第 四 紀 研 究 (The Quaternary Research) 28 (4) p. 327-336 Nov. 1989 Pleistocene Human Environment in North China1) QIGuoqin2) At present, the boundaries between the arose the significant change of animal and plant Pliocene and early Pleistocene, the early Plei- communities in many areas over the world, in stocene and middle Pleistocene, the middle Europe famous Villafranchian fauna was replaced Pleistocene and late Pleistocene, the Pleistocene by the Cromer fauna. In China Gongwangling and Holocene can be put on the boundary and Chenjiawo faunas are only separated by a surface of Matuyama/Gauss, Brunhes/Matuyama Bahe River, their constitution and appearance and near the Blake and Gothenburg events are so different, it also may be the result of above based on the studies of biostratigraphy, paleo- mentioned replacement. magnetics and chronology. Their age is 2.4, Up to the beginning of the middle Pleistocene 0.73, 0.11-0.10, 0.012-0.010 Ma, respectively (about 0.7-0.5 Ma), climate began to resusci- (LI et al., 1982; LI and WANG,1985). A table of the tate. Chenjiawo Lantian Man emerged in the mammalian faunas from different genetic sedi- loess valley of the Guanzhong Plain. There are ments in North China has been made (Fig. 1). no any longer Ailuropoda melanoleuca, Stegodon Among these faunas more than 20 associate orientalis, and so on in the fauna. The proportion with human fossils. The most of them have of Rodentia is 50 percent in the faunal assemblage. been dated by one or numerous dating tech- The Chenjiawo Lantian Man might live in a niques (Table 1). Geographical distribution of grassland environment under temperate-cool cli- these faunas can be seen in Fig. 2. mate. Gongwangling fauna is the earliest mammalian Up to the middle Pleistocene, warm climate fauna associated with Homo erectus in North further returned to the earth. Reddish beds China. There are many typical members of commonly developed in the cave and fissure in Stegodon-Ailuropoda fauna such as Ailuropoda North China and Northeast. "'Beijing Man", melanoleuca, Stegodon orientalis, Nestoritherium "Yu nyang Man", "Miaohoushan Man", "Qizianshan sinensis, Tapirus sinensis and others in the Man" and others appeared early and late in constitution of the fauna. The whole fauna North China. They stillbelong to Homo erectus. shows a strong character of oriental realm. It is The cave deposit of the Zhoukoudian Loc. 1 indicated that Gongwangling Lantian Man might can be divided into 17 layersfrom top to bottom. live in forest environment under more warm About 100 forms of mammalian fossilhave been climatic condition than that of the Guanzhong found from layers 1-13 and human fossilscame Plain, even in the Hanshui River drainage today. from layers 3-5, 7-11 so far. The Haixing transgression just happend in Natural environment on "Beijing Man" has Bohai and Huanghai area at that time (Table 2). been studied by many famous scientists since About 0.9-0.7 Ma, a cold-arid period began in the 1930s. Several climatic stages can be North China. The time may just coincide with considered on the basis of studies of mammalian that of a glacial interval between Jaramillo event fossils, spore-pollen and sedimentary environ- and Brunhes epoch, called the Gunz in Alps, the ment in the last decade. In short, the climate Gokenya in Kinki, Japan, said by KUKLAand in the Zhoukoudian area was similar to that of NAKAGAWA (1977) and MAENAKA et al. (1977). It North China today or somewhat warmer during 1) Read in the Symposium of the Japan Association for Quaternary Research 1988. 2) Institute of Vertabrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Academia Sinica 中 国 科 学 院 古 脊 椎 動 物 与 古 人類 研 究 所. 328 The Quaternary Research Vol. 28 No. 4 Nov. 1989 Fig. 1 Quaternary mammalian faunas in North China 1989年11月 第 四 紀 研 究 第28巻 第4号 329 Table 1 Age of main mammalian faunas associated with human fossil in North China 1) MUSEUM OF LIAONINGPROVINCE AND MUSEUM OF BENXI CITY (1986) the period of "Beijing Man" living. But several first stage (layers 10-11) and third stage glacial(or cold) intervalsmight occur over the (layers 3-4) of the "Beijing Man" living. It world during 0.25 millionyears, it is undoubted turned warmer and more humid during the to be reflected in the communities of animal andsecond stage (layers5-9) of the "BeijingMan" plant of the Zhoukoudian Loc. 1. The climate living (LI and JI,1981; ZHENG, 1983 KONG et al., might be little more arid and cold during the 1985; XIE etal., 1985). 330 The Quaternary Research Vol. 28 No. 4 Nov. 1989 1989年11月 第 四 紀 研 究 第28巻 第4号 331 Table 2 Quaternary transgressions of East Plain in North China "Yunyang Man" about contemporary with the "BeijingMan" lived in Nanzhao area of Henan province. The mammalian fauna associated with "Yunyang Man" has character of both South China and North China faunas. The cli- mate at this time was quite warm but had far inferior to that of the period of the "Gong- wangling Lantian Man" living.The transitional province of animal had moved to south (Fig.3). About the second stage corresponding to the "Beijing Man" living (0.3Ma) "Miaohoushan Man" and "Qizianshan Man" appeared in Liaoning and Shandong. Up to now detailed situation about the "Qizianshan Man" is not 1. Gongwangling 2. Yunyang very clear,but "Miaohoushan Man" might live 3.Hexian 4. Shenxiandong in a very suitable natural environment according to the analysis of mammalian fauna. This time Fig. 3 Change of transitional area between South and North animal provinees during Qua- just coincides with that of a transgression ternary occurred in the East Plain: Marine Bed 5 called by ZHAOand QIN (1985); Spirillina Transgression Transgression calledby LIN (1977) (Table 2). called by WANGet al. (1981); Huanghua Trans- From late middle Pleistocene to early late gression called by YANGet al. (1979); Haixing Pleistocene, "Dali Man", "Jinniushan Man", 332 The Quaternary Research Vol. 28 No. 4 Nov. 1989 "Xindong Man", "Gezidong Man", "Xujiayao ordosianus, Equus przewalskyi, Ceruus elaphus, Bos Man" and "Dingcun Man" appeared one after primigenius and others. There are no any another.in North China. They had evolved to elephant in Dingcun Loc. 100 fauna and most early Homo sapiens. species are the forms accustomed to live under It has been known from the constitutionsof climatic condition of North China. The situa- the faunas that "DaliMan", about 0.2Ma, and a tion of Gezidong fauna is radically similar to littlelate "Jinniushan Man" and "Xindong that of Dingcun Loc. 100 fauna. Thus it can be Man" all lived in a quite warm and suitable inferredthat "Xujiayao Man", "Dingcum Man" climate, but up to final period of their living and "Gezidong Man", all lived in a natural climate turned arid and cool. environment in which grassland predominated Since the middle Pleistocene, North China under cool climatic condition. was universally elevated. The Nihewan Lake It is worth to mention here, the age of and Sanmen Lake formed in upper and middle "Dingcun Man" may be laterthan that of early reaches of Huanghe River and their tributaries Homo sapiens of Xujiayao, Caoxian, Xindong, and Haihe River during early Pleistocene lost Changyang, and Tungzi on the basis of the their original appearance. The lake basin was progressive study of morphology of teeth of cut, lake water was released and was retained "Dingcum Man" (ZHANG, 1986). only in local extent. About 50,000 years ago, ancient human A quite warm and humid period emerged in evolved to the late Homo sapiens from the early North China 0.14-0.10 Ma. The Dingcun Homo sapiens in North China. After the first cold fauna (broad sense) discovered in the lower summit, "Ordos Man", "Jingchuan Man", "Changwu reaches of the Fenhe River contains numerous Man", "Wuzhutai Man" and "Xiaogushan Man" elephant fossils. This period may coincide with appeared in the Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Shaanxi, that of S1 in the Luochuan section. A Liaoning and Shandong, respectively. The rest transgression was occurring at that time: of them came from the fluvio-lacustrine deposits Marine Bed 3 called by ZHAOand QIN (1985); below the Malan loess except "Xiaogushan Asterorotalia Transgression called by WANG et al. Man" and" Wuzhutai Man". It can be thought (1981); Qingxian Transgression called by YANG from the constitutions of the faunas that the et al. (1979); Huanghua Transgression called climate in these places during above mentioned by LIN (1977) (Table 2). human living was similar to that of today, but In the late Pleistocene, the climate further only a little more humid. The mammalian fauna trended to be arid and cold in North China. The associated with "Xiaogushan Man" is anti- coming of world's glacial (or cold) interval was quitatis-primigenius fauna, but existence of such very clearly reflected in the communities of as Dicerorhinus mercki, Bubalus sp., Acinonyx sp. animal and plant in North China. It is and others indicates that the climate was not considered generally that the glacial (or cold) cold as that of the first cold summit during interval began 95,000 (or 75,000) years ago and "Xiaogushan Man" living. concluded 10,000 years ago. There were two After a short warm period, the second cold cold summits (60,000 years ago and 15,000 years stage came to North China 30～10ka. "Shiyu ago) and a warm stage (50,000-30,000 years Man", "Dongdong Man", "Antu Man", "Yanjiagang ago) during the glacial (orcold) interval. The Man" and "Qingshantou Man" appeared early situation of the mammalian faunas associated and late in North China and Northeast.