Quantitative Analysis of Paleoatmospheric CO2 Level Based on Stomatal Characters of Fossil Ginkgo from Jurassic to Cretaceous in China

A better theoretical and practical understanding of the linkage between paleo-CO2 and climate during geological history is important to enhance the sustainable development of modern human society. Development in plant physiology since the 1980s has led to the realization that fossil plants can serve as a proxy for paleoatmosphere and paleobiosphere. As a relict gymnosperm with evolutionary stasis, Ginkgo is well suited for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. This paper analyzes fossil Ginkgo species from integrated strata in the north of China using anatomic data of plant physiology. Using stomatal parameters, a trend for the paleo-CO2 level during the Early-Middle Jurassic and the Early Cretaceous was obtained, which is consistent with the estimates by GEOCARB. The trend is also similar to that of Mean Global Surface Temperature in geological time. Compared with three other atmospheric CO2 concentration parameters, the trend of paleo-CO2 level based on the stomatal parameter of the fossil Ginkgo specimens from three contiguous strata is more exact.

Middle Jurassic-early Cretaceous radiolarian assemblages of the western Yarlung Zangbo Suture Zone: Implications for the evolution of the Neo-Tethys

Cherts in the Zhongba melange of the western Yarlung Zangbo Suture Zone(YZSZ) contain well preserved radiolarian assemblages. These radiolarian assemblages indicate that the Zhongba melange has middle Jurassic-early Cretaceous remnant, are coeval with those from the central and eastern parts of the YZSZ. Cherts from the Najiu area yield Aalenian to Aptian radiolarians, while cherts interbedded with siliceous mudstones from the Bielongjiala area yield Aptian radiolarians, indicating that terrigenousderived sediments were deposited during early Aptian. The above observations indicate that the entire YZSZ have a similar geochronological framework and thus they underwent similar geological evolution:(1) during the Jurassic, the Neo-Tethys was a wide ocean with pelagic sediments distal from continents;(2) during the Cretaceous(around 130-120 Ma), the Neo-Tethys started to subduct along the southern margin of the Lhasa block, and terrigenous-derived siliceous mudstone began deposition.

Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Erg Deposits in the Mengyin Basin, Western Shandong Province, China: Inferences about the Wind Regime and Paleogeography

The Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Santai Formation, sporadically distributed in western Shandong Province, comprises terrestrial alluvial-eolian successions, which records regional wind patterns and paleogeography in eastern North China. This paper conducts an analysis of eolian stratification, bounding surfaces, facies architecture and paleowind direction of the Santai Formation in the east of the Mengyin Basin, western Shandong Province. Three basic types of eolian stratification are recognized in the Santai Formation, including grainflow strata, wind ripple strata and adhesion strata, and have been grouped into eolian dune and interdune facies associations. The occurrences of reactivation surfaces and superimposition surfaces within eolian dune deposits indicate active compound dunes or draas. The association of adhesion strata with grainflow or windripple strata is the development of a wet eolian system. Cross-strata dip direction indicates different paleowind directions from the lower to the upper part of the Santai paleoerg. The lower part of the paleoerg was characterized by paleowinds blowing from northwest to northeast, whereas the upper part was under the influence of paleowinds consistently towards east to northeast. The identified changes in wind directions possibly suggest wind regime shifts from monsoon circulation to westlies of planetary wind system, which may be related with the collapse of the East China Plateau during the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous.

Jurassic-Cretaceous Boundary Strata of the Somanakamura Group in NE Japan and their Correlation with Coeval Terrestrial Deposits in China

Defining the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary is a controversy in stratigraphic study of the world. It has been widely accepted that this boundary can be defined at the bottom of Berriasian in Tetbys, with the appearance of the ammonite Berriasellajacobi dating to ca. 145 Ma. However, it is difficult for the widespread terrestrial deposits in China to correlate with the international standard of marine facies. The Somanakamura Group in Japan is represented by a succession of marinecontinental transitional strata. It provides a bridge of marine and nonmarine stratigraphic correlation. The ammonite and radiolarian fossils preserved in this group suggest an age from Bajocian to early Valanginian. The J-K boundary was defined in or atop the Tomizawa Formation of the group according to the ammonite data. The present authors study the fossil spores and pollen newly found from the Tomizawa and Koyamada formations. Three assemblages have been recognized. They are Assemblage 1 （Cyathidites-Classopollis） from the upper part of the Tomizawa Formation, Assemblage 2 （Cyathidites-Jiaohepollis） from the lower part of the Koyamada Formation, and Assemblage 3 （Cyathidites-Spheripollenites-Ephedripites） from the middle to upper part of the Koyamada Formation. With the reference of ammonite evidence, the J-K boundary can be defined between Assemblage 1 and Assemblage 2. This palynological J-K boundary can be correlated with that of terrestrial sequence in China. However, local biostratigraphy imply that the continental J-K boundary in China is of 135 or 137 Ma age. It has a considerable discrepancy from the marine standard. Biogeographically, the distribution pattern of spores and pollen in southern China is in accordance with that in the Somanakamura Group, which parallels the Tuchengzi Formation in northeastern China. By the palynological correlation between the Somanakamura Group and the strata in southern China, and then with the sequence in northeastern China, it is suggested that the continental J-K boundary is located in the Tuchengzi Formation.

Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous volcanism of Hong Kong: Insights from the Ping Chau Formation

The vast expanse of Mesozoic igneous rocks in Hong Kong contain important geological records of late Mesozoic magmatic events and tectonic processes from the coastal region of Southeast China. Of these,the Ping Chau Formation in the northwestern New Territories is the youngest known stratum. We perform a detailed study of the volcanic rocks of the Ping Chau Formation utilizing zircon U-Pb dating,with major and trace elements geochemistry. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb data reveal Early Cretaceous age from two volcanic rock samples, with zircon crystallization from magmas at 140.3 ± 0.8 Ma and 139.3 ± 0.9 Ma,respectively. These rocks have high contents of total alkalis(Na_2O + K_2O = 5.58-9.45 wt.%), high-field-strength elements and light rare earth elements, conspicuous negative Eu anomalies, and depletions in Nb, Ta, Ti, Sr, Ba and P. Using this data, in combination with previous studies on the late Mesozoic volcanic belt in Southeast China, we propose that the volcanic rocks of the Ping Chau Formation probably originated from deep melting of the crust in a back-arc extensional setting induced by the subduction of the paleo-Pacific Plate. This formation represents the final stages of Early Cretaceous volcanic activity in Hong Kong, as associated with large-scale lithospheric extension, thinning and magmatism. Our results provide new information that can be used in evaluating the significance of Early Cretaceous volcanism and tectonics in Southeast China.

Lithofacies paleogeography restoration and its significance of Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous in southern margin of Junggar Basin,NW China

In view of the difficulties in the study of lithofacies paleogeography and the low reliability of the distribution range of sedimentary sand bodies in the prototype basin caused by less deep drilling, complex seismic imaging and low degree of exploration in the southern margin of Junggar Basin, NW China. A new method based on the source to sink idea was used to restore lithofacies paleogeography and predict glutenite distribution. In the restoration, apatite fission track age was used to define range and uplift time of macro-provenance;the range of provenance area and the migration process of lake shoreline were restored based on the quantitative relationship between gravel diameter and transportation distance, tectonic shortening and other geological parameters;drilling cores and field outcrop sedimentary structures were analyzed, and a series of maps of lithofacies paleogeographic evolution and distribution range of glutenite bodies were compiled. It is concluded that from Early Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, in the southern margin of Junggar Basin, the provenance area gradually expanded from south to north, the lake basin expanded, shrunk and expanded, and the paleoclimate changed from humid to drought to humid. The western section always had proximal fan delta deposits from the southern ancient Tianshan provenance developed, and in the middle and eastern sections, the provenance areas evolved from far source to near source, mainly river-delta, braided delta, fan delta and other sediments developed. The boundary between provenance areas of the western and middle sections is speculated to be Hongche fault zone. In an angle open to the northwest with the current basin edge line, the restored ancient lake shoreline controlled the heterogeneity of reservoirs in the delta plain belt and delta front belt on its both sides. The ancient lake shoreline, current stratigraphic denudation line and current basin margin line limit the types and scope of favorable reservoirs.This understanding provides an important geological basis for oil and gas exploration in the deep lower source-reservoir assemblage at the southern margin of Junggar Basin.

Jurassic-Cretaceous and Cretaceous-Paleogene Transitions and Mesozoic Vertebrates from Pakistan

The Jurassic-Cretaceous (J/K) and Cretaceous-Paleogene (K/Pg) boundaries/transitions are found in Pakistan especially well exposed on the western continental margin of the Indo-Pakistan plate (part of Gondwana) like Kirthar, Sulaiman and Kohat and Potwar basins. Its lithology is variable both lateral and also vertical. The J/K and K/Pg transitions are represented by terrestrial and marine strata like laterite, bauxite, vary colored shale, sandstones and conglomerates and rare limestone beds. Mesozoic vertebrates found so far belong to archosaurs like poripuchian titanosaurs (sauropods), theropods, mesoeucrocodiles, pterosaurs, snake and bird are briefly overviewed here.

Source and possible tectonic driver for Jurassic-Cretaceous gold deposits in the West Qinling Orogen, China

The West Qinling Orogen(WQO) in Central China Orogenic Belt contains numerous metasedimentary rock-hosted gold deposits(>2000 t Au), which mainly formed during two pulses: one previously recognized in the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic(T3 - J1) and one only recently identified in the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous(J3 - K1). Few studies have focused on the origin and geotectonic setting of the J3 - K1 gold deposits.Textural relationships, LA-ICP-MS trace element and sulfur isotope compositions of pyrites in hydrothermally altered T3 dykes within the J3 - K1 Daqiao deposit were used to constrain relative timing relationships between mineralization and pyrite growth in the dykes, and to characterize the source of ore fluid. These results are integrated with an overview of the regional geodynamic setting, to advance understanding of the tectonic driver for J3 - K1 hydrothermal gold systems. Pyrite in breccia-and dykehosted gold ores at Daqiao have similar chemical and isotopic compositions and are considered to be representative of J3 - K1 gold deposits in WQO. Co/Ni and sulfur isotope ratios suggest that ore fluids were derived from underlying Paleozoic Ni-and Se-rich carbonaceous sedimentary rocks. The geochemical data do not support the involvement of magmatic fluids. However, in the EQO(East Qinling Orogen), J3 - K1 deposits are genetically related to magmatism. Gold mineralization in WQO is contemporaneous with magmatic deposits in the EQO and both are mainly controlled by NE-and EWtrending structures produced by changes in plate motion of the Paleo-Pacific plate as it was subducted beneath the Eurasian continent. We therefore infer that the J3 - K1 structural regime facilitated the ascent of magma in the EQO and metamorphic fluids in the WQO with consequent differences in the character of contemporaneous ore deposits. If this is correct, then the far-field effects of subduction along the eastern margin of NE Asia extended 1000's of km into the continental interior.

Sedimentological features and biostratigraphy of Jurassic/Cretaceous deposits in continental basins in Priamurie,Far East Russia

The paper describes the sedimentary features and biostratigraphy of the transitional Jurassic to Cretaceous deposits in the continental basins of Priamurie formed after the collision between the Siberian and North China blocks. In Upper Priamurie, the collision occurred in the late Early Jurassic as dated by the emplacement of the post-collisional granites （ 191 Ma）. While in Lower Priamurie and West Priokhotie it could take place in the late Middle Jurassic on the basis of fossil evidence from an aceretionary turbidite complex. This event reflected the environmental change from coastal-marine to alluvial plains, often boggy, where coals aecmnulated. The environinental change is in harmony with that of biota. Systematic study of floral and spores/pollen assemblages, particularly in the sections of interbedded marine and non-marine deposits, makes clear the chronostrati-graphic succession of floral associations and shows the possibility of their application for subdivision and correlation of the continental deposits of Priamurie. Tire coastal-marine environment of the residual post-collisional sublatitudinal basins in the uestern part of Priamurie （Upper Amur and Dep basins） was replaced by the continental in the late Middle Jurassic and in the eastern part in the Berriasian-Valanginian （Torom Basin）. Similar environmental change commenced in the submeridional rift basins： the Bureya Basin in the Callovian and the Partizansk Basin in the Hauterivian. Changes in ecosystems ocemTed frequently during the Middle Jurassic-Ne- ocomian, but the most substantial changes took place in the late Middle Jurassic and in the end of Late Jurassie.

Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous Radiolarians from Zhilong,Gyangse,Tibet

Abundant well-preserved Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous radiolarian fossils were extracted from 31 bedded green chert samples collected from Zhilong section,Gyangse,southern Tibet.This

PALAEOMAGNETIC STRATIGRAPHIC STUDIES OF THE JURASSIC AND LOWER CRETACEOUS ROCKS FROM THE QIANGTANG BASIN, NORTHERN TIBET

The Qiangtang Basin located in northern Tibet is a Jurassic foreland basin, whereas the sedimentation for the arc\|basin system during the Late Triassic. Paleomagnetic sampling sites and sections include the Lower Jurassic section in Juhuashan, Shuanhu district, the Middle and Upper Jurassic section in Nadigangri Mountain and the Lower Cretaceous section in Abushan, Shuanhu district. The Lower Jurassic Nadigangri Fm. is composed of tuffaceous volcanic rocks and turbidite (lower) and purple clastic rocks. The Middle Jurassic consists of Quemocuo Fm. purple clastics , Buqu Fm. carbonates and Xiali Fm. gypsum\|bearing varicolored clastics.The Upper Jurassic includes Suowa Fm. carbonates and Xueshan Fm. purple clastics. The Lower Cretaceous Abushan Fm. is lacustrine clastics.1723 oriented paleomagnetic samples of Jurassic and Cretaceous strata were collected in 1997.The sampling sections is located in Shuanhu district of northern Tibet. Although it is unlikely that the sections studied formed by constant and continuous deposition, field evidence indicates no major breaks in the Jurassic sedimentation, except early Bajocian stage. Based on sections of actual survey, all sampling was done using a portable gas\|powered core drill, and cores were oriented with magnetic compass and inclinometer. Samples were obtained at common stratigraphic spacing of 0 5～5m, partly 5cm at some important geological boundary\|surfaces and beds/members. 25mm diameter and 20～50mm length paleomagnetic core samples were drilled in cropping field. The measuring of most samples was completed at the China Academy of Geosciences Paleomagnetic Laboratory using a type DSM\|2 digital rotational magnetometer (its sensitivity of reaching 10 -5 A/m) made by SCHONSTEDT Company of U.S.A., and SCHONSTEDT TSD\|1 for thermal demagnetization. The apparatus used for AF demagnetization was a commercial (SCHONSTEDT GSD\|5)instrument, capable of reaching 100mT peak field. 10% of total measuring samples were completed at the Beijing Geological Institute Paleomagnetic Laboratory of China Academy of Sciences using a type 2G\|755R magnetometer made by Superconducting Technology for weak magnetized samples (sensitivity of reaching 10 -8 A/m). Most samples were stepwise thermally demagnetized, at 50℃ intervals from 100 to 700℃.

Clay Minerals of the Middle Jurassic Through Lower Cretaceous in Guangyuan Area,Northern Sichuan:Implications to Paleoclimate

Clay mineral analyses of the Middle Jurassic through the Early Cretaceous sedimentary rocks from the Guangyuan-Jian’ge section,Sichuan Basin (southwestern China)were undertaken in this article, which is aiming to reconstruct the palaeoclimate of the area.Relative contents of the four clay minerals, smectite(25.8%-1.0%-46.8%),kaolinite(31.0%- 12.5%-12.6%),illite(31.3%-68.0%-28.0%)and chlorite(11.8%-8.5%-12.6%),as the target clay minerals,illite crystalline index(0.26-0.31-0.27)and chemical index(0.62-0.66-0.79)are used as indicator of paleoclimate.It is indicated that changes of

New Zircon U-Pb Age of Tuff in the Third Section of the Tuchengzi Formation: Constraints on the JurassicCretaceous Boundary of Continental Strata in Western Liaoning

Objective Western Liaoning has a large area of Mesozoic continental strata,which is unique for the study of Mesozoic continental strata in China and even all over the world.The Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary of Mesozoic continental strata in Western Liaoning has been controversial since 2013 when the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary at 145 Ma was established in the international stratigraphic table.The Tuchengzi Formation is a key Mesozoic stratum in Western Liaoning,which is widely distributed and has a clear top and bottom.

The Difference between Jurassic and Cretaceous Cherts in Central Europe and Its Heat Treatment before Stone Chip-Ping (Pilot Study)

Rock-magnetic methods prove that the cultures in Moravia (Europe) 15,000 - 11,500 years ago might know the technique how to enhance knapping properties of Jurassic chert and Cretaceous flint in order to make stone tools.

Stratigraphy and palaeoenvironments across the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary in the reference section (Olenek River) for eastern regions of Laptev Sea area (Arctic Siberia,Russia)

The Volgian-Valanginian succession of shallow-water deposits from the Olenek section(Anabar-Lena region,Arctic Siberia)has been studied by sedimentological and palaeontological methods.High-resolution biostratigraphy of studied interval is based on the ammonites,foraminifers,marine and terrestrial palynomorphs.Foraminiferal and palynological zones have important regional implications providing well-constrained biostratigraphy of the Anabar-Lena region.Sedimentological studies together with ecological analysis of the associations of microbenthos,microphytoplankton and terrestrial palynomorphs allow the palaeoenvironmental reconstructions for the marginal area of the Anabar-Lena palaeosea and coastal land areas.

Equilibrium modeling of water-gas systems in Jurassic–Cretaceous reservoirs of the Arctic petroleum province, northern West Siberia

To reveal the equilibrium state of oil and gas and water in a petroliferous basin with a high content of saline water, calculations of water-gas equilibrium were carried out, using a new simulation method, for the Arctic territories of the West Siberian oil and gas bearing province. The water-bearing layers in this area vary widely in gas saturation and have gas saturation coefficients(C;) from 0.2 to 1.0. The gas saturation coefficient increases with depth and total gas saturation of the formation water. All the water layers with gas saturation bigger than 1.8 L/L have the critical gas saturation coefficient value of 1.0, which creates favorable conditions for the accumulation of hydrocarbons;and unsaturated formation water can dissolve gas in the existent pool. The gas saturation coefficient of formation water is related to the type of fluid in the reservoir. Condensate gas fields have gas saturation coefficients from 0.8 to 1.0, while oil reservoirs have lower gas saturation coefficient. Complex gas-water exchange patterns indicate that gas in the Jurassic–Cretaceous reservoirs of the study area is complex in origin.

Changes of taxonomical composition of Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous palynofloras of Bureya Basin,Russia

The changes of taxonomical composition of the Late Jurassic- Early Cretaceous palynofloras are revealed, in the upper stream of Bureya River in Bureya Basin. The palynofloras are dominated as follows： the Berriasian one by ferns （Cyatheaceae, Dicksoniaceae, Osmundaceae）, Classopollis and bisaccate pollen; the Valanginiar-Hauterivian one by ferns （Cyatheaceae, Dicksoniaceae）, Ginkgocycadophytus and bisaccate pollen; the Barremian one by ferns （Cyatheaceae, Dicksoniaceae）; the Aptian one by ferns （Cyatheaceae, Dicksoniaceae, Gleicheniaceae） and Ginkgocycadophytus; and the Albian one by ferns （Schizaeaceae） and bisaccate pollen. In the Albian the floral diversity raises with the angiosperms appearing.

Jurassic-Cretaceous Stratigraphy of Malaysia

In Peninsular Malaysia, the Jurassic-Cretaceous sequences are represented by continental deposits in several isolated basins. Generally, the sequences are characterised by the fining upward sequences, comprising reddish brown to red siltstone, sandstone and conglomerate often interpreted as molasse sequences. In Sabah and Sarawak, the Jurassic-Cretaceous sequences are represented by the marine deposits comprising argillaceous, some arenaceous and calcareous rocks and associated chert, lava, and pyroclastics.

A new gnetalean macrofossil from the Lower Cretaceous of the Laiyang Basin, eastern China

Gnetophytes are a key group of plant for understanding seed plant phylogeny,partly because of their unique and elusive morphology,such as xylem with vessels,phloem with chaperones,reticular veins,and double fertilization(Endress,1996).In particular,the ovule bears a membranous integument,the upper part of which extends beyond the seed envelope to form a micropylar tube.Therefore,gnetophytes occupy a unique evolutionary position in the phylogeny of seed plants and apparently represent a transition between angiosperms and other gymnosperms(Ran et al.,2018).Modern gnetophytes consist of only three families:Ephedraceae,Gnetaceae,and Welwitschiaceae,and each family contains only one genus.Ephedraceae(Ephedra L.)are the earliest diverging group of Gnetales,with a total of 70 extant species,and usually occur in cold and arid places in Asia,Europe,northern Africa,western North America and South America(Price,1996;Yang et al.,2017b).

Early-diverging Titanosauriform(Dinosauria,Sauropoda)Teeth from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Southeastern Inner Mongolia,Northeast China

Three eusauropod teeth(SDUST-V1064,PMOL-AD00176,PMOL-ADt0005)are reported from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Ningcheng,southeastern Inner Mongolia,China.Two of them(SDUST-V1064,PMOL-AD00176)are assigned to early-diverging titanosauriforms in having slightly mesiodistal expansion at the base of the tooth crown,a slenderness index value>2.0 and<4.0,and D-shaped cross section.Furthermore,SDUST-V1064 and PMOL-AD00176 are referred as an Euhelopus-like titanosauriform on the basis of having a sub-circular boss on the lingual surface and an asymmetrical crown-root margin which slants apically,respectively.CT scan data of SDUST-V1064 reveals new dental information of early-diverging titanosauriforms,for example,the enamel on the labial side thicker than that on the lingual side,an enamel/dentine ratio of 0.26 and a boss present on the lingual side of the dentine of the crown.