The contribution of Quaternary vertebrates to palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatological reconstructions in Sicily
The contribution of Quaternary vertebrates to palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatological reconstructions in Sicily
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DOI：
10.1144/gsl.sp.2000.181.01.16
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发表时间：
2000-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Masini, F
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Bonfiglio, L;Marra, AC;Masini, F
在西西里岛，很少有研究致力于更新世和全新世时期的气候环境变化。大多数关于西西里岛第四纪脊椎动物的研究都集中在动物群的进化分类学方面。西西里岛在第四纪期间至少经历了四次脊椎动物扩散事件，这些事件的来源不同（非洲和/或欧洲），并受到不同强度的过滤屏障的控制。早更新世和早中更新世的化石组合具有明显的特有性和极低的多样性，因此无法进行详细的解释。相比之下，年轻的群体更加多样化，尽管它们表现出一些地方性特征，但与意大利南部半岛的群体相似。中更新世晚期和晚更新世早期组合（Elephas mnaidriensisfaunal complex）的特征是出现马鹿（Cervus elaphus siciliae）、矮小鹿样特有巨鹿（Megaceroides carburangelensis）、野牛（Bos primigenius siciliae）、野牛（Bison） priscus siciliae)、大象 (Elephas mnaidriensis)、河马 (Hippopotamus pentlandi)、野猪 (Sus scrofa)、棕熊 (Ursuscf.arctos) 和三种大型社会性食肉动物 (Panthera leo、Crocuta crocuta 和 Canis lupus)。除巨角鹿外，大多数这些类群的特征是与欧洲大陆的相同类群相比体型略有减小。这些组合表明了温和的地中海气候以及森林地区与更开放的环境相关的景观。马鹿的丰度相对较低，而巨鹿在几个组合中占主导地位，这表明地中海型森林在当地主导了一些气候阶段。西西里岛最年轻的晚更新世时期的生物群落的特点是多样性急剧下降，大象、河马、野牛、特有的巨角鹿和最大的掠食者消失了。这表明环境危机可能与晚冰河时期干燥的气候波动有关，地鼠的扩散也表明了这一点，地鼠是几个种群中占主导地位的小型哺乳动物。晚冰期的特点是马科动物（马和野驴）的扩散，它们是开阔地貌和旱生草原覆盖的标志。全新世初期的特点是森林面积扩大和气候更加潮湿，马鹿数量众多，睡鼠（Glis glis）和水田鼠（Arvicolasp.）的扩散也表明了这一点。
In Sicily few studies have been devoted to the climatic-environmental changes of the Pleistocene and Holocene period. Most of the studies on Quaternary vertebrates in Sicily have been focused on the evolutionary-taxonomic aspects of the fauna. Sicily experienced at least four vertebrate dispersal events during Quaternary time, which are of different provenence (African and/or European) and have been controlled by filtering barriers of different intensities. The marked endemism and the extremely low diversity of the fossil assemblages of early and early-mid-Pleistocene time do not allow detailed interpretations. By way at contrast, younger assemblages are more diverse and, although they display some endemic characters, are similar to those of southern peninsular Italy. The late mid-Pleistocene and early Late Pleistocene assemblages (Elephas mnaidriensisfaunal complex) are characterized by the occurrence of a red deer (Cervus elaphus siciliae), a dwarf fallow deer-like endemic megalocerine (Megaceroides carburangelensis), auroch (Bos primigenius siciliae), bison (Bison priscus siciliae), elephant (Elephas mnaidriensis), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus pentlandi), boar (Sus scrofa), brown bear (Ursuscf.arctos) and three large social carnivores (Panthera leo, Crocuta crocutaandCanis lupus). Most of these taxa, except for the megalocerine, are characterized by slightly reduced body size compared with the same taxa from mainland Europe. These assemblages are indicative of a climate with temperate, Mediterranean affinity and of landscapes in which forested areas were associated with more open environments. The relatively low abundance of the red deer and the dominance of the megalocerine in several assemblages suggests that a Mediterranean-type forest locally dominated some of the climatic phases. The assemblages of the youngest Late Pleistocene period on Sicily are characterized by a dramatic drop in diversity, with the disappearance of elephant, hippopotamus, bison, the endemic megalocerine, and the largest predators. This would indicate an environmental crisis probably linked to the drier climatic oscillations of late Pleniglacial time, as is suggested also by the spread of the ground vole, which is the dominant small mammal in several assemblages. The Late Glacial period is characterized by the spread of equids (horse and wild ass), which are indicators of open landscapes and of xerophytic steppe-like cover. The beginning of the Holocene period is characterized by the expansion of forested areas and by a more humid climate, as suggested by the abundance of red deer, and by the dispersal of the common dormouse (Glis glis) and water vole (Arvicolasp.).