A recent exploration on Mount Cho Oyu, nestled within the majestic Himalayan mountain range and celebrated as the sixth-highest peak globally at 8,201 meters, yielded phenomenal discoveries for the scientific community. The research team, which included members from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) and the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, revealed their groundbreaking findings through CCTV, a state-run broadcaster.
Among the most notable finds was a shark tooth fossil, tracing its origins back to the Late Triassic period, an astonishing 220 million years ago. This discovery is set to enhance our understanding of ancient marine ecosystems of that era, especially in that region. Deng Tao, the IVPP director, emphasized the potential significance of these insights, illuminating the intricate marine life and ecosystems that once thrived.
The team also uncovered an intriguing heteromorphic ammonite fossil from the Late Cretaceous strata, roughly 70 million years old. This discovery is particularly vital, given that it provides a window into genetic anomalies within certain biological groups before the fifth major mass extinction event. This catastrophic event, which transpired about 66 million years ago, marked the end of nonavian dinosaurs and paved the way for mammals’ evolutionary journey. While ammonites were once widespread in the Triassic oceans globally, they became extinct by the end of the Cretaceous period. Their fossils play a pivotal role in dating rock formations, evidenced by the frequent discovery of Jurassic ammonite fossils within the Himalayas.
Further enriching the repository of discoveries on Mount Cho Oyu were fossils of plants like berberis, cotoneaster, and spruce. These date back to the Early Pliocene epoch, approximately 5 million years ago, found in strata situated at altitudes beyond 4,800 meters. Such discoveries hint at the presence of a once thriving coniferous forest community. They suggest that as the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau was rising, the Himalayas had already achieved elevations exceeding 3,000 meters. Yang Yongping, a researcher with the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, shared observations on the striking resemblance of some fossilized leaves to contemporary cotoneaster and spruce leaves. He expressed plans for more intricate research to further ascertain the age of these findings.
The team’s base camp, situated at a breathtaking 4950 meters on Mount Cho Oyu, has been instrumental in this research journey. According to Deng, their endeavors encapsulate millions of years of geological, climatic, environmental, and biological evolution of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. This rich tapestry provides invaluable insights into the creatures of the ancient Paleo-Tethys Ocean and the region’s overall evolution.
Esteemed as a significant nexus for biodiversity evolution, the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau‘s paleontological fossils hold the keys to decoding life’s evolution, environmental shifts, and climate transitions across eras.
Initiated in 2017, the 2023 Mount Cho Oyu expedition is an essential part of the broader scientific exploration on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. This ambitious mission, launched in late September, involves over 120 scientific minds. By October 2, a subset of the team had successfully set up an automatic weather station at Mount Cho Oyu’s peak, making it China’s second 8000-meter level weather station. The multifaceted team continues its investigative efforts in diverse domains, from water resources to ecological dynamics, aiming for a holistic understanding of high-altitude ecosystems.
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