Objective The Late Ordovician to Early Silurian represents a critical transition in Earth's history, characterized by the Hirnantian glaciation and the end-Ordovician mass extinction event. However, significant uncertainties persist in the chronostratigraphic framework for this interval, limiting our understanding of the mechanisms driving biotic extinction and climatic evolution. This study aims to establish a high-resolution absolute astronomical time scale for the Late Ordovician-Early Silurian through the integration of cyclostratigraphy and isotopic geochronology, providing robust temporal constraints for major geological events. Methods Three sections (Shuanghe in Chang-ning, Sichuan; Anwen in Qijiang, Chongqing; and Wangjiawan in Yichang, Hubei) were selected as study sites. High-resolution elemental data (Si, Fe, Ca, Al, Rb/Sr, etc.) were analyzed using AnalySeries and Acycle software to identify Milankovitch cycle signals. Sedimentation rates were estimated using the COCO/eCOCO and TimeOpt methods to construct floating astronomical time scales. CA-ID-TIMS zircon U-Pb dating was conducted on volcanic ash beds to obtain absolute age anchors, enabling precise conversion from the depth domain to the time domain. Results (1) Stable sedimentary cycles corresponding to 405-kyr and ~100-kyr long and short eccentricity cycles were identified in the XRF elemental series. Floating astronomical time scales of 12.2 Myr, 10.3 Myr, and 2.75 Myr were established for the Shuanghe section, Anwen section, and Wangjiawan section, respectively. (2) Given the most complete geological record preserved in the Shuanghe section, the ages of the Ordovician/Silurian (O/S) boundary and the base of the Hirnantian stage, calibrated to 442.34 ± 0.22 Ma and 443.78 ± 0.22 Ma respectively through cyclostratigraphic analysis combined with U-Pb dating of volcanic ash beds (Shuanghe section: 438.47 ± 0.17 Ma), can serve as a candidate for future international chronostratigraphic standards. (3) The duration of the Hirnantian stage is 1.44 Myr at the Shuanghe section, but only ~0.41 Myr at the Wangjiawan section, suggesting that a sedimentary hiatus may exist in the Wangjiawan section. (4) Paleoclimatic proxies and sea-level changes exhibited long-period fluctuations of 1.2 Myr and 2.4 Myr. Conclusions The high-precision astronomical time scale established in this study significantly improves the accuracy of the chronostratigraphic framework for the Late Ordovician-Early Silurian, revealing the rapid onset of the end-Ordovician mass extinction. Astronomical cycles played a significant role in driving climate-environmental evolution during this interval, providing key temporal constraints for understanding the triggering mechanisms of the end-Ordovician mass extinction.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |