Studies on three Lower Triassic sections located on the shallow water platform, the deep water slope and in the deep water basin in the Lower Yangtze Region, South China, show the similar trend of carbon isotope evolution. Biostratigraphic correlations among the Lower Triassic sections on the basis of standard conodont zones indicate that three negative shifts occurred in the Griesbachian, the Smithian and the late Spathian stages respectively, and one distinctly positive shift occurred in the early Spathian stage. Trend of carbon isotope evolution of the Lower Triassic reflects some significant changes in the global carbon cycle. Moreover, δ 13C background values are intensively controlled by palaeogeographic environment. In general, δ 13C values from deep-water slope carbonates are lighter than those from carbonate platform and heavier than those from deep-water basin carbonates. The positive carbon isotope excursion may be induced by a significant amount of organic carbon burial in marine sediments and increase in primary productivity. The large negative carbon isotope excursions during the Early Triassic in Lower Yangtze Region are interpreted to relate to volcano eruptions based on tuffaceous claystone interlayers observed near the Permian-Triassic boundary, the Induan- Olenekian boundary and the Lower Triassic-Middle Triassic boundary.
ZUO Jingxun1,2, TONG Jinnan3, QIU Haiou4 & ZHAO Laishi3 1. Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
Calcimicrobialites, which could be correlated to the layer 27 in Meishan section according to the Hindeodus parvus, occur abruptly on the end-Permian mass extinction boundary in South China. Microbialites mainly distribute on the top of reef facies or shallow carbonate platforms, thin- ning into deep facies. All the microbialites discovered are composed of micrite and coarse crystal digitate carbonate or patch carbonate. Microfossils usually dominate in the micro- bialites, and small gastropods, bivalves and ostracodes can also be found. This fossil assemblage represents a simple but particular remanent biota after the end-Permian mass ex- tinction on the top of reefs or shallow carbonate platforms. Abrupt occurrence of microbialites above the mass extinction boundary is the ecological response to the end-Permian global event in reef or shallow carbonate facies. Many studies have been done on the Permian-Triassic boundary and event in deep water facies sections or middle to lower shelf facies sections. However, the calcimicrobialites in South China are mainly located above reef facies or shallow carbonate plat- form facies. It will surely be helpful for people to know more about the different responses in different depths of ancient marine environment during the transition between Permian and Triassic by the study of petrology, palaeontology and palaeoecology of the calcimicrobialites.
