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Early Jurassic (Toarcian) warming identified from lacustrine sediments of eastern Liaoning, China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2020

Qian Zhang Open the ORCID record for Qian Zhang [Opens in a new window] ,
Enpu Gong ,
Yongli Zhang  and
Changqing Guan
Qian Zhang
Affiliation:
Resources and Civil Engineering College, Northeastern University, Shenyang110819, Liaoning Province, China
Enpu Gong*
Affiliation:
Resources and Civil Engineering College, Northeastern University, Shenyang110819, Liaoning Province, China
Yongli Zhang
Affiliation:
Resources and Civil Engineering College, Northeastern University, Shenyang110819, Liaoning Province, China
Changqing Guan
Affiliation:
Resources and Civil Engineering College, Northeastern University, Shenyang110819, Liaoning Province, China
*
Author for correspondence: Enpu Gong, Email: gongep@mail.neu.edu.cn
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Abstract

This study focuses on the Tianshifu Basin, eastern Liaoning, China, which is filled with Lower–Middle Jurassic fluviolacustrine sediments rich in macroplants. Our aim is to explore the continental climate features of the late Early Jurassic period. The composition of the Early–Middle Jurassic flora and the carbon isotopic ratios of organic matter, total organic carbon, total organic nitrogen and sulphur of the rock samples from the Changliangzi section (the upper part of the Lower Jurassic deposits) have been investigated. Based on the flora, eastern Liaoning was generally characterized by temperate and humid conditions during the Early–Middle Jurassic period, but with rising temperatures during late Early Jurassic time. The sediments of the Changliangzi section show a transformation from shallow-lake facies to deep-lake facies. A positive organic carbon isotope excursion correlates with the deepening of this palaeolake, considered to be caused by climate warming. The late Early Jurassic climate warming indicated by floral and isotopic evidence corresponds to the climatic events recorded elsewhere in marine and continental sequences during the Toarcian Age, the so-called Toarcian Anoxic event, and may be associated with enhanced global greenhouse warming. This study provides new continental data supporting global warming during the late Early Jurassic period.

Keywords

Early JurassicToarcianclimate warmingfloraorganic carbon isotopeeastern Liaoning
Type
Original Article
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 158 , Issue 7 , July 2021 , pp. 1194 - 1208
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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