As the major region of the Indian monsoon and Westerlies circulation,the Tibetan Plateau（TP） is susceptible to climate change and has become an important place for paleoclimate research.The Tibetan Plateau contains numerous lakes,and the thick and continuous lake sediments give excellent climate change records.Research indicates that the deposition of Ostracod shells in lake sediments was multitudinous and continuous,which can guarantee the carrying out of the researching work,and the shells growth processing is short and fast,which can remove the accumulative effect of isotopes and provide precise and reliable isotopic results in water,making it theoretically an ideal proxy for high-precision climate reconstruction.This study focuses on the largest lake in the middle of TP,Serlin Co（31.34°～31.57°N,88.31°～89.21°E）is located in the transition zone between the Indian monsoon and Westerlies domains of the central TP.We used a sedimentary core（SL16-1-1,collected in 31°45.210’N,88°58.484’E） that was obtained in the water depth of41.2 m in the center of Serlin Co in 2016 and Ostracod shells,Rb/Sr,Ti/Si from it.The total length of the core was 191 cm,we used SL16-1-1 from top to 107 cm,samples of 2 cm intervals were used to analyze paleoclimate over the past 2000 years.Sedimentological chronology based on AMS14C and210Pb dating.With Ostracod assemblages and stable carbon and oxygen isotopes from shells,it is anticipated that high-resolution records of environmental change can be compiled.The results document climate change information in the middle of TP as well as on a worldwide scale.The results showed that:（1） In particular for cold climates,the change of stable carbon and oxygen isotopes in ostracod shells gives a reliable record of climate change and can be used to reconstruct high-resolution paleoclimate;（2） Serlin Co was earlier entered the Little Ice Age（LIA）;（3） Ostracod shell paleoclimate results were discovered as TP prior research results,and when compared to historical records,these results are identical.These findings showed that the reconstruction of paleoclimate in plateau lake using Ostracod shell isotopes is reliable and that climate change is broadly representative.
Since only a few studies have been done in Southern China about ochre use during the Paleolithic,making the judgement of human behavioral modernity based on symbolic characteristics in East Asia ambiguous.The present research is expected to break this deadlock.Different from the old methods assuming some red-colored rocks as ochre samples,this study will employ various scientific methods on several newly discovered ochre samples unearthed in the Dushan cave site.The Dushan cave site （23°30’80″N,107°80’55″E） is located at the Linfeng Town,Tiandong County,Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in South China.The site was investigated and excavated by the Natural History Museum of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in 2010.The Dushan cave has one main chamber with a northwestfacing entrance.The cave is 30 m in length and 9 m in width（the widest part）.The excavated area was near the entrance and located at the middle part of the gallery,with 3.15 m×1.80 m,to a maximum depth of 1.9 m.In total,four new pieces of ochre materials were found,all unearthed from the third layer,which is dated to about15000 years ago based on radiocarbon dates of the associated charcoal samples.Combined with the assemblage characteristics of the third layer shown by lithics and other evidence,the pieces of ochre at the Dushan cave site is categorized into the late Paleolithic.Four kinds of scientific methods are applied in the present research,including X-ray fluorescence （XRF）analysis,X-ray diffraction（XRD） analysis,as well as polarized light microscopic analysis and Raman analysis.Results of XRF analysis showed that the contents of Fe and Si were high in the chemical composition of the samples,and they indeed contained Fe.Results of XRD analysis showed that the samples contained quartz,chlorite,illite,kaolinite and hematite.Results of polarized light microscopic analysis showed that all samples were real red ochre（oxide red）,and the sample is dark red under single polarizing light,with rounded edges.It is completely extincted under orthogonal slice light and has a large refractive index.The results showed that all ochre samples were mainly the iron red.Results of Raman analysis suggested that the peak values of all samples were consistent with ochre,the peak values were mainly concentrated around 223 cm-1,295 cm-1,408 cm-1and 605 cm-1.Generally speaking,the main components of the ochre samples found at the the third layer were the iron red pigments,and no other red pigments were found.To be summarized,the analyses of newly discovered ochre materials from the Dushan cave site not only provide a basis for applying the scientific methods to study late Paleolithic ochre in China,but also give hands to evaluate reliability of naked-eye identification of ochre（-like） materials.The use of ochre is one of the signs of modern human symbolic behavior,suggesting their cognitive ability and other deep-seated spiritual capacity,which can be complementary to other evidence of behavioral modernity,such as innovation of lithic technology,structure building techniques,and effective hunting strategies.The present research is expected to serve as a cornerstone to study ochre using in the Southern China with the aid of scientific methods.
中国华南地区第四纪喀斯特洞穴堆积中常含有丰富的哺乳动物化石,其中广西崇左地区已发现多处含有步氏巨猿(Gigantopithecus blacki)的第四纪不同时期的洞穴化石点,在其共生的动物群中,对生物地层和环境变化有重要的指示意义且化石数量最多、演化特征最显著的种类之一是独角犀(Rhinoceros).近期早更新世犀类化石的研究有较大进展,但中晚更新世时期的犀类化石却缺乏系统研究.本研究系统分析了产自中国广西崇左更新世中晚期的武鸣楼山临佛洞、公鸡山愚公洞、木榄山智人洞以及芭仙洞这4个化石地点的犀类新材料,依据牙齿的大小和其形态特征分别将其归入了爪哇犀(Rhinoceros sondaicus)、爪哇犀相似种(Rhinoceros cf.sondaicus)和中国犀(Rhinoceros sinensis).通过对华南地区第四纪独角犀的系统研究表明,爪哇犀(R.sondaicus)在此地区从早更新世中期一直持续到全新世;中国犀(R.sinensis)则从早更新世晚期延续到晚更新世;暂时没有发现印度犀(R.unicornis)的化石.颊齿特征分析表明,扶绥犀(Rhinoceros fusuiensis)显得要比中国犀(R.sinensis)和爪哇犀(R.sondaicus)原始,而爪哇犀(R.sondaicus)和中国犀(R.sinensis)很可能是扶绥犀(R.fusuiensis)演化而来.从化石记录来看,当时可能有印度次大陆和中国南方两个演化中心,分别演化出Rhinoceros sivalensis→R.uncorins以及R.fusuiensis→R.sondaicus或R.fusuiensis→R.sinensis两个支系.在早更新世早期,独角犀向东扩散,到达中国南方地区之后,在中更新世时向东南亚扩散;迄今,只在东南亚部分地区残存.
锦葵科(Malvaceae Juss.)翅子树属(Pterospermum Schreb.)主要分布于热带亚洲,该属化石目前只在印度有少量记录.本研究报道了产自云南省景谷县(23°31′N,100°42′E)下中新统三号沟组的翅子树属叶片化石.通过形态学研究鉴定出3个种:双兴翅子树(P.shuangxingii Y.S.Zhao,J.Huang et T.Su sp.nov.),叶片偏小型,顶端截形并具3浅裂,与现今分布于东南亚地区的大花翅子树(P.grandiflorum Craib)形态较为相似;云南翅子树近似种(P.cf.yunnanense H.H.Hsue),叶片偏小型,顶端不分裂;翅子树属一未定种(Pterospermum sp.),叶片中型,叶片顶端具齿.景谷县翅子树属化石的发现证明,早中新世该属就在我国西南地区分化并繁盛至今.综合本研究以及已有证据,翅子树属可能从印度次大陆起源,随后向亚洲东部和东南部的热带地区扩散,最终形成了现今热带亚洲的分布格局.此外,本研究还描述了翅子树属化石叶片上的9种昆虫取食类型,与该属现生种叶片的昆虫取食形态一致,表明该属现今的植食性昆虫取食行为可能在早中新世就已经出现.
重庆市巫山县玉米洞遗址出土有大量的哺乳动物化石,是华南中-晚更新世大熊猫-剑齿象动物群的重要组成部分,其中晚更新世中-晚期的鼠科动物较为丰富,在层位上对应于MIS4和MIS2时期.形态学观察显示玉米洞的鼠科化石分别属于5属10种:笔尾树鼠(未定种)Chiropodomys sp.、中华姬鼠Apodemus draco、大耳姬鼠A.latronum、小林姬鼠 A.sylvaticus、郑氏攀鼠 Vernaya zhengi、巨攀鼠 V.giganta、爱氏巨鼠 Leopoldamys edwardsi、社鼠Niviventer confucianus、安氏白腹鼠N.andersoni和高原白腹鼠N.excelsior.这一组合既显示了浓厚的华南色彩,也有明显的自身特色,即Chiropodomys sp.的出现和N.excelsior占据优势地位.鼠科化石的生境分析表指示了晚更新世中-晚期玉米洞遗址与现代类似但更为湿冷的森林或森林灌丛环境.玉米洞遗址鼠科化石的研究丰富了中国中-晚更新世大熊猫-剑齿象动物群中小哺乳动物化石的记录.
