Welcome to Geological Journal of China Universities ! Today is
Share:

J4 ›› 2010, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (3): 327-338.

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Studies on Structures of Several Early Cretaceous Fossil Conifers in Fuxin,
Liaoning Province and Its Geological Significance

DU Bao-Xia, YAN De-Fei, SUN Bai-Nian, DENG SHeng-Hui, XIE San-Ping, WEN Wen-Wen   

  1.   1. College of Earth and Environmental Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China;
    2. Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, CNPC, Beijing 100083, China
  • Received:2010-04-06 Revised:2010-05-20 Online:2010-09-20 Published:2010-09-20

Abstract:

The conifer fossils, Cephalotaxopsis haizhouensis Shang, Elatocladus cf. dunnii Miller et Lapasha and Elatides harrisii
Chow, were collected from the Lower Cretaceous Fuxin Formation of the Fuxin Basin, Liaoning Province. Studies on the epidermal
structures of  these  three species were carried out, and  the epidermal structure characteristics of Cephalotaxopsis haizhouensis
and Elatocladus cf. dunnii account  for a warm and humid environmental condition. Based on  the more complete cuticle and
clearer stomatal bands structures, the analysis and comparison of epidermal structures between extant and fossil plants show that
Cephalotaxus sinensis and Cephalotaxus fortunei can be the nearest living equivalent species to Cephalotaxopsis haizhouensis and
Elatocladus cf. dunnii. The Early Cretaceous CO2 concentration of the Fuxin Basin was quantitatively reconstructed based on the
analysis of these two fossil species and their living equivalent species.

Key words:  fossil conifers, microstructure, Early Cretaceous, palaeoclimate, Fuxin, Liaoning Province

CLC Number: