Pollen record from Colle Curti and Cesi: Early and Middle Pleistocene mammal sites in the Umbro–Marchean Apennine Mountains (central Italy)

The palynological record from the Colle Curti and Cesi continental deposits has been examined in order to identify the main palaeofloristic and vegetational changes between 0.99 and 0.6–0.7 Ma. These data show a progressive increase in aridity, as well as a progressive decrease in temperature, which are associated with the transition in dominance from the 41 to 100 ka cyclicity in the Milankovitch orbital record during the Middle Pleistocene. The disappearance of Tsuga, recorded during the lower part of the Brunhes Chron, also has been related to a shift in global aridity. During the successive open vegetational phases (glacials), Chenopodiaceae and Artemisia progressively increase, whereas Cyperaceae decrease. Forest phases (interglacials) are successively dominated by Tsuga, Abies with Picea and, finally, Pinus; but all lack significant expansion of broad‐leaved deciduous taxa. Palynological and sedimentological data, in addition to taphonomic interpretations, demonstrate the occurrence of several hiatuses in the lower parts of the interglacials. These hiatuses are considered to represent the palaeoenvironmental response to climatic changes affecting local sedimentological and geomorphological conditions. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Early and Middle Pleistocene vegetation history of the Médoc region,southwest France

Pleistocene deposits, together with their pollen, plant macrofossil, foraminiferal, dinoflagellate and coleopteran remains, from five sites along the Atlantic coast of the Médoc Peninsula are described and discussed. Sediments making up the Négade Formation are shown to have been laid down under either estuarine or lagoonal conditions when closed Quercus–Pinus‐Tsuga canadensis regional woodland existed. Comparison with plant records from The Netherlands indicates that these deposits are most likely attributable to either the Early Pleistocene Bavel Interglacial (marine oxygen isotope stage (MIS) 31), or an interglacial of the Waalian (MIS 37–49) or Tiglian (MIS 63–79). In addition, clays assigned to the Argiles du Gurp sensu stricto, were similarly deposited in either an estuary or lagoon, which subsequently was cut off from the sea. A freshwater lake with vegetation dominated by Azolla filiculoides then developed. This was succeeded by reedswamp and an organic mud (termed Lignite in the corresponding French stratigraphical records) formed. Regional Quercus–Abies woodland was replaced by one with Pinus dominant and Pterocarya a minor component. Comparison with plant records from France and other parts of Europe suggest that the clays and organic mud might be correlated with the Holsteinian (Praclaux) Interglacial (MIS 11c). Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

淮北平原中更新世以来古气候和沉积环境演变：来自涡河流域沉积物粒度和地球化学的证据

通过对毗邻中国南北地理分界线的第四系标准孔岩芯进行粒度和地球化学研究，探讨了淮北平原中更新世以来的古气候变化和沉积环境变迁。研究表明淮北平原中更新世气候在暖湿与干冷(温凉）频繁交替中总体经历了从暖湿趋于干冷，与中国东部季风区北部的温带季风气候变化趋势属同相位演变，而与受控于亚热带季风气候的长江中下游及淮河源区古气候演变模式总体呈反相位。晚更新世，气候总体经历了干冷(即温干—严寒—干冷）、温湿、转向干冷，却表现出与以长江中下游及淮河源区气候演化格局更相似，而与中国北方气候总体上由暖湿向干旱化转变步调不一致。进入全新世，淮北平原与中国南北方气候均回暖，降水相应增多。涡河流域GBK1标准孔区域沉积环境总体上经历了中更新世早中期从半深湖演化到浅湖、滨湖，到晚期湖泊快速收缩直至消失，演化为泛滥平原或河流；晚更新世以来主要为河流和泛滥平原。淮北平原区域气候变化总体上对全球变化有着积极的响应，或许因其地处中国南北地理分界线边缘，致使其气候又具区域独特性。     

A diverse Rancholabrean vertebrate microfauna from southern California includes the first fossil record of ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii: Plethodontidae)

Analysis of late Pleistocene fossils recovered from near the Huntington Beach, California (USA), pier (site LACM 7679) has revealed a diverse fauna dating to approximately 40 ¹⁴C ka BP. Extinct megafauna (three genera) are present; however, a microfauna including three genera of fish, five genera of amphibians, twelve genera of reptiles, two genera of birds, and ten genera of small mammals dominates the assemblage in terms of diversity. Additional identification of seven genera of non-marine mollusks and various macro- and microscopic plant remains including grasses, three families of herbs, and seven genera of trees provides a wealth of information concerning the past ecology of what is currently a coastal dune field complex. During the Rancholabrean Period, the LACM 7679 locality was approximately 10 km inland from the Pleistocene coastline and contained lush riparian zones interspersed with coastal sage scrub, a few trees, and grasslands teeming with a variety of small and large animals.     

南极罗斯海扇区晚更新世以来冰筏碎屑记录反映的冰川动力学史

中更新世气候转型以来,南极冰盖对全球气候的影响作用逐渐放大。西南极冰盖以海洋冰盖为主体,稳定性差,冰架前缘沉积模式复杂,对于冰期-间冰期气候旋回变化十分敏感。因此,文章通过对中国第31次南极考察在罗斯海扇区北维多利亚地岸外钻取长度达412 cm的ANT31-R22岩芯（173.152°E,67.215°S;水深2906 m）的浮游有孔虫Nps-δ¹⁸O、冰筏碎屑含量及其岩矿组成分析等研究,重建了罗斯海扇区22.8~534.0 ka B.P.期间的冰筏碎屑沉积物源和周边冰架的演化历史。R22岩芯的岩矿组合显示：MIS 13期晚期至MIS 7期,横贯山脉-维多利亚地的Ferrar组基性火成岩是罗斯海扇区的主要物源;MIS 7期之后横贯山脉-维多利亚地物源输入明显下降,花岗岩和变质岩的输入有所增加,推测马利伯德地花岗岩-变质岩物源区输入增加,西南极冰盖对于罗斯海扇区的影响逐渐增强。同时,综合对比多个太平洋扇区岩芯/站位的冰筏碎屑指标显示：自晚更新世以来,罗斯海扇区至阿蒙森海扇区的深海冰筏碎屑沉积集中出现在冰盛期-冰消期阶段,是气候回升过程中西南极高纬地区冰架消融的重要标志,而中高纬地区的冰筏碎屑沉积更可能是冰盛期的标志。

     

Sea‐level changes,river activity,soil development and glaciation around the western margins of the southern North Sea Basin during the Early and early Middle Pleistocene: evidence from Pakefield,Suffolk, UK

This paper outlines evidence from Pakefield (northern Suffolk), eastern England, for sea‐level changes, river activity, soil development and glaciation during the late Early and early Middle Pleistocene (MIS 20–12) within the western margins of the southern North Sea Basin. During this time period, the area consisted of a low‐lying coastal plain and a shallow offshore shelf. The area was drained by major river systems including the Thames and Bytham. Changes in sea‐level caused several major transgressive–regressive cycles across this low‐relief region, and these changes are identified by the stratigraphic relationship between shallow marine (Wroxham Crag Formation), fluvial (Cromer Forest‐bed and Bytham formations) and glacial (Happisburgh and Lowestoft formations) sediments. Two separate glaciations are recognised—the Happisburgh (MIS 16) and Anglian (MIS 12) glaciations, and these are separated by a high sea level represented by a new member of the Wroxham Crag Formation, and several phases of river aggradation and incision. The principal driving mechanism behind sea‐level changes and river terrace development within the region during this time period is solar insolation operating over 100‐kyr eccentricity cycles. This effect is achieved by the impact of cold climate processes upon coastal, river and glacial systems and these climatically forced processes obscure the neotectonic drivers that operated over this period of time. © British Geological Survey/Natural Environment Research Council copyright 2005. Reproduced with the permission of BGS/NERC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.