[en] The current low-resolution chronostratigraphic framework for the early Ediacaran Period hampers a comprehensive understanding of potential trigger mechanisms for environmental upheavals and their connections to evolutionary innovation. Here, we establish a high-resolution astrochronological framework spanning ~57.6 million years of the early Ediacaran, anchored by the radioisotopic date of the Gaskiers glaciation onset, based on key sections from South China. Constrained by multiple radioisotopic dates, this framework precisely constrains the timing of the Marinoan deglaciation, Ediacaran Negative carbon isotope excursions 1 and 2 (EN1 and EN2), and key fossil assemblages (acanthomorphic acritarchs, Weng'an and Lantian biotas). These dates indicate the rapid termination of the Marinoan glaciation in South China within 106-107 years, while providing robust temporal evidence for the global synchroneity of EN1, EN2, and Marinoan deglaciation. The integrated chronology refines the age model for early Ediacaran biotic evolution, revealing that ecosystems gradually increased in complexity over multi-million-year timescales while global taxonomic diversity remained relatively stable, punctuated by rapid transitions to novel communities coinciding with biogeochemical perturbations.
Disciplines :
Earth sciences & physical geography
Author, co-author :
Zhang, Tan ; State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation & Institute of Sedimentary Geology, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China ; Key Laboratory of Deep-time Geography and Environment Reconstruction and Applications of Ministry of Natural Resources, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China ; School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, China
Ma, Chao ; State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation & Institute of Sedimentary Geology, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China. machao@cdut.edu.cn ; Key Laboratory of Deep-time Geography and Environment Reconstruction and Applications of Ministry of Natural Resources, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China. machao@cdut.edu.cn
Li, Yifan ; School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, China. yifangeosci@gmail.com
Li, Chao ; State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation & Institute of Sedimentary Geology, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
Fan, Tailiang; School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, China
Gao, Qi; College of Geography and Planning, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
Kuang, Mingzhi; College of Energy, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
Liu, Wangwei; Wuxi Research Institute of Petroleum Geology, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Production, SINOPEC, Wuxi, 214151, China
Li, Mingsong ; Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, MOE, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
Hou, Mingcai; State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation & Institute of Sedimentary Geology, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China ; Key Laboratory of Deep-time Geography and Environment Reconstruction and Applications of Ministry of Natural Resources, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China
Language :
English
Title :
Astronomically calibrating early Ediacaran evolution.
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