)occurred at the end of the Northern Song dynasty,the political and economic center of China migrated to southern China for the first time,which changed the population distribution pattern of larger population in the north and smaller population in the south.Therefore,the expansion of KRD in southwestern China was exacerbated in the MWP due to the change of climate in southwestern China,the migration of a large number of people,wars,the large-scale reclamation of arable land,and the cultivation of large areas of crops.