Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Mingzhen Zhang, Shuang Dai, Peihong Jin, Junwei Liu, Yongbo Huang, Dunzhu Jiaoba, Aijing Li
Summary: Through sporopollen analysis, we found that the Liupanshan Basin in central China experienced a transition from a wet and cold climate to a long-term dry and hot climate during the late Aptian to Albian stages of the Cretaceous. The vegetation in the central Asia region gradually changed from Taxodiaceae-dominated to Cheirolepidiaceae-dominated. The changes in thermophilic vegetation and the warmer/cooler ratio of the Sporomorph Ecogroup Model also corresponded to global short-term cooling events at the Aptian-Albian transition.
GEOLOGICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Hani Boukhamsin, Daniel Peyrot, Marco Vecoli
Summary: Researchers have conducted palynological analysis of geological records from the Arabian Gulf, revealing the diversity and paleobiogeographical spread patterns of early angiosperms. These findings support early hypotheses on the radiation of angiosperms and identify northeastern Gondwana as one of the important centers of angiosperm diversification.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lirong Dou, Xinshun Zhang, Kunye Xiao, Dangpeng Xi, Yebo Du, Li Wang, Jie Hu, Ying Hu, Qianyu Zheng
Summary: Based on a systematic palynological analysis, this study reveals a shift from arid to humid climate in Central Africa during the late Aptian to early Albian, which is consistent with the results from South America.
GEOLOGICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Alexander Wheeler, Jian Shen, Tim A. Moore, Ofentse M. Moroeng, Jingjing Liu
Summary: In this study, we analyzed the palynology, organic petrography, and carbon isotopes of the #16 Seam in the Hailar Basin, Inner Mongolia, China. Our results showed a diverse microflora consisting of ferns, conifers, horsetails, lycopsids, bryophytes, ginkgoes, and cycads. The accumulation of the coal was likely controlled by rising water table, flooding, and fires. The top of the coal seam indicated the gradual drowning of the paleomire. Interestingly, no angiosperm pollen was found in the samples, suggesting they were not adapted to the extreme conditions of the mire.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geology
Kun Zhang, Rong Liu, Zhaojun Liu, Bile Li, Gaofei Liu, Xu Yan, Li Li
Summary: This study investigates the paleoclimate disturbances, paleovegetation, and paleoenvironment evolution in the Early Cretaceous continental lake of the Yin'e Basin in North China. By analyzing the lake sediment characteristics and paleontological data, the study identifies different lithofacies and distinguishes palynozones, revealing the composition of ancient vegetation and paleoclimate changes. It also highlights the influence of suitable paleotemperature and sedimentary environment on the formation of oil shale in the lake.
SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geology
Xin Wang, Chungkun Shih, Zhong-Jian Liu, Longbiao Lin, Kamal Jeet Singh
Summary: This study reports new materials of Callianthus from the Yixian Formation in northeastern China, revealing its characteristics as an aquatic plant and providing important information for the study of early angiosperms in the Early Cretaceous.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Yi Zhang, Xuan Liu, David K. Watkins, Mauro Daniel Rodrigues Bruno, Hanwei Yao, Kaibo Han, Huifang Guo, Shuaipeng Zhu, Xi Chen
Summary: Based on the study of the Nirang section in the Tethys Himalayas, it is found that the sea surface temperature in the eastern Tethys during the Cretaceous Period underwent significant changes, including both short-term and long-term warming and cooling events. The northward drift of the Indian continent towards the equator is likely responsible for the sustained warmth in the Tethys Himalayas.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jiaxing Yang, Zhen Zhang, Yuecong Li, Fagang Wang, Baoshuo Fan, Zijing She, Hongli Xie, Siyu Wang, Shuoqiang Da
Summary: Based on analyses of sedimentary profiles near the Banshan site in the Nihewan Basin, researchers reconstructed the environmental changes before and after human activity during the Early Pleistocene. The results show that the climate at the site shifted from cold and dry to warm and wet during the period of human activity, but ended with the rise of the ancient lake level and deterioration of the climate.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Lifang Xiao, Conrad Labandeira, David Dilcher, Dong Ren
Summary: This study evaluated plant specimens from the latest Albian Dakota Formation in midcontinental North America and found evidence suggesting the earliest angiosperms were pollinated by a diverse insect fauna. The data supports the rapid emergence of early angiosperms and associated pollinator guilds at both local and regional community levels.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hani Boukhamsin, Daniel Peyrot, Marco Vecoli, Victorien Paumard, Simon Lang
Summary: The Early Cretaceous represents a significant period of angiosperm radiation, particularly in the Arabian Plate. The diverse angiosperm flora coexisted with other plant groups in northeastern Gondwana and dispersed through both land bridges and over-sea dispersal to different environments.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Kai Yan, Chunlian Wang, Chenglin Liu, Steffen Mischke, Jiuyi Wang, Xiaocan Yu
Summary: Based on the palynological record of the southwest Jianghan Basin in central China, this study reveals the transition of the early Paleogene climate from hot and arid to warm and humid conditions with intermittent dry periods. The research also highlights the influence of basin and range tectonics on the regional landscape formation during the Paleocene.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Mingzhen Zhang, Shuang Dai, Xianwen Zhang, Sen Wang, Zhen Du, Bo Ma, Baoxia Du
Summary: This study presents a palynological report from the middle Zhidan Group in central China, suggesting that it dates back to the middle Early Cretaceous. The vegetation reconstruction indicates conifer-dominated forests in a relatively stable, cold, and slightly humid environment, likely due to the cool global climate during the middle Early Cretaceous.
GEOLOGICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Geology
Harinam Joshi, Neha Aggarwal
Summary: Palynological data analysis reveals the age and depositional settings of the Jangareddygudem area in Godavari Graben, South India. The study suggests a cool and humid climate during the deposition, favoring the formation and development of dense coniferous forests.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Kun Zhang, Rong Liu, Edith Bai, Zibin Zhao, Giovan Peyrotty, Douaa Fathy, Qing Chang, Ziping Liu, Kai Yang, Chuan Xu, Zhaojun Liu
Summary: This study investigates the response of the late Barremian-early Aptian subtropical lake biome structure to the hydroclimate crisis in the Yin'e Basin. It found that the warm and semihumid climate promoted vegetation diversity and abundance, while the brackish-oxic conditions of the water column were conducive to the prosperity of aquatic organisms. However, the early aridification of the climate led to a decline in lake levels and triggered two aquatic crises.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geology
Tim A. Moore, Ofentse M. Moroeng, Jian Shen, Joan S. Esterle, Roman C. Pausch
Summary: Organic petrography and isotopic analyses were used to interpret regional tectonics and paleoclimate in a study of lignite in the Lower Cretaceous Yimin Formation in Inner Mongolia, China. The study revealed seasonal precipitation and long-term dry periods under globally warm temperatures, with fire playing an important role in the mire ecology.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Geology
Jimmy de Rooij, Sybrand A. N. Lucassen, Charlotte Furer, Anne S. Schulp, P. Martin Sander
Summary: This study presents a detailed osteohistological analysis on Triceratops horridus and Triceratops cf. prorsus specimens, aiming to understand the growth and development of ceratopsids. The analysis reveals a distinct pattern of bone tissue growth in Triceratops limb elements, but also suggests that taxonomic ambiguity between Torosaurus and Triceratops cannot be solely resolved based on histological data.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Review
Geology
J. R. Ovando-Figueroa, J. A. Moreno-Bedmar, M. Company, J. A. Jacobo-Delgado
Summary: This article presents a review of ammonoid specimens from the Berriasian and Valanginian age in Zacatecas, Mexico. The study includes updated museographic information, new images, and 3D models of the specimens. Taxonomic identification has revealed six species and two genera. Stratigraphic range data suggests that the specimens belong to the uppermost upper Berriasian to lower Valanginian interval, with several biozones identified. Additionally, a paleobiogeographic analysis indicates a clear affinity with contemporaneous ammonoid assemblages from the Mediterranean region.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geology
Jake Kotevski, Ruairidh J. Duncan, Adele H. Pentland, James P. Rule, Patricia Vickers-Rich, Thomas H. Rich, Erich M. G. Fitzgerald, Alistair R. Evans, Stephen F. Poropat
Summary: The cranial remains of non-avian theropod dinosaurs from the Cretaceous period in Australia are poorly understood. This study presents new evidence of non-mandibular cranial material, possibly belonging to the Megaraptoridae family, and contributes to the limited knowledge of Australian Cretaceous theropod cranial remains.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geology
Josh Jenkins Shaw, Alexey Solodovnikov, Evgeny E. Perkovsky
Summary: A fossil of the monogeneric rove beetle subfamily Trichophyinae (genus Trichophya) has been discovered in the Upper Cretaceous Taimyr amber from northern Siberia. This finding indicates the morphological differences between ancient and modern Trichophya species groups. By comparing the morphology, distribution, and habitat requirements of extant species, the taxonomy, biogeography, and paleoecology of the Trichophya in Taimyr amber can be better understood.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geology
Martin Kostak, Frank Wiese, Zuzana Kozlova, Adam Culka, Martin Mazuch, Martin Soucek
Summary: A well-preserved fossil of an upper Cretaceous acanthoceratoid ammonite has been discovered in the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin, providing important insights into the jaw anatomy of these extinct organisms.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geology
Gustavo Santiago, Marcelo de Araujo Carvalho, Renato Rodriguez Cabral Ramos, Sandro Marcelo Scheffler
Summary: The Santa Marta Formation in the Antarctic Peninsula is an important sedimentary sequence that provides insights into paleoenvironmental changes. The distribution of sedimentary organic matter reveals three distinct palynofacies associations and shows a progressive transgression from terrestrial to marine environments.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geology
B. J. Vazquez, D. Castanera, B. Vila
Summary: In Europe, the fossil record of sauropods in the uppermost Cretaceous is mainly found in Spain, France, and Romania. Recently, a significant discovery of titanosaurs' teeth was made in Els Nerets, Spain, which contains the largest tooth sample from the Late Cretaceous in Europe. The teeth show distinct characteristics but cannot be attributed to any known European species. Based on tooth morphology and wear facets distribution, a new taxon is proposed.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geology
Youssef S. Bazeen, Walid G. Kassab, El Sayed M. Moneer, Gebely A. Abu El-Kheir, Mohamed K. Abdelgawad, Haitham M. Ayyad
Summary: This study investigates the Maastrichtian-Danian succession in the Abu Minqar section of the Western Desert of Egypt, using an integrated analysis of biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy. The results suggest that regional tectonics played a substantial role in the depositional history and paleoenvironmental circumstances of the southern Tethys margin.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geology
Fernando R. Rios, Ana M. P. Mizusaki, Rualdo Menegat, Isaque C. Rodrigues
Summary: This study examines the temporal and spatial relationships between fluvio-aeolian, aeolian, and volcanic systems in the southernmost part of the Parana Basin during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. By analyzing facies and architectural elements, the evolution of the volcano-sedimentary record is reconstructed.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geology
Antonio M. Casas, Arsenio Munoz, Alberto Tella, Carlos L. Liesa
Summary: This work proposes the application of magnetic surveying to study the cyclicity in sedimentary basins. Through measuring the total magnetic field and vertical magnetic gradient, the short-wavelength magnetic anomalies associated with the sedimentary sequence can be analyzed, providing information about the magnetic susceptibility and magnetic remanence of different sedimentary units. The cyclostratigraphic analysis reveals the existence of various cycles and enables the dating of the basin fill, offering new constraints for basin evolution.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geology
Ottilia Szives, Josep A. Moreno-Bedmar, Beatriz Aguirre-Urreta, Miguel Company, Camille Frau, Mikel Lopez-Horgue, Antoine Pictet, Izabela Ploch, Christian Salazar, Ricardo Barragan, Jean -Louis Latil, Jens Lehmann, Stephane Reboulet, Emmanuel Robert
Summary: The 7th meeting of the IUGS Lower Cretaceous Ammonite Working Group discussed important changes in the geological age classification, including adjustments and improvements to the upper Tithonian-Berriasian, upper Aptian, and Albian stages. The meeting also discussed the Valanginian and Hauterivian stages, and provided discussions on zonal indices and units, emphasizing the use of interval zones and subzones.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geology
Felix Schlagintweit, David Gercar, Bostjan Rozic
Summary: A mixed assemblage of planktonic and benthonic foraminifera has been found in the Lower Flyschoid Formation in the western part of the Slovenian Basin. These findings provide valuable insights into the biostratigraphy and paleogeographic configuration of the region during the Early to Middle Cretaceous.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geology
Arkaprava Mukhopadhyay, Debarati Chattopadhyay, Arghya Poddar, Ranita Saha, Sachin Patil, Tushar Sonkar, Sujoy Das, Rudranil Basak, Shubhabrata Paul, Arindam Roy
Summary: Predator-prey interaction exerts significant selection pressure on the evolutionary pathways of both parties. This research presents a new dataset of gastropod drilling predation on molluscan prey from the Upper Cretaceous, highlighting the influence of drilling predation during this period. The study utilizes a hybrid method of surface sampling without physically breaking the host rock. Findings suggest that drilling predation was an established form of predation during the Late Cretaceous, yet remains understudied.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geology
Dany Azar, Andre Nel
Summary: Lebanoaktassia curiosa is a new genus and species of strange dragonfly, representing the first Gondwanan species of the family Aktassiidae. It was found in Hjoula, Lebanon, along with two endemic dragonfly families, suggesting a possible connection to an island insular system in the Early Cretaceous.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Geology
Pablo M. Villegas, A. Martin Umazano, Marcelo Krause, Mariana Brea
Summary: Conifer fossil woods from the Campanian Puntudo Chico Formation were studied, confirming the presence of Brachyoxylon currumillii and the introduction of Cupressinoxylon sp. cf. C. artabeae in the formation. The new specimens of Podocarpoxylon mazzonii suggest that this taxon is common in the Cretaceous to Eocene floristic assemblages. The growth-ring analysis of these fossil trees indicates their development under temperate and humid conditions, with slight sensitivity from year to year and a terminal event representing a cessation or retardation of cambial activity. Other paleoclimatic proxies suggest a temperate-warm and humid depositional environment with some semi-arid events in the Puntudo Chico Formation.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2024)