Advances in Earth Science ›› 2009, Vol. 24 ›› Issue (1): 49-60. doi: 10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2009.01.0049

• Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

A Review of the Study of Environmental Changes and Extinction of the Mammuthus-Colelodonta Fauna during the Middle-late Late Pleistocene in NE China

Zhang Hucai   

  1. State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Nanjing 210008,China
  • Received:2008-07-10 Revised:2008-11-03 Online:2009-01-10 Published:2009-01-10

Zhang Hucai. A Review of the Study of Environmental Changes and Extinction of the Mammuthus-Colelodonta Fauna during the Middle-late Late Pleistocene in NE China[J]. Advances in Earth Science, 2009, 24(1): 49-60.

Based on a comprehensive review of both international and domestic literatures, together with the statistic studies, field investigations and preliminary laboratory analyses results, this paper engaged in the effort to summarize the study of the environmental changes, evolution and extinction of the Mammuthus-Colelodonta fauna during the middle-late Late Pleistocene in NE China. The problems related to the existing research and the differences between Chinese and international researchers are also discussed in detail. It was suggested that the key topics of the study in NE China include the enforcement of the study of the middlelate Late Pleistocene environmental reconstructions, the understanding of the spatial-temporal and abrupt variations of the climatic changes, the establishment of solid independent chronologies for the Mammuthus-Colelodonta fauna and the main species. It is necessary to discuss about the climatic environmental and ecological backgrounds, which were suitable for animal fauna and plant developments and why and how the fauna extincted abruptly in an independent regional climate change frame. In such a way, it is possible to draw a clearer picture about the relationship between the evolution and extinction of the mammalian fauna and climatic changes. It will provide us chances to fully understand how the animal-plants react to the abrupt environmental changes and what the relationships are between the Mammuthus-Colelodonta fauna in NE China and mammoths in others regions in Eurasia. It may also provide us information about how the animal-plants adapt to the environment and what the crucial points result in their extinction. This might be important for human beings to face the future catastrophic environmental events.

No related articles found!
Viewed
Full text


Abstract