The Ediacaran period is characterized by the extremely negative carbon isotope anomalies and great biotic evolution in Earth history. At least four negative carbon isotope anomalies have been reported from this interv...The Ediacaran period is characterized by the extremely negative carbon isotope anomalies and great biotic evolution in Earth history. At least four negative carbon isotope anomalies have been reported from this interval in South China so far. It is traditionally argued that the isotope variations can be used as a useful tool for global correlation of Ediacaran succession; however, more and more researches argued against this idea. We reviewed the previously published carbon isotope data in South China, and distributed the mean values of a certain time to the paleogeographic maps. The results show that the carbon isotope values (δ13C) vary greatly in different environments, but a clear tendency of becoming lighter from shallow platform to deep basin, with a maximum variation up to 1‰ Moreover, the important changes in Ediacaran biota, marked by the introducing of new taxa or ecologic groups, seemed to always postdate the negative anomalies but coincide with the positive shift. If the negative excursions represented the oxidation of a large dissolved organic carbon (DOC) reservoir in the ocean, the diverse Ediacaran organisms and the carbon isotope anomalies may suggest totally different environments: oxic and anoxic/euxinic. We also suggest that the elimination of euxinic state through precipitation of pyrites is one of the important environment factors in prompting the Ediacaran bio-evolution.展开更多
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40621002)the China Petrochemical Corporation (Grant No. G0800-06-ZS-319)the Ministry of Education of China (Grant No. B07011)
文摘The Ediacaran period is characterized by the extremely negative carbon isotope anomalies and great biotic evolution in Earth history. At least four negative carbon isotope anomalies have been reported from this interval in South China so far. It is traditionally argued that the isotope variations can be used as a useful tool for global correlation of Ediacaran succession; however, more and more researches argued against this idea. We reviewed the previously published carbon isotope data in South China, and distributed the mean values of a certain time to the paleogeographic maps. The results show that the carbon isotope values (δ13C) vary greatly in different environments, but a clear tendency of becoming lighter from shallow platform to deep basin, with a maximum variation up to 1‰ Moreover, the important changes in Ediacaran biota, marked by the introducing of new taxa or ecologic groups, seemed to always postdate the negative anomalies but coincide with the positive shift. If the negative excursions represented the oxidation of a large dissolved organic carbon (DOC) reservoir in the ocean, the diverse Ediacaran organisms and the carbon isotope anomalies may suggest totally different environments: oxic and anoxic/euxinic. We also suggest that the elimination of euxinic state through precipitation of pyrites is one of the important environment factors in prompting the Ediacaran bio-evolution.
