Seminar

Abundant plant fossils have been discovered from the late Triassic Yangcaogou Formation near Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, NE China. Since the 1980s, a wide range of plants, including Neocalamites, Glossophyllum, Pterophyllum, Dictyophyllum and Cycadocarpidium, have been identified from the Yangcaogou Formation.  Findings have greatly improved our understanding of ecosystem, plant diversity and flora evolution during the Triassic time period. Despite fossil excavation, much work remains to be done. For example, the sedimentary environment, post-depositional setting and age for this fossil-rich formation are unclear. In this study, I first review previous age estimations for the Yangcaogou Formation. During the preliminary field study in the summer of 2021, I collected datable samples from the classic outcrop of Yangcaogou Flora. The goal of this project is to establish a robust radio-isotopic age for the fossil-bearing Yangcaogou Formation. My age data will allow to further reconstruct the paleo-ecosystem in NE China and to calibrate the evolutionary history of several plants during late Triassic.     

Additional information: Miss XIA Yangyang, u3008601@connect.hku.hk