Hydrologic and climatic implications of a multi－disciplinary study of the mid to late Holocene Lake Eastern Juyanze

A mid to late Holocene exposure in a recently desiccated lake basin in western Inner Mongolia was inves-tigated with regard to palaeoenvir onmental changes and theoverall climatic conditions in NW China between 2.7 and 5.4 cal. ka BP. High lake levels of Lake Eastern Juyanze were recorded by ostracod assemblages, shell geochemistry and sedimentology between 5.1 and 4.1 cal. ka BP. Relatively bumid conditions and a relatively strong influence of the Asian monsoon are indicated by palynological data for the corresponding period. Lake levels decreased afterwards and short-term regressive events occurred at about 4.1, 3.8 and 3.4 cal. ka BP. The overall trend towards lower lake levels culminated in repeated episodes of desiccation of Lake East-ern Juyanze between 3.2 and 2.9 cal. ka BP, in phase with very arid conditions inferred from the palynological record.Individual regressive events as well as the rapid environ-mental fluctuations of Lake Eastern Juyanze at about 3.0 cal.ka BP were regarded as driven by mid to late Holocene summer monsoon fluctuations, supported by the Dunde ice core record.     

Holocene palynological records and their responses to the controversies of climate system in the Shiyang River drainage basin

The Shiyang River drainage basin is located in the northwest margin of the Asian monsoon region. Previous studies reached different conclusions about Holocene climatic changes in the basin. Some studies suggested the Holocene climatic changes were mainly controlled by the Asian monsoon and that the climate was relatively humid during the early Holocene (11.6-7.1 cal ka BP). Other studies found the mid-Holocene Climatic Optimum (7.0-5.0 cal ka BP), and this climate condition was similar to the Holocene westerly wind pattern in arid Central Asia. The modern climate is affected by the Asian monsoon and westerly wind in the drainage basin, and the Holocene climatic records showed two different Holocene climatic patterns-a westerly wind pattern and monsoonal pattern. However, it remains unclear what caused the two different Holocene climatic patterns to co-exist in the region. The palynological records are the main evidence for the Holocene climatic changes in the basin. This paper focuses on palynological records for different parts of the drainage basin. Among them, QTH02, QTL-03 and Sanjiaocheng records are located in the terminal lake, and the Hongshuihe record is located in the middle reaches of the basin. In the terminal lake, the palynological records of QTH02 and QTL-03 are similar, but the Sanjiaocheng record differs. The difference is mainly affected by the variable pollen assemblages in the different locations of the lake basin. From comparison and synthesis of the four palynological records, we concluded that the millennial-scale Holocene climatic changes were affected by the combined effects of the Asian monsoon and westerly wind in the drainage basin, which show the complicated Holocene climatic pattern in the northwest margin of the Asian monsoon.     

A mid－Holocene drought interval as evidenced by lake desiccation in the Alashan Plateau,Inner Mongolia,China

The mid-Holocene in China is traditionally thought to be a warm and humid period with a strong sum-mer monsoon, and is often termed the Holocene Climatic Optimum or Megathermal Period. Here we present lakegeomorphologic and lithologicai evidence from the Alashan Plateau, part of the Mongolian Plateau, that indicates stronglake desiccation during the mid-Holocene. High resolution pollen data from Zhuyeze Lake, at the present summermonsoon margin, is also presented. These data show that present lakes and wetlands in the Juyanze Lake basin west of the Badain Jaran desert, in the Zhuyeze Lake basin between the Badain Jaran and Tengger deserts, and in lakes in the eastern Tengger desert, dried or experienced low lake levelsin the mid-Holocene around 5000-7000 cal yr BP. Pollen data further indicate that the vegetation cover declined in both the local areas and in the Qilian Mountains, suggesting the climate was drier than that associated with the presentAsian summer monsoon. This mid-Holocene drought interval was present throughout a quite large region of the south In-ner Mongolian Plateau. The period was also probably colder,at least in the high Asian plateaus and mountains.     

Stalagmite-inferred Holocene precipitation in northern Guizhou Province,China, and asynchronous termination of the Climatic Optimum in the Asian monsoon territory

An absolute-dated, bi-decadal-resolution, stalagmite oxygen-isotopic time series from Shigao Cave reveals the evolution of summer monsoon precipitation over the past 9.9 ka BP in northern Guizhou Province, Southwest China. The  18O-inferred climate conditions are divisible into three distinct stages: (1) a maximum humid era from 9.9-6.6 ka BP; (2) a gradual declining precipitation interval between 6.6-1.6 ka BP; and (3) a relatively low precipitation time window after 1.6 ka BP. Consistency of contemporaneous stalagmite Holocene 18O records between Shigao and other caves in the Indian and East Asian monsoon realms support the effect of primary orbital solar forcings on monsoonal precipitation. However, statistical analysis shows a significant spatial asynchroneity of the Holocene Optimum termination in the Asian monsoon territory. The Holocene Optimum ended at 7.2-7.4 ka BP in Oman, located in the Indian monsoon region, and at 5.6-5.8 ka BP in Central China, in the East Asian monsoon zone. In Southwest China, the termination occurred between these periods, at 6.6-7.0 ka BP, and was influenced by both monsoon systems. We propose that this spatially asynchronous ending of Holocene Optimum in Asia may be attributed to sea surface temperature changes in the western tropical Pacific, which is a primary moisture source for the East Asian monsoon.     

A high-resolution environmental change record since 19 cal ka BP in Pumoyum Co,southern Tibet

A 380-cm-long sediment core was acquired from the deep water area of Pumoyum Co, southern Tibet. Twenty-five plant residue samples were selected, and organic carbon stable isotopes were obtained using the AMS ¹⁴C chronological method. The ¹⁴C age and carbon reservoir effect were calibrated with surface sedimentation rate measurements using ²¹⁰Pb dating. Results showed that the core sediment deposited over 19 cal ka BP. Based on a multi-proxy analysis of TOC and IC contents, grain size and pollen assemblage data, the palaeoclimatic evolution of Pumoyum Co was reconstructed since the last glacial. Pumoyum Co was a shallow lake prior to 16.2 cal ka BP; although the glacier around the lake began to melt due to increasing temperatures, climate was still cold and dry. In the interval of 16.2–11.8 cal ka BP, the sedimentary environment fluctuated drastically and frequently. Two cold-events occurred at 14.2 and 11.8 cal ka BP, and these may correspond to the Older Dryas and the Younger Dryas events, respectively. After 11.8 cal ka BP, Pumoyun Co developed into the deep lake as it is now. The lake water temperature was relatively lower at that time because of influx of cold water from glacial meltwater entering the lake. As a result, the multi-proxy indicators showed no sign of warm conditions. Comparisons between the sedimentary record of Pumoyum Co with that of other lakes of the same age in southern Tibet indicate a warmer climate following the last deglaciation influenced the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. These results imply that the southwest Asian monsoon gradually became stronger since the deglaciation during its expansion to the inner plateau. The glacial-supplied water of the lake responded sensitively to cold-events. The entire southern Tibet region was dominantly influenced climatically by the southwest Asian monsoon during the Holocene.     

Southwest monsoon changes indicated by oxygen isotope of ostracode shells from sediments in Qinghai Lake since the late Glacial

The δ 18O records of ostracode shells in sediments of core QH-2000 from Qinghai Lake can be used as a better proxy to reflect monsoon changes. Low monsoon precipitation between 17.5 and 11 cal. ka BP is indicated by positive δ 18O values averaging 2.37‰. A fast shift in δ 18O from positive at 11 cal. ka BP to negative at 10 cal. ka BP indicates sharp increase of monsoon precipitation. An interval of generally high monsoon precipitation is observed between 10 and 6 cal. ka BP with δ 18O values averaging -2.15‰. Decrease of monsoon precipitation between 6 and 2.5 cal. ka BP is indicated by positive δ 18O values. δ 18O keeps positive values averaging 3.0‰ between 2.5 and 0 cal. ka BP suggesting low high monsoon precipitation. The climatic changes indicated by δ 18O records of ostracode shells in sedi- ments of core QH-2000 from Qinghai Lake and our broader regional comparison show that the climate in Qinghai Lake since the late Glacial is probably controlled by southwest monsoon other than southeast monsoon.     

Pollen-inferred vegetation and environmental changes since 16.7 ka BP at Balikun Lake,Xinjiang

A high-resolution fossil pollen record from the sedimentary cores of Balikun Lake, northwestern China, combined with modern surface pollen data, is used to reconstruct the history of vegetation and climatic change since 16.7 cal. ka BP. Fossil pollen assem-blages and lithology indicate that the study area was dominated by desert. The desert had extremely arid climate and lower effective moisture during 16.7–7.9 cal. ka BP, especially from 16.7 to 8.9 cal. ka BP when the lake maybe dried up. During 8.9–7.9 cal. ka BP, the environment gradually recovered in this area. It was then followed by the optimum period from 7.9 to 4.3 cal. Ka BP, when the effective moisture obviously increased. It was characterized by the typical desert-steppe/steppe vegetation and was accompanied with several patch-birch woodlands around the lake. After that, a short but extremely arid climatic event occurred during 4.3–3.8 cal. ka BP, and the vegetation quickly changed from desert-steppe/steppe to desert. It was a relatively optimum period from 3.8 to 0.53 cal. ka BP showing typical desert-steppe/meadow-steppe landscape. Since 0.53 cal. ka BP, the climate has shown signs of deteriorating again. Furthermore, regional comparison shows that the characteristics of climatic and environmental evolution in this area were clearly different from East Asia monsoonal area during the last 16.7 cal. ka BP. It was characterized by the arid climate during the late-glacial and early Holocene, and relatively wet during the mid-late Holocene.     

Long-term trend and abrupt events of the Holocene Asian monsoon inferred from a stalagmite δ18O record from Shennongjia in Central China

The middle-Holocene was a period of profound cul- ture transitions: the Neolithic culture around Central China[1], Mesopotamia[2] and India[3] all mysteriously collapsed around 4 ka . It is plausible that this civiliza-tion collapse can be contributed to …     

达连海沉积物粒度特征及其古环境意义

利用达连海湖心浅井的粒度资料,分析了粒度组成、粒度频率曲线等粒度特征,并探讨了达连海粒度代表的古气候意义。结果表明,达连海沉积物频率曲线主要是正态单峰型,反映流水作用为主要沉积作用。湖心底部降水较多,湖面高,沉积物以细组分占绝对优势,频率曲线显示物源较单一,为深水沉积环境,但后期环境有所变化;中下部降水相对稀少,湖面降低,沉积物以粗组分含量增加,环境可能进一步恶化;中上部湖面上升,细组分含量增加,频率曲线显示物源由复杂变单一,为浅水沉积向深水沉积过渡环境;上部沉积物粗细间隔连续变化,频率曲线显示物源复杂,反映湖区环境进一步恶化,风砂活动频繁。沉积物粒度特征反映了达连海中全新世以来降水、流水和风力作用以及湖面水位高低的变化。达连海5 000多年来的古气候环境演化大致经历了5 600~5 100 cal a BP的湿润、5 100~2 500 cal a BP的干旱、2 500~800 cal a BP的偏湿和800 cal a BP以来的偏干4个阶段。     

A 60 000-year loess-paleosol record of millennial-scale summer monsoon instability from Lanzhou, China

The 28-m high-resolution Shajinping loess section in Lanzhou on the Chinese western Loess Plateau records a detailed history of millennial Asian summer monsoon change since the earlier last glaciation. Summer monsoon proxies of soil magnetic susceptibility, carbonate content and soil color show that Asian summer monsoon experienced a series of rapid episodic pulse enhancements spanning only ca. 1-2 ka and have sub-Milankovitch cycles of progressive weakening in low frequency domain since ca. 60 kaBP. Soil formation responds to these by deepening colors, accumulating organic matter, increasing biological channels and leaching certain carbonates. The pedogenic degree generally increases with the degree of enhancement of summer monsoon. These may reflect the impact of the last glacial fast climatic change in the North Atlantic region on Asian summer monsoon.     

Late Pleistocene／Holocene wetland events recorded in southeast Tengger Desert lake sediments, NW China

The area along the eastern and southeastern margins of the Tengger Desert, NW China, which is sensitive to the summer monsoon variations, was selected for studying the environmental conditions surrounding the transition between Paleolithic foragers and Neolithic farmer/pastoral-ists. Short cores were obtained from four lake basins in the southwestern Tengger using a hand-driven piston coringdevice. Proxies from these cores were supplemented by ra-diocarbon ages obtained from lake sediment cores, shoreline features and spring mound deposits. Together these records provide evidence of millennial-scale climate change eventsfrom the Pleistocene-Holocene transition to the present.Lake/wetland events, representing periods of more intensive summer monsoon, occur in the records at-12.7-11.6,-10.1, -9.3, -8.0, -5.4, -1.5, and -0.8 ka BP. They do suggest that century- to miliennial-seale climatic cycles are characteristic of the Holocene in the southeastern Tengger Desert although the chronology must be considered extremely tentative.     

川东北宋家洞石笋氧碳同位素及锶含量突变分析

通过对宋家洞石笋SJ3的氧碳同位素及锶含量进行Mann-Kendall test突变分析,得出以下结论:(1)氧同位素值记录了末次冰盛期向Heinrich Event 1时期的转变;(2)碳同位素值和锶含量记录了由H1冷期向BФlling-AllerФd暖期的转变;(3)碳同位素值和锶含量指示了在19.8～15.3ka时当地的东亚夏季风和冬季风呈正相关关系,在15.3～14.8 ka呈负相关关系,表明石笋SJ3记录了古气候环境的冷干、暖湿变化,且不同气候指标对环境变化的敏感度不同。     

三门峡王官与武威沙沟黄土记录中的末次间冰期向末次冰期转换期的暖性回返事件

河南三门峡王官剖面与甘肃武威沙沟剖面捕捉到了末次间冰期向末次冰期转换时期发生于72 ka前后持续时间约为2 ka的一暖性回返事件,两剖面的冬、夏季风替代指标对该暖性回返事件的反应在时间上大致同步(其时间段约为71～73 ka,在71.4～72.1 ka前后该暖性回返事件最强盛),暗示该暖性回返事件在东亚季风区可能是一普遍存在的气候突变事件.鉴于该暖性回返事件在全球其他地区的海洋、陆地、冰芯记录中也有较普遍的反映,我们认为该事件很可能是一次发生于气候转型期的全球普遍存在的暖性突变事件.     

新疆巴里坤湖9.0 cal ka BP以来沉积物地球化学元素分布特征与古气候环境演化

根据中国西北干旱区巴里坤湖BLK-1剖面沉积物的地化元素分析,采用SPSS因子分析法提取了对沉积环境变化敏感的地化元素和氧化物组分.在R、Q型因子分析的基础上,结合沉积物的硅铁铝率(SiO2/(Al2O3+Fe2O3))、淋失系数(SiO2/(MgO+K2O))、CaO/MgO以及腐殖化度等指标,提取出古气候环境信息.初步研究结果表明:近9.0 cal ka BP以来,巴里坤湖地区气候环境仍以干旱化为主,全新世期间出现过多次不同程度的干湿变化,经历了5个气候阶段:9.0—7.5 cal ka BP期间,气候干旱;7.5—5.8 cal ka BP期间,气候温暖湿润,为研究区全新世最佳适宜期;5.8—3.0 cal ka BP期间,气候干旱;3.0—1.0 cal ka BP期间,气候湿润;1.0—0 cal ka BP期间,气候干旱.     

A high-resolution climatic chanse since Holocene inferred from multi-proxy of lake sediment in westerly area of China

Multi-proxy data are presented and a discuss is made of paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental changes during Holocene from a 225-cm-long sediment core from Wulungu Lake, located in westerly area of China. The chronology is constructed from six AMS radiocarbon dates on the bulk organic matter. Analyses of pollen, TOC, TN, δ^13Corg, ostracod assemblages and the shell stable isotopes, suggest Holocene climate pattern as follows： temperate and dry （10.0-7.6 cal. ka BP） -warm and wet （7.6-5.3 cal. ka BP） -warm and moist （5.3-3.6 cal. ka BP） -temperate and dry （3.6-2.1 cal. ka BP）-temperate and moist （2.1-1.3 cal. ka BP） -cool and dry （1.3 cal. ka BP-present）. With the climatic change, Wulungu Lake experienced two large-scale retreat （5.3-3.6 cal. ka BP and 1.3 cal. ka BP-present） and an obvious transgression （7.6-5.3 cal. ka BP）. The records of climatic and environmental evolution of Wulungu Lake were in good accordance with those of adjacent areas. It responded to regional environmental change, global abrupt climate events and followed the westerly climate change mode.     

Mechanism of variations in environmental magnetic proxies of lake sediments from Nam Co, Tibet during the Holocene

High-resolution environmental records from the Tibetan Plateau are essential to understand past global climatic and environmental changes. Magnetic minerals in lake sediments are important proxies to reconstruct environmental and climatic changes. Nam Co (lake) is a typical great lake in the transitional region of southwest monsoon in the Tibetan Plateau. Previous studies have extensively focused on geochemistry, microfossils, sedimentology and biochemistry analysis of Nam Co, which provides sound interpretation of paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental changes. However, up to now, no systematic environmental magnetic studies have been carried out. Therefore, high-resolution and systematic magnetic studies combined with geochemical parameters were carried on lake sediments of core NC 08/01 from Nam Co for the Holocene period (11.3 cal ka BP) in order to explore how magnetic properties of the sediments respond to climatic changes. Based on variations of magnetic proxies, the sequence can be separated into 3 units. Unit 1 (236-199 cm, 11.3-7.8 cal ka BP) contains dominantly coarse-grained magnetite with homogeneous grain size. A positive correlation between magnetite and Ti strongly suggests that these coarse-grained detrital magnetites reflect detrital input signals due to insignificant effects of postdepositional dissolution processes on these coarse-grained magnetite particles. For Unit 2 (198-102 cm, 7.8-2.1 cal ka BP), magnetic grain size is finer and the corresponding concentration of magnetite is also reduced. This is mainly due to significant dissolution of these fine-grained detrital magnetite particles, which were transported under reduced water flow conditions during this period. For Unit 3 (101-0 cm, 2.1-0 cal ka BP), the bulk magnetic properties are dominated by a mixture of single domain biogenic magnetite and detrital magnetite. The concentration of magnetic minerals is not correlated with the Ti content. In conclusion, the preservation of magnetic minerals in the lake sediment and thus the corresponding magnetic properties are related to the initial grain size. Combination of magnetic properties (including variation of grain size and concentration) and other proxies of detrital inputs (e.g. Ti) can be used to infer the variation of redox conditions in Nam Co. These results provide a viable framework for reconstructing the paleoenvironmental changes of this lake.     

The reconstruction and interpretations of lake status at 6 ka and 18 ka B.P.in inland mainland Asia

By means of survey of literature through compilations of sedimentological, biogeological and geomorphologic data, the inland lake level changes in arid or semi-arid mainland Asia at 6 and 18 ka B. P. have been reconstructed. The results showed that the lakes from western and northwestern Asia were characterized by very high water levels at 18 ka B. P., but low or intermediate water stands at 6 ka B. P. The high lake level in this region was associated with the southward displacement of westerlies, therefore, the extent of the high lake stand indicated the southern flank of westerlies during the glaciation. Conversely, the lakes from the eastern and southern Asia registered comparative low levels at 18 ka B. P. and significantly high one at 6 ka B. P. The lowering of lake level at 18 ka B. P. was caused by the weakened summer monsoon and the high lake level at 6 ka B. P. by the enhanced summer monsoon induced by the enlarged thermal contrast between land and ocean. The extent of high lake levels indicated the northern boundary of monsoon expansion. Between the above two regions, there is a climatic transitional zone in the Central Asia where the lake behavior was close to that in southeastern Asia at 6 ka B. P. but became similar to that in northwestern Asia at 18 ka B. P. Thus this zone became a transitional sector from the monsoon to the westerlies.     

青藏高原中部色林错SL-1孔粒度参数指示的5.33 ka BP以来的水位变化

 对取自青藏高原中部色林错深水区的SL-1 孔开展年代学和粒度参数研究,以此重建了该湖5.33 ka BP 以来的水位变化.结果表明,5.33~4.25 ka BP 是一期较为稳定的高湖面期,湖面波动较小,始终维持在高湖面,后期(4.30～4.25 ka BP)湖面开始下降;4.25~2.20 ka BP,风力加强,湖面较上一期有所降低,属湖面降低期,风力作用的影响增加;2.20~1.90 ka BP,稳定的低湖面期;1.90 ka BP 至今,高湖面期.但有几期短暂而快速的湖面降低,湖面降低的持续时间一般为20~50 a,具有约0.10 ka和0.20 ka 的周期性,约0.20 ka 的准周期基本贯穿了色林错自5.33 ka BP 以来的湖面变化.这种周期在青藏高原冰芯氧同位素恢复的温度序列中也存在,说明在百年尺度上,温度对色林错的湖面变化有一定影响.     

Record of winter monsoon strength

The Asian summer monsoon has been precisely reconstructed from the high-resolution record from the speleothem, but reconstruction of the Asian winter monsoon is less satisfactory. Yancheva et al. provide such a reconstruction for the last 16,000 years from the titanium (Ti) content of the sediments of Lake Huguang Maar in coastal South China. However, we argue that the Ti is likely to have come mainly from the catchment and so the Ti content may instead be related to the hydrology of the lake.     

抚仙湖轮藻植物的时空格局

轮藻是一类大型沉水藻类植物,喜生长于含钙质丰富的硬水和透明度较高的水中.抚仙湖是我国典型的高原深水湖泊,为了解其轮藻植物群落结构及时空格局特征,2005 2011年对抚仙湖沉水植物进行了调查.在抚仙湖共采集沉水植物12种,其中轮藻植物2种：轮藻Charasp.和丽藻Nitellasp..抚仙湖轮藻植物平均生物量约为11...