The Late Neogene of the South of the West Siberian Plain: Stratigraphy, Paleomagnetism, Major Climatic Events

This article presents the detailed subdivision of the Upper Miocene and Pliocene deposits in the south of the West Siberian plain. The evolutionary successive faunal assemblages and the stages of development of small mammals and mollusks are defined. The most complete combined magnetostratigraphic section for the Upper Neogene of the south of the plain is compiled for the first time. A new stratigraphic scheme for the Upper Miocene and Pliocene of the southern plain is developed based on combined investigations. The major stages in climatic change during the Late Neogene are determined and on the basis of paleomagnetic and biostratigraphic data these are compared with climatic events in other regions.