OXYGEN AND CARBON ISOTOPE SIGNATURE

Oxygen and Carbon Isotope Signature in Late Neogene Horse Teeth

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“Oxygen and Carbon Isotope Signature in Late Neogene Horse Teeth”

Introduction

Neogene is a unit of geological period belonging to the second period of the Cenozoic Era. The duration of the Neogene period was 23 million years. Neogene Period is divided into two sections of Miocene and Pliocene, during this period Europe joined with Asia. Two deep gulfs that emerged in Atlanta that subsequently separated Europe from North America. Africa, Asia continued to be formed. The climate during the Neogene period was relatively warm and humid, but slightly cooler than the climate in Paleogene period. During the Neogene era, the mammals and birds evolved considerably. (Zachos et al, 2001)

Many other forms were comparatively stable. Some continental motion took place, the most significant connection to North America with South America in the late Pliocene. In addition, during the Neogene era, the climate of the earth cooled, climaxing in the Quaternary glaciations, and there was the emergence of hominids. Paleontologists use information band of 249 stable O and C isotope constitutions from fossil horse teeth. This fossil is taken from the Upper Neogene of Central Spain. In this paper, these carbon and oxygen isotopes are discussed together with the possible as environmental proxies that they have. (Zachos et al, 2001)

The climatic Changes

During the Spatial and cyclic expressions of the earth's cooling during the Neogene era, not much has been figured out. In the general sense, however, there are assumptions that there was strong cooling that took over the mid-continental and high-latitude regions. The cooling was more as compared to marine and tropical environments. Moreover, the amount of cooling seemed to have been different in different seasons. Regrettably, the number of well- attested and well-dated Pre-Pleistocene epoch territorial records of temperature is still depleted. The records of proxies of seasonal changes are even more unique and rare. The mundane temperature approximations are most of the time established upon paleobotanical information, for example macrofloral remains or pollen. (Casas-Sainz et al, 2002)

Nevertheless, well- constituted fossil vegetations are comparatively uncommon, particularly in desiccated regions. Stable oxygen isotope constitutions of fossil mammalian teeth might furnish a substitute origin for inferences in temperature, since these constitutions appropriate the appraisal of the composition in the downfall, which is dependent on temperature. This is specifically for the enamel of the tooth which is very ...