我国东北地区晚更新世中晚期环境变化与猛犸象—披毛犀动物群绝灭研究综述

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

通过对文献资料的总结、统计分析,结合对我国东北地区的实地考察和初步研究结果,论述了我国东北地区晚更新世中晚期以来环境变化与猛犸象—披毛犀动物群演化、灭绝的研究现状和存在问题及其与国际对相应时段猛犸象研究之间的差距。提出加强对我国东北地区晚更新世气候环境的重建、认识气候变化的区域特点和突变性,系统而可靠地建立以猛犸象—披毛犀为主的化石动物年代序列、区分主要类型化石动物年代是研究的关键。以独立的气候环境变化和化石动物的年代序列为参照系,在区域环境变化的框架内讨论化石动物群生存的气候环境、生态特征和灭绝过程,进而探讨动物群演化及灭绝与气候环境变化的关系。这将为认识区域环境突变、动植物对环境变化的响应、我国东北地区晚更新世猛犸象—披毛犀动物群与欧亚大陆其它地区猛犸象之间的内在联系,认识人类演化与生存环境的适应、动植物演替与绝灭的临界条件等一系列重大科学问题提供资料。

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 differ- ences 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 neces- sary 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.