Late Tremadoc and Early Floian Graptolites from Central Hunan,China

Fourteen graptolite species of the Late Tremadoc and Early Floian are described from the Nanba section in the Yiyang area,Hunan Province.Among them,Paradelograptus onubensis, Kiaerograptus bulmani,K.kutchini and Paratemnograptus isolatus of the Late Tremadoc are first found in China.Based on the current graptolite materials,the correspondingly complete graptolite zones of Upper Tremadocian in China are recognized as follows（in ascending order）：the Adelograptus tenellus Zone,the Aorograptus victoriae Zone,the Araneograptus murrayi Zone and the Hunnegraptus copiosus Zone.In the Nanba section,the Hunnegraptus copiosus Zone is overlain directly by the Tetragraptus approximatus Zone,there is no hiatus below the base of Floian.

Diversity and paleobiogeographic distribution patterns of Early and Middle Ordovician graptolites in distinct depositional environments of South China

An analysis of Ordovician graptolite diversity across several distinct lithofacies belts in South China,which represent nearshore,inner-shelf,outer-shelf,slope,and basin environments,indicates that diversity increases progressively from nearshore toward the outer-shelf,acquiring its maximum in the slope facies and thereafter decreases slightly in basinal facies.When scaled against graptolite zones and more equal duration 'Time Units',the graptolite diversity patterns of the Early and Middle Ordovician are broadly similar among the distinct environments of South China but exhibit some important differences.A synthesized graptolite diversity curve from the Early Ordovician to the Sandbian Stage of the Late Ordovician in South China displays a step-wise increase with three peaks:1) middle Floian(Early Ordovician),2) late Dapingian-early Darriwilian(Middle Ordovician),and 3) latest Darriwilian(Middle Ordovician),which closely coincide with transgressive events in South China,implying a likely correlation.The biogeographic distribution of four graptolites with different ecological preferences,Pseudisograptus,Isograptus-Parisograptus,Undulograptus austrodentatus,and Corymbograptus turgidus,displays a significant parallelism with the coast or shelf margin,suggesting that their distributions may be controlled by water depth,basin morphology,and the distance from the coast.

Sedimentary environment and organic matter accumulation of Wufeng-Longmaxi shales,southwest Yangtze Plate,China:Insights from geochemical and petrological evidence

Upper Ordovician-Lower Silurian Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation is the most developed strata of shale gas in southern China.Due to the complex sedimentary environment adjacent to the Kangdian Uplift,the favorable area for organic-rich shale development is still undetermined.The authors,therefore,focus on the mechanism of accumulation of organic matter and the characterization of the sedimentary environment of the Wufeng-Longmaxi Shales to have a more complete understanding and new discovering of organic matter enrichment and favorable area in the marginal region around Sichuan Basin.Multiple methods were applied in this study,including thin section identification,scanning electron microscopy(SEM)observations and X-ray diffraction(XRD),and elemental analysis on outcrop samples.Five lithofacies have been defined according to the mineralogical and petrological analyses,including mudstone,bioclastic limestone,silty shale,dolomitic shale,and carbonaceous siliceous shale.The paleo-environments have been reconstructed and the organic enrichment mechanism has been identified as a reduced environment and high productivity.The Wufeng period is generally a suboxic environment and the early Longmaxi period is a reducing environment based on geochemical characterization.High dolomite content in the study area is accompanied by high TOC,which may potentially indicate the restricted anoxic environment formed by biological flourishing in shallower water.And for the area close to the Kangdian Uplift,the shale gas generation capability is comparatively favorable.The geochemical parameters implied that new favorable areas for shale gas exploration could be targeted,and more shale gas resources in the mountain-basin transitional zone might be identified in the future.

Diversity history of Ordovician graptolites and its relationship with environmental change

Statistical analysis based on global data indicated that the planktonic graptolites presented a distinguished pattern from that of benthic communities during the great Ordovician biodiversification. The graptolites started to diversify from the beginning

The Late Tremadocian(Ordovician)Graptolite Kiaerograptus from Central Hunan,China:Taxonomy and Biostratigraphy

Well-preserved graptolites of the genus Kiaerograptus are first reported from the upper Tremadocian Yinchupu Formation in the Nanba section,Yiyang,Hunan Province,South China,including four species,i.e.,Kiaerograptus lauzonensis(Erdtmann,1966),Kiaerograptus stoermeri(Erdtmann,1965),Kiaerograptus cf.supremus?Lindholm,1991,and Kiaerograptus sp.,which are robust in form.Based on these new specimens,the Kiaerograptus biozone is established for the first time in South China,increasing the late Tremadoc graptolite biozones in South China from four to five,in ascending order as follows:the Adelograptus tenellus biozone,the Aorograptus victoriae biozone,the Kiaerograptus biozone,the Sagenograptus murrayi biozone,and the Hunnegraptus copiosus biozone.A review of the occurrence records for robust Kiaerograptus species worldwide reveals that the distribution is restricted to the Aorograptus victoriae biozone and Kiaerograptus biozone in the late Tremadocian.This limited stratigraphical distribution makes Kiaerograptus a valuable taxon for precise biostratigraphical correlation at both the regional and global scales.

关于双列有轴笔石的起源及其演化

一、引言早在1938年,布尔曼(Bulman)就论述了双笔石类的起源,至今已有55年的历史。在这半个多世纪里,先后又有不少笔石学者论述这一问题,提出各自的见解。但直到目前为止,尚没有获得令人满意的结果。本文根据有关笔石的笔石体始端发育型式,结合它们在地层上出现的顺序,论述了双笔石类可能的起源及其演化系列。本文是为庆贺敬爱的老师唐仲璋教授从事教育、科研工作六十周年而撰写的,谨以此表达对老师的培育之恩的感谢和崇高敬意。

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.

Graptolite-Derived Organic Matter and Pore Characteristics in the Wufeng-Longmaxi Black Shale of the Sichuan Basin and its Periphery

A key target of shale gas exploration and production in China is the organic-rich black shale of the Wufeng Formation-Longmaxi Formation in the Sichuan Basin and its periphery.The set of black shale contains abundant graptolites,which are mainly preserved as flattened rhabdosomes with carbonized periderms,is an important organic component of the shale.However,few previous studies had focused on the organic matter(OM)which is derived from graptolite and its pore structure.In particular,the contributions of graptolites to gas generation,storage,and flow have not yet been examined.In this study,focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope(FIB-SEM)was used to investigate the characteristics of the graptolite-derived OM and the micro-nanopores of graptolite periderms.The results suggested that the proportion of OM in the graptolite was between 19.7%and 30.2%,and between 8.9%and 14.4%in the surrounding rock.The total organic carbon(TOC)content of the graptolite was found to be higher than that of the surrounding rock,which indicated that the graptolite played a significant role in the dispersed organic matter.Four types of pores were developed in the graptolite periderm,including organic gas pores,pyrite moulage pores,authigenic quartz moldic pores,and microfractures.These well-developed micro-nano pores and fractures had formed an interconnected system within the graptolites which provided storage spaces for shale gas.The stacked layers and large accumulation of graptolites resulted in lamellation fractures openning easily,and provided effective pathways for the gas flow.A few nanoscale gas pores were observed in the graptolite-derived OM,with surface porosity lie in 1.5%–2.4%,and pore diameters of 5–20 nm.The sapropel detritus was determined to be rich in nanometer-sized pores with surface porosity of 3.1%–6.2%,and pore diameters of 20–80 nm.Due to the small amount of hydrocarbon generation of the graptolite,supporting the overlying pressure was difficult,which caused the pores to become compacted or collapsed.

Graptolite, Chitinozoan and Scolecodont Reflectances and Their Use as Indicators of Thermal Maturity

Based on studies of the reflectance of Ordovician and Silurian zooclasts from 11 sections around the Huangling Anticline, Hubei, China, combined with determination of the conodont colour alteration indices (CAI) and of infrared spectroscopy of dispersed organic matter from the same or adjacent horizons, it is further proved that reflectances of graptolites, chitinozoans and scolecldonts, like vitrinite and natural bitumen, increase with increasing maturation, but follow different reflectance paths. They may be used, therefore, as thermal maturation indicators. Graptolites display optically strong anisotropy. The maximum reflectance measured from graptolite on polished section cut parallel to the bedding plane is the most suitable for determination of maturation of their host rocks. In polished section chitinozoan and scolecodont show reflectance, but no bireflectance owing to their isotropy. The random reflectance of chitinozoans is higher than that of scolecodonts in the case of the same maturity. By analysing the distribution trends of graptolite, chitionzoan and scolecodont reflectances, the Ordovician and Silurian strata can be subdivided into three areas of maturation in the present region. The potential of oil or gas generation is discussed for each area. The result is basically coincident with the distribution pattern of regional organic maturation presented by CAI and infrared spectroscopic determination of organic matter.

Taxonomy,Zonation and Correlation of the Graptolite Fauna across the Lower/Middle Ordovician Boundary Interval in the Yangtze Gorges Area,South China

The graptolite fauna across the Lower and Middle Ordovician boundary at the Huanghuachang GSSP section, Yichang and the Jianyangping section, Xingshan County is described. The taxonomy of the pendent didymograptids, the graptolite zonations across the base of Middle Ordovician and their correlations are discussed in this paper. The two revised graptolite zones, the Didymograptellus bifidus Zone and the Azygograptus suecicus Zone, can be well correlated to their equivalents elsewhere in the world.

Biostratigraphy and reservoir characteristics of the Ordovician Wufeng Formation-Silurian Longmaxi Formation shale in the Sichuan Basin and its surrounding areas,China

Through graptolite identification in profiles,graptolite zone division,contour map compilation,and analysis of mineral composition,TOC content,lamina distribution features of shale samples,the biostratigraphic and reservoir characteristics of Ordovician Wufeng Formation-Silurian Longmaxi Formation in the Sichuan Basin and its peripheral are sorted out.There are 4 graptolite zones(WF1 to WF4)in Wufeng Formation and 9(LM1 to LM9)in Longmaxi Formation,and the different graptolite zones can be calibrated by lithology and electrical property.The shale layers of these graptolite zones have two depocenters in the southwest and northeast,and differ in mineral composition,TOC,and lamina types.Among them,the graptolite zones of lower WF2 and WF4 are organic matter-poor massive hybrid shale,the upper part of WF1-WF2 and WF3 have horizontal bedding hybrid shale with organic matter,the LM1-LM4 mainly consist of organic-rich siliceous shale with horizontal bedding,and the LM5-LM9 graptolite zones consist of organic-lean hybrid shale with horizontal bedding.The mineral composition,TOC and lamina types of shale depend on the paleo-climate,paleo-water oxidation-reduction conditions,and paleo-sedimentation rate during its deposition.Deposited in oxygen-rich warm water,the lower parts of WF1 and WF2 graptolite zones have massive bedding,low TOC and silicon content.Deposited in cooler and oxygen-rich water,the WF4 has massive bedding,high calcium content and low TOC.Deposited in anoxic water with low rate,the upper part of WF2,WF3,and LM1-LM4 are composed of organic rich siliceous shale with horizontal bedding and high proportion of silt laminae.Deposited in oxygen rich water at a high rate,the graptolite zones LM5-LM9 have low contents of organic matter and siliceous content and high proportions of silt lamina.

Stratigraphic framework of theWufeng-Longmaxi shale in and around the Sichuan Basin,China:Implications for targeting shale gas

Stratigraphic division and correlation are crucial for the identification of sweet spots and drilling design of shale gas.In this study,a stratigraphic division and correlation was carried out for the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formations in southern China from the prospective of lithostratigraphy,sea level changes,and biostratigraphy using data from seismic investigation,wells,and outcrops.The Wufeng and Longmaxi Formations were respectively divided into four members,Wu 1 and Wu2 for the former and Long 1 and Long 2 for the latter.Of the members,Long 1 was subdivided and its first subdivision(Long 11)was further divided into 4 layers(Long 1^(1)_(1),Long 1^(2)_(1),Long 1^(3)_(1),and Long 1^(4)_(1)).Three eustatic cycles were recognized in the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formations.Cycle I corresponds to the Wufeng Formation with the maximum flooding surface at the top ofWu 1.Cycle II corresponds to Long 1,with the maximum flooding surface at the top of Long 1^(3)_(1).CycleⅢⅢcorresponds to Long 2.Furthermore,4 graptolite biozones(WF1 to WF4)were identified in the Wufeng Formation and 9 graptolite biozones(LM1 to LM9)in the Longmaxi Formation.WF1-2 and WF3-4 correspond to Wu 1 and Wu 2,respectively;and LM1,LM2-4,LM5,LM6,and LM7-9 correspond to Long 1^(1)_(1),Long 1^(2)_(1),Long 1^(3)_(1),Long 1^(4)_(1),and Long 12 and Long 2,respectively.Highquality shales mainly occur in the Wufeng Formation and Long 11.The major intervals that should be investigated with regards to shale gas production include LM1eLM5(10m thick)in the Weiyuan Block and WF1eLM5(20e35m thick)in the Changning Block.Long 1^(1)_(1)is believed to be an optimal target for drilling due to its high TOC content,siliceous content,porosity,microfracture density,and horizontal/vertical permeability ratio.

The Most Complete Sequence of Telychian Graptolite Zones in the World

This paper divides the Telychian into 7 graptolite zones, 12 subzones and 4 chitinoans in the Ziyang region, China. The zones and subzones of England are almost totally suitable for the case of Ziyang in China, though they are 10000 km apart. All the above-mentioned biozones are found only in a unitary continuous section in Ziyang. It has been proved that the Ziyang section is the one with the most complete sequence of Telychian graptolite biozones in the world.

On the Morphological Complexity of the Graptolite Tubaria in the Darriwilian(Middle Ordovician)

1 Introduction As one of the major zooplanktonic organisms in the Ordovician and Silurian marine ecosystems,graptolites played a unique role in the GOBE(Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event)and underwent a considerable variation of diversities both in lifestyle and in speciation through the Ordovician(Sadler et al.,2011;Cooper et al.,2014).

Basic characteristics of key interfaces in Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation – Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin and its periphery,SW China

Based on anatomy of key areas and data points and analysis of typical features of shell layer in Guanyinqiao Member, basic characteristics of key interfaces, mainly bentonite layers, in the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation-Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in the Sichuan Basin and its surrounding areas and the relationship between these key interfaces with the deposition of organic-rich shale have been examined systematically. The Wufeng Formation-Longmaxi Formation has four types of marker beds with interface attributes, namely, the characteristic graptolite belt, Guanyinqiao Member shell layer, section with dense bentonite layers, and concretion section, which can be taken as key interfaces for stratigraphic division and correlation of the graptolite shale. The shell layer in Guanyinqiao Member is the most standard key interface in Wufeng Formation-Longmaxi Formation, and can also be regarded as an important indicator for judging the depositional scale of organic-rich shale in key areas. There are 8 dense bentonite sections of two types mainly occurring in 7 graptolite belts in these formations. They have similar interface characteristics with the shell layer in Guanyinqiao Member in thickness and natural gamma response, and belong to tectonic interfaces(i.e., event deposits). They have three kinds of distribution scales: whole region, large part of the region, and local part, and can be the third, fourth and fifth order sequence interfaces, and have a differential control effect on organic-rich shale deposits. The horizon the characteristic graptolite belt occurs first is the isochronous interface, which is not directly related to the deposition of organic-rich shale. Concretions only appear in local areas, and show poor stability in vertical and horizontal directions, and have no obvious relationship with the deposition of the organic-rich shale.

Coupling of the recovery of earliest Silurian sponges and ocean redox conditions:Evidence from South China

Many aspects of the Late Ordovician Mass Extinction(LOME)aftermath and recovery have been puzzling due to heterogeneities in tempo and triggering mechanisms.Benthic fossil groups,which are the most severely affected by oxidative stress,offer the best opportunities for understanding both biological and ecological recovery after the LOME.In recent studies,deep-water sponge assemblages(which may have had high physiological tolerance to oxygen deviations)have been reported widely across South China in the immediate aftermath of the extinction interval.In order to further explore the lateral and temporal distributions of sponges,and ecological effects of benthic recovery during this critical interval,this study presents new Llandovery sponge assemblages recovered from two sections in Hunan Province,South China,accompanied by geochemical analyses.The sponge communities are preserved by pyritic spicule replacements and shows a relatively deep-water affinity(estimated around 60-150 m in depth)comparable to several previously reported assemblages in South China,and consistent with the observed graptolite ecology.Geochemical analysis of total organic carbon(TOC)and major and trace element composition in both sections show similar trends,indicating a shift in redox state of the bottom-water from persistent anoxia or intermittent euxinia in the earliest Rhuddanian,becoming oxygenated in the early Aeronian.Based on the present study and previous biological and geochemical data from South China,the distribution of early Silurian sponge assemblages in South China demonstrates a gradual expansion towards deeper regions when ocean redox conditions ameliorated.This study confirms the continuity of the end-Ordovician sponge faunas and taxa,both laterally across South China,and temporally through the early Silurian.The pioneering colonization of sponges in low-oxygen environments after the LOME may have set the stage for the subsequent recovery of other benthic organisms.

Succession and global correlation of Late Tremadoc graptolite zones from South China

The Tremadocian is the first stage of the Ordovician System and is subdivided into two parts in general. The Upper Tremadocian, spanning a temporal interval of ca. 8 Ma, yields graptolite faunas crucial for biostratigraphic division and correlation in high resolution. Relatively complete successions of Upper Tremadoc graptolite zones have been proposed in Scandinavia, and North and South America. In South China, the coeval graptolite strata are widespread in deep water facies, but the successions of grapto- lite zones recognized so far are quite incomplete and thus very difficult to be correlated with those in other countries. In recent years, we have sampled bed by bed the Nanba section in the Yiyang area, Hunan Province and, below the Tetragraptus approximatus Zone, identified four Upper Tremadoc graptolite zones in descending order: the Hunnegraptus copiosus Zone, the Araneograptus murrayi Zone, the Aorograptus victoriae Zone and the Adelograptus tenellus Zone. To date, the Nanba section is the only section in China that presents a relatively complete and globally comparable succession of Upper Tremadoc graptolite zones. Therefore, this study not only confirms the existence of some Upper Tremadoc graptolite zones that were never found before in China, but also facilitates a highly resolved division and correlation for the Upper Tremadoc graptolite strata in China.

Latest progress in graptolitic phylogeny studies——Cladistic analysis of Ashgillian Dicellograptus

The graptolites studied here were collected from the Ashgillian Wufeng Formation in Wuning County, Jiangxi Province, which included 9 species of Dicellograptus, 2 species of Tangyagraptus and 1 species of Dicranograptus . The polarity and states of 8 selected characters are analyzed based on the morphological features and stratigraphic sequences of the 12 species and a parsimonious cladogram is reconstructed by using the monothetic method proposed by Camin and Sokal. A phyloneny tree of evolutionary significance formed by adding a time_axis to the cladogram indicates that the Ashgillian Dicellograptus in the investigated area includes two independent evolutionary lineages starting to diverge as early as in the Caradocian and, within the main lineage composed of the dicellograptids with square or subsquare basal portion, two clades represented respectively by Dicellograptus complexus and D. turgidus mark the highest stage of the Ashgillian dicellograptid evolution.

Ordovician graptolite-bearing strata in southern Jiangxi with a special reference to the Kwangsian Orogeny

The Ordovician graptolite sequence of the Yongxin-Chongyi area in southern Jiangxi was suggested as a standard for the correlation of Ordovician in the Zhujiang region of South China. Based on a restudy of the Upper Ordovician graptolites, the Shikou and Huamianlong formations are recognized herein as a part of the Hanjiang Formation, corresponding only to the Dipla-canthograptus caudatus-Diplacanthograptus spiniferus Zone. Two graptolite zones in the Longxi Formation of Yongxin and Chongyi, the Nemagraptus gracilis Zone and Climacograptus bicornis Zone, are redefined here. A rapid replacement of facies from the typical deep-water graptolitic black shale of Longxi Formation to the rapidly-accumulated, shallow-water clastic deposits of Hanjiang Formation indicates the tectonic initiation of the Kwangsian Orogeny. The thick clastic deposits of the Han-jiang Formation are proposed to come from a nearby source area that rose during the Kwangsian Orogeny. The D. caudatus-D. spiniferus graptolite Zone of the Hanjiang Formation indicates the initiation time of this tectonic event.

Stage-progressive distribution pattern of the Lungmachi black graptolitic shales from Guizhou to Chongqing, Central China

The Lungmachi Formation is widely distributed in Guizhou, Chongqing and the adjacent area. It is important for the study of Silurian biostratigraphy and shale-gas investigation. Based on those biostratigraphically well-studied sections from Guiyang to Huayingshan, we reveal the stage-progressive distribution pattern of the Lungmachi black shales. The distribution of the Lungmachi black shales in the studying area can be subdivided into four geographic belts from the south to the north,reflecting the joint effect of regional and global environmental changes. The graptolite depth zonation model was adopted herein to infer the water depth of major graptolite assemblages from the black shales. The changes in the water depth indicate two major stages. The first stage is named the transgressive distribution stage which ranged from the Persculptograptus persculptus Biozone(LM1, upper Hirnantian) to the Coronograptus cyphus Biozone(LM5, upper Rhuddanian), an interval mostly controlled by global sea-level rise. The second stage, ranging from the Demirastrites triangulatus Biozone(LM6, lower Aeronian) to the Spirograptus guerichi Biozone(LM9, lower Telychian), is named the regressive shrinking stage, during which the black shales were gradually replaced by mixed-facies or carbonate sediments from the south to the north, representing the effects of the persistent uplifting of the Central Guizhou Oldland.