Hundreds of millions of years of "babies" were not treated as treasures, and some were burned into bricks
The protection of paleontological fossils in Guizhou "lacks both clever women and rice". Experts suggest that "the combination of stone and brigade" carry out constructive protection
Our reporter Jiang Cheng and Yang Xin
In the exposed stone layer next to the red brick factory, fossils from hundreds of millions of years ago, such as trilobites and hornstones, can be seen everywhere; the unsightly hillside on the roadside can be easily digged by paleontological fossils from hundreds of millions of years ago; thousands of pieces were collected. The fossils of ichthyosaurs and crinoids in the basement have not been repaired, and some fossils have gradually weathered...
Guizhou is rich in paleontological fossil resources and is known as the "kingdom of paleontology".
The province's sedimentary strata are well-developed and widely distributed, and contain a large number of paleontological fossils. A recent investigation by Xinhua Daily Telegraph reporter found that important fossil groups and stratigraphic sections such as the Qingyan paleontological fossil group and the Wudang site in the provincial geological park in Guizhou have been destroyed.
Experts and grassroots cadres believe that it is possible to fully mobilize experts, increase investment, rationally develop fossil resources, establish related paleontology fossil museums and popular science and research bases, explore "combination of stone and brigade", and carry out constructive protection.
Hundreds of millions of years of "baby" can be seen everywhere
Several houses were built sparsely on the hillside, where villagers produced and lived and raised livestock.
The surface of the rock formations on the hillside has become crumbly due to weathering, making it difficult to associate with important paleontological fossil groups.
But when you dig in a bare rock formation, you may dig up paleontological fossils hundreds of millions of years ago.
This is the Qingyan paleontological fossil group in Guiyang City, and it is also a key paleontological fossil producing area in Guizhou Province.
Tong Jinnan, professor of the Department of Earth Biology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), introduced that the Qingyan paleontological fossil group is composed of 13 phylums, and 419 species of 214 genera have been discovered. It is the turn of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic. The biological recovery after the mass extinction-the most radiation The abundance and diversity of a typical marine invertebrate group are rare in the world, representing the third major radiation in the history of the earth.
This information is not only helpful for studying the biological recovery after the end of the Permian mass extinction, but also for exploring the source of contemporary marine biodiversity and ecosystem construction.
"The largest biological extinction on earth occurred 250 million years ago, and the subsequent life explosion took 10 million years. The only site in the world where evidence of this life explosion can be found is the Qingyan Paleontological Fossils." Tong Jinnan said that he went to Guiyang in 2016 to investigate and research and found that with the development of urban construction, the Qingyan paleontological fossil group has disappeared in large areas, leaving only Bangtoupo, but it has not been effectively protected so far.
Wang Hongmei, an investigator from the Mineral Resources Protection and Supervision Office of the Guizhou Provincial Department of Natural Resources, told the reporter that the Qingyan paleontological fossil group refers to all the biological fossils produced in the Qingyan Formation in the Qingyan area of Guiyang. It is mainly bivalves, brachiopods, and ammonites. , Including fossil groups of six species of corals, conodonts, sponges, gastropods, terrestrial plants, and algae.
Wang Hongmei said that the Qingyan Paleontological Fossil Producing Area was listed in the Huaxi Provincial Geopark in 2006, but due to its large area and relatively extensive management, it did not specifically vectorize the coordinates of the fossil producing area.
In addition, this place is located in the central area of Qingyan Town and is greatly affected by the Qingyan Yudai Bay resettlement houses and the Qingyan Shuangshi Road municipal engineering project.
On the hills around Bangtoupo, the reporter saw that there were three resettlement houses built on fossil origins.
“Involving villagers’ land demolition compensation, the related work process is longer. At present, the local area is organizing the payment of land and house compensation. After the compensation is paid, the site can be immediately entered for environmental remediation and profile cleaning.” Wang Hongmei said.
Recently, the reporter learned from Mr. Liu, the owner of one of the houses, that the compensation has been paid.
"Compensation payments for land and houses have been received, things are being cleaned up one after another, and they are going to be moved soon." Mr. Liu said.
An Ordovician paleontology fossil combination located in Wudang District of Guiyang City is the field practice base of the School of Resources and Environmental Engineering of Guizhou University.
Lan Tian, a lecturer at the college, told reporters that there were originally six complete geological sections, but due to lack of protection, only three are left.
"Fossils of mollusks have been discovered here. Their bodies are soft tissues. The probability of being preserved in the form of fossils is very small. The soft tissues of organisms can be preserved. This is its rare and precious feature." Lan Tian said.
The reporter saw at the scene that affected by local production and life, the surface of the rock formations was severely weathered, and not far away, two geological sections had been covered by real estate projects.
Lan Tian expressed regret for this: "Local development will indeed gradually squeeze the space of the fossil group. If these three sections are gone, our practice base will have to be changed again."
Wang Hongmei said that the construction of tunnels, landfills and real estate projects have all caused damage to the stratum profile to varying degrees.
Fossil protection "lacks both clever women and rice"
The reporter's investigation found that the lack of funds, talents and protection awareness has brought difficulties and challenges to the protection of important fossil groups.
Too many fossils lead to "difficult to distinguish severity" and lack of awareness of protection.
In some areas with rich fossil resources in Guizhou, it is not uncommon for fossils to be dug up during project construction. In addition, local departments lack professional knowledge to identify the importance of fossils, and the awareness of protection is gradually indifferent.
The reporter discovered at the Kaixin Red Brick Factory in Kaili City, Southeast Guizhou Province that there are a large number of paleontological fossils from the Silurian period. Fossils such as trilobites and cornerstones were exposed as the brick factory took the stones to make bricks, and they can be seen everywhere. Fossils have been burned into bricks along with miscellaneous stones.
Tong Jinnan told reporters that such a large number of fossils are concentrated here, even if they are not so important, they are all burned into bricks, which is really a pity.
The Guizhou Provincial Department of Natural Resources recently organized relevant experts from the Guizhou Provincial Paleontology Expert Committee to conduct field investigations and verifications.
The results show that the paleontological fossil species produced in the Kaixin Red Brick Factory are widely produced in Guizhou, with a large number of types and quantities.
In addition, after long-term weathering of the excavated shale, the exposed fossils are easy to collect. Although the types of fossils are not scarce, they can still be used as a place for youth science teaching.
The shortage of special funds is an important factor affecting the protection of paleontological fossils.
Wang Hongmei introduced that the special funds for fossil protection are all allocated by the provincial finance, and the funds are relatively tight.
Many fossil reserves are managed daily by county-level departments, but lack special funding support.
Liu Youyi, secretary of the Qingyan Town Party Committee, said: “Although we know that fossils need to be protected, it involves demolition compensation. This fund is not available in the town or district. We can only wait for special funds, so it has been delayed for so many years.”
It is understood that the Guizhou Provincial Department of Natural Resources has made a protection plan assessment of the origin of the Qingyan paleontological fossil group. In 2020, it has applied for a special fund of 6 million yuan from the Guizhou Provincial Department of Finance, and 3 million yuan has been implemented.
Fossil protection still lacks professionals.
Li Bin, captain of the law enforcement team of the Guanling Fossil Group Geopark Management Office in Anshun City, Guizhou Province, told reporters that since 2000, Guanling County has carried out several special operations to combat the piracy of paleontological fossils, confiscating precious crinoids and ichthyosaur fossils. Thousands, but they have been stacked in the basement of the geopark.
Due to lack of funds and professionals, it has not yet been repaired, and some fossils have gradually weathered.
Identifying the rarity and scientific research value of various fossil groups and various types of fossils is the focus of fossil protection.
Yang Shuo, deputy director of the Huaxi District Natural Resources Bureau, told reporters that there is a lack of specialized technical personnel to conduct identification.
"Not all fossils can be found. Some invertebrate fossils are not discovered or cared about. There is a lack of professionals in places. If it is not for experts, we don't know where there are fossils, and we don't know which fossils need to be protected." Yang Shuo said.
"Stone brigade combination" to carry out constructive protection
Interviewed experts and grass-roots officials believe that to understand the "family" of paleontological fossils in Guizhou, reasonable fossil collection and scientific research can popularize fossil knowledge, enhance the value of fossils, and increase public awareness of protection.
They suggested an organic combination of protection and development, "Do not allow protection to affect development, nor allow development to undermine protection."
Wang Hongmei introduced that Guizhou arranged special funds in 2008, 2011, and 2017 to conduct investigation, evaluation and protection plans for paleontological fossil resources in the province. At present, the province has delineated 66 paleontological fossil production areas with protection value, "Paleontological Kingdom" "The title is well-deserved.
In actual work, fossil protection is prone to conflict with infrastructure construction and the production and life of the masses.
Wang Hongmei introduced that among the 66 fossil production areas with conservation value, 8 world-class fossil production areas have been included in the province’s ecological red line for protection, and the other 58 fossil production areas have also been included in the Guizhou Provincial Department of Natural Resources "Management of land and mines. The “Zhang Tu” platform is used for avoidance management and control during the pre-examination of project land use planning and site selection and mining rights setting approval.
"It is necessary to protect, but it must not be overprotected. The local development needs to make certain sacrifices if it is judged by experts to be of value for protection." Wang Hongmei said.
Zhao Yuanlong, a professor at the School of Resources and Environmental Engineering of Guizhou University, believes that fossils are non-renewable resources, and fossils, especially fossil clusters, have important scientific significance.
Ancient vertebrate fossils have long been regarded as cultural relics and have received good protection effects, and invertebrate fossils can also be used as cultural relics.
"Only when the competent authorities and the masses have raised their awareness of the importance and protection of fossils can they attach importance to and do a good job in this work," said Zhao Yuanlong.
Zhao Yuanlong and Tong Jinnan suggested that "the combination of stone and brigade" should carry out constructive protection.
A large number of paleontological fossil museums at home and abroad display a large number of fossils, promote paleontological fossils and their evolution, display the form of fossils, and conduct popular science education. Some fossil nature reserves can also attract tourists to visit and promote local development.
For example, since 2020, Guiyang City has organized more than 1,000 primary and middle school students to the Guanling Fossil Group Geopark in Anshun City to conduct research. The students can learn about geology, cultural relics and other knowledge on the spot, and understand the paleontology of the Triassic period more than 200 million years ago. The formation of fossils, the types and distribution of fossils, etc., to understand the evolution process from the origin of life to the present.
"Fossil production areas can be used for the construction of fossil villages, which can not only serve as a popular science base, but also increase the awareness of fossil villagers to protect fossils. Some of the fossils are not of high protection level, but the ornamental fossils can also be used as handicrafts." Zhao Yuanlong said.
Liu Youyi believes that Qingyan has rich tourism resources, and a fossil museum or popular science base can be built, which can not only protect fossils, but also convert fossil resources into tourism resources and promote local economic development.
Yang Shuo introduced that although the Paleontological Fossil Expert Committee has been established in the province, it has less contact with the local authorities.
As the grassroots level is the front line for the discovery and protection of precious fossils, it is necessary to strengthen the knowledge of fossil identification and protection.
Experts such as Tong Jinnan and Zhao Yuanlong suggested that the competent department of fossil protection should attach importance to the role of experts and establish a long-term mechanism for communication with experts.