A 2500-year sea level change record in Fildes Peninsula, Antarctica

A detailed record of sea level changes during the last 2500 years is preserved in the northernwest coast of Fildes Peninsula in Antarctica. Fourteen marine alga layers were deposited in the beach with an altitude of 2.80 m, and one diatom layer deposited in the ancient lake on the terrace with an altitude of 6.84 m. A radiocarbon age of 695±70 aBP was obtained for the modern marine alga, and the age was used in correction for the carbon reservoir effect of the marine alga. Sea level fell 4.98 m from the 4th century B.C. to the early 13th century, at an average of -0.31 cm/a, then rose about 0.78 m during the early 13th to the middle 18th century, at an average of 0.14 cm/a. It has risen about 0.16 m since the middle 18th century, at an average of 0.07 cm/a.     

华县老官台全新世黄土剖面pH值及其古气候意义研究

对华县老官台剖面190个样品的土壤pH值测定表明：pH值的变化从总体上与其他代用指标对应良好，可用于古气候环境的研究、当气候变得湿润时，植被生长茂盛，生物化学风化强烈，土壤pH值低；当气候变干冷时，植被稀疏，生物化学风化微弱，土壤pH值高．但就局部层位的对比情况看其pH值存在差异，主要表现在气候转型期的突变方面(不像其它指标的渐变)，其两个低谷均突然出现在古土壤层S^20和S^10的中部，这两个古土壤层上部和下部又突然转为峰值．pH值的上述变化特点似乎说明其对降水的变化更加敏感，从这个意义上讲，pH值的变化是一个很好地反映降水情况非常敏感的气候代用指标，其可以用来定量恢复古气候中的降水量的多少，具体的实施方案还有待于进一步研究。     

The early Holocene optimum inferred from a high-resolution pollen record of Huguangyan Maar Lake in southern China

A high-resolution pollen record of the past 13000 a from Huguangyan Maar Lake reveals the vegetation and environment changes in southern China during the Holocene. It shows that (i) pollen percentage of trees and shrubs reached 56% during the early Holocene (11600―7800 cal a BP), of which the pollen percentage of tropical trees reached a maximum at 9500―8000 cal a BP, reflecting a hot and wet envi- ronment; (ii) during the mid-Holocene (7800―4200 cal a BP), the pollen percentage of montane conif- erous trees and herbs increased, while the percentage of tropical-subtropical trees decreased, indi- cating lower temperature and humidity; (iii) in the late Holocene spanning from 4200 to 350 cal a BP, the pollen percentage of herbs and montane conifer increased significantly, indicating a marked decrease of temperature and humidity. Our pollen data reveal that the time period 9500―8000 cal a BP in south- ern China represents a climatic optimum for the Holocene characterized by hot and wet conditions. This is consistent with the Holocene optimum found in lower latitude regions globally. We speculate that strong insolation might cause the northward migration of the ITCZ and subtropical summer mon- soon front, which resulted in an early Holocene optimum in the Huguangyan area. The dry tendency and climate fluctuations of the middle and late Holocene could be associated with a decrease in solar insolation and frequent ENSO event.     

Vegetation and climate changes during the last 8660 cal. a BP in central Mongolia, based on a high-resolution pollen record from Lake Ugii Nuur

Based on modern pollen studies and reliable chronology of nine AMS 14C dates, a detailed history of vegetation and climate changes during the past 8660 cal. a BP was reconstructed by a high-resolution pollen record from Ugii Nuur in central Mongolia. Poaceae-steppe dominated the study area and the climate was mild and semi-humid before 7800 cal. a BP with a noticeable cool and humid interval at 8350―8250 cal. a BP. Xerophytic plant increased and the climate became warm and dry gradually since 7800 cal. a BP...     

Palaeoclimatic distribution models predict Pleistocene refuges for the Neotropical harvestman Geraeocormobius sylvarum (Arachnida: Opiliones: Gonyleptidae)

This paper primarily aims to test a Pleistocene refuge-type scenario, as previously proposed for the gonyleptid Geraeocormobius sylvarum, a semi-deciduous forests dweller in subtropical Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. Palaeodistributional models of this species were built using MaxEnt for two Last Glacial Maximum (LGM = 21,000 years ago) simulations – Community Climate System Model (CCSM) and Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate (MIROC) – and for 6000 years ago (?6k = HCO, the Holocene climatic optimum). Both LGM models retrieved a fragmented pattern. For CCSM, range was split into multiple, scattered fragments. MIROC resulted in very few patches, with a decided range reduction because of a strong humidity drop. Models for ?6k recovered a moderate range expansion. No past connection between the core area and the yungas was predicted. Analysis of variables importance showed that two precipitation predictors (bc18, precipitation warmest quarter; bc14, precipitation driest month) and two temperature predictors (bc7, temperature annual range; bc9, mean temperature driest quarter) scored as the most influencing overall. The Limiting Factor analysis recognized them as limiting too, in different parts of the species range. LGM palaeomodels of G. sylvarum are compatible with the refuge hypothesis invoked in previous molecular analyses, to explain the high genetic diversity found in the core area. Additionally, the results reinforced the hypothesis of the recent anthropogenic origin of the yungas disjunct populations.     

Peat record reflecting Holocene climatic change in the Zoigê Plateau and AMS radiocarbon dating

Through the use of reliable AMS dating of high resolution (15–30 years) peat and the establishment of monsoon climate proxies sequence, we have been able to recognize several cold, dry events in the Tibetan Plateau during the Holocene. The more obvious ones occurred around 12800, 11300, 10200, 9580, 8900, 6400, 4400, 3700, 2800 and 1500 cal. aBP. These events correlate well with both ice rafting events recorded in high latitude North Atlantic Ocean sediment cores and cooling events in the low latitude SST. Spectral analysis indicates high frequency climate variation on centennial-millennial time scale during the Holocene. This further reflects Holocene climate instability and the existence of centennial-millenium scale rhythm in mid latitude areas as well.     

Climate as the dominant control on C<Subscript>3</Subscript> and C<Subscript>4</Subscript> plant abundance in the Loess Plateau: Organic carbon isotope evidence from the last glacial-interglacial loess-soil sequences

Two modes of photosynthesis predominate in terres-REPORTS trial plants: the C3 and C4 modes[1]. The C3 mode is used by all of trees, bushes, and cold season grasses. The C4 mode is used by the most of tropical and warm season grasses. They are disadvantaged relative to C3 plants at high CO2/O2 ratios because of the additional energy ex-pense needed to concentrate CO2 in the bundle-sheath cells. At low CO2/O2, however, C4 plants can achieve a relatively high quantum yield by suppressin…     

Holocene climatic and environmental changes recorded in Baahar Nuur Lake core in the Ordos Plateau, Inner Mongolia of China

A 5.3 m lake core was drilled in Baahar Nuur Lake in the Ordos Plateau, and measurements of meangrain size, organic δ 13C (δ 13Corg), organic carbon content (TOC), C/N, carbonate content, carbonate δ 13C(δ 13Ccar) and δ 18O (δ 18Ocar) were conducted for retrieving the Holocene chronosequence of climaticchanges based on 15 AMS 14C dates. The record documented four major stages of climate change inthe Ordos Plateau: (IV) a cold and dry condition before ～7.65 14C ka BP; (III) a warm and humid stagebetween ～7.65 and ～5.40 ka BP; (II) a generally drier and cooler climate since ～5.40 ka BP with twohumid events occurring from ～4.70 to ～4.60 ka BP and from ～4.20 to ～3.70 ka BP, and (I) a dry climatecharacterized by complete desiccation of the lake after 3.70 ka BP. Stage III can be further divided intothree sub-stages: (IIIa) a warm and humid episode from ～7.65 to ～6.70 ka BP, (IIIb) a warm and relativelydry episode from ～6.70 to ～6.20 ka BP, and (IIIc) the magthermal and maghumid episode of the Holo-cene from ～6.20 to ～5.40 ka BP.