Early diagenetic stabilization of trace elements in reptile bone remains as an indicator of Maastrichtian-Late Paleocene climatic changes: evidence from the Naran Bulak locality, the Gobi Desert (South Mongolia)

Maastrichtian dinosaur bone remains from the Naran Bulak locality (the Gobi Desert) with well-preserved bone textural features are enriched in some tr ace elements, primarily in REE. These features of vertebrate fossils were f ormed during diagenesis following rapid burial in mudflow sediments, and pr ior to postfossilization epigenetic changes. Trace elements are mainly conc entrated in diagenetic apatite. Their contents in the bones correlate with that in their enclosing sediments for both maxima and minima. Fossil and se diment compositions were established under the influence of paleoclimate. T hey are correlated with long-term climatic changes with the aridity maximum at the KIT boundary. Climatic changes were recorded via the change of sali nity of waters interacting with the buried vertebrate remains. (C) 2001 Els evier Science BY. All rights reserved.