Characteristics and Significance of Carbon and Oxygen Isotopic Compositions of the PTB Boundary in Haidai Section, Xuanwei Area of China

Authors

  • Chenming Liu

    Institute of Resources and Environment, Yunnan Land and Resources Vocational College, Kunming 650093, China
  • Demin Yang

    Institute of Resources and Environment, Yunnan Land and Resources Vocational College, Kunming 650093, China
  • Zhengqin Na

    Yunnan Wuyuan Technology Co., Ltd., Kunming 650027, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v7i5.8500
Received: 20 January 2025 | Revised: 26 February 2025 | Accepted: 5 March 2025 | Published Online: 6 May 2025

Abstract

The End-Permian mass extinction (EPME), Earth's most severe biocrisis, occurred proximal to the Permian-Triassic Boundary (PTB), with marine ecosystems experiencing catastrophic collapse. This study employs stable carbon (δ¹³C) and oxygen isotopes from marine carbonates in the Haidai Section (Xuanwei, northeastern Yunnan) to decipher paleoenvironmental drivers. The well-preserved stratigraphic sequence encompasses the Upper Permian (Yangxin and Xuanwei Formations) transitioning into the Lower Triassic (Feixianguan and Jialingjiang Formations), providing a continuous marine sedimentary archive. A marked negative δ¹³C excursion (-9.66‰ V-PDB) occurs at the PTB, initiating from +0.82‰ with subsequent gradual recovery. This geochemical signature correlates with: 90% reduction in primary productivity Biodiversity collapse exhibiting cluster extinction patterns Prolonged suppression of ecological recovery Concurrently, reconstructed seawater temperatures reveal extreme thermal fluctuations, surging from 23℃ to 32℃ at the PTB before precipitously declining to 16℃. These perturbations demonstrate coupled biogeochemical dynamics wherein: • Carbon cycle destabilization disrupted nutrient fluxes • Temperature oscillations exceeded marine taxa thermal tolerances • Synergistic environmental stresses amplified extinction selectivity The δ¹³C-temperature covariance (r²=0.085) establishes mechanistic linkages between physicochemical perturbations and biotic responses. Our findings demonstrate that the EPME was driven by positive feedback loops in which: Volcanic CO₂ emissions triggered carbonate saturation decline Thermal stratification exacerbated anoxia Biogeochemical cycling perturbations suppressed primary producers This integrated geochemical record from the Haidai Section provides critical insights into environment-organism coevolution during Phanerozoic Earth's most profound mass extinction.

Keywords:

Carbon and Oxygen Isotope; Northeastern Yunnan; Xuanwei; PTB; ELIP; Mass Extinction

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How to Cite

Chenming Liu, Demin Yang, & Zhengqin Na. (2025). Characteristics and Significance of Carbon and Oxygen Isotopic Compositions of the PTB Boundary in Haidai Section, Xuanwei Area of China. Journal of Environmental & Earth Sciences, 7(5), 203–214. https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v7i5.8500

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Vol. 7 , Iss. 5 (May 2025)

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Copyright © 2025 Chenming Liu, Demin Yang, Zhengqin Na

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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