Construction of a g1oba1 scheme of Triassic time scale was the first key task of the Subcommission on Triassic Stra- tigraphy(STS) since its foundation in1971. Based upon the scheme of Triassic time scale resulted from the research of the In- tcrnationa1 Gco1ogica1 Corrclation Programmc IGCP-4 (Triassic of thc Tcthys Rcalm) , thc STS mcmbcrs madc an in-dcpth dis- cussion and fina11y voted in1991 for the scheme that the Triassic is divided into3 series and7 stages. STS has been working on the selection of the G1oba1 Stratotype Section and Point(GSSP) of the stage boundary. However, only3 GSSPs have been de- cided in the Triassic up to the present, and among them only the base of the Triassic, i.e., the base of the Induan Stage, has been we11 studied and widely applied to various areas over the world, whereas the other2 GSSPs, i.e., the bases of the Ladinian and Carnian stages, are defined through the traditiona1 ammonoid indexes and their extension and application need to be con- firmed by further investigation. The selections on the stratotypes of the remaining4 stages have been in progress but they are cha11enged by some issues, especia11y the decision of the Induan-01enekian boundary stratotype. Considering the di価culties in the construction of the Internationa1 Chronostratigraphic Chart, the Stratigraphic Commission of China proposed a Chinese Chronostratigraphic Chart in2000 to meet the demands of the geo1ogica1 survey and researches in China. Since the Triassic was the turning period from marine to terrestria1 facies in the geo1ogica1 history and both marine and terrestria1 Triassic strata are widespread in China, two schemes of Chinese Triassic chronostratigraphic division corresponding respectively to the marine and tcrrcstria1 「acics and rclatcd Chincsc stagcs havc bccn suggcstcd. A11tcr tcn ycars o」1 study and application, thc schcmcs 」1or thc Chinese Triassic chronostratigraphic divisions and stages have been improved and refined, which promotes the standardization of the Triassic studies in China, and facilitates the g1oba1 Triassic stratigraphic and related researches as we11.

MiddleYangtzeinSouthChinaiswellknownbythefrequentoccurrenceoffloodinginassociationwithdrought events.However,lessisknownaboutthehydrologicalvariationintheancienttimes.Hereweareabletoreconstructthepaleohydrologicalconditionssince13kaBPinthisregionbasedonthesynthesisof4proxiesextractedfromtheDa jiuhupeatlandand stalagmiteinHeshangcavenearQingjiangRiver.Threelong-termdrierperiods(11.7-10.7kaBP,6.4-5.5kaBPand4.0- 3.0kaBP)andthreelong-termhumid/floodingperiods(13.0-11.7kaBP,8.7-6.4kaBP,3.0-1.7kaBP),eachlastingover onethousandyears,wereidentifiedinthistimeinterval.Thehumidperiodat8.7-6.4kaBP(knownasHoloceneOptimum) isofabroadregionoronaglobalscale,whenthesedentaryvillage-basedricecultivationwasdeveloped.Thesubsequentdrier periodsat6.4-5.5kaBPisalsoofabroadregionorevenofglobalscalewhenthecomplicatestate-levelsocietystructurewas established.Thelong-lastingdrierperiodscouldbepresentedpriortoorpostthelong-lastinghumidperiods.Inaddition,5 short-termdroughtevents(9.8-9.2kaBP,9.0-8.7kaBP,5.0-4.2kaBP,1.7-1.1kaBP,0.7-0.0kaBP)and5shorttermhumidperiods( 10.7-9.8kaBP,9.2-9.0kaBP,5.5-5.0kaBP,4.2-4.0kaBP,1.1-0.7kaBP)werealsoidentified. InmiddleYangtzeregion,mostdrierperiodsoccurredatthewarmconditions,differentfromthecold-droughtassociationin NorthChina.Meanwhile,thehumidclimatecouldoccuratboththecoldandwarmconditions,indicatingthecomplicaterelationshipbetweentemperatureandhumidity.Itisnotablethatthearidityincreaseswhenthetemperatureshiftsfromonestateto another(i.e.,fromcoldtowarmorfromwarmtocoldconditions)inMiddleYangtze.Hydrologicalconditionsalsoplayanimportantimpactonhistoricalculturesinthisregion

Asawhole,thecontinentofChinaisgroupedbyPan-Cathaysianblocks,LaurasiaandGondwanacontinentalmargins and3oceans(Paleo-AsianOcean,TethysOceanandPacificOcean).Indetail,thecontinentofChinaisgrewupby3blocksor platforms(NorthChina,TarimandYangtze)and8orogenicbelts (Altai-InnerMongolia-Daxinganling,Tianshan-Junggar- Beishan,Qinling-Qilian-Kunlun,Qiangtang-Sanjiang,Gangdisê,Himalaya,Cathaysia,EasternTaiwan)duringtheprocessof disappearingofoceaniccrustsandthecolliding-growingofcontinentalcrusts.Intheorogenicbelts,6convergentcrustalconsumptionzones( Ertix-XarMoron,SouthTianshan,Kuanping-Foziling,Bangonghu-Shuanghu-Nujiang-Changning-Menglian, Brahmaputra,Jiangshao-Chenzhou-Qinfang)havebeensubdivided.Correspondingly,thestrataofthecontinentofChinaare subdividedinto17tectonic-stratasuperregionswhichtectonicallybelongto3blocksorplatforms,6convergentcrustalconsumptionzonesand8orogenicseries. Thisdivisionismainlybasedon9keyaspects,includingthedifferenceoftectonicenvironmentandtectonicevolutionamongblocks, convergentcrustalconsumptionzonesandorogenicbelts,thetimingwhenthe oceaniccruststransferringintocontinentalcrusts,thefeatureofpaleobiogeographandthetypesofstrata,etc..

Cenozoic carbonate platforms of great thickness are widely deve1oped in the South China Sea, most of which have been drowned since the Late Cenozoic and named drown carbonate platform accordingly. The carbonate platforms in the South China Sea are unique and rich in tectonic evolution information. The carbonate platforms were deve1oped by the rifting proces- ses, and were initiated on the faulted b1ock shoulder in the conjugated rifting margin. The South China Sea margin experienced rifting, thinning, and mantle exhumation. The Eocene and Early 01igocene NE-SW direction riftingled to breakup unconformi- ty. Then Centra1 Ocean Basin occurred during Late 01igocene-Early Miocene sea f1oor spreading. Tectonic tilt, faulting and mi- gration of compressive fold in the front of foreland basins contro11ed the distribution, thickness and seismic reflection horizonta1 variation. Tectonic induced relative sealeve1 changes contro11ed the sedimentary cycles of carbonate platforrns. ^nd more, later rapid subsidence in Late Miocene induced the drowning of most carbonate platforms.

Like Kaili Biota, Balang Fauna in Cambrian also contains abundant eocrinoids fossils including two genera and spe- cies, which are(Julzhoueocrlnus yui Zhao, Parsley et Peng, 2007 and Protogioioeocrlnus yln1(gen. et sp. nov.). New genus and species described occur in the upper part of Balang Formation at Shuli Vi11age, Xiasi Town, Majiang County, Guizhou Province, which is1ocated in the southern part of the Balang Formation distribution area. Protogiof7oeocrlnus ylm (gen. et sp. nov.) is a primitive genus and species of (_;iof7oeocllnus gioioius Zhao, Parsley et Peng, 2008 from the Kaili Formation. Both have deve1oped osculum, nearly spherica1 or spheroida1 theca, 1ong brachioles, but new genus and species differ from thelatter in having1ong inverted conica1 column stalk, nearly spherica1 or e11ipsoida1 theca, 1ong ova1 sutura1 pore andless bronchioles. The discoveryand studyof Protogiof)oeocrinus ylm (gen. et sp. nov.) reviews primitive genus and species of Gio,l)oeocllnus gio6oius and provides evidences for evolutiona1 trend between the two in genera and species such as stalk shortening, 1ong in- verted conica1 column changing to short inverted conica1 column, theca changing g1oba1 in shape, sutura1 pore changing from 1ong ova1 form to round form, more brachioles in number. In addition, the bio1ogica1 diversity of eocrinoids from Balang For- mation is enriched and bio1ogica1 partition of eocrinoids from Balang Formation is enhanced. The G·lizhoueocrlnus yui only oc- cur in the northern part of the distribution area of Balang Formation and ProtogiofJoeocllnus yim (gen. et sp. nov.) only occur in the southern part of the distribution area of Balang Formation.

The embankment in the middle and1ower reaches of the Yangtze River, the major project of the f1ood contro1, has stopped frequent f1ooding disasters. However, the projectleads to new environment problems. In this study, the relationship among human, water andland is exp1ored, and the changes in hydro1ogica1 environment and geo1ogica1 process caused by con- struction of embankment in the middle-1ower reaches of the Yangtze River are discussed. We suggest the geo1ogica1 setting and hydro1ogica1 environment should be taken into fu11 account before construction of embankment. Dams in the upper Yangtze Riv- er Basin, particularly the Three Gorges Dam, have significantly changed the f1ood contro1 in the middle-1ower reaches. Thus, the function of embankment in the middle-1ower reaches of the Yangtze River should be properly changed and optimized. The major problems of water resources in the middle-1ower reaches used to be f1ood, drought, soi1 and po11ution erosion in order of priority. However, the drought and po11ution now gradua11y become the top priority. We suggest the embankment ought to function better in the eco1ogica1 environment protection and rationa1 utilization of water resources other than the f1ood contro1. Hydraulic engineering in the middle-1ower Yangtze sha11 focuses on such functions of the embankment as the drought contro1, drainage, thelake-river connectivity and eco1ogica1 protection of wetlands.

The monsoon region of the eastern part of China and the arid region of western part of China are the sensitive areas of g1oba1 change, which are separately contro11ed by monsoon and westerly circulation. In the past50 years, due to g1oba1 war- ming, the precipitation of the arid region of Northwest China has significantly increased while the precipitation of the monsoon region of the eastern part of China shows no obvious variation. The future trend of two regiona1 precipitations remains uncertain under the conditions of continuous g1oba1 warming. Based on the speleothem growth rate records from Sanbao Cave, Shennong jia, Hubei, and Kesang Cave, Tekesi County, Xinjiang, we investigate the responses of those records to precipitation and the precipitation variations as we11 as distinctions of the two regions on glacia1-interglacia1 scale, providing a case for precipitation forecasts from climatic models in future warming in China. It is found that the precipitation of the eastern part of China and the northwestern part of China fluctuate during glaciation-interglaciation, with an abundant precipitation in both two regions during interglacia1 period, corresponding to higher temperatures. Nevertheless, the precipitation of Northwest Chinalags behind that of the eastern part of China, implying the correlation between precipitation and temperature of the two regions are probably not completely simultaneous.

The Permian-Triassic mass extinction was contro11ed by the palaeoenvironment evolution. However, the palaeogeo- graphic feature, tectonic setting and biota physio1ogica1 feature also influenced the biotic evolution and their spatia1 ranges. To reconstruct the palaeogeographica1 features of the basin, we conduct research on thelatest Permian sedimentary feature, radio- 1arian palaeobathymetry and biota of northern and southern parts of Yangtze Basin, It is proposed that the water depth in- creased towards northern margin of the basin in the north part of the Yangtze Basin, facing the northern margin of the Yangtze Basin and opening to the eastern Qinling-Dabie deep sea; whereas the water depth increased towards southern margin of the ba- sin in the south part of the Yangtze Basin, facing the southern margin of the Yangtze Basin and opening to the Paleotethys Ocean. The evolution of organisms and environments of the Yangtze Basin during the Permian waslinked to the counterpart in the Paleotethys and is therefore, not a1oca1 episode separated from other parts of the world, and rather representative in a re- giona1 scale or even in the world. In addition, the water depth in the north part of the Yangtze Basin was sha11ower than that in the south part. It is also suggested that the co11ision between the north part of South China B1ock and the North China B1ock happened after the End-Permian. The fina1 co11ision between the Yangtze B1ock and the Cathay Accreting B1ock happened at the end of the Permian or even Triassic a1ong the southwestern part, based on that it was deposited in a setting of ocean during the Late Palaeozoic in the area oi Qinzhou-Fangcheng and such a setting continued to the End-Permian or even to the Triassic.

As archives of atmosphere oxygenation and ocean chemistry, ironstones and iron formations have been used for trac- ing the processes of tectonics, magmatism, and microbe interactions.Precambrian iron formations have been extensively studied inpast decades,  whereas non-cherty ironstones of the period have been rarely exp1ored in terms of their origin,  paleo- environment and tectonic background.In this paper, micro-fabrics, minera1 and chemica1 composition of the ironstone from the Chuanlinggou Formation(1.65-1.64Ga) are studied using scanning electronic microscopy(SEM), X-ray diffraction(XRD) and energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS) techniques, with emphases on their depositiona1 environment and potentia1 links to the breakup of Columbia supercontinent. The study shows that ooids in the ironstone consist mainly of hematite and minor amount of kaolinite, with rare terrestria1 detritus and very1ow A1203 content.0oida1 cortices are characterized by alternating dense and porouslaminae formed of hematite micro-flakes that arranged in different patterns.A marked negative correlation between Fe and A1 contents in ooida1 cortices suggests that ooid ironstones are of a Fe-source from anoxic and Fe-rich deep seawa- ters, rather than terrestria1 weathering as suggested previously. The ironstones concentrated in the intervals of sediment starva- tion were caused by rapid transgression and1ow detrita1 input, and formed in subtida1 dysoxic environment near to the chemo- cline.Magmatism, rapid basement subsidence and swift marine transgression accompanied with the initia1 breakup of the Co- 1umbia supercontinent at the time werelikely the major geo1ogic factors facilitating deposition of the ironstone. Thus the Chuan- 1inggou ironstone may have signi「ied major environment and tectonic changes o「 the North China Plat「orm responding to the breakup of the Columbia supercontine

Inthisstudymicrobialreductionofjarosite[KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6],acommonsecondarymineralinacidminedrainage( AMD)area,wasconductedwithadissimilatoryironreducingbacteriumShewanellaputrefaciens CN32andasulfatereducingbacteriumDesulfovibriovulgarisunderneutralanaerobicconditionsinnon- growthmedia.Wetchemistry,X-raydiffraction( XRD)andscanningelectronicmicroscopy(SEM)wereusedtoanalyzethereducedironconcentration,mineralcompositionandmorphologyofthesolidphases. Itwasobservedthatjarositewasfairlystableunderanaerobicconditionswithout microbes.BothfacultativeS.putrefaciens CN32andstrictanaerobicD .vulgaris werecapableofreducingthecrystallized Fe3+ injarosite.Undersimilarconditions,D .vulgarisshowedmuchhighercapabilitytoreducecrystallizedFe3+ withafinal bioreductionextentof16.80%.IncontrastS.putrefaciensCN32canonlyreduce0.37%ofFe3+injarosite.Anthraquinone-2, 6-disulfonate(AQDS)canenhanceFe3+ reductioninD .vulgarisinoculatedsystemswithafinalbioreductionextentof24.30%. NodiagnosticspectrumotherthanthoseofjarositewasobservedinchemicalcontrolandS.putrefaciensCN32inoculatedsystems. InD .vulgarisinoculatedsystems,onlyspectrumofsideriteandjarositeweredetectedwithoutthepresenceofAQDS.In thepresenceofAQDS,jarositepeakswerereplacedbypeaksofsideriteandvivianite.Theelementalanalysisbyenergydispersivespectrometer( EDS)coupledwithSEMalsoconfirmedthepresenceofsideriteinD .vulgarisinoculatedsystems.WeproposethatthehigherFe3+ reductionextentwithD .vulgarisresultedfromthepresenceofSO42- injarosite,whichcanbereducedtoH2SbyD .vulgaris.H2S,astrongreductant,subsequentlyenhancedFe3+ reductionextent.Theobservationofvivianitemightresultfromthedegradationofyeastextractionwhichproducedphosphate. Theresultsclearlydemonstratethehighpotentialofmicrobialreductionofjarositeunderneutral, anaerobicandoligotrophicconditions.Attentionshouldbepaidtothemicrobialactivitiesandthesecondarymineralizationwhenconsideringjarositeasacandidatematerialtoremoveh eavymetalsor storetheradioactivehazards.

The Chibi section of Hubei Province was1ocated in the transitiona1 zone between the Yangtze Platform and the northern deep silicious basin during Late Permian and its specia1 paleogeographic settingled to the formation of a unique sedimentary sequence within the PermoTriassic interva1. Base on a comprehensive study of microfacies, fossils and pyrite framboids it is found that the evolution of the sedimentary environment of Chibi section can be divided into6 stages during the Later Permian Changhsingian to early stage of Ear- 1y Triassic Period, which are nearly oxidized deepwater platform margin siliceous sedimentary, normoxic gentle s1ope platform margin sedimentary, volcanic activity intensified and normoxic platform margin gentle s1ope deposition, severe anoxic sedimentary environ- ment, oxygen-depleted sedimentary environment and oxidizing environment of deposition after the mass extinction. The Chibi section was1ocated in the gentle s1ope environment platform margin away from theland withlimited impact fromland-erosion, so nutrients from volcanism may be the main reason to cause marine anoxia aftermath the mass extinction.

To characterize the palaeoclimatic variations in monsoon margin zone, n-alkane analyses are done on samples co11ect- ed from one borehole of 15m in depth in Dengkou, Inner Mongolia. The results indicate that most samples are dominated by high carbon, primarily nC27 and nC2g , presenting a significant odd-carbon advantage and terrestria1 origin. Severa1 samples with a main peak of nC2.1 show the organic origin of partia1 aquatic plants. However, in the upper part of the borehole, short chain n- alkanes are relatively abundant, mainly with,1C18 as the main peak and without obvious odd-even predominance, reflecting the increased alga1 biomass. It is found that alternately cold and warm climatic conditions dominated the study area by various dis- tributions of n-alkanes in sediments, inline withlitho1ogy and organic carbon isotope variations in this study.

In order to reconstruct the surviva1 and recovery pattern of bivalves and probe into the reasons in the aftermath of the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, a11 available data of the Late Permian to Middle Triassic bivalve genera a11 around the world have been counted and analyzed. The bivalves be1onging to3 subclasses(Pteriomorphia, Palaeotaxodonta, and Heteroconchia) and5 lifestyles(epifaunalattached, epifauna1 motile, semi-infauna1, sha11ow infauna1, and deep infauna1) show a similar recov- ery pattern. The diversity curves of bivalves display that the recovery of bivalves was delayed to Anisian, when the genus diver- sity incrcascd ncarly to thc similar valuc of thc Changhsingian prior to thc End-Pcrmian mass cxtinction.In addition, Pcrmian survivors including1ong-term survivors, holdover species, and Lazarus taxa dominated the bivalves during the Early Triassic, but not in the Anisian(Middle Triassic). Bivalves only suffered background extinction rates during the Early Triassic, indica- ting the delayed recovery of bivalves resulted from1ong-term hostile environments.

The tectonic affiliation of Qamdo B1ock between the Gondwana and Eurasia remains controversia1, which involves mainly the determination of the northern boundary of Gondwana and the palaeobiogeography of Qamdo B1ock. Fusulinid fauna, a kind of benthiclife, is applied to the palaeobiogeography study in this paper. Based on abundant of fusulinid fossils from Early Permian Schwagerma cushman1 fauna to Late Permian Paiaeofusuiina slnensls fauna in volcano-sedimentary sequences from southern Qinghai, it is proposed these fusulinid faunas have always been the warm-water Tethyan type, showing more similari- ty with the counterpart from South China, and has not beenlinked to the fauna from the Gondwana. The fusulinids from the Qamdo B1ock should be1ong to the South China Subprovince, Cathaysian-Tethyan Province, Tethyan Realm in palaeobiogeo- graphic affiliation. The Lungmu Co-Shuanghu-Lantsangjiang Suture Zone in the Early Permian is proposed as the southern boundary of the Cathaysian-Tethyan Province(warm-water type) in the Tibetan Plateau(or the boundary of South China Sub- province and the northern Tibet Subprovince characterized by a mixed warm and cold biota). This suture zone is the division be- tweenTethyanand Gondwana Realms which was changed in the Middle and Late Permian and can not be regarded as the boundary of Realms, although a minor difference between the fusulinid faunas from two areas separated by the suture zone sti11 existed.Furthermore, the similarity of the faunas from both sides of Jinshajiang Suture Zone shows the zone is not the barrier zone which prevented the migration of benthic biota and can not be regarded as the boundary of palaeobiogeographic provinces.

Extremely1ow productivity together with differences between the Lower and Upper Ke11wasser events were found during the LateDevonian Frasnian-Famennian transition in the Yangdi section, Guilin, South China, which was paleogeographica11y situated at platform margin.Analysis of carbonate013C, biogenetic Ba, A1, Si and redox sensitive elements show oxic to dysoxic condition in the Lower Ke11wasser event period with the sma11 increase of both the primary productivity and the ecosystem ultimate productivity.The slight013C positive excursion of the Lower Ke11wasser event was caused by the increased productivity. However during the Upper Ke11- wasser event period the primary productivity increased but the ultimate productivity sharply decreased, which means the great1oss of biomass in the ecosystem. The remarkably013C positive excursion was contro11ed by the accumulation of buried organic carbon in the anoxic circumstances with the simultaneous sea-1eve1 rise and reduced terrestria1 input.

As is well-known, the waxing and waning of the Gondwanan ice sheet contributed to high-frequency glacioeustatic sea 1eve1 fluctuations and widely distributed cyc1othems in the1ow-1atitudes during the Carboniferous-Permian Period. Recent inves- tigations suggest that the Permo-Carboniferous Ice Age is composed of a series of distinct episodes of glaciation and interglacia- tion.It has been confirmed thc glaciocustatic sca-level changes controlled thc high ircqucncy and1ow amplitudc sca-level changcs in South China during the Carboniferous-Permian Period, but the high amplitude sealeve1 fa11s still needs further exploration. Inthis paper we describe the characteristics of paleokarst in the Early Permian in Iongyin and Bianping sections at south Guizhou, including solution-collapse breccias and related sedimentary structures, which correlate in time with the two major sealevel fa11s in the Early Permian. This study could facilitate our understanding on the evolution of the Early Permian Palaeo- geography of South China.

In this paper, we review the biotic and environmental events by examining the trace fossi1 records in association with the'Big5' mass extinctions in Phanerozoic, including the transitions of Ordovician-Silurian, Frasnian-Famennian, Permian- Triassic, Triassic-Jurassic and Cretaceous-Paleogene. The benthic fauna reflected in the trace fossi1 records show a negative re- sponse to all of the'Big5' events, documented by the decreases in the ichnodiversity, burrow size, bioturbation depth, and ichnofabric tier. The behavior and food-feeding strategy of benthic fauna is found to vary among the'Big5' mass extinctions. The deposit-feeding strategy dominated after the mass extinctions during 〇rdovician-Silurian and Cretaceous-Paleogene transi- tions, whilst the suspension-feeding strategy dominated after the mass extinction during Triassic-Jurassic transition. Opportun- istic trace fossils, such as Planolites, and both the deposit- and suspension-feeding strategies dominated after the mass extinc- tions during Frasnian-Famennian and Permian-Triassic transitions. The benthic ecosystems, reflected in the trace fossi1 records after the mass extinctions during Frasnian-Famennian and Permian-Triassic transitions, changed from simple to complex pat- tern, from two-dimensiona1 to three-dimensiona1 ecospace.

The Devonian Famennian conodont and chondrichthy have been found from the newly established Taketai Formation which previously was assigned to the Early Carboniferous Hebukehe Formation in Halayemen region, western Junggar. Conodont fossils include 3 genera, 6 species and 1 indeterminate species: Icriodus alternatus alternatus, Icriodus cornutus, Icriodus expansus, Icriodus sp.1, Icriodus sp.2, Polygnathus krestovnikovi, Polygnathus procerus, Polygnathus makhlinae, Polygnathus sp.1, Polygnathus sp.2, Polygnathus sp.3, Ancyrognathus sp.. Chondrichthyes include 2 genera: Protacrodus sp. and Phoebodus sp.. It indicates that Taketai Formation belongs to early Famennian of Late Devonian.