A chronological framework for the British Quaternary based on Bithynia opercula

Marine and ice-core records show that the Earth has experienced a succession of glacials and interglacials during the Quaternary (last ～2.6 million years), although it is often difficult to correlate fragmentary terrestrial records with specific cycles. Aminostratigraphy is a method potentially able to link terrestrial sequences to the marine isotope stages (MIS) of the deep-sea record. We have used new methods of extraction and analysis of amino acids, preserved within the calcitic opercula of the freshwater gastropod Bithynia, to provide the most comprehensive data set for the British Pleistocene based on a single dating technique. A total of 470 opercula from 74 sites spanning the entire Quaternary are ranked in order of relative age based on the extent of protein degradation, using aspartic acid/asparagine (Asx), glutamic acid/glutamine (Glx), serine (Ser), alanine (Ala) and valine (Val). This new aminostratigraphy is consistent with the stratigraphical relationships of stratotypes, sites with independent geochronology, biostratigraphy and terrace stratigraphy. The method corroborates the existence of four interglacial stages between the Anglian (MIS 12) and the Holocene in the terrestrial succession. It establishes human occupation of Britain in most interglacial stages after MIS 15, but supports the notion of human absence during the Last Interglacial (MIS 5e). Suspicions that the treeless 'optimum of the Upton Warren interstadial' at Isleworth pre-dates MIS 3 are confirmed. This new aminostratigraphy provides a robust framework against which climatic, biostratigraphical and archaeological models can be tested.     

中国南海北部新生代古环境的变迁

为了解中国南海北部新生代古环境的变迁,在分析参考相关科学成果的基础上,综述该区域的古环境的变迁。早第三纪珠江口盆地以陆相、河湖相沉积为主,气温凉爽,属暖温带至北亚热带环境;晚第三纪,从晚渐新世到上新世晚期,该区域由淡水湖泊沉积环境,逐渐过渡到海、陆交互环境、潮问带或浅水滨海沉积环境、浅海环境等,气候也演变成潮湿的热带、亚热带气候。第四纪,随着冰期、间冰期的波动,沉积环境也分别呈近岸陆面剥蚀环境一浅水滨海沉积环境或浅海环境的交替。香港地区“岗岭山坡”区段属陆面风化剥蚀环境,而在“河谷平原”则由陆面风化剥蚀环境演变为陆面河、湖相或沼泽沉积环境。古环境的变迁主要受太阳幅射脉动状态等综合因素的影响。     

论第四系中的地质事件标志

第四纪并非一个“太平”时期。第四系中包含着一系列地质事件标志。诸如新构造、第四纪冰碛层、黄土层、古人类化石及其所使用旧石器、各次海退与海侵的沉积物、地磁极性期与地磁极性事件、不同高度新老河流阶地上的沉积物、垂直溶洞与水平溶洞中的沉积物……这些地质事件标志之间,肯定有着内在的有机联系,一个标志的出现会影响到另一个标志的出现,“牵一发而动全身”。具有全球性与同时性的特点。但有些关系尚待进一步探讨。     

论中国第四纪冰期与间冰期

李四光教授在庐山划分出三个冰期与两个间冰期,后来加上晚更新世的大理冰期,为四个冰期三个间冰期。李承三教授继而在四川西北部山区划分出五个冰期与四个间冰期。孙殿卿教授等后来在河北省泥河湾划分出六个冰期与五个间冰期。景才瑞等也曾在庐山与鄂西高原地区划分出四个冰期与三个间冰期。学者们比较公认的为：鄱阳冰期、鄱阳－大姑间冰期、大始冰期、大姑－庐山间冰期、庐山冰期、庐山－大理间冰期与大理冰期。目前处在冰后期。     

Middle and late pleistocene biostratigraphy and paleoclimate of an open-pit coal mine Schoningen Germany

In the Schoningen open-pit lignite mine (Northeastern Lower Saxony, Germany), Tertiary strata are unconformably overlain by Quaternary sediments and soils of Middle and Late Pleistocene and Holocene age. The complex Pleistocene sequence contains a number of interglacial and interstadial deposits and soils and is of scientific importance for Late Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy of Central Europe and because of archeological evidence of early human occupation by Home erectus. There is evidence of four interglacials younger than the third-last glaciation (Elsterian). The classical Holsteinian is followed by the newly discovered biostratigraphic unit Reinsdorf, an interglacial complex which contains archeological horizons with wooden artifacts. Based on paleoecological fauna and flora data, the lithological setting and preliminary age determinations, the Reinsdorf Interglacial likely correlates with marine isotope stage 9 and the Holsteinian with stage 11.     

Calcium carbonate pump during Quaternary glacial cycles in the South China Sea

The preservation and dissolution of calcium carbonate (namely calcium carbonate pump) controls the pH of seawater in global oceans by its buffer effect, and in turn plays a significant role in global changes in atmospheric CO2 concentration. The results from measured carbonate contents over the past 2 Ma at ODP Site 1143 in the South China Sea provide high-resolution records to explore the process of the calcium carbonate pump during Quaternary glacial cycles. The results indicate statistically that the highest carbonate accumulation rate leads the lightest δ^18O by about 3.6ka at transitions from glacials to interglacials, and that the strongest carbonate dissolution lags the lightest δ^18O by about 5.6 ka at transitions from interglacials to glacials. The calcium carbonate pump releases CO2 to the at mosphere atthe glacial-interglacial transitions, but transports atmospheric CO2 to deep sea at the interglacial-glacial transitions.The adjustable function of the calcium carbonate pump for the deep-sea CO3^2- concentration directly controls parts of global changes in atmospheric CO2, and contributes the global carbon cycle system during the Quaternary.     

Extended megadroughts in the southwestern United States during Pleistocene interglacials

The potential for increased drought frequency and severity linked to anthropogenic climate change in the semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States (US) is a serious concern. Multi-year droughts during the instrumental period and decadal-length droughts of the past two millennia were shorter and climatically different from the future permanent, 'dust-bowl-like' megadrought conditions, lasting decades to a century, that are predicted as a consequence of warming. So far, it has been unclear whether or not such megadroughts occurred in the southwestern US, and, if so, with what regularity and intensity. Here we show that periods of aridity lasting centuries to millennia occurred in the southwestern US during mid-Pleistocene interglacials. Using molecular palaeotemperature proxies to reconstruct the mean annual temperature (MAT) in mid-Pleistocene lacustrine sediment from the Valles Caldera, New Mexico, we found that the driest conditions occurred during the warmest phases of interglacials, when the MAT was comparable to or higher than the modern MAT. A collapse of drought-tolerant C(4) plant communities during these warm, dry intervals indicates a significant reduction in summer precipitation, possibly in response to a poleward migration of the subtropical dry zone. Three MAT cycles ～2?°C in amplitude occurred within Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11 and seem to correspond to the muted precessional cycles within this interglacial. In comparison with MIS 11, MIS 13 experienced higher precessional-cycle amplitudes, larger variations in MAT (4-6?°C) and a longer period of extended warmth, suggesting that local insolation variations were important to interglacial climatic variability in the southwestern US. Comparison of the early MIS 11 climate record with the Holocene record shows many similarities and implies that, in the absence of anthropogenic forcing, the region should be entering a cooler and wetter phase.     

论鄂西南岩溶洞穴发育与第四纪冰期和间冰期的关系

本文简述了鄂西南利川市东北部岩溶洞穴体系上、中、下层状溶洞发育状况,论述了其发育过程与第四纪冰期和间冰期的关系,在间冰期时形成水平溶洞,在冰期时形成垂直溶洞,二者互相贯通,形成了岩溶洞穴体系。     

Quaternary herbivore fauna in northeastern China: Evolution under climatic change

Large herbivorous mammals from 10 representative Quaternary localities in northeastern China were studied. The evolution of these animals confirms Pei's law and Bergmann's rule. Of the three global cold periods in the Quaternary, the first and second are not well recorded in the region. The temperate period between these is well recorded. Records show that there was a sub-cold period (around 280 000 yr) during this temperate period. It remains to be confirmed whether this sub-cold period was limited to northeastern China. The third cold period is well recorded in the region. The fauna in this third period were composed mostly of temperate forms, as well as typical cold and pro-cold forms.     

后沙峪凹陷第四纪高精度地层格架及地质意义

通过对后沙峪凹陷ZK19钻孔自然伽马测井曲线进行旋回地层分析,以古地磁测年数据为年龄锚点,建立了后沙峪凹陷第四纪0.1Ma年精度的年代标尺,为后续研究后沙峪第四纪的构造演化、气候变化提供了精细的年龄标定。通过对钻孔ZK19开展沉积相分析,将地时与沉积相分析相结合,讨论本区第四纪以来的沉积演化,以及沉积环境对第四纪新构造运动的响应。分析表明,钻孔中识别出的两次浅湖沉积,沉积时间分别为2240~2152ka,1784~1475ka,分别对应了早更新世早期的西山强烈上升时期和早更新世中期的青藏运动B幕,北京地区构造以北东向断裂活动为主导。根据后沙峪凹陷浅湖相的消亡时间,确定后沙峪凹陷的形成时间大概2080ka左右。晚更新世以来,北东向断裂表现为整体运动,两盘差异不大,后沙峪地区主要为曲流河的沉积环境。     

京杭大运河沿线第四纪植被变迁分析

京杭大运河是世界上开凿最早、规模最大、里程最长的人工河流。笔者以运河区域内第四纪古植物证据为基础,对孢粉植物群的组成、区系成分和生态功能类型进行了分析,对第四纪植被进行了重建。结果显示：该区域共有陆地植物105科;植物区系以温带成分为基本骨架,具有温带和热带过渡性质,反映出干湿交替、冷暖更替和水陆镶嵌的古环境特点。点多样性指数显示,北部为22～68个科（属）,南部为65～117个科（属）。孢粉植物群划分为13个生态功能类型。运河沿线中全新世森林植被自北而南分为凉温带针阔混交林、温带落叶阔叶林、暖温带常绿落叶阔叶混交林,以及亚热带常绿阔叶林4个植被带。影响运河沿线第四纪植被变迁的主要因素有第三纪植物遗存、第四纪气候变迁和早期人类活动等。     

The Quaternary fault in Jiamu area,the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

The Quaternary Tailan River fault has been found in the Tianshan foothills area, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is the recent boundary fault of the Tarim Basin coupling with the West Tianshan Mountains. In the light of measurement data of the slip which cuts the Quaternary deposits of different ages, the Quaternary kinematic figures of the Tailan River fault are estimated as follows: crustal shortening 3.7 km and shortening rate 1.59 mm/a, uplift of Tianshan Mountains 1.34 km and uplift rate 0.56 mm/a, and additional relief of 900 m. Considering the contribution of the Gumubiezi anticline close to the south of the Tailan River fault, the Quaternary crustal shortening and shortening rate of the Jiamu area are 4.8 km and 2 mm/a respectively. The above-mentioned data coincide with the crustal shortening rate calculated from the growth strata in the Kuqa area, as well as the GPS measurements in the Lake Issyk area and the Korla-Urumqi area, reflecting the fast thrusting period within the shortening tectonic processes of the rejuvenation foreland basin in front of the southern foothill of the West Tianshan Mountains since Neogene.     

降雨作用下第四系堆积体路堤稳定性

满足一般路基要求在稳定的第四系堆积体上的低路堤在运营中出现了变形破坏,以饱和与非饱和渗流理论、FREDLUND非饱和土双应力变量强度理论为基础,建立路堤填筑前后计算模型,分析了四川阆中沟溪村某道路工程一段第四系堆积体路堤填筑前后的稳定性。研究结果显示, 路线通过处第四系堆积体地质条件简单,原始斜坡在最不利的降雨工况下也保持了稳定,路堤填筑高度仅4m,符合一般路基的要求;堆积体路堤在最不利降雨工况下随着降雨过程稳定性系数不断降低,当降雨达到11小时,稳定性系数小于1.0,此时路堤发生破坏,与路基失稳破坏的现象一致。在山区公路建设过程中,稳定的第四系堆积体上填筑低路堤虽然满足路基设计规范对一般路基的要求,不需要进行单独验算,但在长期降雨作用下其稳定性会持续降低,极可能出现失稳破坏。因此,在工程设计与施工中应当验算其长期降雨作用下的稳定性,以保证工程的安全。     

面临2000年后全球气温和海面升高的挑战——第四纪气候研究的一项紧要任务

本文论证我国东部第四纪气候变化特征。由于青藏高原的强烈隆起,我国东部于冰期中气候极端干燥而严寒;间冰期及全新世新高温时期,我国华北及内蒙部分地区气温与降水均高于今日。当大气中C_2O倍增时,据GCMs,北半球中伟地带将趋向干燥,美国中西部平原、气温升高,土壤湿度低降,气候干早。本文据我国前一间冰期及全新世新高温时代的气候图象,与太平洋彼岸的下一世纪图象有显著差异。本文运用EOF's函数分析方法研究我国相对海面上升率为3mm/年。由于温室效应引起21世纪气温升高,对我国农作物产量有其有利的一面,而沿海新构造下沉平原区,可能招致严重灾害,应引起我国经济建设决策上的重视,及时作出相应措施。     

某冰水堆积体层流-紊流过渡状态渗流特性试验研究

澜沧江上游两岸河谷地带广泛分布一套规模巨大、形成于第四纪更新世中晚期的冰水堆积体,这类冰水堆积体往往具有较特别的渗流特性。通过对澜沧江某冰水堆积体的结构特征调查和颗粒组成试验分析,从沉积相的角度,认为该冰水堆积体可分为两层:表层厚约40 m的混合巨粒土,和底部厚约17 m的粗颗粒土。通过对这两层冰水堆积体的渗流特点试验研究,结果表明地下水在表层混合巨粒土中的渗流方式主要表现为层流-紊流过渡阶段的特点,渗流速度与水力梯度成幂函数关系;而在底部粗颗粒土中的运移方式主要表现为层流特点。根据混合巨粒土的渗流特点,文中提出了两种计算其渗透系数的方法,即根据渗透速度和水力梯度关系曲线估算渗透系数,或采用文中提出的公式计算渗透系数。     

柴达木盆地成盐期与青藏高原第四纪冰期及构造运动阶段的相关性

 柴达木盆地沉积有巨厚的晚新生代沉积物和丰富的矿产资源,是研究晚新生代以来气候与环境变化、构造运动与盆地演化、成盐成矿规律的理想地区。通过对柴达木盆地钻孔和剖面的含盐地层测年数据进行总结,并与青藏高原第四纪冰川活动和构造运动进行对比,认为柴达木盆地成盐期与青藏高原第四纪冰期及构造运动阶段具有一定的对应关系。柴达木盆地西部盐湖和干盐湖中通常发育有倒数第二次冰期及末次冰期的石盐层,某些盐湖中还有希夏邦玛冰期、望昆冰期、中梁赣冰期的石盐层;迄今为止在柴达木盆地东部的察尔汗盐湖区中仅发现末次冰期以来的石盐层。冰期环境下的干冷气候及冰川扩张,造成盐湖补给水源的减少,有利于盐类物质的沉积。     

Palaeovegetation. Diversity of temperate plants in east Asia

The exceptionally broad species diversity of vascular plant genera in east Asian temperate forests, compared with their sister taxa in North America, has been attributed to the greater climatic diversity of east Asia, combined with opportunities for allopatric speciation afforded by repeated fragmentation and coalescence of populations through Late Cenozoic ice-age cycles. According to Qian and Ricklefs, these opportunities occurred in east Asia because temperate forests extended across the continental shelf to link populations in China, Korea and Japan during glacial periods, whereas higher sea levels during interglacial periods isolated these regions and warmer temperatures restricted temperate taxa to disjunct refuges. However, palaeovegetation data from east Asia show that temperate forests were considerably less extensive than today during the Last Glacial Maximum, calling into question the coalescence of tree populations required by the hypothesis of Qian and Ricklefs.     

秦岭北麓黄土沉积环境

秦岭北麓黄土最早形成于2.45Ma.区内各地质时代的黄土层中几乎都发现了大量哺乳动物化石和人类化石.黄土颜色深,颗粒细,粘化重;古土壤色鲜艳,层数多,底部钙质结核常联结成钙板;黄土中的原生碳酸钙几乎全部被淋溶,光性方位粘土较显著.这些说明本区黄土物质沉积后经受了比较强烈的淋滤作用和成土作用,反映出第四纪期间秦岭北麓黄土沉积环境要比黄土高原西北部温暖而湿润。     

山西临汾盆地晚新生代环境演变研究

本文通过对山西南部临汾盆地一些露头剖面的观察,通过对LK10孔钻孔剖面的岩性,粘土矿物、地球化学、孢粉等古环境标志的综合分析,探讨了临汾盆地自上新世至晚更新世时期的环境演变。     

Pollen records and time scale for the RM core of the Zoige Basin, northeastern QinghaiTibetan Plateau

A continuous pollen record from the Zoige Basin in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau not only provides information on the vegetation and climate changes during the last two glacial/interglacial cycles, hut also gives proof to establish the time scale of the upper 60 m of the RM core. Subalpine spruce-fir forests colonized the Zoige Basin during the interglacials and interstadials, implying warm and wet climate conditions. Alpine periglacial desert or dry desert may have existed during the penultimate glacial and the last glacial maxima, respectively. Alpine sedge meadow dominated the landscape during MIS 4. The MIS 3 is punctuated by a number of stadials similar to those documented in the Guliya and GISP2 ice cores, as indicated by repeated rise and fall of subalpine spruce-fir forests. Our pollen record reveals a regional climate history similar to those from the neighboring sites, including the Arabian Sea and the Guliya ice core, and thus supports the notion that the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau acts as an important link between climatic events in the North Atlantic realm and the Asian monsoon domain.