An Excellent Indicator for Quaternary Paleoenvironmental Reconstructions--Advances in the Study of Testate Amoebae (Thecamoebians, Arcellacean)

Abstract

Testate amoebae(Thecamoebians,Arcellacean) are a kind of worldwide distributed rhizopoda protozoan,which are living in wet and freshwater environments. Due to their narrow niches,short lifecycle and being sensitive to environmental changes,the abundant testate amoebae fossils in sediments might provide high-resolution paleoenvironmental information.Sedimentary testate amoebae are very useful in quantitative reconstruction of sea level changes,paleohydrology,and paleoclimate,which are mainly in the studies of paleolimnology and human activities.Profound researches carried out in European and North American countries have demonstrated that testate amoebae are excellent indicators for paleoenvironmental changes.The large climatic gradient and diversity of habitats in China are ideal for the studies of testate amoebae biogeography,ecology,and paleoenvironmental reconstructions.