The First International Conference of Biosedimentology

——Microorganisms, Biomineralization, and Carbon Neutrality

FIRST CIRCULAR

25th-29th October, 2024

Wuhan, China

Dear colleagues and friends,

Growing evidence shows that biotic activities are involved in most, if not all, sedimentation processes from the ancient geological past to the present day.Biosedimentology is rapidly growing at the interface between biology and sedimentology. Asreflected in publications,biosedimentologyhasreceived great attentionsin recent yearsworldwide.To explore the interactionbetween biological processes in physical sedimentation throughout the geological past to the present day and their possible consequences and controls,we are going to hold the First International Conference of Biosedimentology inlate2024 at Wuhan, China.Emphasizedin particular aremicroorganism’sinvolvementin sedimentary processes, biomineralization process andmechanism, as well as their contributions to carbon neutrality and the evolution of habitable earth.

This conference offers an important forum in which geologists, sedimentologists, paleontologists, biologists, microbiologists, geochemists,and scientistsofotherdisciplinesmeettogether, and exchange ideas on a wide range of topics related to thebiological and sedimentary processesof the biosphere and geosphere.Such exchangesand integrationsare anticipated toaccelerate the development of biosedimentology and the earth system sciences as a whole.

I hope that this invitation may help you to apply for visaatlocal Chinese embassies. I look forward to seeing youinWuhan in October, 2024.

Yours sincerely,

Zhong-Qiang CHEN

30^thNov., 2023

1.Organization

(1)Sponsors

National Natural Science Foundation of China

International Commission on Stratigraphy

International Association ofSedimentologists

Geological Society of China

Paleontological Society of China

China Association of Sedimentologists

Chinese Society for Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry

China University of Geosciences

Yangtze University

Wuhan Center, China Geological Survey (Geosciences Innovation Center of Central South China)

(2)Organizer

State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (CUG, Wuhan)

(3)Co-organizers

Yangtze University

Wuhan Center, China Geological Survey (Geosciences Innovation Center of Central South China)

2.Academic and Organizing Committee

(1) Academic Committee (in alphabetical order)

Chairman: Shucheng Xie

Members:Natsuko ADACHI, Daniel ARIZTEGUI, Karim BENZERARA, David BOTTJER, Jian CAO, Daizhao CHEN,Jitao CHEN,Zhong-Qiang CHEN, Dupraz CHRISTOPHE, Julie COSMIDIS,Mara DIAZ, Jan-peter DUDA, Yoichi EZAKI, Maria FARIAS,Xiqiu HAN,Zuozhen HAN,Zhiliang HE, Mingcai HOU, Andreas KAPPLER, Kurt KONHAUSER, Hongwei KUANG, Jeong-Hyun LEE,Chao LI,Jianbo LIU,Yongqin LIU,Johanna MARIN-CARBONNE,Isabel MONTANEZ, Maria MUTTI, Zhijun NIU, Nora NOFFKE, Jörn PECKMANN, Chelsea PEDERSON, Edoardo PERRI,Hairuo QING, Pamela REID, Joachim REITNER,Robert RIDING,Monica SANCHEZ-ROMAN,Longyi SHAO,Bing SHEN,Xuefa SHI,Pablo SUAREZ-GONZALEZ, Jun SUN, Elizabeth TROWER, Emmanuelle VENNIN, Pieter VISSCHER,Fengping WANG,Hongmei WANG,Jian WANG,Xiaomei WANG,Gangjian WEI, Rachel WOOD, Shenghe WU, Jiaxin YAN, Shouye YANG, Kefu YU, Changmin ZHANG,Xingliang ZHANG,Deshun ZHENG,Chuanming ZHOU,Guangyou ZHU

(2) Organizing Committee (in alphabetical order)

Chairman: Zhong-Qiang CHEN

Secretary in general: Yu PEI

Members: Zhihui AN,Xi CHEN,Long CHENG,Daoliang CHU,Qian FANG, Xueqian FENG, Dongjing FU, Jianxiang HOU, Jun HU,Limin HU,XianyuHUANG, Yuangeng HUANG, Fei LI, Tao LI,Yang LI, Mu LIU,Tao LIU,Xiting LIU,Genming LUO, Jinxiong LUO,Mao LUO,Zhengyi LYU, Qian NI,Zhanfeng QIAO,Xincheng QIU, Xuan QIU,Zhen QIU, Jun SHEN, Yuefeng SHEN,Haijun SONG,Qiliang SUN,Yadong SUN,Dongjie TANG,Li TIAN, Man TONG,Chuanshang WANG,Xiangdong WANG, Hao YANG, Jianghai YANG,Zongjun YIN, Xuelian YOU,Hao YUN, Lei ZHANG, Wenfeng ZHOU, Ruiwen ZONG

3.Preliminary Schedules and Important Dates

(1) Preliminary Schedules

21st-24th October, 2024:pre-conferencefield excursions

25th October, 2024: all day-registration

26th October, 2024: opening ceremony,plenary talks,oral presentationsandposter presentations

27th October: mid-conference activities

28thOctober: oral presentations, poster presentationsandround-table meetings

29thOctober: closing ceremony, plenary talks, oral presentations, poster presentationsandround-table meetings

30th October-3rdNovember, 2024: post-conference field excursionsand InternationalCourse onCarbonateMicrofacies (Flügel Course)

(2)Important dates

10thDecember, 2023:release of 1st circular, opening for session proposals andround-table meeting proposals

15th March, 2024: deadline of proposals for sessions and round-table meetings

15thApril, 2024: release of 2nd circular, opening for registration and abstract submission

1stSeptember, 2024: deadline for abstract submission

15th September, 2024:deadline forearly bird registration

30th September, 2024: deadline forregular registration

10th October, 2024: release of 3rdcircular

4.Scientific Program

Biosedimentology is rapidly growing at the interface between biology and sedimentologyduringcritical periods of theevolution of Earth's life, which is supposed to be the subject of this conference.Emphasizedin particular aremicroorganism’sinvolvementin sedimentary processes, biomineralization process andmechanism, and their contributions to carbon neutrality and habitable earth.Tentatively, the following themes are suggested, and related session proposals are encouraged.

(1) Precambrian biosedimentology

(2) Phanerozoic biosedimentology

(3) Geomicrobiology and biomineralization

(4) Biosedimentology and climate

5.Mid-Conference Activities (One Option for Each Participant)

(1)ThePermian-Triassicboundarymicrobialitesin theChongyangarea, HubeiProvince (Leader:Hao Yang)

The lower part of the microbialitesuccessionacross thePermian–Triassic boundary at Chongyang, HubeiProvince (Wang et al. 2019)

(2)ThePermian-TriassicsuccessionattheXiandao Lakearea, Yangxin County, Hubei Province(Leader:Yuangeng Huang)

The Permian-Triassic boundarysuccessionattheXiandao Lakesection, Yangxin County, Hubei Province(left) and the Xiandao Lake (right)

(3)Burrows (trace fossils) and trace-making bivalveson the bank of theYangtzeRiver andTopSightseeing Attractions in Wuhan (Leader: Xueqian Feng)

Photos showing the bivalves and theirburrowsin the muddy sedimentson thebank of theYangtzeRiver (left), the sightseeingsitesalong the YangtzeRiver (upper left) and the Yellow Crane Tower Park nearby the YangtzeRiver (lower left)

(4) The biosedimentology labatthe State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, and sightseeingatCUGcampus(Leaders: Xincheng Qiu and Man Tong)

Photos showing thelaboratorybuilding of the State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, CUG (upper part), the CAMECA NanoSIMS 50Lfacility(lower left ) and Atom Probe LEAP 6000 XRinstrument(lower right)

YifuGeologicalMuseum (left) andPetrifiedWood Forest in CUGCampus(right)

6.Pre- and Post-ConferenceField Excursions

(1) Pre-conference field excursions

1,Middle Proterozoic–Palaeozoic marine deposits andDajiuhu National Wetland Park intheShennongjia Forestry District and Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomousregion, Hubei Province(Leaders: Li Tian and XianyuHuang) (21st-24th Oct., 2024)

Photos showing thelandscape oftheShennongjia National Forest Park (upper part),landscape (lower left) and geomorphological map (lower right) of the Dajiuhu area

2,The Upper Permian bioherms, Lower Triassic microbialites andgiantoolites in the Lichuan area, Hubei Province (Leaders: Lei Zhang, Zhengyi Lyu and Xiangdong Wang)(22nd-24th Oct., 2024)

Field photos showing the Lower Triassic stromatolites cropping out at the Daxiandong quarry near Lichuan city (upper part), close-up of stromatolites (lower left) andgiantooids associated with microbialites(lower right) (Fang et al., 2017)

3,TonglushanAncientCopperMineSite,Huangshi National Mine Park, andthe Permian-Triassic and Triassic-Jurassic boundary sections in the Huangshi area, Hubei Province (Leader: Jianghai Yang)(23rd-24th Oct., 2024)

Photos showingtheTonglushan ancient copper mine site more than 3000 years ago (from Hubei Institute of Geosciences) (left), andtheHuangshi National Mine Park with the deepest iron pit of 444 meters (right)

(2)Post-conference field excursions

1,Ediacaran–Cambrian marinesuccessionsin theThree Gorgesarea,westernHubei Province (Leaders: Xueqian Feng, Dongjing Fu, Qian Fang and Hao Yun) (30th Oct.-2nd Nov., 2024)

Photos showingcapdolomiteof theDoushantuo Formation, Ediacaran (upper left),theDengying Formationcarbonates, characterized by thick-bedded dolomites covered bygreenvegetation in theThree Gorges area (upper right), water highway in the Three Gorges area (lower left) and theGreat Dam at theThree Gorges(lower right)

Exceptionally preservedEcdysozoans of the Burgess Shale–type Qingjiang biota(Cambrian) in the Changyang area, Yichang City(Fu et al. 2019)

2,Cambrian and Ordovician marinesuccessionsin the Jingzhou area,westernHubei Province (Leaders: Jinxiong Luo and Tao Li) (30th Oct.-2nd Nov., 2024)

Photos showingthecolumnar stromatoliteof theSanyoudong Formation, Cambrian (upper left), Gushen Cave (upper right), Jingzhou Museum famouswithChuKingdom Culture (lower left) and Ancient City Wall sinceca. 2800 years (lower right)

3,LowerTriassicNanzhang-Yuan'an marine reptile fauna,andtwo OrdovicianGlobal Boundary Stratotype Sections and Points(GSSPs) in theYichang City,Hubei Province (Leaders: Zhijun Niu,Chuanshang Wangand Zhihui An) (30th Oct.-1st Nov., 2024)

The Nanzhang-Yuan’an marine reptile faunafromthe Zhangjiawan section (Cheng et al. 2015, 2019)

Photos showingthe OrdovicianDapingian GSSP (left)andHirnantian GSSP (right)

7.InternationalCourse onCarbonateMicrofacies (Flügel Course)

This is a five-dayshortcourse onthe analyses ofcarbonate microfacies and diagenesis. Examples from almost all geological time slices and depositional environments are presented and discussed in microscopy exercises using thin sections(LeadingLecturer:Prof.Axel Munnecke) (30th Oct.-3rd Nov., 2024).

An Ordovician batman (by Axel Munnecke)

8.Registration Fees

(1) Early bird registration

Non-student participant2500CNY¥/350 USD $, studentparticipant 1500 CNY¥/200 USD $.

(2) Regular registration

Non-student participant 3500 CNY¥/500 USD $, student participant 2500 CNY¥/350 USD $.

9.Conference Venue

The First International Conference of Biosedimentology is preliminarily planned to be held inthe New Beacon Luguang International Hotel,Wuhan, China. More information can be found in the second circular.

10.Accommodation

The New Beacon Luguang International Hotel (http://en.ulashotel.com/) is about 2.5 km to the Nanwangshan campus of CUG, 25 km to the Weilaicheng campus of CUG and about 5-minute walk to the shopping center. The cost is around 50 USD $ per night for a standard double-bed or single-bed room with standard facilities.

Photos showing the hotel panorama (upper left), conference hall (upper right), a standard single-bed room (lower left), and a standard double-bed room (lower right)

11.Contact

Contact

Yu Pei, Tel: +86-18062791378; Email: peiyu@cug.edu.cn

Postal Address

State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, No. 68 Jincheng Street, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, Postcode 430078

12. Attachment 1 for Session Proposals

Primary convener		Title
Email		Affiliation
Co-convener 1		Title
Email		Affiliation
Co-convener 2		Title
Email		Affiliation
Co-convener 3		Title
Email		Affiliation
Session title
Theme
Session summary (No more than 250 words)

Please submit it to the email address (peiyu@cug.edu.cn) before the deadline (15th, March, 2024).

13. Attachment 2 for Round-table Meeting Proposals

Primary convener		Title
Email		Affiliation
Co-convener 1		Title
Email		Affiliation
Co-convener 2		Title
Email		Affiliation
Co-convener 3		Title
Email		Affiliation
Round-table meeting title
Round-table meeting summary (No more than 250 words)

Please submit it to the email address (peiyu@cug.edu.cn) before the deadline (15th, March, 2024).