This paper considers how prehistoric rock art can illuminate the environmental conditions of a vast but poorly known region in the distant past and in the process shed light on issues of environment, faunal survival, and cultural change. The rock art being considered here is located in the Baga Oigor valley of Bayan Ölgiy aimag, northwestern Mongolia; together with the petroglyphic complexes of Tsagaan Gol and Aral Tolgoi, it is part of the largest, most ancient, and best–preserved body of rock art in this mountainous region dividing North and Central Asia. The Baga Oigor complex itself includes materials dating from the late Paleolithic (12,000 yrs BP) through the Turkic Period (mid-first millennium CE). Within the thousands of compositions included in the complex, one of the least noticed images is that of the moose (Alces alces). Yet as much as any other animal representation within the petroglyphs of Baga Oigor, this image reveals the radical transformation of the environment of the Altai Mountains over several thousand years and its cultural implications. The examination of Alces alces and of its pictorial contexts sheds light on a world inhabited by ancient hunters and herders and sharpens our understanding of the dynamics of cultural change.

Lake sediment records are of great importance for understanding the evolution of watershed environments. Various studies have been carried out to constrain the depositional ages of lake sediments and examine their physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, aiming to construct historical vegetation, environment and climate patterns in Chinese lake watersheds. In this study, we obtained relevant literature on lake sediment records by searching the key word 'age-depth' from the databases – Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI, the largest Chinese academic database). We analyzed the literature based on its type (published in a Chinese/English journal or as a Master’s/PhD thesis), period of publication, journal (if published in a journal), key authors, study area, dating scale, and main aims. The results suggest that the lakes in the plateau regions are the most popular research topic typically covering 100–200 years (short-term) and 500–30,000 years (long-term). The literature focuses on a wide range of topics, from past environmental evolution in the watershed to lake ecology, and provides a solid foundation for better understanding regional climate change and the preservation of lake environments and ecosystems. In the future, resulting data from environmental reconstruction with lake sediments will be needed to integrate with emerging information processing technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence and meta-analysis), to disentangle the complex interplay between Earth surface processes and global climate change; furthermore, strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration will deepen our comprehension of man-land relationship and promote the sustainable management of lake ecosystems in the context of global climate change.

Fossil body parts of the two cold-adapted ground beetle species, Elaphrus lapponicus and Diacheila polita, were found from a deposit dated in the late Last Glacial period in Hokkaido, Japan. The paleoenvironment was estimated from their modern distribution and habitat, along with the results of the paleobotanical studies at the site. The temperature was at least 6 degrees lower than modern in summer, and the area around the site was mostly covered with forest tundra, which can currently be seen in areas further north of Hokkaido.

This literature review provides a comprehensive analysis of the functional morphology and paleoecology of Pteranodon, a prominent genus of Pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous period. By synthesizing recent research findings with classic studies, this paper elucidates the aerodynamic and ecological adaptations of Pteranodon, which was one of the largest pterosaurs to ever soar the skies. The review examines the distinctive cranial features, including its elongated cranial crest and its implications for sexual dimorphism and species identification. Detailed analysis of wing morphology and limb proportions reveals insights into its flight mechanics, suggesting that Pteranodon was adapted for dynamic soaring, leveraging its expansive wingspan for efficient long-distance travel. Additionally, the paper explores Pteranodon's feeding habits and dietary preferences based on dental and jaw structure, indicating a diet primarily consisting of fish and other aquatic prey. The review also integrates fossil evidence with ecological models to reconstruct the paleoenvironment of the Late Cretaceous, highlighting the role of Pteranodon in its ecosystem as both a predator and a competitor. This synthesis not only enhances our understanding of Pteranodon’s physiological and ecological roles but also contributes to broader discussions on pterosaur evolution and behavior.