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Ocean island basalts (OIBs) with Zn isotopic ratios higher than the normal mantle (δ66Zn = 0.17 ± 0.08‰) or mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs; δ66Zn = 0.27 ± 0.06‰) generally also have an enriched Sr-Nd isotopic signature, suggesting carbonate-bearing eclogites, whose protolith is inferred to be subducting altered oceanic crust, in their mantle source. On the contrary, continental intraplate basalts with high δ66Zn usually show depleted Sr-Nd isotopic signatures (i.e., decoupled Zn-Sr-Nd isotopes). To elucidate the origin of the decoupled Zn-Sr-Nd isotopes in continental intraplate basalts, we report the discovery of both coupled and decoupled Zn-Sr-Nd isotopic data for a suite of Cenozoic continental intraplate basalts from the Zhejiang province, Southeast China. These basalts display clear spatiotemporal and chemical variations, with early-stage inland low-silica samples presenting moderately enriched Sr-Nd isotopic signatures and high δ66Zn (coupled Zn-Sr-Nd isotopes, similar to OIBs), and later-stage coastal high-silica samples that display a pronounced δ66Zn decrease with increasing SiO2 and 87Sr/86Sr and with decreasing alkalis and 143Nd/144Nd (decoupled Zn-Sr-Nd isotopes). The early-stage basalts with coupled high Zn-Sr-Nd isotopic signatures are also more enriched in incompatible elements than any other basalts from eastern China reported so far. We explain the temporal-spatial-chemical variations of these basalts with two main melting events: 1) the low-silica early-stage magmatism mostly occurs inland and results from high-pressure partial melting of a carbonated eclogite-bearing asthenospheric mantle. Because of the presence of a thick lithosphere limits the melting of the depleted mantle component, the signature of the Zn-Sr-Nd isotopically enriched, and more fusible carbonated eclogite is preserved. 2) At the later stage, magmatism mostly occurs on the coast where the subcontinental lithosphere is thinner. Hence, decompression melting progresses to shallower pressure, resulting in an increase of the contribution from the depleted peridotite matrix and a dilution of the signal from the isotopically enriched fusible component. Further upwelling and in-situ melting at the base of the subduction-modified sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) explains both the decoupled Zn-Sr-Nd isotopic signature of the coastal basalts and their major and trace element variability. We further propose that decompression melting is driven by small-scale convection resulting from variations of lithospheric thickness. Our data highlight the importance of dynamic melting of carbonated eclogite-bearing asthenosphere and subsequent lithospheric melting in preservation and destruction of the coupled enriched Zn-Sr-Nd isotopic signature of carbonated eclogite component and generation of the apparent decoupled Zn-Sr-Nd isotope signal commonly observed in continental intraplate basalts.

Teratological spores and pollen are widespread in sediments that record the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. The malformations are thought to be the result of extreme environmental conditions at that time, but the mutagenic agents and the precise timing of the events remain unclear. We examined the abundance of teratological sporomorphs and metal concentrations in a Permian-Triassic tropical peatland succession of southwestern China. We find a significant peak of spore tetrads of lycopsid plants (as much as 19% of all sporomorphs) coeval with increases in Cu and Hg concentrations above the main terrestrial extinction interval, which marks the loss of Permian Gigantopteris forests, increased wildfire activity, and the disappearance of coal beds. Thus, in tropical peatlands, mutagenesis affected only surviving plants. Mutagenesis was likely caused by metal toxicity, linked to increased Hg and Cu loading, but was not itself a direct cause of the terrestrial crisis.