Implications of the Precambrian Non-stromatolitic Carbonate Succession Making up the Third Member of Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation in Yanshan Area of North China

Journal of China University of Geosciences, Vol. IS,No. 3, p.191-209, September 2007 Printed in China

ISSN 1002-0705

Implications of the Precambrian Non-stromatolitic Carbonate Succession Making up the Third Member of Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation in Yanshan Area of North China Mei Mingxiang" (@:W&l) State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China ABSTRACT: A particular non-stromatolitic carbonate succession making up the third member of the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang

(a+&)Formation might demonstrate that a stromatolite decline of

the Mesoproterozoic occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma besides other three events of the Proterozoic, respectively, occurred at ca. 2 000 Ma, ca. 1 000 Ma, and ca. 675 Ma. The forming duration of this non-stromatolitic carbonate succession can be generally correlative to that of a similar depositional succession in North America, i.e. a non-stromatolitic carbonate succession made up by the Helena Formation of the Belt Supergroup, which suggests that the stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma may be a global event. This information endows the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession making up the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation in the Yanshan

(a&) area with important

significance for the further understanding of Precambrian sedimentology. The Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation in Yanshan area is a set of more than 1 000 m thick carbonate strata that can be divided into four members (or subformations). The first member (or the Guandi

(%a)

subformation) is marked by a set of stromatolitic dolomites overlying a set of transgressive sandstones; the second member (or the Sangshu'an (#&#@) subformation) is a set of manganese dolomites with a few stromatolites; the third member (or the Zhangjiayu

(!&s@subformation) ) is chiefly made up of

leiolite and laminite limestones and is characterized by the development of molar-tooth structures in leiolite limestone; the fourth member (or the Huanxiusi (%%%) subformation) is composed of a set of dolomites of stromatolitic reefs or lithoherms. Sequence-stratigraphic divisions at two sections, i.e. the Jixian (@&) Section in Tianjin Beijing

(2s) and the Qiangou (?@)

Section of Yanqing

(BE) County in

(dbg), demonstrate that a particularly non-stromatolitic succession making up the third

member of the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation is developed in the Yanshan area of North China, in which lots of grotesque matground structures (wrinkle structures and palimpsest ripples) are developed in beds of leiolite limestone at the Qiangou Section and lots.of molar-tooth structures are developed in beds of leiolite limestone at the This paper is financially supported by the National Natural

J i x i a n Section. T h e t i m e scale of t h e

Science Foundation of China (Nos. 49802012, 40472065) and

Gaoyuzhuang Formation is deduced as 200 Ma

the China Petrochemical Corporation (No. C0800-07-ZS-164).

(from 1600 Ma to 1400 Ma). The duration of an

*Correspondingauthor: [email protected]

obvious hiatus between the Gaoyuzhuang Formation and the underlying Dahongyu

(A&

Manuscript received March 26,2007.

@) Formation is deduced as 50 Ma to 100 Ma,

Manuscript accepted June 28,2007.

thus the forming duration of the Gaoyuzhuang

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192

Formation is thought as 100 Ma (1 500 Ma to 1 400 Ma). Furthermore, the age of the subface of the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation that is just in the mid position of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation can be deduced as about 1 450 Ma, which is the basis to infer a stromatolite decline of the Mesoproterozoic occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma. Importantly, several features of both the molar-tooth structure and the stromatolite, such as the particular forming environment, the important facies-indicative meaning, and the episodic distribution in the earth history, might express the evolutionary periodicity of the surface environment of the earth and can provide meaningful clues for the understanding of the Precambrian world, although their origin and forming mechanism is highly contentious. Therefore, like other three stromatolitic declines, respectively, occurring at ca. 675 Ma, ca.

1 000 Ma, and ca. 2 000 Ma, the identification of the stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma during the Golden Age of stromatolites (2 800 Ma to 1 000 Ma) has important meaning for the further understanding of the evolving carbonate world of the Precambrian.

KEY WORDS: non-stromatolitic carbonate, depositional succession, Gaoyuzhuang Formation, Mesoproterozoic, Yanshan area.

INTRODUCTION In the secular Precambrian that occupied the 9/10 of the earth history, the stromatolite firstly occurred in ca. 3 450 Ma+, and the immense period from 2 800 Ma to the end of the Mesoproterozoic (ca. 1 000 Ma) is thought as the Golden Age of stromatolites. Although stromatolite has been thought as one type of microbially induced primary sedimentary structures that is marked by the vertically positive growth (Pettijohn and Potter, 1964), the actual scarcity of direct calcified cyanobacterial fossils in stromatolites leads to the uncertainty for the actual origin of stromatolites and results in one “Precambrian enigma” (Riding, 2000). In order to study the genetic relationship between the stromatolite decline and the appearance and diversity of metazoan, Fischer (1965) identified a stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 460 Ma of the Phanerozoic that is thought as the result genetically related to the Mid-Ordovician biological radiation, and Awramik (1971) discerned a stromatolite decline occurring in ca. 675 Ma in the Late Proterozoic that is thought as the result genetically related to the large-scale appearance of metazoan. With further research, two other stromatolite declines have been identified in the Golden Age of stromatolites, i.e. one occurred at ca. 1 000 Ma (Walter and Heys, 1985) and the other occurred at ca. 2 000 Ma (Grotzeinger, 1990); and these two stromatolite declines are thought as the result of carbonate sedimentation that might be genetically related to great changes of paleo-ocean

chemistry. For the evolutionary regularity of the earth’s surface (biosphere, hydrosphere, and gassphere) reflected by the stromatolite decline, there are lots of problems that need further research in the future. Within the immense period of the “Golden Age of stromatolites” that is from 2 800 Ma to 1 000 Ma, a particular non-stromatolite carbonate succession making up the third member of the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation in Yanshan area of North China (Mei, 2006,2005) and its correlative succession in North America might demonstrate an important stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma. The third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation in the study area is mainly composed of a limestone (leiolite and laminite limestone) succession, in which a series of grotesque matground structures (microbially induced primary sedimentary structures of a fifth category; N o f i e et al., 2001; Seilacher and Pfluger, 1994) are developed in beds of the leiolite limestone at the Qiangou Section in Yanqing County of Beijing and many molar-tooth structures are developed in beds of the leiolite limestone at the Jixian Section of Tianjin. The time scale of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation is deduced as ca. 200 Ma (from 1 600 Ma to 1 400 Ma). The forming duration of an obvious hiatus between the Gaoyuzhuang Formation and the underlying Dahongyu Formation is deduced as from 50 Ma to 100 Ma, thus the actual forming duration of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation is thought as the 100 Ma (1 500 Ma to 1 400 Ma; Zhu et al., 1994). Therefore, the age of the subface of the third member of the

Implications of the Precambrian Non-stromatolitic Carbonate Succession in Yanshan Area of North China

Gaoyuzhuang Formation that is just in the mid position of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation can be deduced as about I 450 Ma, which is the basis to infer the forming age of the stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma. Importantly, the forming duration of the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation can be generally correlated to the Helena Formation of the Belt Supergroup and its relative strata in North America that are also marked by a poorly stromatolitic succession of the molar-tooth lithofacies (Pollock et al., 2006; Fumiss et al., 1998), which provides an important evidence to identify the stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma of the Mesoproterozoic. Furthermore, the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession in the study area still indicates that the two types of particular sedimentary structures, i.e., the molar-tooth structure and the stromatolite, are important clues for the understanding of the complex carbonate sedimentation in the evolving Precambrian world, although their forming mechanism remains uncertain.

QIANGOU SECTION IN YANQING COUNTY OF BEWING For the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Qiangou Section in Yanqing County of Beijing as shown in Fig. 1, there are both similarities and differences compared to the Jixian Section as introduced in the following context. Similar to that at the Jixian Section, the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Qiangou Section can be divided into four members (or subformations; Chen and Wu, 1997; Zhu et al., 1994; Xing et al., 1989). On the basis of the sedimentological response of the sea-level change (Wang and Shi, 1998; Mei and Xu, 1996) and the sequence-stratigraphic division in other regions such as in Xinglong County (Mei et al., 1998a) and in Pingquan County (Liu, 2001) of Hebei Province, the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Qiangou Section can be subdivided into ten third-order sequences (SQ, to SQlo in Fig. 1) and can further be grouped into four second-order sequences ([ 11 to [4] in Fig. 1). This sequence-stratigraphic division based on methods from lithofacies succession to the discerning of meter-scale cycles (Mei, 2006, 2005, 1998; Mei et al., 2000a; Mei and Xu, 1996; Osleger,

193

1990; Read, 1985) and from succession of sedimentary facies to the division of third-order sequences can reflect the chief sedimentary features that can be summarized as following. Within the Gaoyuzhuang Formation, the third member makes up a particular non-stromatolitic carbonate succession of the Precambrian. Lots of subtidal carbonate meter-scales (Mei, 2000a; Osleger, 1990; Fig. 2A) make up the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Qiangou Section, which indicates that this set of non-stromatolitic carbonate succession is the deposits in deeper subtidal sedimentary environment. These subtidal carbonate meter-scale cycles are made up of both medium-beds to thick beds of leiolite limestones and thin beds of marls, and constitute the TST and the EHST of third-order sequences. Three sets of stratifera, lamnite dolomitic limestones, and lime dolomites with the thickness of only several meters form the LHST of third-order sequences. Particularly, lots of grotesque tepee ridges, palimpsest ripples, and wrinkle structures are developed in the bedding plane of the leiolite limestones (Fig. 2), and these grotesque sedimentary structures can be grouped into the matground structures (Pfluger, 1999; Seilacher and Pfluger, 1994) or the microbially induced primary sedimentary structures (Nofflce et al., 2001). These microbially induced primary sedimentary structures might be resulted from the leveling and stabilization of microbial mats and are typical marks indicating the development of microbial mats in bedding planes of leiolite limestones (Fig. 2B). According to their morphological features, these sedimentary structures can be subdivided into the following types: (1) large-scale distribution-disarraying wrinkle structures (Fig. 2C), (2) large-scale tepee ridges marked by the irregular reticulation (Fig. 2D), and (3) palimpsest ripples with low ripple index (Fig. 2E). The large-scale wrinkle structures with disarraying distribution and with the height of 5 mm might be resulted from the deformation of microbial mats interacting with current, i.e. the result of goffering of pliable microbial mats rich in water under the action of current. The large-scale tepee ridges marked by the

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Figure 1. Sequence-stratigraphic division for the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Qiangou Section of Yanqing County in Beijing. TST. transgressive system tract; CS. condensed section; EHST and LHST. early and late high-stand system tracts respectively.

Implications of the Precambrian Non-stromatolitic Carbonate Succession in Yanshan Area of North China

195

Figure 2. Matground structures developed in the bed planes of leiolite limestones in the non-stromatolitic limestone succession of the third member of the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Qiangou Section of Yanqing County in Beijing. Photo (A) shows the subtidal carbonate meter-scale cycles that are made up by the thin-bedded marls (a) and medium-bedded to thick-bedded leiolite limestone (b); (B) indicates the grotesque matground structures; (C) demonstrates the large-scale wrinkle structures; (D) shows the large-scale tepee ridges; (E) reflects the palimpsest ripples. irregular reticulation might be induced by a complex process. This process includes the desiccation of microbial mats caused by the impermanence exposure, and the upwelling of underlying micrites sealed by microbial mats in the dewatering process. Those palimpsest ripples as shown in Fig. 2E are marked by the low ripple index, and their wave height

is from 2 mm to 4 mm and their wave width is from 10 mm to 20 mm. Their origin is similar to the wrinkle structures. The current action that is strong in one direction makes microbial mats goffer and leads the palimpsest ripple to parallel distribution. Palimpsest ripples and wrinkle structures are frequently paragenetic and confused among each other, which

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have been described as one type of stromatolite (Kinneyia stromatolite) and have been defined as Kinneyia ripple (Pfluger, 1999; Noffke, 1998; Seilacher and Pfluger, 1994). Since these two types of sedimentary structures represent the terminal form of similar sedimentary structures, both of them are grouped into the wrinkle structures in a broad sense. The scarcity of modern analog leads to the debate on the actual origin of the wrinkle structures in a broad sense (Gingras, 2002; Noffke et al., 2002). Several features mark the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession at the Qiangou Section and form some differences from that at the Jixian Section, such as the scarcity of both the molar-tooth (MT) structures and scouring surfaces in leiolite limestones, and the development of the matground structures in bedding planes of the leiolite limestones. The scarcity of scouring surfaces within the leiolite limestones indicates that the sedimentary environment of the non-stromatolitic succession at Qiangou Section is relatively quieter than that at the Jixian Section, and both the degassing and the dewatering within leiolite limstones that are the main mechanisms to induce the MT structures can not occur in the relatively quiet sedimentary environment. Thus, the MT structures can not be found in the bedding planes of leiolite limestones. Like that at the Jixian, the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession at the Qiangou Section making up the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation might suggest that a stromatolite decline had occurred in the initial period of the forming duration of this succession. The non-stromatolitic carbonate succession might reflect a special period of the calcite sea of the earth history that is different from the aragonite sea (Mei et al., 1997; Tucker and Wright, 1990; Sandberg, 1983). Furthermore, same as the stromatolitic carbonate succession that is common in the Precambrian, the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession can provide some useful clues for the further understanding of the evolving carbonate world of the Precambrian.

JIXIAN SECTION IN TIANJIN Located at the famous Jixian Section in Tianjin in the North China, the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang

Mei Mingxiang

Formation is a set of a 1 600 m thick carbonates with the stratigraphic duration of about 200 Ma in the Clymmian (1 600 Ma to 1 400 Ma; Zhu et al., 1994; Fig. 3). According to different petrological features, the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Jixian Section can be divided into four members (or subformations). The first member (or the Guandi subformation) is a set of 324 m thick stromatolitic dolomite, in which stromatolites such as Confusconophyton multiangulum and Gaoyuzhuangia gaoyuzhuangensis (Xing et al., 1996, 1989, 1985; Zhu et al., 1994) are developed. The second member (or the Sangshu’an subformation) is marked by a set of 241 m thick manganiferous dolomites with few stromatolites and with ripples. The third member (or the Zhangjiayu subformation) is mainly made up of a set of 681 m thick limestones with lamina and MT structures. The fourth member (or the Huanxiusi subformation) is a set of 277 m thick stromatolitic-lithoherm dolomites, in which thick-bedded to massive stromatolitic-lithoherm dolomites with lots of stromatolites such as Stratifera bifonnis and Conophyton garganium and thin-bedded dolomites make up lots of upward shallowing cycles (Mei et al., 2000a; Mei, 1995; Read, 1985). Both the subface and the top boundary of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation are unconformities, which are formed by the tectonic uplift, i.e. the Qinglong uplift and the Luanxian uplift (Chen and Wu, 1997; Xing et al., 1996, 1989; Zhu et al., 1994). Since obvious unconformities form the subface and the top boundaries of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation, and the forming duration of stratigraphic hiatus between the Gaoyuzhuang Formation and the underlying Dahongyu Formation is deduced as 50 Ma to 100 Ma; the accumulation duration of carbonate strata of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation is deduced as about 100 Ma that is from 1 500 Ma to 1 400 Ma (Zhu et al., 1994). There are a lot of difficulties in discerning the third-order sequence in the Precambrian carbonate strata with great thickness, such as that represented by the Gaoyuzhuang Formation, because of the lower biostratigraphic and chronostratigraphic resolution (Mei, 2006, 2005; Mei et al., 2000b; Gao et al., 1996). Similar to the rhythms of the Meso-Neoproterozoic carbonate strata described by Zhao (1994) and Song et al. (199 l), the regular superimposition of lithofacies-

Implications of the Precambrian Non-stromatolitic Carbonate Succession in Yanshan Area of North China

-lzz3?

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L u a n x i a n uplift

- - Qinglong uplil't

Muddy

mstrornatolitic dolomite

Stromatolitic bioherm dolomite

0

Sandstone

fI&jMn Maiiganefirous do,ornite '

[,Karst. breccia dolomire

Muddy shale

Shale

Scouring surface

Figure 3. Sequence-stratigraphic divisions for the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Jixian Section of Tianjin. In the figure, SQ1 to SQI3refer to thirteen third-order sequences that can be grouped into four second-ordersequences ([l]to [4]). TST. transgressive system tract; CS. condensed section; EHST and LHST. early and late high-stand system tracts respectively; MT. molar-tooth structure; MA. macroscopic fossil of algae. successions becomes the basis to discern the meterscale cycles (Mei et al., 2000a).

According to the regularly vertical stacking patterns of meter-scale cycles in the third-order

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sequence, the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Jixian Section can be divided into 13 third-order sequences ( S Q , to SQ13in Fig. 3) and can further be grouped into 4 second-order sequences ([l] to [4] in Fig. 3; Mei, 2006, 2005; Mei et al., 2000b), which is made up of a sedimentary succession of “stromatolitic dolomite (the first member), manganese dolomite with a few stromatolites (the second member), leiolites and laminites without stromatolites (the third member) and stromatolitic dolomites (the fourth member)”. Same to that at the Qiangou Section, a set of limestones with the development of carbonate meter-scale cycles of the subtidal type (Mei et al.,

Mei Mingxiang

2000a; Mei, 1995; Osleger, 1990; Fig. 4A) constitute the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation and make up a particular non-stromatolitic succession at the Jixian Section (Fig. 3). In this non-stromatolitic carbonate succession are widely developed two types of primary sedimentary structures, i.e. lamina (Fig. 4B) and molar-tooth (MT) structures (Fig. 4C),and limestones can be grouped into two categories, i.e. the leiolite (Riding, 2000) and the laminite. Some scouring-surfaces filled with oncolite grainstones (Fig. 4D) or silty intraclastics (Fig. 4E) are formed in medium-bedded to thick-

Figure 4. Photos showing the chief sedimentary features of the non-stromatolitic limestones of the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Jixian Section. Photo (A) demonstrates the subtidal carbonate meter-scale cycles (the arrowed) made up of thin-bedded marls (a) and medium to thin-bedded leiolite limestones (b); (B) refers to the particular laminite limestones; (C) indicates the MT structures (the arrowed); (D) shows the scouring surface (the arrowed) filled by oncolite grainstones; (E) represents both a subtidal carbonate meter-scale cycle made up of laminite limestone (a), leiolite limestone (b) and the scouring surface (d) filled with wackstones (c); (F) reflects the paragenesis of both the MT structure (MT) and the fossil of macroscopic algae (the arrowed).

Implications of the Precambrian Non-stromatolitic Carbonate Succession in Yanshan Area of North China

bedded leiolite limestones, and MT structures are chiefly developed in leiolite limestones. That is, the MT structures are developed in the thick-bedded to medium-bedded leiolite limestones from the middle ramp to shallow ramp. Therefore, the forming sedimentary environment of the MT structures is generally deeper than that of stromatolites (tidal flat) and is relatively shallower than that of laminites (deep to middle ramp). More importantly, lots of macroscopic fossils of algae (Fig. 4F) are frequently paragenesis with the MT structure and are different from the spheroidal MT structures described by Furniss et al. (1998) and by Pollock et al. (2006). These body fossils can be grouped into several genuses, i.e. the Genus Chuaria (Walcott, 1899), the Genus Shouhsienia (Xing et al., 1985), the Genus Tawuia (Hoffmann and Aitken, 1979) and the Genus Phascolites (Du, 1992; Xing et al., 1985), all of which make up an assemblage of the Chuaria-Shouhsienia. Although similar fossils have been found in the strata that are older than the Gaoyuzhuang Formation (Yan, 1995; Zhu and Chen, 1995), most of them are marked by the carbonaceous compressions but not by body fossils. The biological attribution to these body fossils of megascopic algae that are found in limestone beds of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Jixian Section remains uncertain, thus it can be concluded that further studies for these body fossils of the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation are important and meaningful to search for both the evolutionary history and the origin of the metaphyta and are useful to solve other related problems. And these body fossils of megascopic algae become the important content of the non-stromatolitic carbonates of the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Jixian Section. Concerning the origin of MT structures there are many hypotheses, the grotesque shapes of MT cracks (Fig. 2C) filled by particular calcite microspars (Fig. 5) indicate that this type of sedimentary structures is not a direct product of bio-sedimentation (Meng and Ge, 2004; Ge et al., 2003), and those hypotheses about their origin can be grouped into two different categories in the present: one is the gas bubble expansion and migration model (Pollock et al., 2006; Furniss et al., 1998) and the other is the

199

earthquake-induced dewater model (Qiao et al., 2002, 1994; Pratt, 1998a, b). Although the actual genetic mechanism for the MT structure remains uncertain, since there are no analogs in the Phanerozoic, the gas bubble expansion and migration model (Pollock et al., 2006; Furniss et al., 1998) can be used to explain the formation of the MT structure. Its forming mechanism can not be exclusive of the liquefaction caused by dewatering process, but the degassing mechanism within the leiolite limestone rich with organic substance is the key to form the MT structure; and organic substance within the leiolite limestone should be the result of the microbial activity. Further, as shown in Fig. 5 , the MT structure might be grouped into a type of the micobially induced primary structure (the primary sedimentary structure of a fifth category; Mei et al., 2006; Noffke et al., 2001). Similar to the three-dimensional fossils of macroscopic algae as introduced in above context, the MT structures developing in the leiolite limestone also express the obvious sedimentary character of the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession of the third member of the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Jixian Section. Ultimately, limestones of leiolites and laminites make up a particular sedimentary succession of the non-stromatolitic carbonate in the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Jixian Section. Several features mark this succession, i.e. the development of special sedimentary structures of both the MT structure and the lamina structure, and the paragenesis of MT structure with the body fossils of macroscopic algae. Since the leiolite belongs to a type of microbial carbonates (Riding, 2000; Braga et al., 1995), those laminite limestones rich in lamina structures that might be the typical matground structure (Noffke et al., 2001; Pfliiger, 1999; Seilacher and Pfliiger, 1994) can also be grouped into a type of microbial carbonates and can further be termed as the laminite. As shown in Fig. 4E, subtidal meter-scale cycle made up of both laminite beds and leiolite beds expresses that the forming environment of leiolites with the MT structures is relatively shallower than that of lamnite limestones. Thus, this non-stromatolitic carbonate succession making up the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Jixian Section might

200

reflect an obvious stromatolite decline event occurring in the initial forming duration of sedimentary

Mei Mingxiang

environment changes reflected by its subface.

Figure 5. Micro-photos showing molar-tooth microspars with the molar-tooth structures and its host rocks made up by the leiolite limestone (the aphanic limestone) developed in the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession of the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Jixian Section. Photo (a) demonstrates a clear interface (the arrowed) between calcite microspars filling the MT cracks (the left) and the host rock marked by leiolite limestones (the right), and this interface is rich with undissolved organic substance and pyrite crystals; (b) is the larger form of (a); (c) refers to the calcite microspars filling the MT cracks with few pyrite crystals (the arrowed); (d) is the leilolite limestone with relatively more pyrite crystals (the arrowed).

STROMATOLITE DECLINE AND MT EPISODES “The Phanerozoic occupies only 1/10 of the earth history, hence understanding the earth of the Precambrian is always an old and fascinating proposition of geological science” (Sun, 2005). The special non-stromatolitic limestone succession making up the third member of Gaoyuzhuang Formation might indicate that one stromatolite decline that had occurred at ca. 1 450 Ma besides other two declines occurring, respectively, at ca. 2 000 Ma and ca. 1 000

Ma during the Golden Age of stromatolites (2 800 Ma to 1 000 Ma; Riding, 2000). Although there are lots of uncertainties for the chronostratigraphic division of the Precambrian, the determination of the 1 4.502 Ma stromatolite decline is an important supplement to the evolutionary history of the sedimentation of microbial carbonates. Thus, carbonate sedimentation is an important window for the understanding of the surface-environmental evolving of the earth, especially for the Precambrian world. Two sedimentary structures, i.e. the MT structure and the

Implications of the Precambrian Non-stromatolitic Carbonate Succession in Yanshan Area of North China

stromatolite, may provide lots of useful clues for the understanding of the Precambrian world, although their origin remains uncertain. In the long history of the evolutionary earth, there have been many changes for the microbial carbonates with the changing of microbes and other organisms since 3 500 Ma (Riding, 2000; Fig. 6). In Fig. 6, “ I ” to “16” refer to the key events of microbial carbonate sedimentation, and their explanation will be done below. Except for the base Cambrian (Bowring et al., 1993), time-scale is from “A Geological Time Scale 1989” by Harland et al. (1990). From the figure, we can see an inferred stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma reflected by the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession of the third member of the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation and the episodic distribution of the MT carbonates (“MT (1)” to “MT (5)”) in the Precambrian. Lots of researching fruits show that stromatolites and other microbial carbonates are chiefly formed in the Precambrian and in the refuge environment such as tidal flat and lagoon with hypersaline sea water or in the isolate sea-floor during the special period of the aftermath of mass extinction with a special phenomenon of “flowage after calamity” in the Phanerozoic (Fang, 2004; Pruss et a]., 2004; Schubert and Bottjer, 1992). These features not only express that the great biomass and metabolism diversity of the microbes have strong effect on the variance of the earth’s surface but also provide a reasonable interpretation on the muddy carbonate deposits in the Precambrian (Warren and Kauffman, 2003; Newman and Banfield, 2002). According to fruits of research done by many geologists, the evolving regularities of the microbial carbonates in the earth history can be summarized as following. First, lots of important events occurred in the immense period from the Archean to the Proterozoic (“9” to “16” in Fig. 6). The oldest microbial carbonate occurred at ca. 3 800 Ma (Schidlowski, 1988; “16” in Fig. 6), th; oldest stromatolite appeared at ca. 3 450 Ma (Awramik et al., 1983; Lowe, 1980; “15” in Fig. 6), and definite cyanobateria and probable algae occurred at ca. 2 700 Ma (Brocks et al., 1999; “14” in Fig. 6). Importantly, marked increase in stromatolite abundance, size and diversity at ca. 2800 Ma may be

20 1

related to the increased craton size, and more stable condition (Hofman, ZOOO), and the immense period from 2 800 Ma to 1 000 Ma is the Golden Age of Age value o f key event\ - 0 G a OM& (----bb

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6

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Figure 6. Key developments in the history of microbial carbonates (adapted from Riding, 2000).

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stromatolites (Riding, 2000; “13” in Fig. 6). And two cyanobacteria calcification episodes (CCEs) and two stromatolite declines were formed during this golden age, one is the Early Proterozoic CCE from 1 900 Ma to 2 500 Ma (“12” in Fig. 6), the other is the Late Proterozoic CCE from 700 Ma to 1 350 Ma (“9” in Fig. 6); and two stromatolite declines occurred, respectively, at ca. 2 000 Ma (“11” in Fig. 6; Grotzeinger, 1990) and at ca. 1 000 Ma (“10” in Fig. 6; Walter and Heys, 1985). Second, as shown in Fig. 6, the important events of the microbial carbonate sedimentation are stromatolite decline events. Concerning the relationship between the stromatolite decline and the appearance of metazoan, one stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 675 Ma is firstly confirmed (“8” in Fig. 6; Awramik, 1971), which is the latest event in the Late Precambrian. In the Phanerozoic, the Middle Ordovician appearance of bryozoans, tabulate corals, stromatoporoid sponges, and other skeletal metazoans was a major change for reef-building (Fagerstrom, 1987; Tappen, 1980) and was an important biological radiation event. One stromatolite decline that is genetically relative to this biological radiation occurred at ca. 460 Ma (Fischer, 1965; “6” in Fig. 6), and the Cambrian-Early Ordovician (475-545 Ma) CCE (“7” in Fig. 6; Riding, 2000, 1994) formed before this event. Other important events of microbial carbonate in the Phanerozoic include: (1) the Devonian to Early Carboniferous CCE (330-375 Ma; “5” in Fig. 6); (2) the Middle Triassic to Early Cretaceous CCE (100-240 Ma; “4” in Fig. 6); (3) the Late Mesozoic decline of marine microbial carbonate (100 Ma; “2” in Fig. 6); (4) the first diatoms (Tappen, 1980; “2” in Fig. 6); and (5) the Late Neogene micritic reef crusts and coarse domes-columns (“1” in Fig. 6). Third, the cyanobacteria calcification episodes might represent the elevated carbonate saturation, which may correspond with one or more of the following factors (Riding, 2000): (1) the high global temperatures that can enhance precipitation rate of carbonate; (2) the low sea-level and low skeletal abundance which increase availability of calcium and bicarbonate; (3) the development of alkalinity pumps from stratified basins; and (4) the isolated sea-floor habit in the aftermath of the mass extinction of the

Mei Mingxiang

Phanerozoic. It can be summarized: the CCEs in the long earth’s history demonstrate that the temporal distribution of microbial carbonates appears patterned in response to fluctuation in seawater chemistry instead of simple unidirectional decline, and the seawater chemistry is controlled by multiple factors such as biological, physical, and chemical factors. Both the sophisticate cause of the stromatolite decline and the obvious change of the mainly controlling factors in different periods of the earth’s history show that the confirming of the chief reason for the stromatolite decline becomes a great project for the cognition of the evolving regularity of the surface environment of the earth (Riding, 1997a, b). Interestingly, even though in the present situation of low stratigraphical resolution, if the stromatolite decline at 1 450k Ma reflected by the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession in the study area is placed in the chronostratigraphic column reflecting the evolving history of microbial carbonate as shown in Fig. 6, more regularity can be demonstrated obviously. Like the false cognition that MT structures is persisting in the 1 600 m thick Gaoyuzhuang Formation (Kuang et al., 2006; Ge et al., 2003), the envision that MT structures is persisting in the immense period from the Mesoproterozoic to the Early Neoproterozoic is also false (Pollock et al., 2006; Grotzeinger and James, 2000; Furniss et al., 1998). Although their origin remained uncertain, the ubiquity of both stromatolites and MT structures in the Precambrian and the macroscopic features of the subtidal MT structure that are mainly marked by limestones and the tidal-flat stromatolites that are chiefly marked by dolomites, may provide important clues for the understanding of the evolving carbonate world in the Precambrian. The conjecture of the stromatolite decline during the Golden Age of stromatolite (from 2 800 Ma to 1 000 Ma) reflected by the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession in the study area is chiefly based on the following materials. First, actual materials of the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at both the Jixan Section and the Qiangou Section indicate that one non-stromatolitic carbonate succession with the thickness from 300 m to 600 m is widely distributed in

Implications of the Precambrian Non-stromatolitic Carbonate Succession in Yanshan Area of North China

Yanshan area of North China. The scarcity of stromatolite is the basic feature for this succession that is mainly made up of limestones of leiolites and laminites. Lots of MT structures are developed in the leiolite limestones in the upper part of the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Jixian Section and lots of matground structures (large-scale palimpsest ripples and wrinkle structures) are developed in bedding planes of the leiolite limestones in the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation at the Qiangou Section. Both the leiolite and the laminite limestones can be grouped into the microbial carbonates. Second, the time-scale of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation is deduced as 200 Ma (1 400 Ma to 1 600 Ma; Zhu et al., 1994; Xing et al., 1989). Considering the stratigraphic hiatus between the Gaoyuzhuang Formation and the underlying Dahongyu Formation that can be deduced as the time scale from 50 Ma to 100 Ma, the forming duration of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation can be deduced as 100 Ma (1 400 Ma to 1 500 Ma; Zhu et al., 1994). Since the interface between the second member and the third member of Gaoyuzhuang Formation is just in the middle position of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation, the forming age of this interface can be deduced as ca.1 450 Ma, which becomes the main temporal basis of the stromatolite decline occurring in the Mesoproterozoic besides other two declines occurring respectively at ca. 1 000 Ma and at ca. 2 000 Ma. Because of the great difficulty in finding of the aging object in sedimentary rock especially in the Precambrian, the exact age of the interface between the second and the third members of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation needs to be further researched in the future. Third, according to the studies by Furniss et al. ( I 998) and Pollock et al. (2006), the age of one similar non-stromatolitic carbonate succession that is marked by the MT lithofacies making up the Helena Formation of the Belt Spergroup in North America is about 1 450 Ma, which demonstrates that the stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma might be global. Fourth, the observation and study of the MT structures in the Neoarchean in the South Africa by Bishop and Sumner (2006) indicate that the envision

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of the MT structure persisted in Mesoproterozoic and Early Neoproterozoic by many geologists (e.g. Kuang et al., 2006; Pollock et al., 2006; Ge et al., 2003; Grotzeinger and James, 2000; Furniss et al., 1998; James, 1998) is a challenging idea. The observation of the MT structures in the Monteville Formation of the Transvaal Supergroup of South Africa not only demonstrates that a particular precipitation of calcite microspars filling the MT cracks has occurred in the Neoarchean (ca. 2 600 Ma) but also leads to a new hypothesis about the origin of the MT structures-the wave induced fluid flow model (Bishop et al., 2006). The MT structures in the fine terrigenous clastics of the Monteville Formation of the Transvaal Supergroup of South Africa are also marked by the change from the MT lithofacies to the stromatolite lithofacies, which whether or not should demonstrate a stromatolite decline at ca. 2 600 Ma remains uncertain. Fifth, many strata with the scarcity of stromatolites but with enrichment of MT structures such as the Fairweather and the Tukark formations of the Belcher Group (ca. 1 750 Ma; Ricketts and Donaidson, 1981) in Hudson Bay, and the Kimerot Group of the Goulbum Supergroup in western Arctic region (ca. 1 900 Ma; Campbell and Cecile, 1976), might be the sedimentary response to the stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 2 000 Ma. Sixth, together with the first member and the fourth member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation in the study area, the more than 3 000 m thick Wumishan Formation in the study area is the typical succession of stromatolitic dolomites (Zhou et al., 2006; Mei et al., 2000b, 1998a, b), which form sharp contrasts to the non-stromatolitic succession of the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation as the mistaken envision that the MT structures persisted in the I 600 m thick Gaoyuzhuang Formation (Kuang et al., 2006; Ge et al., 2003), it is difficult to get a reasonable conclusion without the detailed observation. The main temporal distribution of the MT structures indicates that this structure does not persist in the Mesoproterozoic and the Late Neoproterozoic as thought by James et al. (1998) and Grotzeinger and James (2000) as shown by the “MT (1) to MT (5)” in Fig. 6. The meanings from “MT (1) to MT (5)” can be

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defined as the MT episodes and summarized in the following: the MT (1) refers to the Neoarchean episode (after ca. 2 600 Ma) of the MT lithofacies strata represented by the Monteville Formation of the Transvaal Supergroup of South Africa (Bishop and Sumner, 2006; Bishop et al., 2006); the MT (2) refers to the Paleoproterozoic episode (after ca. 2 000 Ma) of the MT lithofacies reflected by the MT lithofacies strata including the Fairweather and the Tukark formations of the Belcher Group (ca. 1 750 Ma; Ricketts et al., 1981) in Hudson Bay and the Kimerot Group of the Goulbum Supergroup (ca. 1 900 Ma; Campbell and Cecile, 1976) in western Arctic region, which might be the sedimentary response to the stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 2 000 Ma; the MT (3) refers to the Mesoproterozoic episode (after ca. 1 450 Ma) represented by the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession of the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation in the study area and the MT lithofacies strata of the Helena Formation of the Belt Spergroup in North America (Pollock et al., 2006; Furniss et al., 1998); the MT (4) refers to the Early Neoproterozoic episode (after ca. 1 000 Ma) represented by the MT lithofacies strata of the Little Dal Group in Canada (Pratt, 1998a, b; Hofmann and Aitken, 1979) and the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession of the Neoproterozoic Jingeryu Formation in Yanshan area (Zhu et al., 1994); and the MT (5) refers to the Late Neoproterozoic episode (after ca. 675 Ma) represented by the MT lithofacies strata in Shandong-Liaoning-Jilin-Anhuiarea in the eastern part of China (Qiao et al., 2002). As shown in Fig. 6, those MT episodes are genetically related to the stromatolite declines in the Precambrian and the cyanobacterial calcification episodes. Most MT episodes occurred during the cyanobacterial calcification episode and after the stromatolite decline. It could be concluded that the forming duration of the MT episodes is in the similar period of the “calcite sea” of the Phanerozoic as that as discussed by Sandberg (1983), because these special periods are marked by calcite-supersaturated seawater and are beneficial to form the calcite microspars filling the MT cracks. The temporal distributional relationship between MT structures and stromatolites in the Precambrian could provide useful

Mei Mingxiang

clues and thinking approaches for the understanding of two famous enigmas of the Precambrian, i.e. the stromatolite enigma and the MT enigma, since the MT and the stromatolite carbonates represent two particularly fascinating phenomena of carbonate sedimentation of the Precambrian. MT structures are series of peculiar, ptygmatically ribbon cracks or incurvate vein fissures filled with special calcite microspars. Lots of research fruits show that the MT structure is formed in relatively deep environment and is the typical representative of the subtidal deposits in the Precambrian (Bishop and Sumner, 2006; Bishop et al., 2006; Kuang et al., 2006; Mei, 2006, 2005; Ge et al., 2003; Grotzeinger and James, 2000; Furniss et al., 1998; James et al., 1998; Pratt, 1998a, b), which makes a clear discrepancy with the tidal-flat stromatolites. Because of the scarcity in the Phanerozoic and the absence of the modern analog, the original mechanism of the MT structure that is marked by ptymatically ribbon cracks or incurvate vein fissures filled with special calcite microspars is highly contentious and becomes a famous molar-tooth enigma (Bishop and Sumner, 2006; Bishop et al., 2006; Kuang et al., 2006; Mei, 2006, 2005; Ge et al., 2003; Grotzeinger and James, 2000; Furniss et al., 1998; James et al., 1998; Pratt, 1998a, b). Many geologists, including the author, do not approve the earthquake dewater hypothesis about the origin of the MT structure proposed by Pratt (1998a, b), but Pratt’s cognition that the MT structure did not persist in the Mesoproterozoic and the Early Neoproterozoic is correct and important. With the observation of the Neoarchean (ca. 2 600 Ma) MT structures by Bishop and Sumner (2006) and Bishop et al. (2006), like the observation that the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation is not a whole MT lithofacies stratum, lots of materials lead to a preliminary cognition that the MT structure is episodically distributed in the long Precambrian as shown in the MT (1) to the MT ( 5 ) in Fig. 6. Although stromatolites are grouped into the growth-positive primary sedimentary structure (Pettijohn and Potter, 1964) and are grouped into the typical microbial carbonate with the temporal distributional age from 2 800 Ma to 1 000 Ma (Riding,

Implications of the Precambrian Non-stromatolitic Carbonate Succession in Yanshan Area of North China

2000, 1997a, b), the debate on their origin continues. The scarcity of the direct evidence of microbes in the stromatolite-building process makes the origin of stromatolites to become a Precambrian enigma (Riding, 2000). Furthermore, Semikhatov and Raaben (2000) have suggested that external morphology of stromatolites mainly reflects environmental control while microfabric reflects organic influence. And doubts have been raised about the biogenicity of stromatolite not only of the oldest stromatolite (the Wurruwoona) but also of all stromatolite-like structures older than 3 200 Ma (Grotzeinger and Rothman, 1996; Zhao, 1994), but the details of stromatolitic origin remain uncertain. The ubiquity in the Precambrian and the relative absence in the Phanerozoic draw geologists’ attention to the genetic relationship between the abundant decline of stromatolites and the appearance of metazoans. Thus, two stromatolite declines were recognized at ca. 460 Ma (Fischer, 1965) and at ca. 675 Ma (Awaramik, 1971) at first, and two Proterozoic stromatolite declines were discerned respectively at ca. 1 000 Ma (Walter and Heys, 1985) and at ca. 2 000 Ma (Grotzeinger, 1990). On the basis of the similar feature of the earth’s history and the actual materials of a non-stromatolitic carbonate succession making up the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation in the study area, it could be deduced as a stromatolte decline occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma during the Golden Age of stromatolite (2 800 Ma to 1 000 Ma). This bold hypothesis can get the support from the stratigraphical materials of the Mesoproterozoic in North America. For example, during studies on the muddy carbonate ramp of the Mesoproterozoic in the Arctic regions of Canada by Sherman et al. (2000) the following facts have been emphasized: stromatolite-poor succession in the Wallace (Grotzeinger, 1986) and correlative Helena-Siyeh formations of the Belt-Purcell Supergroup (Winston and Lyons, 1993; O’Connor, 1972) indicate that by 1.4-1.3 Ga the condition on muddy ramps rich in MT lithofacies was not conducive to extensive stromatolite accumulation in shallow subtidal waters. It could be emphasized that above cognitions are preliminary, which are strongly restricted by the low chronostratigraphical resolution in the Precambrian.

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For example, the age of the Neoproterozoic carbonate succession rich in MT structures (the Nanguanling, Ganjingzi, Yingchengzi formations and their correlative strata) in Shandong-Liaoning-Jilin-Anhui area in eastern part of China has belonged to the Doushantuoian age of the Sinian period (650-700 Ma) according to the biological materials (Qiao et al., 2002, 1994; Chen and Wu, 1997; Xing et al., 1996, 1989), however, the recent studies indicate that the duration of the formation of this set strata is from 720 Ma to 850 Ma and is defined as the Beihua System (Period) (Meng and Ge, 2004). Similar contradiction is ubiquitous in the Precambrian, which forms lots of restriction for the studies on stratigraphy and sedimentology of the Precambrian.

CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION There are lots of enigmatic problems for the Precambrian sedimentation, such as the “dolomite problem of the Precambrian” (Mei et al., 1997; Tucker and Wright, 1990), the Precambrian enigma of stromatolite (Riding, 2000), the molar-tooth enigma (Grotzeinger and James, 2000) and so on. As the microbial sand chip can be grouped into an intraclast and may be thought as a non-actualistic sedimentary structure (Pfluger and Gersse, 1996), it is necessary to develop and to construct the non-actualistic model of the sedimentary facies that is different from that in the present, and this work needs great courage and careful preparation (Reading, 1996). Two enigmatic and ubiquitous sedimentary structures, i.e. the MT structure and the stromatolite, can provide lots of useful information for the understanding of the carbonate sedimentation of the Precambrian. For the MT structure, the episodic distribution in the Precambrian that can be summarized as five episodes from the Neoarchean (ca. 2 600 Ma) to the Neoproterozoic, which indicates a genetic relationship with the special period of the calcite supersaturated seawater within the cyanobacteria calcification episodes in the Precambrian, which is reflected by particular microspars filling the ptygmatic MT crack. Thus, the MT lithofacies, which are chiefly marked by limestones, form a different sedimentary pattern (subtidal deposits) within the cyanobacteria calcification episodes in the Precambrian after the

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stromatolite decline. Stromatolites are the typical representatives of the microbial carbonate with the Golden Age from 2 800 Ma to 1 000 Ma. Through long-time hard work, four stromatolitic declines respectively occurring at ca. 460 Ma, 675 Ma, 1 000 Ma, and 2 000 Ma have been identified in the earth’s history. Considering the similar non-stromatolitic carbonate succession of the Helena Formation of the Belt Supergroup in the North America, the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession of the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation in the study area may suggest that there is an important stromatolite decline of the Mesoproterozoic occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma besides other two declines during the Golden Age of the stromatolite. Like the important concept of the cyanobacteria calcification episode of the microbial carbonate, although both the idea of the MT episode and the identification of the stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma are the preliminary studying results, these results will provide meaningful clues for the understanding of many Precambrian enigmas and pondering approaches for the thorough studies of the evolving regularities of the surface environment of the earth.

Mei Mingxiang

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This paper is part of the project “Study on Cycles and Events and Their Relative Sedimentological Problems for the Mesoproterozoic Jixian System in the Yanshan Region” financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 49802012, 40472065) , and is part of the project “Study on Lithofacies and Paleogeography from Meso- to Neoproterozoic” financially supported by the China Petrochemical Corporation (No. CO800-07-ZS-164). The acknowledgements are made to Drs. Liu Zhirong, Zhang Hai and Meng Qingfen for their great help in the fieldwork. Acknowledgements are also due to Professors Liu Baojun, Han Zuozhen and Yang Fengjie, the hosts of Special Project (No. C0800-07-ZS-164), for their support in this research. This study is benefited from field discussion with Drs. Mo Niya, Fu Ying, Zhang Huichang and Han Lin. We remain fully responsible for any shortcoming in the material presented.

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