Felsic volcanism as a factor driving the end-Permian mass extinction.

The Siberian Traps large igneous province (STLIP) is commonly invoked as the primary driver of global environmental changes that triggered the end-Permian mass extinction (EPME). Here, we explore the contributions of coeval felsic volcanism to end-Permian environmental changes. We report evidence of extreme Cu enrichment in the EPME interval in South China.

Young asteroidal fluid activity revealed by absolute age from apatite in carbonaceous chondrite.

Chondritic meteorites, consisting of the materials that have formed in the early solar system (ESS), have been affected by late thermal events and fluid activity to various degrees. Determining the timing of fluid activity in ESS is of fundamental importance for understanding the nature, formation, evolution and significance of fluid activity in ESS. Previous investigations have determined the relative ages of fluid activity with short-lived isotope systematics.

[Vertical distribution of physicochemical characteristics and the microbial diversity in different spatial sediments samples in Lake Taihu].

The physicochemical characteristics, nutritions and the microbial community diversity of sediment core samples of three different space locations in the Lake Taihu were studied by fumigation-digestion and PCR-DGGE analysis respectively. The results indicated that below the surface of sediments Eh declined rapidly with increase of sediment depth and it was under anaerobic condition except the top layer of sediment. pH value changed silightly in the profile of sediments, which ranged from 7.