Abstract
High-resolution microanalysis was performed on conodonts collected from the Huanghuachang section in the Yichang area using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). This region is regarded as a standard section for the division and correlation of the Ordovician system in southern China. The results show that the values of (La/Yb)N and (La/Sm)N decrease, while the values of δCe increase as seawater deepens and energy decreases. As the sedimentary environment changes from shallow-water carbonate platform to platform margin to open continental shelf to shelf basin, rare earth element distribution curves gradually transform from a right inclined pattern to a flat pattern to a left inclined pattern and a hat-shaped pattern. The present work proves that the values and distributive patterns of rare earth elements in conodonts correspond with the sedimentary environment, and therefore provide reliable evidence for the application of rare earth element concentrations of biogenic phosphates such as conodonts for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Wright J, Schrader H, Holser W T. Paleoredox variations in ancient oceans recorded by rare earth elements in fossil apatite. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1987, 51: 631–644
Grandjean P, Cappetta H, Albarède F. The REE and ɛNd of 40–70 Ma old fish debris from the West African platform. Geophys Res Lett, 1988, 15: 389–392
Girard C, Lécuyer C. Variations in Ce anomalies of conodonts through the Frasnian/Famennian boundary of Poland (Kowala-Holy Cross Mountains): Implications for the redox state of seawater and biodiversity. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol, 2002, 181: 299–311
Lécuyer C, Reynard B, Grandjean P. Rare earth element evolution of Phanerozoic seawater recorded in biogenic apatites. Chem Geol, 2004, 204: 63–102
Bolhar R, Van Kranendonk M J. A non-marine depositional setting for the northern Fortescue Group, Pilbara Craton, inferred from trace element geochemistry of stromatolitic carbonates. Precambrian Res, 2007, 155: 229–250
Chen X H, Zhang M, Wang C S. Ordovician Chitinozoans from South China (in Chinese). Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 2009. 1–261
Chen X H, Wang X F. Early Paleozoic chrono- and sequence-stratigraphy in the Yangtze Gorges area, China with an approach of palaeobiogeography. Gondwana Res, 1999, 2: 627–632
Wang X F, Ni S Z, Zeng Q L, et al. Biostratigraphy of the Yangtze Gorges Area (2). Early Paleozoic Era (in Chinese). Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 1987. 43–146
Chen X H, Wang X F, Li Z H, et al. Elaborate biostratigraphic subdivision and correlation of the basal Dawan Stage (Middle Ordovician) in Yangtze Platform, China (in Chinese). Acta Palaeont Sin, 2003, 42: 317–327
Zhou Z Q, Zhou Z Y, Yuan W W. Late Ordovician trilobite fauna and succession, Yichang, Hubei Province, China (in Chinese). J Stratigr, 2005, 44: 327–357
Wang X F, Svend S, Chen X H, et al. The global stratotype section and point for the base of the Middle Ordovician Series and the Third Stage (Dapingian). Epis, 2009, 32: 96–113
Chen X, Qiu J Y. Ordovician palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of Yichang area (in Chinese). J Stratigr, 1986, 10: 1–15
Zeng Q L. Ordovician brachiopod communities and eustatic changes of sea level in the eastern Yangtze Gorges area, China (in Chinese). Bull Yichang Inst Geol Min Res, 1991, 16: 19–39
Hu M Y, Gong W P, Xiao C T, et al. Facies and environment of Early Ordovician at Huanghuachang, Yichang, Hubei (in Chinese). Oil Gas Geol, 1996, 17: 347–352
Yuan W W, Zhou Z Y, Zhang J M, et al. Tremadocian trilobite biofacies in western Hunan-Hubei (in Chinese). J Stratigr, 2000, 24: 275–282
Zhou Z Y, Zhou Z Q, Yuan W W, et al. Late Ordovician trilobite biofacies and palaeogeographical development, western Hubei-Hunan (in Chinese). J Stratigr, 2000, 24: 249–263
Zhang T G, Shen Y A, Zhan R B, et al. Large perturbations of the carbon and sulfur cycle associated with the Late Ordovician mass extinction in South China. Geology, 2009, 37: 299–302
Trotter J A, Eggins M S. Chemical systematics of conodont apatite determined by laser ablation ICPMS. Chem Geol, 2006, 233: 196–216
Wang X F, Erdtmann B D, Hoffknecht A, et al. Bioclast Reflectance—A New Frontier of Organic Petrology. Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 1997. 1–80
Zhou L, Hu Z C, Yuan H L, et al. Geochemical characteristics of paleoseawater from the Early Ordovician of Yangtze Craton: Evidence from the trace elements in conodonts (in Chinese). Geochemistry, 2005, 34: 227–234
Elderfield H, Upstill-Goddard R, Sholkovitz E R. The rare earth element in river, estuaries, and coastal seas and their significance to the composition of ocean water. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1990, 54: 971–991
Bertram C J, Elderfield H, Aldridge R J, et al. 87Sr/86Sr, 143Nd/144Nd and REEs in Silurian phosphatic fossils. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 1992, 113: 239–249
Reynard B, Lécuyer C, Grandjean P. Crystal-chemical controls on rare-earth element concentrations in fossil biogenic apatites and implication for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Chem Geol, 1999, 155: 233–241
Grandjean-Lécuyer P, Feist R, Albarede F. Rare earth elements in old biogenic apatites. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1993, 57: 2507–2514
Gromet L P, Dymek R F, Haskin L A, et al. The North American Shale Composite: Its compilation, major and trace element character istics. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1984, 48: 2469–2482
Lécuyer C, Grandjean P, Barrat J A, et al. δ 18O and REE content of phosphatic brachiopods: A comparison between modern and Lower Paleozoic populations. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1998, 62: 2429–2436
Owen A W, Armstrong H A, Floyd J D. Rare earth element geochemistry of Upper Ordovician cherts from the Southern Upland of Scotland. J Geol Soc, 1999, 156: 191–204
Patricka D, Martin J E, Parris D C, et al. Paleoenvironmental interpretations of rare earth element signatures in mosasaurs (reptilia) from the Upper Cretaceous Pierre Shale, central South Dakota, USA. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol, 2004, 212: 277–294
Du Y S, Zhu J, Gu S Z, et al. Sedimentary geochemistry of the Cambrian-Ordovician cherts: Implication on archipelagic ocean of North Qilian orogenic belt. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2007, 50: 1628–1644
Zhang T G, Trela W, Jiang S Y, et al. Major oceanic redox condition change correlated with the rebound of marine animal diversity during the Late Ordovician. Geology, 2011, 39: 675–678
Turvey S T, Zhou Z Y. Arenig trilobite associations of Daping, Yichang, Hubei, South China. Acta Palaeont Sin, 2002, 41: 10–18
Xu X S, Wan F, Yin F G, et al. Environment facies, ecological facies and digenetic facies of Baota Formation, Late Ordovician (in Chinese). J Mineral Petrol, 2001, 21: 64–68
Wang X F, Chen X H. Palaeobiogeography and palaeoclimatology of Ordovician in China (in Chinese). Prof Pap Stratigr Palaeont, 1999, (27): 24–27
Armstrong H A, Pearson D G, Griselin M. Thermal effects on rare earth element and strontium isotope chemistry in single conodont elements. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 2001, 65: 435–441
Wright J, Seymour R S, Shaw H F. REE and Nd isotopes in conodont apatite: Variations with geological age and depositional environment. Geol Soc Am Spec Pap, 1984, (196): 325–340
Liu Y G, Miah M R U, Sehmitt R A. Cerium: A chemical tracer for paleo-oceanic redox conditions. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1988, 52: 1361–1371
Chen X H, Wang X F. Multiple stratigraphic subdivision and sea level changes of the Early Paleozoic in Yangtze Gorges area (in Chinese). Geol Min Res S Chin, 1999, 3: 1–11
Murray R W, Brinck R M B, Jones D L, et al. Rare earth elements as indicators of different marine depositional environments in chert and shale. Geology, 1990, 18: 268–271
Wilde P, Quinby-Hunt M S, Erdtmann B D. The whole-rock cerium anomaly: A potential indicator of eustatic sea level changes in shales of anoxic facies. Sediment Geol, 1996, 101: 43–53
Yan D T, Chen D Z, Wang Q C, et al. Geochemical changes across the Ordovician-Silurian transition on the Yangtze Platform, South China. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2009, 52: 38–54
De Bear H J W, German C R, Erdfiled H, et al. Rare earth element distributions in anoxic waters of Cariaco Trench. Geochem Cosmochim Acta, 1988, 52: 1203–1219
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com
Rights and permissions
This article is published under an open access license. Please check the 'Copyright Information' section either on this page or in the PDF for details of this license and what re-use is permitted. If your intended use exceeds what is permitted by the license or if you are unable to locate the licence and re-use information, please contact the Rights and Permissions team.
About this article
Cite this article
Chen, X., Zhou, L., Wei, K. et al. The environmental index of the rare earth elements in conodonts: Evidence from the Ordovician conodonts of the Huanghuachang Section, Yichang area. Chin. Sci. Bull. 57, 349–359 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-011-4788-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-011-4788-1