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The red clay eolian sequence on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) is an important archive for paleoclimate change from the late Miocene to Pliocene, and can provide significant information for the controversial problems of East Asian monsoon evolution and its forcing mechanism. In this study, we present a pollen record from Baode, northern CLP. The record shows four stages of paleoecological evolution. From 5.6-4.4 Ma, a forest steppe ecosystem developed under an extremely warm period with high seasonal precipitation. Since 4.4 Ma, a drier episode occurred, which prompted parkland landscapes to develop. During 3.5-3.05 Ma, the environment changed to a rather open steppe ecosystem with a much cooler and drier climate. After 3.05 Ma, the vegetation evolved to forest steppe. Using the percentages of arboreal plants to mirror precipitation, and comparing with other published pollen data from the CLP, we find the existence of S-N directionality of the precipitation change and high percentage of arboreal plants in the entire CLP during the Early Pliocene, which suggest the CLP was characterized by a strong East Asian summer monsoon. The strong summer monsoon corresponds well to the low global ice volume, which may illuminate global climate mechanism for the summer monsoon evolution in the early Pliocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from previous research on Quercus sect. Heterobalanus, the coexistence approach to Xixabangma and Namling fossil sets, and altitudinal ranges of vegetation presented by fossil floras, a review and reevaluation have been made of existing theories on the uplift of the Himalayas, especially the palaeoaltitudes of Xixabangma and Namling in Tibet. The Xixabangma fossil set has a palaeoaltitude range of 2500–3500 m, and has risen 2200–3400 m since the Pliocene. The lower and upper assemblages of the Miocene Namling had palaeoaltitudes of 2500–3000 m and 2800–3000 m, respectively. Therefore, Namling has risen at least 1300 m since the Miocene, thereby challenging some existing theories that suggest Namling has been static since the Miocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the morphology and grain-size of quartz from the QA-I sequence in the western Loess Plateau, Qin'an, China. The quartz is also compared from eolian deposits from the site at Xifeng. Eolian dust deposits are dominated by quartz. The quartz deposits gathered at the site have different characteristics from those of the typical quartz.

The Late Miocene and Pliocene are the key periods for understanding the origin and development of the present Asian monsoon circulations and ecologic environments. Here we present a pollen record from Chaona Red Clay section located in the central Loess Plateau in attempt to establish the histories of vegetation and associated climate changes between 8.10 and 2.60 Ma. Our results show that Gramineae-dominated woodland-grasslands developed in this region with Cedrus- and Pinus-characterized montane coniferous forests distributing in higher elevations from 8.10 to 6.73 Ma, probably suggesting a semi-humid climate in a warm-temperate zone. A subsequent expansion of Ulmus-dominated deciduous forests and a synchronous increase of Gramineae-dominated grassland reflect a warmer and more humid climate between 6.73 and 5.67 Ma. The vegetation changed to an Artemisia. and Gramineae-characterized steppe in lower elevations and to a coniferous forest in higher elevations from 5.67 to 3.71 Ma, implying probably a warm and semiarid climate in lowland and hill, and a colder and moister climate in mountain. During this period, a considerable warmer and more humid climate occurred between 4.61 and 4.07 Ma as indicated by pollen assemblages. The period between 3.71 and 2.58 Ma was characterized by the disappearance of Cedrus and Tsuga and also by an abrupt expansion of Cupressaceae, reflecting a drastic enhancement of monsoon-related climatic seasonality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes an Euprox robustus sp. nov. identified during the implementation of the Program 'Research of the Origin and Evolution of Early Man and It's Environmental Background' from 1998 to 2001 in the Yuanmou Basin of Yunnan Province in China. Collection of hominoid and mammal fossils; Systematic description; Type specimen, locality and stratum.