POLLEN ANALYSIS OF HYAENA COPROLITES FROM THE TUOZI CAVE AT TANGSHAN,NANJING

Pollen analysis of hyaena coprolites presents relatively high pollen concentration from the Tuozi Cave at Tangshan, Nanjing. Although some coprolites were sterile, it is postulated that after hyaenas devouring plant-consuming prey, pollen were well preserved in the coprolites, and then deposited in the cave, formed hyaena coprolite fossils. Pollen spectra with higher frequencies of Pinus, Tsuga, Quercus, Carpinus, Artemisia, Cyperaceae, Polygonum and Polypodiaceae suggests that the vegetation was grassland or forest-grassland and the climate was humid or semi-humid in earlyPleistocene. This conclusion is consistent with the environmental interpretation derived from the associated fossil fauna found in the Tuozi Cave. This therefore demonstrates that the hyaena coprolites deposit is useful in studying the cave deposits, and reconstructing past vegetation and climate conditions.

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Q913.84 Q981.42