New palaeoclimatic insights on the Late Cretaceous environments of Mongolia based on the isotope data (&delta;13C, &delta;18O) of dinosaur eggshells and pedogenic carbonates from Bayn Dzak section

S. V. Naugolnykh; V. N. Kuleshov

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-9736.2020.04.01

PDF(4156 KB)

Global Geology ›› 2020, Vol. 23 ›› Issue (4) : 199-213. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-9736.2020.04.01

New palaeoclimatic insights on the Late Cretaceous environments of Mongolia based on the isotope data (δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O) of dinosaur eggshells and pedogenic carbonates from Bayn Dzak section

S. V. Naugolnykh, V. N. Kuleshov

Author information +

History +

Abstract

Isotopic data obtained from the dinosaur eggshells and pedogenic nodules (pedonodules) are interpreted in terms of palaeoclimatology. The material studied originated from the Bayn Dzak locality, Southern Gobi Aimak, Mongolia, having Late Cretaceous (Campanian) age. Stratigraphically the Bayn Dzak locality belongs to the Djadokhta Formation. All the present data (lithology, type of paleosols, FPS-profiles, geochemistry), and the isotopic characteristics of the selected samples show unequivocally that the environments of the Bayn Dzak area in Late Cretaceous (Campanian) time were warm to summer-hot, seasonally dry. Wet seasons (most probably, which took place in the winter time) were not longer than two months with not more than 400 mm precipitation per year. The distribution of isotope data in the dinosaur eggshells show the main relation, which is the dependence of δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values, i.e. specimens with heavy carbon isotope ratios are characterized by lighter oxygen isotope composition and conversely. Thus, the δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values of the dinosaur eggshells display a clear positive correlation. It may be consequent both with the difference of the isotope composition of diet of the egg-lying animals modified by physicochemical isotope fractionation due to metabolism and changes in the isotope environment, and/or diagenetic alteration of the eggshell carbonate. Obtained isotopic data on the studied dinosaur eggshell fragments and the soil carbonates lend support to our assumption that diagenesis did not play significant role in changing the isotopic values. The distribution of δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values in eggshells and in pedogenic carbonates shows the visible opposite dependencies.

Key words

Cretaceous / Mongolia / palaeoclimate / δ¹³C / δ¹⁸O / dinosaurs / eggshells / pedonodules / paleosoils / FPS-profiles

Cite this article

EndNote

Ris (Procite)

Bibtex

Download Citations

S. V. Naugolnykh, V. N. Kuleshov. New palaeoclimatic insights on the Late Cretaceous environments of Mongolia based on the isotope data (δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O) of dinosaur eggshells and pedogenic carbonates from Bayn Dzak section[J]. Global Geology. 2020, 23(4): 199-213 https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1673-9736.2020.04.01

References

Andrews R C. 1932. The new conquest of Central Asia, natural history of Central Asia. Part I. New York:American Museum of Natural History, 1-687.
Barsbold R, Khand Y. 2008. The non-marine Cretaceous of Mongolia//Paleoclimates in Asia during the Cretaceous:their variations, causes, and biotic and environmental responses. Ulaanbaatar:Paleontological Center of Mongolian Academy of Sciences, 13-16.
Barsbold R, Khand Y, Tsogtbaatar K, et al. 2012. Geology and mineral resources of Mongolia. Volume II. Paleontology. Ulan-Bator:Soembo, 1-529.
Bratseva G M, Gereltsetseg L, Dobruskina I A, et al. 2009. Palaeontology of Mongolia, Phanerozoic Flora. Moscow:[s.n.], 1-356.
Berkey C P, Morris F K. 1927. Geology of Central Asia, natural history of Central Asia. Part II. New York:American Museum of Natural History, 1-475.
Burk R L, Stuiver M. 1981. Oxygen isotope ratios in trees reflect mean annual temperature and humidity. Science, 211:1417-1419.
Cerling T E, Hay R L. 1986. An isotopic study of paleosol carbonates from Olduvai Gorge. Quaternary Research, 25:63-78.
Cerling T E, Quade J, Wang Y, et al. 1989. Carbon isotopes in soils and palaeosols as ecology and palaeoecology indicators. Nature, 341:138-139.
Chakraborty S, Jana B N, Bhattacharya S K, et al. 2011. Carbon isotopic composition of fossil leaves from the Earlier Cretaceous sediments of western India. Journal of Earth System Science, 120(4):703-711.
Cojan I, Renard M, Emmanuel L. 2003. Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of dinosaur nesting sites based on a geochemical approach to eggshells and associated palaeosols (Maastrichtian, Provence Basin, France). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 191:111-138.
Dambaev V B, Banzaratskaeva T G, Buyantueva L B, et al. 2016. Isotopic variations of plant C and the steppe pasture soils of the Inner Mongolia. Geography and Natural Resources, 2:118-124. (in Russian)
Dashzeveg D, Dingus L, Loope D, et al. 2005. New stratigraphic subdivision, depositional environment, and age estimate for the Upper Cretaceous Djadokhta Formation, Southern Ulan Nur Basin, Mongolia. American Museum Novitates, 2005:1-31.
DeLucia E H, Schlesinger W H. 1991. Resource-use efficiency and drought tolerance in adjacent Great Basin and Sierran plants. Ecology, 72:51-58.
Dworkin S I, Nordt L, Atchley S. 2005. Determing terrestrisl paleotemperatures using the oxygen isotopic composition of pedogenic carbonate. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 237:56-68.
Eagle R A, Tütken T, Martin T S, et al. 2011. Dinosaur body temperatures determined from isotopic (¹³C-¹⁸O) ordering in fossil biominerals. Science, 333:443-445.
Emrich K, Ehhalt D H, Vogel J C. 1970. Carbon isotope fractionation during the precipitation of calcium carbonate. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 8(5):363-371.
Erben H K, Hoefs J, Wedepohl K H. 1979. Paleobiological and isotopic studies of eggshells from a declining dinosaur species. Paleobiology, 5:380-414.
Fastovsky D E, Weishampel D B, Watabe M, et al. 2011. A nest of Protoceratops andrewsi (Dinosauria, Ornitischia). Journal of Paleontology, 85(6):1035-1041.
Feng F, Qi F, Liu X, et al. 2017. Stable isotopes in precipitation and atmospheric moisture of Pailugou Catchment in Northwestern China's Qilian Mountains. Chinese Geographical Science, 27(1):97-109.
Flangan L B, Bain J F, Ehleringer J R. 1991. Stable oxygen and hydrogen isotope composition of leaf water in C₃ and C₄ plant species under field conditions. Oecologia, 88:394-400.
Förstel H. 1978. The enrichment of δ¹⁸O in leaf water under natural conditions. Radiation Environmental Biophysics, 15:323-344.
Fricke H C, Rogers R R, Backlund R, et al. 2008. Preservation of primary stable isotope signals in dinosaur remains, and environmental gradients of the Late Cretaceous of Montana and Alberta. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 266:13-27.
Friedman I, O'Neil J R. 1977. Compilation of stable isotope fractionation factors of geochemical interest. US Geological Survey Professional Paper, 440:1-110.
Ghosh P, Adkins J, Affek H, et al. 2006. ¹³C-¹⁸O bonds in carbonate minerals:a new kind of paleothermometer. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 70:1439-1456.
Gradstein F M, Ogg J G, Schmitz M D, et al. 2012. The geologic time scale. Amsterdam-Tokio, 1-1144.
Gradziński R, Ka?mierczak J, Lefeld J. 1970. Geographical and geological data from the Polish-Mongolian Palaeontological Expeditions//Z Kielan-Jaworowska (Ed.). Results of the Polish-Mongolian palaeontological expeditions. Part I. Palaeontologia Polonica, 19:33-82.
Hasegawa H, Tada R, Jiang X, et al. 2008. Evolution of atmospheric circulation system during the Cretaceous "greenhouse" period:new insights from the desert deposits in Asian interior//Paleoclimates in Asia during the Cretaceous:their variations, causes, and biotic and environmental responses. Ulaanbaatar:Paleontological Center of Mongolian Academy of Sciences, 65-66.
Jonson B J, Fogel M L, Miller G H. 1998. Stable isotopes in modern ostrich eggshell:a calibration for paleoenvironmental applications in semi-arid regions of southern Africa. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 62(14):2451-2461.
Kim C B, Al-Aasm I S, Ghasban F, et al. 2009. Stable isotopic composition of dinosaur eggshells and pedogenic carbonates in the Upper Cretaceous Seonso Formation, South Korea:Paleoenvironmental and diagenetic implications. Cretaceous Research, 30:93-99.
Koch P L, Fisher D C, Dettman D. 1989. Oxygen isotope variation in the tuscs of extinct proboscideans:a measure of season of death and seasonality. Geology, 17:515-519.
Lefeld J. 1965. The age of mammalian containing beds at Bayn Dzak, Northern Gobi Desert. Bulletin de l'Académie polonaise des Sciences, Série des Sciences Géologiques et. Géographique, 13(1):81-83.
Lefeld J. 1971. Geology of the Djadokhta Formation at Bayn Dzak (Mongolia). Palaeontologica Polonica, 25:101-127.
Leier A, Quade J, DeCelles P, et al. 2009. Stable isotopic results from paleosoil carbonate in South Asia:paleoenvironmental reconstructions and selective alteration. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 179:242-254.
Liu X, Su Q, Li C, et al. 2014. Responses of carbon isotope ratios of C₃ herbs to humidity index in northern China. Turkish Journal of Earth Science, 23:100-111.
Loope D B, Mason J A, Dingus L. 1999. Lethal sandslides from eolian dunes. The Journal of Geology, 107:707-713.
Mackenzie G J, Schaffner F C, Swart P K. 2014. The stable isotopic composition of carbonate (C&O) and the organic matrix (C&N) in water bird eggshells from South Florida:insight into feeding ecology, timing of egg formation, and geographic range. Hydrobiologia, 743(1):89-108.
Mack G H, Cole D R, James W C, et al. 1994. Stable carbon and oxygen isotopes of pedogenic carbonates as indicators of Plio-Pleistocene climate in the southern Rio Grande Rift, south-central New Mexico. American Journal of Science, 294:621-640.
Mikhailov K, Sabath K, Kurzanov S. 1994. Eggs and nests from the Cretaceous of Mongolia. Dinosaur Eggs and Babies//K Carpenter, K F Hirsch, J R Horner. (Eds.). Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 88-115.
Montanari S, Higgins P, Norell M A. 2013. Dinosaur eggshell and tooth enamel geochemistry as an indicator of Mongolian Late Cretaceous paleoenvironments. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 370:158-166.
Naugolnykh S V. 2016. Upper Cretaceous paleosols of the Bayn Dzak section, Southern Mongolia. Paleontological Journal, 50(12):1451-1469.
Naugolnykh S V, Kodrul T M, Uranbileg L. 2014. Stratigraphy of the Upper Cretaceous deposits of the section Bain-Dzak (Bayan-Zag), the Gobi Desert, Mongolia. Palaeontology in museum practice. Moscow:Media-Grand, 122-131.
Jonson B J, Fogel M N, Miller G H. 1998. Stable isotopes in modern ostrich eggshell:a calibration for paleoenvironmental application in semi-arid regions of southern Africa. Geochemica Cosmochemica Acta, 62(14):2451-2461.
Peters N A, Huntington K W, Hoke G D. 2013. Hot or not? Impact of seasonally variable soil carbonate formation on paleotemperature and O-isotope records from clumped isotope thermometry. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 361:208-218.
Quade J, Eiler J, Daëron M, et al. 2013. The clumped isotope geothermometer in soil and paleosol carbonate. Geochemica and Cosmochemica Acta, 105:92-107.
Riera V, Anadón P, Oms O, et al. 2013. Dinosaur eggshell isotope geochemistry as tools of paleoenvironmental reconstruction for the Upper Cretaceous from the Tremp Formation (South Pyrenees). Sedimentary Geology, 294:356-370.
Sabath K, 1991. Upper Cretaceous amniotic eggs from the Gobi desert. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 36(2):151-192.
Sarcar A, Bhattacharya S K, Mohabey D M. 1991. Stable isotope analyses of dinosaur eggshells:paleoenvironmental implications. Geology, 19:1068-1071.
Schaffner F C, Swart P K, 1991. Influence of diet and environmental water on the carbon and oxygen isotopic signatures of seabird eggshell carbonate. Bulletin of Marine Science, 48:23-38.
Seike K, Hasegawa H, Ichinnorov N. 2008a. Gigantic trace fossil Teichichnus isp. from the Mongolian Cretaceous:adaptation of a small organism to the desert environment//Paleoclimates in Asia during the Cretaceous:their variations, causes, and biotic and environmental responses. Ulaanbaatar:Paleontological Center of Mongolian Academy of Sciences, 45-46.
Seike K, Hasegawa H, Ichinnorov N. 2008b. Preferred orientation of the trace fossil Taenidium barrette in the eolian dune strata (Djadokhta Fm.) at Tugrikiin Shiree, South Mongolia//Paleoclimates in Asia during the Cretaceous:their variations, causes, and biotic and environmental responses. Ulaanbaatar:Paleontological Center of Mongolian Academy of Sciences, 98-99.
Selagen L, Mills M, Sebilo M, et al. 2013. Influence of diet compositions and drinking waters on the stables carbon and oxygen isotopes ratios of Gallus gallus eggs. World's Poultry Science Journal, 69:1-6.
Sochava A V. 1969. Dinosaur eggs from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia. Paleontological Journal, 4:76-88.
Spicer R A, Rees P McA, Chapman J L. 1993. Cretaceous phytogeography and climate signals. Philosophical Transaction of Royal Societys London B, 341:277-286.
Šturm M B, Ganbaatar O, Voight C C, et al. 2017. First field-based observations of δ ²H and δ ¹⁸O values of event-based precipitation, rivers and other water bodies in the Dzungarian Gobi, SW Mongolia. Isotopes Environmental and Health Studies, 53(2):157-171.
Taquet P. 1992. A la recherché des dinosaurs dans le désert de Gobi, 1921-1991. Dinosaures et mammifères du désert de Gobi. Paris:Imprimerie Rémy Marie-Ange, 15-26.
Tieszen L L. 1991. Natural variations in the carbon isotope values of plants:implications for archaeology, ecology, and paleoecology. Journal of Archaeological Science, 18:227-248.
Tsogtbaatar K. 2008. Distribution map of Mongolian dinosaurs. Ulaanbaatar:Paleontological Center of MAS, 1-4.
Von Schirnding Y, Merve N J, Van Der Vogel J C. 1982. Influence of diet and age on carbon isotope ratios in ostrich eggshells. Archaeometry, 24:3-20.
Watson J. 1988. The Cheirolepidaceae. Origin and evolution of gymnosperms. New York:Columbia University Press, 382-447.
Wolfe J A, Upchurch G R. 1987. North American non-marine climates and vegetation during the Late Cretaceous. Paleogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 61:33-77.
Zhao Z, Yan Z. 2000. Stable isotopic studies of dinosaur eggshells from the Nanxiong Basin, South China. Science of China (Ser. D), 43(1):84-92.
Zhao Z, Mao X, Chai Z, et al. 2009. Geochemical environmental changes and dinosaur extinction during the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K/T) transition in the Nanxiong Basin, South China:evidence from dinosaur eggshells. Chinese Science Bulletin, 54:806-815.
Zamanian K, Pustovoytov K, Kuzyakov Y. 2016. Pedogenic carbonates:forms and formation process. Earth-Science Reviews, 157:1-17.
Zhu G, Zhong J. 2000. The carbon isotopic characteristics of dinosaur eggshell fossils in Late Cretaceous from Xixia Basin and their significance. Chinese Journal of Geochemistry, 19(1):29-34.