Laboratory of Precambrian Paleontology and Stratigraphy
precambrian
In 1963, Academician Boris S. Sokolov established a Late Precambrian research group within the Paleozoic laboratory of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics (IGG), Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Research activity of the team initially composed of Vsevolod V. Khomentovsky (the lead), Viliyam Yu.Shenfil, and Mikhail S. Yakshin was primarily focused on the Late Precambrian and Cambrian stratigraphy of the Patom Upland and middle course of the Lena river (1962-1964), while in the late 1960s, the study area came to encompass the entire Siberian Platform periphery. At that time, which was marked by a substantial expansion of the Late Precambrian research, the team was joined by two new members, Evgeni P. Butakov and Anatoliy S. Gibsher. The early stage of their research activity had resulted in the collective monograph entitled "Key sections of Upper Precambrian and Lower Cambrian deposits of the Siberian Platform" published in 1972.
In the 1970s, owing to the groundbreaking studies of Late Precambrian fossils which proved to be a prime factor in stimulating paleobiologic investigations worldwide, the geographic scope of the IGG’s Precambrian research expanded to include both the marginal foldbelts of the Siberian Craton (Altai-Sayan Foldbelt, Taimyr Fold System) and its hinterland regions. By that time, the research team had considerably enlarged by new members including Valery G. Pyatietov (1972), graduate students Anatoly A. Postnikov and Alexander A. Terleev (1977), and later Alexey N. Didenko, Galina A. Karlova, Konstantin L. Pak, Sergey S. Bragin, the novice researchers with different disciplinary backgrounds.
The Cambrian research group reached another stage of recognition in 1977, with creation on its base of the laboratory of Late Precambrian stratigraphy and paleontology headed by Vsevolod V. Khomentovsky. The research team actively participated in the scientific conferences and workshops, both national and international, and were engaged in the development of all unified stratigraphic charts of the Late Precambrian of Siberia undertaken by the Siberian Regional Stratigraphic Commission of the Russian lnterdepartmental Stratigraphic Committee of Russia.
The implications of the separation (in 1997) of the Institute of Petroleum Geology as independent institution within the United Institute of Geology, Geophysics and Mineralogy (UIGGM SB RAS) were that the laboratory staff had changed significantly: some researchers were transferred to other structural units, while a number of young specialists (among them Boris B. Kochnev, Konstantin E. Nagovitsin, Marat Sh.Faizullin) joined the laboratory and A. A. Postnikov, PhD, was appointed to be the Principal Investigator. In 1998, the laboratory merged with the Cambrian research group headed by Veronika A. Luchinina – a move that strengthened and diversified the laboratory's research efforts – and was renamed into the Laboratory of Late Precambrian -Cambrian Paleontology and Stratigraphy.
Since the 80s, the laboratory has been developing with the emphasis placed on (i) deepening the research themes and elaboration of more detailed division of regional stratigraphic charts; (ii) providing a comprehensive substantiation of the stratigraphic division within Precambrian and Cambrian Series in Siberia. The paleontological method continues to be predominant among the laboratory's research priorities and encompasses almost all groups of preserved fossils from Early Cambrian biota represented by trilobites, archaeocyates, brachiopods, algae, small-shelly fauna, phytoliths, microfossils and problematic Precambrian residues.
Under the Institute’s strategic development plan, the laboratory staff is engaged in the research under Program 27.2 titled "Stratigraphy, biogeochronology and typification of ecosystem reconstructions in Proterozoic-Phanerozoic history of the Siberian sedimentary basins, their correlation with global environmental changes, sedimentary processes and naphthidogenesis epochs".
Presently, the Late Precambrian-Cambrian laboratory activities follow two major lines aimed at:
advancing research methods, to provide the basis for a time-stratigraphic subdivision and well constrained correlation of Neoproterozoic deposits of the Siberian Platform; and identification of evolutionary patterns in Precambrian biota;
comprehensive paleontological study, revision and typification of fossil material from the Cambrian reference sections of the Siberian Platform and Altai-Sayan Foldbelt for the purpose of establishing boundary marker beds and refining regional stratigraphic charts, and for correlations with the General Stratigraphic Chart.
Given that analysis of Precambrian fossil records along with biostratigraphy and paleoenvironmental analysis holds great potential for oil and gas exploration, the Precambrian laboratory has been partnering with the research teams of other IPGG laboratories to conduct paleontological studies as part of scientific reports under research agreements, and to participate in research under different Integration projects of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS) and Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) (RAS/ SB RAS and RFBR Integration projects).
