Biological records of paleoclimate and paleoenvironment changes from Guanzhong area, Shaanxi Province during the last glacial maximum

We have collected a suite of Paleoloxodon naumanni-Coelodonta antiquitatis fossils from a river terrace profile between Xi'an and Xianyang cities in G uanzhong Area, Shaanxi Province. A detailed examination of the fossils, tog ether with C-14 determinations and pollen analyses, have enabled us to reco nstruct preliminary features of climate and environment changes and their e volutionary processes, within the last glacial maximum (LGM): about 20 ka a go, the climate was basically cool and wet, and was favourable for the exis tence of Paleoloxodon naumanni-Coelodonta antiquitatis fauna. This was foll owed by a cold, dry phase which was no longer suitable for this type of fau nal suite, causing the death of a large number of mammalian assemblages. Th e available evidence indicates the existence of cold-dry and cool-wet clima te and environment fluctuations during the LGM. The cool-wet stage within t he LGM reflects a Heinrich event occurring in the high latitude areas, prov ing the existence of a teleconnection between polar-high latitude areas and the Loess Plateau.