Early Devonian Ultrapotassic Magmatism in the North China Craton: Geochemical and Isotopic Evidence for Subcontinental Lithospheric Mantle Metasomatism by Subducted Sediment–Derived Fluid

The North China Craton(NCC) represents one of the oldest and largest cratons in the earth with a nearly complete record of Precambrian history. In the northern part of the NCC, the earliest phase of alkaline magmatism occurred in discrete pulses in the Early and Middle Devonian;whereas the next episode of alkaline magmatism took place in the early Mesozoic. The Gucheng pluton is exposed in the northern part of the NCC and forms a composite intrusion, consisting of K-feldspar–bearing clinopyroxenite, clinopyroxene–bearing syenite and alkali-feldspar syenite. Mineral phases in these lithologies include clinopyroxene(Wo43-48En19-35Fs18-38), sanidine(An0 Ab3-11Or89-97), and subordinate titanite, andradite and Na-feldspar. These rocks show homogeneous Sr but variable Nd isotopic compositions, and have relatively high zircon in-situ oxygen isotopes(δ18O=5.2–6.7). The Gucheng plutonic rocks formed through fractional crystallization and accumulation from ultrapotassic magmas, which were originated from partial melting of metasomatic vein systems in the subcontinental lithospheric mantle of the NCC. These vein networks developed as a result of the reactions of fluids derived from subducted pelitic sediments on the downgoing Palaeo-Asian ocean floor with the enriched, subcontinental lithospheric mantle peridotites. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating has revealed a crystallization age of 415 Ma for the timing of the emplacement of the Gucheng pluton that marks the early stages of alkaline magmatism associated with the Andean-type continental margin evolution along the northern edge of the NCC facing the Palaeo-Asian Ocean.

Discovery of the Early Devonian Sinistral Shear in the Jiangshan-Shaoxing Fault Zone and its Tectonic Significance

The Jiangshan-Shaoxing fault zone （JSFZ） was formed by the amalgamation of the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks in the Neoproterozoic.Since the Paleozoic,the JSFZ has experienced three episodes of tectonic activities：the Early Paleozoic ductile strike-slip shear,Early Mesozoic thrust,and the Late Mesozoic extension.

Geochemistry and Zircon U-Pb and Hf Isotopes of Early Devonian Hardawu Granites in the Eastern Segment of the Ultrahigh-Pressure Metamorphic Belt, Northern Qaidam Basin

The Hardawu granites in the eastern segment of the ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic belt,the northern Qaidam Basin,were studied by whole-rock major and trace elements and in-situ zircon U-Pb geochronology and Hf isotopes to discuss the petrogenesis and tectonic evolution.Geochronological results show that the granites have a crystallization age of 401±3 Ma,suggesting that they were formed in the Early Devonian.The granites have SiO2 contents of 75.32 wt.%-76.05 wt.%,total alkali contents of 8.23 wt.%-8.36 wt.%,and K2O/Na2O ratios of 1.62-1.91.They were rich in K2O,poor in TiO2,MnO,MgO,and P2O5,and have A/CNK values of 1.05-1.07,Rittmann indexδvalues of 2.05-2.14,and differentiation index(DI)values of 92.85-94.18.They are high potassium calc-alkaline,weakperaluminum,and highly differentiated I-type granites.The granites also show enrichment of large ion lithophile elements(LILE)such as Rb,Ba,and Th,and depletion of high field strength elements(HFSE)such as Nb,Ta,and Ti.The total REE concentrations range from 169 ppm to 232 ppm,with enrichments of light rare earth elements and negative Eu anomalies(δEu=0.39-0.55).The zirconεHf(t)values range from-0.65 to-2.29,and the two-stage model ages(tDM2)changed within a small range of 1.44 to 1.54 Ga,indicating that the magma of the Hardawu granites was originated from the partial melting of Mesoproterozoic lower crustal materials.Combined with previous studies,we suggest that the Hardawu granites were formed in the extensional tectonic setting after the collision between the Qaidam Block and the central and southern Qilian Block in the Early Devonian.

Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications of the Late Silurian–Early Devonian Bimodal Intrusive Rocks in the Central Beishan Orogenic Belt,NW China:Constraints by Petrology,Geochemistry and Hf Isotope

A large number of Late Silurian–Early Devonian intrusive rocks are distributed in the central Beishan orogenic belt(BOB).Tectonic setting of these intrusive rocks is of great significance to the study of the subduction and accretion of the Paleo-Asian Ocean.Previous studies show that most of the intrusive rocks in this region are S-type or A-type granitoids.In this study,we firstly reported the Late Silurian–Early Devoniandia bases,granodiorites on the southside of the Baiyunshan ophiolitic mélanges belt,as a part of Hongliuhe-Xichangjing ophiolitic mélanges belt(HXOMB).Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating yields emplacement ages between 418 and 397 Ma,REE distribution patterns exhibit enriched LREE and flat HREE in the diabases,the discriminant diagrams show that the diabases have geochemical characteristics of intraplate basalt.The granodiorites in this paper present more like S-and A-type granitoids reported,showing the geochemical characteristics of syn/post-collision granites.Actually,the bimodal magmatic rocks are developed during Late Silurian–Early Devonian on both sides of the HXOMB,which are related to the tectonic background of the post orogeny extension.The diabases are tholeiitic with relative strong depletedεHf(t)(+8.1 to+13.0),which are mainly from relative depleted mantle.The granodiorites are calc-alkaline with relative slightly depletedεHf(t)(+0.7 to+5.6)and the lower Mg#and MgO contents(34.6–36.9,0.50 wt.%–1.19 wt.%respectively),reflecting the source characteristics of meta-basalt.Therefore,the remelting of juvenile crust may be the main way of continental crust accretion during Late Silurian–Early Devonian in the central BOB.

Some new plant finds from the Posongchong Formation of Yunnan, and consideration of a phytogeographic similarity between South China and Australia during the Early Devonian

The new plants documented here, including a representative of the trimerophytesPsilophyton primitiuum sp. nov., a questionable rhyniophyte or trimerophyteHedeia sinica sp. nov., a prelycopodBragwanathia sp. and two species of zosterophyllophytes,Zosterophyllum australianum Lang and Cookson 1930 and2. sp. 1, from the Posongchong Formation of southeastern Yunnan, China, add to the known floral diversity of the Early Devonian of this region. Two sections of the Posongchong Formation, Changputang section of Wenshan district and Gegu section of Mengzi district also are introduced. After comparing the plants with those of the coeval flora of Australia and considering the data of recent paleocontinental reconstructions, the authors suggest that there is a northeastern Gondwana phytogeographic unit during the early Devonian comprising Australia, South China Block and perhaps Shan-Thai Block. The similarity of the floral component between Australia and South China is discussed. Because both Australia and South China also have dominant or endemic taxa, each might be recognized as a subunit, separately characterized byHedeia for Australia andEophyllophyton for South China.

Two Zosterophyll Plants from the Lower Devonian(Lochkovian)Xitun Formation of Northeastern Yunnan,China

Two zosterophyll plants are described from the Lower Devonian （Lochkovian） Xitun Formation of Qujing, Yunnan, China. Xitunia spinitheca gen. et sp. nov. has stalked sporangia laterally attached on the axis in a helical arrangement. Sporangia are dorsoventrally flattened and composed of two unequal valves; the adaxial valve is round in face view, while the abaxial valve is larger than the former, triangular or wedge-shaped, and radially bears long spiny appendages along the distal margin. Xitunia shows new variation of sporangial morphology within the zosterophylls. Zosterophyllum minorstachyum sp. nov. has K-shaped branchings at the basal parts and small-sized terminal spikes, which consist of round to elliptical sporangia arranged helically. This paper provides new data on the diversity of plant types during Lochkovian when rare vascular plants were reported. As for various species of Zosterophyllum in South China, their apparent evolutionary trend of features from the Late Silurian to Early Devonian （Emsian） is discussed.

A New Zosterophyll Plant,Ramoferis gen.nov.,from the Posongchong Formation of Lower Devonian (Pragian) of Southeastern Yunnan,China

A new genus and species,Ramoferis amalia gen.et sp.nov.,is described from the Early Devonian（Pragian）Posongchong Formation,Wenshan district of southeastern Yunnan,China.This plant has isodichotomous major axes,which also divide anisotomously distally to produce closely spaced lateral branches,often within fertile regions.The stalked round to reniform sporangia,borne laterally and spirally over several levels of branches,are distantly to moderately spaced or aggregated into distinct spikes.The stalks increase in width from the base to the sporangial junction resulting in a gradual transition between sporangium and stalk.Comparison with known zosterophylls shows that this plant is most similar to the genera Zosterophyllum and Wenshania,differing in the character combinations of sporangial shape,sporangium/stalk junction,stalk dimensions and orientation,and especially in both sterile and fertile branchlets being borne within the fertile zone.In addition,the observation and comparison indicate distinct variety in structure of sporangial border and suggest that the two-layered sporangium wall characterized by outer anticlinal layer and inner periclinal layer might represent potential synapomorphies,while the different dehiscence mechanism is an autapomorphy for each taxon in zosterophylls.

Two Species of Zosterophyllum from South China and Dating of the Xujiachong Formation with a Biostratigraphic Method

ZosterophyUum longa sp. nov. is reported from the Lower Devonian Pingyipu Formation, Jiangyou District, northern Sichuan of China. This new plant has vertically elongate sporangia differing from all known species of Zosterophyllum, demonstrating morphological variations in Zosterophyllophytina. New materials of Zosterophyllum yunnanicum from the Lower Devonian Xujiachong Formation, Qujing District, eastern Yunnan of China show that fertile axes of this species are anisotomous or pseudomonopodial or K-shaped in branching. Sometimes fertile lateral axes are very short and bear an axillary axis at the dividing point. Distinct thickening occurs along the whole margin of a sporangium, with sporangial lobes undeveloped. The evolution of ZosterophyUum is tentatively discussed. A biostratigraphic method of Gerrienne and Streel is introduced and applied to dating of the Lower Devonian Xujiachong Formation, which is considered as of the late Pragian-early Emsian.