Dafeng Yeludang found 10,000 years of micro-fossilization

　　The reporter learned from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on March 11 that at the end of last year and the beginning of this year, experts led a team to excavate and explore in Ludang, Dafengye, a wetland in Yancheng, that lasted half a month, and took out soil chips from various periods since 10,000 years, including micro-fossils such as foraminifera, mesozoans, and ancient spore pollen, which are being studied in the laboratory. The results are of great significance in revealing the geological evolution history of the northern region of the Yangtze River Delta.

　　Li Baohua, a researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, introduced that in the distant past, Dafengye Ludang was the estuary of the ancient Yangtze River and the ancient Huang (Huai) River. In 2020, the institute implemented the national project "Paleoenvironment Research Project since the Ice Period in the Northern Region of the Yangtze River Delta", which included wild deer dang as an important research node. At the end of December last year, the scientific research team came to Yeludang, and during the half-month excavation and exploration, they obtained soil chips from different periods, and unearthed many very precious fossils of tiny organisms that need to be observed with microscopes, the oldest of which is 10,000 years old.

　　This is a relatively complete subfominated elk antler, which was found in 2014 in the Dingxi River in Dafeng District. (Infographic)

　　"The analysis of micro-paleontology and so on in Dafengye Ludang is to reveal the geological evolution history of the northern region of the Yangtze River Delta. After the study is clear, it can not only better protect the ecology, but also allow the people to have a deeper understanding of the land under their feet. Li Baohua revealed that next, along the coastline of the northern area of the Yangtze River Delta, from east to west, through Dafeng District, Xinghua City and other places, the overall in-depth study of the ancient environmental changes in northern Jiangsu will be conducted.

　　Located in the Yellow Sea Wetland, a World Heritage Site, adjacent to the Dafeng Elk National Nature Reserve, herds of elk run to the wild deer to feed and roost, while looking up, it is gray cranes, egrets and other birds soaring. At night, the vast starry sky reflects the beauty of nature. Ma Lianyi, who does management work in DafengYeludang, said that the region can observe the starry sky for an average of 238 days a year, and the national automatic meteorological observation station set up is a good place to look up at the stars, and the summer night Milky Way and the winter orion constellation are clearly visible.

　　In 2019, Yancheng Yellow Sea Wetland successfully applied for heritage, becoming the 14th World Natural Heritage Site in China and the first natural heritage site in Jiangsu Province, filling the gap in China's coastal wetland type World Heritage. Wild Deer Dang takes the opportunity to protect the World Natural Heritage of the Yellow Sea Wetland to further enhance the transformation. In 2020, Wild Deer Dang was listed by the IUCN as a World Dark Night Starry Sky Protectorate, showing the world the unique charm and original ecological culture of the Yellow Sea wetlands.

　　Ma Lianyi said that in the near future, Wild Deer Dang is ready to cooperate with the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and other relevant geological authorities to hold a high-level expert seminar and strive to declare the estuary of the ancient Yangtze River and the ancient Yellow (Huai) River into the national geographic information database and into the geography textbooks of primary and secondary schools. At the same time, the establishment of ancient Yangtze River, ancient Huang (Huai) River estuary landmarks, to establish the historical change process of China's land from here to the sea, and conspicuously erected signs. Wild Deer Dang will also strive to set up the headquarters of the China (World) Dark Night Starry Sky Protectorate, build the entire activity area in front of the Wild Deer Dang Gate into a geological and starry sky square with a strong scientific atmosphere, establish a science popularization base, advocate ecological civilization education, and contribute to improving the scientific literacy of the whole people.

Source: Yancheng Evening News