Integrated Biostratigraphy of Lower Carboniferous Marine Sequences in South China

The Lower Carboniferous (Mississippian) marine sequences in South China represent one of the most complete and fossiliferous sections of early Carboniferous strata in the world. This study presents an integrated biostratigraphic analysis of these sequences, incorporating multiple fossil groups including conodonts, foraminifers, rugose corals, brachiopods, and calcareous algae. The marine sequences of South China are characterized by continuous carbonate platform deposits that span the Tournaisian, Visean, and Serpukhovian stages, providing exceptional opportunities for high-resolution biostratigraphic correlation and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Through detailed systematic sampling and taxonomic analysis of key sections in Guizhou, Guangxi, and Hunan provinces, we establish refined biostratigraphic zonations that enable precise correlation with global stratotype sections. The integration of multiple fossil groups reveals complex paleoecological patterns and facies relationships across the South China carbonate platform. Our results demonstrate that the Lower Carboniferous marine sequences of South China experienced significant sea-level fluctuations, climate variations, and biological turnover events that can be correlated with global Carboniferous events. This comprehensive biostratigraphic framework provides essential chronostratigraphic control for understanding early Carboniferous paleobiogeography, paleoecology, and evolutionary patterns in the eastern Paleotethys region.