LOCALITY NOZHYI FROM THE EASTERN TRANSBAIKALIA: GEOLOGY AND PALAEONTOLOGY
M.F. Erbajeva1, S.A. Reshetova2,3, B.B. Karasev4, and N.V. Alexeeva1
1Dobretsov Geological Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ulan-Ude, Russia
2Vinogradov Institute of Geochemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian, Irkutsk, Russia
3Institute of Natural Resources, Ecology and Cryology, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chita, Russia
4A.P. Karpinsky Russian Geological Research Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia
Keywords: biostratigraphy, small mammals, paleovegetation, Late Pleistocene, Eastern Transbaikalia
Abstract
The current paper presents the results of multidisciplinary studies of the Late Pleistocene deposits exposed at the Nozhyi site of the Eastern Transbaikalia. New data on small mammals have filled gap in the fossil records of the Late Pleistocene faunas of the region. Faunal remains and spore-pollen samples were derived from loessial deposits rare distributed in the region. The rich faunal association and data on paleoflora of one cold stage of the Late Pleistocene were found in the section. The fauna is dominated by taxa inhabited the open steppe landscapes: Ochotona daurica, Marmota sibirica, Lasiopodomys brandti, Cricetulus barabensis and Allactaga saltator. The faunal species composition and the quantitative relationships of taxa as well as the evidence on palaeoflora demonstrate the paleolandscapes around Nozhyi site. Widely distributed forest steppes with open steppe landscapes, herbage meadow and territories with sandy desert were reconstructed for studied faunal locality.
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