中國科學院古脊椎動物與古人類研究所法籍博士後Romain Amiot與中科院地質與地球物理研究所王旭等組成的一個多國合作團隊近日在著名學術刊物美國《國家科學院院刊》(PNAS)發表了一篇題為「東亞地區恐龍氧同位素揭示早白堊世寒冷的氣候」(Oxygen isotopes of East Asian dinosaurs reveal exceptionally cold Early Cretaceous climate) 的論文。這項他在博士後期間完成的研究表明,恐龍生活時期不全是溫暖的氣候,至少在早白堊世的某些階段(如著名的熱河生物群繁盛的時期,距今約1.25億年前),中國東北地區為溫帶氣候為主,冬天寒冷。這一結論可能還會對研究這一時期恐龍羽毛的功能提供一些啟示。
他們採集的分析樣品來自恐龍、似哺乳爬行動物、鱷類、龜類和魚類化石的牙齒和骨骼,包括了中國以及日本和泰國相同時期的地層中的化石。通過對樣品中氧同位素的分析,對亞洲地區早白堊世的大氣溫度進行了恢復。他們的研究結果顯示,早白堊世這一時期的平均溫度與今天相同緯度的地區氣候大致相當。因此,熱河生物群應當生活在一個較為寒冷的溫帶氣候中,恐龍、鳥類和哺乳類的羽毛或者毛髮能夠幫助這些動物在冬天保持活力。
Amiot博士從2007開始與中科院古脊椎所周忠和研究員以及中科院地質與地球物理研究所丁仲禮院士等合作開展博士後研究,重點是對中生代脊椎動物的骨骼和牙齒進行氧、碳同位素的分析,從而恢復當時生物的習性和古氣候。他於2010年出站後,在法國科學研究院(CNRS)獲得了終身研究職位。(生物谷Bioon.com)
生物谷推薦原始出處:
PNAS doi: 10.1073/pnas.1011369108
Oxygen isotopes of East Asian dinosaurs reveal exceptionally cold Early Cretaceous climates
Romain Amiota,1,2, Xu Wangb, Zhonghe Zhoua, Xiaolin Wanga, Eric Buffetautc, Christophe Lécuyerd,2, Zhongli Dingb, Frédéric Fluteaue, Tsuyoshi Hibinof, Nao Kusuhashig, Jinyou Moh, Varavudh Suteethorni, Yuanqing Wanga, Xing Xua, and Fusong Zhangb
Abstract
Early Cretaceous vertebrate assemblages from East Asia and particularly the Jehol Biota of northeastern China flourished during a period of highly debated climatic history. While the unique characters of these continental faunas have been the subject of various speculations about their biogeographic history, little attention has been paid to their possible climatic causes. Here we address this question using the oxygen isotope composition of apatite phosphate (δ) from various reptile remains recovered from China, Thailand, and Japan. δ values indicate that cold terrestrial climates prevailed at least in this part of Asia during the Barremian—early Albian interval. Estimated mean air temperatures of about 10 ± 4 °C at midlatitudes (~42 °N) correspond to present day cool temperate climatic conditions. Such low temperatures are in agreement with previous reports of cold marine temperatures during this part of the Early Cretaceous, as well as with the widespread occurrence of the temperate fossil wood genus Xenoxylon and the absence of thermophilic reptiles such as crocodilians in northeastern China. The unique character of the Jehol Biota is thus not only the result of its evolutionary and biogeographical history but is also due to rather cold local climatic conditions linked to the paleolatitudinal position of northeastern China and global icehouse climates that prevailed during this part of the Early Cretaceous.