Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 252 (2007) 1 – 3

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Editorial
The Permian–Triassic boundary crisis and
Early Triassic biotic recovery

1. Introduction Germany: Weidlich

Austria: Horacek et al. (b)
This issue of Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Slovenia: Kolar-Jurkovšek and Jurkovšek
Palaeoecology is devoted to papers on the Permian– Oman: Bernecker
Triassic boundary crisis and Early Triassic biotic South Africa: Tabor et al.
recovery. It is an outgrowth of the Symposium on North America: Fraiser and Bottjer, Woods et al.
Early Triassic Chronostratigraphy and Biotic Recovery
that was held in Chaohu, China, on May 21st–23rd, Although most of these studies are marine-based,
2005 under the auspices of IGCP Project 467 and changes in terrestrial environments and climate are
attended by about 200 Earth scientists with a global considered in Tabor et al. and Yang et al. Also included
representation. The 26 manuscripts contained in this in this issue are global syntheses on conodonts by
issue provide a state-of-the-art survey of Permian– Orchard, brachiopods by Peng et al., and molluscs by
Triassic boundary (PTB) research in diverse disciplines, Twitchett.
including biostratigraphy, paleontology, sedimentology,
stratigraphy, and geochemistry. 1.2. Advances in biostratigraphy and paleontology

1.1. Geographic distribution of studies The biostratigraphic framework of the PTB continues
to be refined, especially through conodont studies,
The studies in this issue have a global distribution, providing an improved temporal yardstick against
although Chinese boundary sections are heavily repre- which contemporaneous events and processes can be
sented among the field-based projects, especially the better understood. Data from Chinese sections figure
Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) at Meishan prominently: Zhang et al. present a revised conodont
in Zhejiang Province and a newly excavated boundary (and palynomorph) zonation from Meishan, the location
section near the conference site at Chaohu in Anhui of the basal Triassic GSSP; Zhao et al. present a
Province: conodont zonation, including new taxa, for a proposed
basal Olenekian GSSP at Chaohu; Ji et al. describe a
Meishan, China: Chen et al.; Wang and Visscher; relatively expanded PTB succession in a deep basinal
Zhang et al. setting in northern Sichuan; and Metcalfe and Nicoll
Chaohu, China: Li et al.; Zhao et al. augment conodont work with paleomagnetic and C-
South/southwest China: He et al.; Lehrmann et al.; isotopic data in locating the PTB in transitional marine-
Metcalfe and Nicoll to-nonmarine facies in western Guizhou. Yao et al.
West/northwest China: Isozaki et al.; Ji et al.; Yang et investigate the palynology of relatively unstudied
al., Yao et al. Permian sections in Xinjiang Province. Further afield,
Vietnam: Algeo et al. (a) Kolar-Jurkovšek and Jurkovšek report the first occur-
Kashmir: Algeo et al. (b) rence of the key Hindeodus–Isarcicella population in
Iran: Horacek et al. (a) Slovenia, and Vuks shows the intercalibration of
Caucasus: Vuks foraminifers with other index fossils of the Olenekian
0031-0182/$ - see front matter © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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2 Editorial

in the Black-Caspian seas region, where a late Olenekian address is the relative sequence of the PTB crises in the
transgression provided conditions for migration between marine and terrestrial realms: Wang and Visscher provide
paleobasins. evidence that the terrestrial crisis occurred first, whereas
The impact of sea-level changes and opportunistic Algeo et al. (a) conclude that the crises were probably
expansion are themes explored by Orchard, who synchronous. Obviously, the relative timing of events
presents a comprehensive study of latest Permian and around the PTB is not yet completely understood, and event
Early Triassic conodont evolution from a unique sequencing is likely to remain an important area of research
‘multielement’ perspective. Rather than emphasizing in the future. Sedimentologic research remains important to
the PTB extinction, this study recognizes a gradual an understanding of Permo-Triassic climate and eustasy.
decline of conodont families and genera through the Yang et al. investigate the sedimentologic record of Late
Changhsingian and Griesbachian, followed by a faunal Permian climate change in terrestrial facies of northwest
turnover and major radiation in apparatuses during the China, and Li et al. study the Early Triassic eustatic record
Dienerian, an explosive radiation in the early-middle in marine facies at Chaohu. The marine versus non-marine
Smithian, and a major extinction in the late Smithian; character of some Lower Triassic deposits remains
this in turn is followed by a major radiation early in the uncertain: Weidlich presents a case that the Untere
Spathian, and a general decline in the late Spathian. Bundsandstein Group of central Europe has been incor-
The effects of changes in trophic systems and rectly interpreted in the past as a non-marine facies owing to
reduced environmental oxygen levels are considered in its impoverished biota.
several studies. Isozaki et al. document complete
disappearance of radiolarians at Chaotian in South 1.4. Advances in geochemistry
China, indicating that the PTB crisis struck at the base of
the marine trophic system, and that reduced energy Geochemical studies have become increasingly impor-
flows may have been an important factor in addition to tant in advancing our understanding of events and
other environmental stresses. Peng et al. show that the processes associated with the PTB. Algeo et al. (a) generate
Lingulidae brachiopods, a group that survived the PTB a high-resolution chemostratigraphic record of the PTB
mass extinction and thrived in the Early Triassic marine from Nhi Tao, Vietnam that documents a series of C-
realm, occupied vacated ecological space through isotopic excursions and correlative pyritic horizons,
adaptations recorded in short-term changes in shell providing evidence of repeated upwelling of sulfidic,
13
size, shape, and thickness and longer-term changes in C-depleted deep-ocean waters at short (∼20 ky) inter-
shell composition. These changes are interpreted as vals. Horacek et al. (a,b) generate some of the most detailed
reflecting food shortage, more efficient adaptation to a C-isotope records for the full Lower Triassic interval yet
burrowing habitat, and increased efficiency of oxygen reported from sections in Italy and Iran, providing evidence
exchange. Twitchett discusses the diminished size, or of multiple large perturbations to the global carbon cycle.
Lilliput effect, that characterizes Lower Triassic biotas Woods et al. provide evidence of concurrent perturbations
in more general terms. Miniaturization of body and trace of seawater chemistry in their study of Lower Triassic
fossils in both the marine and terrestrial realms is shown synsedimentary seafloor cements in western North Amer-
to reverse from the mid-Induan, but pre-extinction sizes ica. Wang and Visscher identify aromatic biomarkers
are not common again until the Middle Triassic. A (dibenzofuran homologues) in the Meishan GSSP that have
combination of factors is invoked, including marine been linked elsewhere to massive soil erosion following the
anoxia, low atmospheric concentrations of oxygen, destruction of terrestrial vegetation during the end-Permian
sluggish ocean circulation in a greenhouse world, and crisis. Tabor et al. conclude from a study of Permo-Triassic
food shortage. paleosols that C-isotope records from poorly drained soils
may not be faithful recorders of atmospheric pCO2.
1.3. Advances in sedimentology and stratigraphy
1.5. Major themes
Strong stratigraphic condensation of many PTB sections
including the Meishan GSSP can make determination of Although the end-Permian mass extinction represents
the sequence of closely spaced boundary events difficult. the acme of the biotic crisis in both the marine and
Event sequencing requires stratigraphically expanded terrestrial realms, environmental deterioration appears
sections, such as those studied by Isozaki et al. at Chaotian, to have begun earlier in the Late Permian, possibly
China, and by Algeo et al. (a,b) at Nhi Tao, Vietnam and contributing to biotic changes such as the reduction in
Guryul Ravine, India. One issue that such sections can average radiolarian size documented by Isozaki et al.
 Editorial 3

and to a minor biotic crisis at the Wuchiapingian– to a major extinction in the middle part of that stage (end
Changhsingian substage boundary (∼ 2.5 My prior to Smithian); this pattern also appears true of the pelagic
the PTB). Infra-Late Permian environmental changes in ammonoids. However, some manifestations of the biotic
marine facies are investigated at Meishan by Wang and recovery, such as the development of high-relief, reef-
Visscher and in southwest China by Isozaki et al., and rimmed carbonate platforms, were delayed until the Middle
coeval environmental changes in terrestrial facies from or Late Triassic, as discussed by Bernecker and Lehrmann
northwest China are examined by Yang et al. et al. The unusually long delay in biotic recovery following
The ultimate cause of the Permian–Triassic boundary the PTB mass extinction has contributed to the view,
is still uncertain, although the age of the boundary is expressed by Chen et al., Fraiser and Bottjer, Twitchett, and
now known to be coeval with the onset of Siberian Traps Woods et al., that conditions in marine environments
flood-basalt volcanism, within the uncertainty limits of generally remained inhospitable to metazoans for most or
radiometric dating. Although commonly invoked as a all of the Early Triassic.
potential trigger for the PTB event, it is unclear whether We wish to acknowledge sponsorship of the Chaohu
flood basalt volcanism—even at a massive scale—can symposium by the National Science Foundation of
produce the kinds of climatic and environmental China (NSFC; grant no. 40325004), Chinese Academy
changes observed at the PTB. Isozaki et al. contend of Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan),
that coeval large-scale rhyodacitic volcanism may have IGCP project 467 (Triassic Time and trans-Panthalassan
been more important in causing environmental pertur- Correlation) supported through IUGS and UNESCO,
bations at the PTB. On the other hand, Algeo et al. (a) the ICS subcommissions on Permian Stratigraphy and
argue that oceanic processes appear to have played a Triassic Stratigraphy, and the NSF-CHRONOS Project.
major role at the PTB. A question that requires further We also wish to thank members of the organizing
investigation is the nature of the links between PTB committee including Michael Orchard (chairman), Yin
volcanism and concurrent oceanographic changes. The Hongfu (vice-chairman), Yuri Zakharov (vice-chair-
hypothesis advanced by Algeo et al. (a) is that man), Tong Jinnan (secretary), Charles Henderson,
volcanically induced climate cooling triggered renewed Richard Lane, Ma Fuchen, James Ogg, Song Guoquan,
oceanic overturn following a protracted interval of Bruce Wardlaw, and Yang Xianjing. We also thank Xia
oceanic stagnation during the Late Permian. Noteworthy Yan (director, Department of Land and Resources,
is that none of the contributions to this issue (nor any of Anhui Province), Wen Xianhong (vice-director, Bureau
the presentations at the Chaohu symposium) provide of Land and Resources, Chaohu City), Zheng Weiwen
any evidence in support of an extraterrestrial impact (mayor, Chaohu City), and the city of Chaohu.
model. Although it may be premature to reject any
hypothesis, it is nonetheless the consensus of a large part Guest editors
of the PTB research community that the existing Thomas Algeo
evidence for a bolide impact at the PTB is weak, and University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
that events before, during, and after the PTB are better E-mail address: thomas.algeo@uc.edu.
explained through a combination of intrinsic processes. Corresponding author.
A major focus of the Chaohu conference was the
delayed recovery of the marine ecosystem following the Daniel Lehrmann
end-Permian mass extinction. Marine biotas in general and University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh,
benthic populations in particular were characterized by low Oshkosh, WI, USA
diversity, reduced body size, and high proportions of
“disaster taxa” throughout the ∼6 million years of the Early Michael Orchard
Triassic, as shown by Chen et al., Fraiser and Bottjer, He et Canadian Geological Survey, Vancouver, Canada
al., and Twitchett. Conodonts appear to have been an
exception, as noted by Orchard, achieving an acme of Tong Jinnan
Triassic diversity by the early Olenekian only to succumb Geosciences University of China, Wuhan, China