The environment of the Ethiopian highlands at the Mid Pleistocene Transition: Fauna, flora and hominins in the 850-700 ka sequence of Gombore II (Melka Kunture)
The environment of the Ethiopian highlands at the Mid Pleistocene Transition: Fauna, flora and hominins in the 850-700 ka sequence of Gombore II (Melka Kunture)
复制标题
更新世中期过渡时期埃塞俄比亚高原的环境：Gombore II (Melka Kunture) 850-700 ka序列中的动物群、植物群和人类
DOI：
10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.07.033
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发表时间：
2016
影响因子：
4
通讯作者：
R. Melis
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
M. Mussi;F. Altamura;R. Bonnefille;D. Rita;R. Melis
在过去的50年里，环境、气候变化和人类进化一直是人们争论的焦点，特别关注裂谷的上新世-更新世遗址。在本文中，我们讨论了环境和人类适应性的限制的基础上，从梅尔卡孔图的证据，在2000米的埃塞俄比亚高地，特别是在850万年到700万年的序列在子站点贡布雷II。人类化石和多个阿舍利事件，以及河马遗骸和足迹，结合孢粉分析，提供了一个非常详细的时间分辨率的变化，当地的环境条件在过去的150万年的MPT（中更新世过渡），包括火山爆发后的事件序列。包含脚印和化石的地层是河马几乎连续占领该地区的证据，以及它们在破坏性火山爆发后对该地区的扩张。相反，阿舍利工具和人类化石表明，即使在植物群和动物群重新建立、环境相当稳定的情况下，人类的定居也是以不同的、不连续的速度发生的。最值得注意的是，收集的证据指出了直立人适应性的局限性。显然，当气候在同位素阶段20期间恶化时，这种人类不再能生活在海拔2000米的地方，变得比现在明显更冷，但当气候在同位素阶段19期间再次变暖时，他们重新定居在该地区。
Environment, climatic change and human evolution have been debated over the last 50 years giving special attention to the Plio-Pleistocene sites of the Rift Valley. In this paper we discuss the environment and the limits of hominin adaptability based on evidence from Melka Kunture, at 2000 m asl on the Ethiopian highlands, and specifically on the ∼850 ka to ∼700 ka sequence at sub-site Gombore II. Human fossils and multiple Acheulean occurrences, as well as hippo remains and footprints, combined with palynological analysis, provide a highly detailed chronological resolution of the changing local environmental conditions during the last ∼150 ka of the MPT (Mid Pleistocene Transition), including the sequence of events after a volcanic eruption. Layers containing footprints and fossils are evidence of near-continuous occupation by hippos and their recolonization of the area after a disruptive volcanic eruption. Conversely, Acheulean implements and human fossils suggest that peopling by hominins occurred at a different and discontinuous pace even when the flora and fauna were re-established and the environment was rather stable. Most notably, the assembled evidence points to the limits ofHomo erectus s.l.adaptability. Apparently, this hominin could no longer live at 2000 m asl when the climate deteriorated during glacial isotopic stage 20, becoming markedly colder than it is today, but re-colonized the area when the climate turned warmer again during isotopic stage 19.