从现有的化石记录所展示的生物演化史来推测，中元古代可能是真核生物演化史上的一个重要时期，然而由于真核生物化石记录的缺乏，真核生物在中元古代的演化规律还不甚清楚。申请者在博士论文的研究中发现，华北中元古代早期出现多种具有复杂形态或纹饰的化石，且从高于庄组中部开始，此类具有疑是真核生物特征的化石的分异度明显上升。对这些疑是真核生物化石进行调查研究，弄清楚它们的真核生物属性，将有助于加深我们对早期真核生物演化规律的认识。本项目拟以我国华北燕山盆地的高于庄组中段（桑树庵亚组和张家峪亚组）为重点研究层位，对其中的具有复杂形态的微生物化石进行形态结构及纹饰的研究，以光学显微镜为主，辅以场发射扫描电镜（FESEM），共聚焦显微镜(CLSM)，拉曼光谱（Raman）和Nano-SIMS等技术手段，来求证化石的真核生物属性。在此基础上探讨中元古代早期的真核生物形态特征、演化模式及意义

The Mesoproterozoic might be a very important interval for the eukaryotic evolution, based on the existing fossil record. However, eukaryotic fossil records are very rare in the early stage of the Mesoproterozoic. So. research about the eukaryotic evolution is a weak link. Through my doctoral dissertation research, I found plenty of microfossils with complex morphology and ornaments in early Mesoproterozoic strata in North China. And from the middle part of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation, diversity of such complex microfossils was increased significantly. All these complex microfossils are potential eukaryotes. Studying them and figuring out whether are they eukaryotes, will help to deepen our understanding of the early evolution of eukaryotes. This project intends to put the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation (he Sangshuan and the Zhangjiayu subformations) from the Yanshan Basin as the key research horizons. We will use an optical microscope, field emission scanning electron microscopy, confocal microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Nano-SIMS and other possible technical to study the details of the morphology and ornaments of these suspected eukaryotes. Our goal is to verify their eukaryotic nature and to discuss the character and evolution mode of early eukaryotes by studying their morphology and ornaments.