The West Pingdingshan Section in Chaohu, Anhui Province, has been extensively studied in recent years and become one of the classic Lower Triassic sequences well-clarified in multiple stratigraphies. Also it is an important section that defines the Smithian-Spathian (S-S) boundary within the Olenekian Stage. The S-S boundary strata at the section are restudied in high-resolution conodont biostratigraphy and carbon isotopes. The refined S-S boundary defined by the FAD of conodont Neospathodus pingdingshanensis is at 30 cm above the base of Bed 52, corresponding to a rapid diversification of conodonts. A sharp positive shift of δ13Ccarb curve co-occurs at the S-S boundary and it can be used as a key reference to define the boundary. The defined S-S boundary position and carbon isotopes curve can be well correlated globally.
In the research, secondary geological disasters of Wenchuan earthquake were defined and the consequences were illustrated based on geological disasters, such as collapse, landslide and debris flow, and threats of barrier lakes. In addition, the characteristics of secondary disasters were analyzed, as follows： Rupture of geological faults lays foundation in terms of geological structure; loose solids provide resources of an earthquake; abundant rainfall and large runoffs are driving forces of an earthquake; rainstorm, flood, and long-term high temperature are major inducing factors. Furthermore, suggestions on prevention of secondary disasters were proposed in terms of prevention before, at and after an earthquake. Finally, the scientific and practical significances of secondary disasters were illustrated.
Continual deep-water sediments from the late Early Devonian to the Late Permian extended in wide areas of western Guangxi. We analyzed the major, trace, and rare earth elements of the Upper Paleozoic cherts in Badu, western Guangxi. High non-terrigenous SiO2 contents （Sinon_ter/Sibulk（%）〉 80%） and pure chert components （〉 70%） indicate a large extent of silicifi- cation in the Upper Paleozoic cherts, except for the Upper Devonian-Lower Carboniferous Luzhai Formation cherts, which have lower non-terrigenous SiO2 contents （avg. 71.8%） and pure chert components （40%-70%）. The Al/（AI＋Fe＋Mn） ratios and Feter/Febulk（%） values of samples from the lowest horizon of the Pingen Formation are 0.05-0.26, 13.1%-14.5%, respec- tively, indicating hydrothermal origins. All other samples show high Al/（Al＋Fe＋Mn） ratios （0.39±0.81） and high Feter/Febulk（%） values （23.1%-186.8%）, indicating non-hydrothermal origins. The Pingen Formation and Liujiang Formation cherts show slightly-moderately negative Ce anomalies （0.71±0.07, 0.81±0.08, respectively） and higher Y/Ho ratios （33.49±1.27, 36.10±2.05, respectively） than PAAS. This suggests that these cherts were deposited in the open marine basin, rather than in the intracontinental rift basin as previously assumed. The Luzhai Formation cherts may be deposited near the seamount or sea- floor plateaus with no negative Ce anomalies （1.09±0.07） and no significant Y-Ho fractionation （Y/Ho=28.60±1.25）. The Nandan Formation and Sidazhai Formation cherts were deposited in the open-ocean basin with moderately negative Ce anom- alies （0.67±0.08, 0.73±0.11, respectively） and high Y/Ho ratios （36.01±1.00, 32.00±2.25, respectively）. On the basis of our studies about cherts, we conclude that the Youjiang Basin originated as part of the Paleo-Tethys that controlled the deposition- al environments of cherts during late Paleozoic. The rift of the Youjiang Basin had occurred at least since the Early-Middle Devonian.
Carbonate carbon isotope （δ^13Ccarb） has received considerable attention in the Permian-Triassic transition for its rapid negative shift coinciding with the great end-Permian mass extinction event. The mechanism has long been debated for such a c~ δ^13Ccarb negative excursion through the end-Permian crisis and subsequent large perturbations in the entire Early Triassic. A δ^13Ccarb depth gradient is observed at the Permian-Triassic boundary sections of different water-depths, i.e., the Yangou, Meishan, and Shangsi sections, and such a large δ^13Ccarb-depth gradient near the end-Permian mass extinction horizon is believed to result from a stratified Paleotethys Ocean with widespread anoxic/euxinic deep water. The evolution of δ^13Ccarb-depth gradient com- bined with paleontological and geochemical data suggests that abundant cyanobacteria and vigorous biological pump in the immediate aftermath of the end-Permian extinction would be the main cause of the large δ^13Ccarb-depth gradient, and the enhanced continental weathering with the mass extinction on land provides a mass amount of nutriment for the flourishing cyanobacteria. Photic zone anoxia/euxinia from the onset of chemocline upward excursion might be the direct cause for the mass extinction whereas the instability of chemocline in the stratified Early Triassic ocean would be the reason for the delayed and involuted biotic recovery.
SONG HaiJunTONG JinNanXIONG YanLinSUN DongYingTIAN LiSONG HuYue
