Dung, diet, and the paleoenvironment of the extinct shrub-ox (Euceratherium collinum) on the Colorado Plateau, USA

Fossil remains of Euceratherium collinum (extinct shrub-ox) have been found throughout North America, including the Grand Canyon. Recent finds from the Escalante River Basin in southern Utah further extend the animal's range into the heart of the Colorado Plateau. E. collinum teeth and a metapodial condyle (foot bone) have been recovered in association with large distinctively shaped dung pellets, a morphology similar to a ‘Hershey's Kiss’ (HK), from a late Pleistocene dung layer in Bechan Cave. HK dung pellets have also been recovered from other alcoves in the Escalante River Basin including Willow and Fortymile canyons. Detailed analyses of the HK pellets confirmed them to be E. collinum and indicate a browser-type diet dominated (> 95%) by trees and shrubs: Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush), Acacia sp. (acacia), Quercus (oak), and Chrysothamnus (rabbit brush). The retrieval of spring and fall pollen suggests E. collinum was a year-round resident in the Escalante River Basin.     

Legal protection for caves in the United States

This study reviews significant state and federal laws that can be used to protect karst, caves, and associated unique minerals and biota. The first state cave protection act was passed in Colorado in 1883; unfortunately it was repealed in 1971. From that modest beginning there are now a total of 22 states, Puerto Rico, and the Cherokee Nation that have specific cave protection acts. Most of these have been legislated during the last 20 years. There are a number of laws on the federal level that can be used for cave protection. The most important of these is the Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988, which mandates cave conservation for many federal land management agencies. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the Federal Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1976 can also be of significant use in the conservation of caves on federal land. The effects of these acts are variable. One factor is how important agency officials and law enforcement officers regard caves. It has not been unusual that little was done in the way of protection or prosecution even when the perpetrators have been apprehended. This attitude is changing rapidly primarily because those involved in enforcing the laws have been educated to the uniqueness and values of caves and their contents.     

北京猿人洞穴堆积气候地层的重新划分与对比

周口店第一地点洞穴四十余米厚的堆积层自下而上共分为 17层 ,新近测量的年代推前了近 2 0 0 ka。对堆积层所含哺乳动物化石和孢粉资料进行聚类统计和因子分析 ,结合风化系数和微量元素含量等古气候代用指标 ,重新定量地描绘它所记录的古气候波动旋回。根据第 2层 TIMS测年为 410 ka B.P.,第 14层上部是磁性地层测量的B/ M界线 ,可以将该洞穴堆积层 1— 14层对比于深海岩心 δ1 8O气候曲线的 11— 19段或中国黄土—古土壤序列S4— S7,并且古气候旋回内的次级波动也可进行一定程度的对比。     

Dolomite in caves: Recent dolomite formation in oxic, non-sulfate environments. Castañar Cave, Spain

Dolomite is a common mineral in the rock record but rare in recent superficial environments. Where it does occur, it is related to anoxic, sulfate-rich environments and microbial activity. The occurrence of some dolomite deposits in caves, however, indicates that dolomite formation is also possible in oxic, non-sulfate settings. Dolomite is forming at 17 °C and in oxic-vadose conditions on the host rocks and aragonite speleothems of the Castañar Cave, Cáceres, Spain. It appears as spheroids and dumbbells 50–300 μm in diameter that internally consist of micron-sized rhombic to rounded crystals. Initially this dolomite is Ca-rich, non-stoichiometric and poorly ordered. Mg-rich solutions allow the precipitation of metastable Mg-rich carbonates, such as huntite. This soon transforms into this Ca-rich dolomite, which later “ages” to form a more stoichiometric dolomite. These dolomites show similarities to those grown under anoxic, sulfate-rich conditions and their presence in caves provides a different setting that may contribute to the understanding of the “dolomite problem”, including their initial formation and later recrystallization processes.     

黑龙江阿城交界洞穴遗址的哺乳动物群

黑龙江阿城交界旧石器时代洞穴遗址出土的哺乳动物化石主要来自洞穴堆积下部的第5层和第6层,目前鉴定出12个种类,以北方种类为主,缺少披毛犀和猛犸象等典型的喜冷种类,是生存于亚温暖期向寒冷期过渡阶段的北方动物群。交界动物群以含原东北鼢鼠相似种、东北兔(翁氏兔)和梅氏犀等中更新世类型为特征,在组成上与中更新世中晚期的金牛山和庙后山动物群、晚更新世的小孤山动物群和古龙山动物群接近。堆积下部第6层出土的化石种类可能生存于距今154~266ka之间的亚温暖期(倒数第二冰期Ⅱ和Ⅲ阶段之间)末尾,适合喜温的梅氏犀及对温差适应能力较强的北京斑鹿、斑鬣狗等大型动物的生存; 而出土于第5层的化石种类可能生存在暖冷交替的倒数第二冰期Ⅲ阶段初始(距今154ka)附近,适合旱獭、原东北鼢鼠、东北兔等小型草原型哺乳动物的生存。交界动物群生存时期的环境为草原与森林镶嵌存在,在亚温暖期时(下部第6层堆积时期)的森林面积较大,而在冷暖期转变时(次下部第5层堆积时期)森林面积缩小、草原面积增加。     

褒禅山华阳洞的形成机理及保护意义

褒禅山华阳洞主体发育于二叠系栖霞组灰岩中,是含山地区重要的地质遗迹之一。笔者从区域地质演化过程入手,针对岩溶洞穴发育的物质基础、局部构造条件、水流的定向溶蚀及新构造运动等方面进行综合研究,简要分析了华阳洞的形成机理,并从地学研究、旅游价值等方面阐述了对其保护的重要意义。     

岭南东江流域晚更新世哺乳动物化石的新发现

近年在南岭以南的广东东江流域河源地区东源县上莞镇的碧寿洞中发现较丰富的古哺乳动物牙齿化石。经鉴定为6个目5属5种,称之为碧寿动物群。根据碧寿动物群指示的古生态、化石层位、热释光测试结果和生物地层对比初步认为,该动物群与西江流域的罗沙岩动物群一样,都属于晚更新世时期的大熊猫—剑齿象动物群,生活在MIS5a时的间冰期,但罗沙岩动物群的时代略早,为(79.0±15)kaBP,而碧寿动物群则存在于末次冰期/末次间冰期之交的MIS5a之末叶。此动物群为广东东江流域历年首现,代表了当时的热带北缘森林草原的自然环境。     

四川雷波马湖地质公园景观资源

马湖地质公园以高山湖泊景观为主,马湖湖岸呈锯齿状,水域面积7.32 km2,为我国已知的第四大深水湖泊。此外还有岩溶洞穴、丹霞地貌、火山熔岩、金沙江峡谷地貌、三国文化遗址景观——孟获庙。构成了地质遗迹景观成因类型多样、组合独特、功能齐全、互补性强的综合性景观。该地质公园,具有重要的科考价值、美学价值、观赏价值和保护价值。     

湖北郧西黄龙洞骨化石表面改造痕迹研究

湖北黄龙洞遗址出土有距今约10万年的7枚晚期智人牙齿化石,以及大量哺乳动物化石,并发掘出石制品和骨制品等。本研究使用光学显微镜、超景深数码显微镜以及三维扫描仪等对该遗址骨化石表面具有明显改造痕迹的标本进行形态学观察,并参考国内外关于标本表面改造痕迹的认识,对痕迹性质(种类)进行鉴定。然后以鉴定工作为基础,对痕迹在骨骼表面的分布组合特征进行量化分析。痕迹研究结果支持了发掘者此前提出的关于黄龙洞骨骼堆积属于原地埋藏的研究结论,并表明:黄龙洞内古人类的狩猎与屠宰等活动,是造成洞穴内骨骼堆积的主要原因;当时古人类可能在居址附近猎获动物后,将动物集中到洞穴内进行过较细致的屠宰。居住在黄龙洞的古人类屠宰技术行为主要有:切割、刮切、砍斫和砸击等。大多数切割痕迹主要是为了剥取肉食,部分位于骨骺端的切割痕迹以及砍斫痕迹是肢解行为的结果,而砸击痕迹则与取食骨髓以及骨器制作的行为有关。与人工痕迹同时出现的动物改造痕迹还反映出食肉动物和啮齿动物对人类遗留在洞穴内的骨骼有一定程度的再利用。     

最近千年来山东半岛西部气候环境变化的石笋微层厚度记录

ky1石笋采自位于暖温带东亚季风影响下的山东半岛西部开元洞,自顶部到距顶42.769 mm处发育有连续沉积的678个微层,均为典型的透光年纹层。在高精度U-230Th测年结果的基础上,结合年纹层的连续计数,确定第1、678纹层的沉积年代分别为1217AD、1894AD,即ky1石笋上部微层的沉积时间为1217-1894AD,恰好涵盖中世纪暖期后期和小冰期。根据微层厚度及δ18O比值测试结果,在1217-1894AD的678年中,ky1石笋微层的厚度变化和厚度的波动程度变化均具有显著的阶段性,而且与同期夏季风强度、降水量及其波动程度变化同步。其中,微层厚度与夏季风强度、降水量本身呈负相关,微层厚度高值期对应夏季风微弱-偏干期,而低值期对应夏季风强烈-偏湿期。另一方面,微层厚度与夏季风强度、降水量的波动程度呈正相关,微层厚度高值期对应夏季风强度、降水量的高波动期,而低值期对应夏季风强度、降水量的低波动期。因此,除与气候因子本身变化有关外,开元洞石笋微层厚度变化还与气候的稳定程度有关。在暖温带东亚季风区沿海,小冰期与中世纪暖期的气候差异,除了表现为降水减少、温度降低以外,还表现为气候稳定程度的显著降低。