Professional Background

     Dr. Jiang received his B.A. in Engineering from Xiangtan Mining College in Hunan, south China. After graduation, he started to work on the stratigraphy and tectonics in north China and received a M.S. in Geology from China University of Geosciences (Beijing). Following graduation, he worked as a lecturer at the China University of Geosciences for five years. He continued his education at Columbia University and completed his Ph.D. in 2002. He worked as postdoctoral associate at the University of California, Riverside from 2002 to 2004. Ganqing joined the Geoscience faculty in August of 2004.

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Teaching

     Undergraduate Courses:
     * GEOG 101: Physical Geography
     * GEOL 102: Earth and Life Through Time
     * GEOL 462: Principles of Stratigraphy and Sedimentation

     Graduate Courses:
     * GEOL 781: Carbonate Depositional Systems
     * GEOL 766: Earth Systems Change
     * GEY 783: Sequence and Chemostratigraphy

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Research Interests

     The integration of physical stratigraphy, sedimentology, and isotope geochemistry has great potential for refining questions asked of paleoenvironmental and paleoclimate changes and their impact on biotic innovations in Earth history. Through comparative study of the Neoproterozoic to Paleozoic sedimentary archives in the Great Basin of western U.S. and other continents such as China, my current research interests fall in the following categories:

• The origin of late Neoproterozoic to Cambrian carbon isotope excursions: Unusually negative d¹³C excursions have been documented from the late Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian successions across the globe, yet the time, magnitude, regional and global synchrony of these excursions remain controversial. A critical question related to their origin and potential chemostratigraphic implications is whether such excursions are controlled by depositional environments at basinal scales, in response to the depth of the ancient chemocline that may change from basin to basin. Answering this question requires an integrated study of sedimentary geology and geochemistry across the shelf-to-basinal transitions. Current studies in the Ediacaran-Cambrian Yangtze platform in South China and tests in the Middle Cambrian House Range Embayment in Utah and Nevada have generated some interesting data and continued work may help to answer some of the long-standing questions;

• The relationship between sea-level change and isotope excursions: Both sequence stratigraphy and chemostratigraphy emphasize that sea-level changes may have played important roles in forming stratigraphic unconformities and isotope excursions, yet the exact relationship between these events remain speculative. With a focus on the well-exposed Cambrian-Ordovician strata in the Great Basin of western U.S. and a comparison with coeval successions in southern and northern China, an integrated sequence and chemostratigraphic study is aimed at a better understanding of the interactions between sequence development, isotope anomalies, and sea-level changes;

• Seawater/surface temperature during times of elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations in Earth hisotry: Palentological data and numerical modeling suggests that there are times in Earth history when atmospheric CO₂ levels were much higher than the modern level. Important periods include the Mesoproterozoic, Cambrian and Ordovician, and Cretaceous. At high atmospheric CO₂ concentration, seawater/surface temperature would be higher than today -- if our assumption on global warming (CO₂ greenhouse effects) is correct, or some other factors need to be considered. However, obtaining paleo-temperature proxies has been difficult due to diagenesis, especially for strata older than Cretaceous. In collaboration with Prof. Uwe Brand, attempts have been made to obtain signature from well-preserved fossil materials (e.g., brachiopods with preservation of primary crystals) and other mineral phases (early cements, early diagenetic cherts, paleosols, etc.).

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Selected Publications ( Full Publication list )

* Jiang, G., Zhang, S., Shi, X., and Wang, X., 2008, Chemocline instability and isotope variations of the Ediacaran Doushantuo basin in South China: Science in China Series D-Earth Sciences, v. 51, p. 1560-1569.

* Zhang, S., Jiang, G., and Han, Y., 2008, The age of the Nantuo Formation and Nantuo glaciation in South China: Terra Nova, v. 20, p. 289-294.

* Wang, J., Jiang, G., Xiao, S., Li, Q., and Wei, Q., 2008, Carbon isotope evidence for widespread methane seeps in the ca. 635 Ma Doushantuo cap carbonate in south China: Geology, v. 36, p. 347-350.

* McFadden, K.A., Huang, J., Chu, X., Jiang, G., Kaufman, A.J., Zhou, C., Yuan, X., and Xiao, S., 2008, Pulsed oxidation and biological evolution in the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, v. 105, p. 3197–3202.

* Jiang, G., Kaufman, A.J., Christie-Blick, N., Zhang, S., and Wu, H., 2007, Carbon isotope variability across the Ediacaran Yangtze platform in South China: Implications for a large surface-to-deep ocean d¹³C gradient: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 261, p. 303-320.

* Jiang, G., Kennedy, M.J., Christie-Blick, N., Wu, H., and Zhang, S., 2006, Stratigraphy, Sedimentary Structures, and Textures of the Late Neoproterozoic Doushantuo Cap Carbonate in South China: Journal of Sedimentary Research, v. 76, p. 978-995.

* Jiang, G., Shi, X., and Zhang, S., 2006, Methane seeps, methane hydrate destabilization, and the late Neoproterozoic postglacial cap carbonates: Chinese Science Bulletin, v. 51, p. 1152-1173.

* Kaufman, A.J., Jiang, G., Christie-Blick, N., Banerjee, D.M., and Rai, V., 2006, Stable isotope record of the terminal Neoproterozoic Krol platform in the Lesser Himalayas of northern India: Precambrian Research, v. 147, p. 156-185.

* Zhang, S., Jiang, G., Zhang, J., Song, B., Kennedy, M. J., Christie-Blick, N., 2005, U-Pb sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe ages from the Doushantuo Formation in south China: Constraints on late Neoproterozoic glaciations: Geology, v. 33, p. 473-476.

* Jiang, G., Kennedy, M.J., and Christie-Blick, N., 2003, Stable isotopic evidence for methane seeps in Neoproterozoic postglacial cap carbonates: Nature, v. 426, p. 822-826.

* Jiang, G., Sohl, L.E., and Christie-Blick, N., 2003, Neoproterozoic stratigraphic comparison of the Lesser Himalaya (India) and Yangtze block (south China): Paleogeographic implications: Geology, v. 31, p. 917-920.

* Jiang, G., Christie-Blick, N., Kaufman, A.J., Banerjee, D.M., and Rai, V., 2003, Carbonate platform growth and cyclicity of a terminal Proterozoic passive margin, Infra Krol Formation and Krol Group, Lesser Himalaya, India: Sedimentology, v. 50, p. 921-952.

* Jiang, G., Christie-Blick, N., Kaufman, A.J., Banerjee, D.M., and Rai, V., 2002, Sequence stratigraphy of the Neoproterozoic Infra Krol Formation and Krol Group, Lesser Himalaya, India: Journal of Sedimentary Research, vol. 72, p. 524-542.

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Students

Robyn A. Howley : PhD student.   Robyn is currently working on the Sequence and Chemostratigraphy of the Cambrian succession in Nevada and western Utah. She is trying to document the relationship between sea-level change, sequence development and isotopic excursions from the well-exposed Cambrian succession in western US and have a comparison with the global stratigraphic record. She was the president of the Geological Society of Nevada Southern Nevada Chapter (2005-2006), and currently the department's GPSA representative, and members of several professional societies.

Paul Kosmidis : MS student.   Paul started in January 2006 and he is currently working on geochemical proxies for paleotemperature changes, possibly focusing on the late Devonian.

Jonathan Baker : MS student.   John started in the fall of 2008 and he will work on the carbonate sequence and chemostratigraphy of the Late Cambrian carbonate platform.

Robert Henry : MS student.    Bob started in the fall of 2008 and he will work on the carbonate sequence and chemostratigraphy of the Late Cambrian carbonate platform.

Ratna Widiarti : MS student.    Ratna started in the fall of 2008 and she will work on the facies patterns and platform evolution of the late Cambrian carbonate platform.

Adam Zeiza : MS student.    Adam started in the fall of 2008 and he will work on the facies patterns and platform evolution of the late Cambrian carbonate platform.

Prospective Students: I have several projects available in sequence and chemostratigraphy, carbonate sedimentology, and carbonate diagenesis, using an intergrated field and laboratory approach. Working areas may include but not limited to south China, north China, southern Great Basin (Nevada and Utah), or Mexico (La Popa Basin, with Drs. Kate Giles, Tim Lawton, Andrew Hanson, Brenda Buck and others). The great exposure near UNLV and the available equipment at the Geoscience department, including the EMIL (Electron Microanalysis & Imaging Laboratory), XRD-XRF, NIGL (Nevada Isotope Geochronology Laboratory), and the LVIS Lab (Las Vegas Isotope Science Laboratory) provide a unique opportunity to incoporate the field-based studies with chemical analysis. Both Ph.D. and M.S. candidates are welcome to contact Dr. Ganqing Jiang at jiangg@unlv.nevada.edu for details.

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