Environmental anomalies in the northeastern East China Sea during the last 3 000 years: implications for El Niño activity in the Holocene

To reconstruct the productivity changes for the last 10 500 a in the northeastern East China Sea (ECS), biogenic compounds (such as carbonate, organic carbon and opal), marine micropaleontological fossils (planktonic foraminifera, benthic foraminifera, radiolarian and silicoflagellate) and the compositional characters of benthic foraminifera fauna analyses were carried out on a sediment core DOC082 obtained from the western slope of Okinawa Trough (29°13.93′N, 128°08.53′E; 1 128 m water depth). The long-term changes of biogenic and micropaleontological proxies display some similarities through the last 10 500 a, which show three different phases: lower values are recorded during the early and middle Holocene (before about 4 000 a BP), followed by an abrupt and remarkable increase at about 4 000 a BP, the late Holocene (after about 3 000 a BP) is characterized by continuously high values. The multi-proxy data of paleoproductivity and percents of benthic foraminifera genera (Uvigerina and Bulimina) show that during the early and middle Holocene (10 500–4 000 a BP) productivity was relatively low with a sudden and distinct increase at about 4 000 a BP, and the late Holocene (3 400–0 a BP) is marked by significantly higher productivity. Also, the radiolarian-based sea surface temperature (SST) records reveal a distinct decline in SST in the late Holocene after 3 200 a BP, very different from the early and middle Holocene. For the last 3 000 a, the enhanced biological productivity and distinctly lower SST indicate a major change of oceanographic conditions in the northeastern ECS. These marine environmental anomalies are consistent with other paleoclimatic records for the late Holocene in the Chinese continent and its surrounding regions. After analyzing the mechanisms of modern productivity and SST changes in the northeastern ECS, and based on the climatic anomalies in the Chinese continent and variations in the Kuroshio Current during modern El Niño periods, we suggest that the anomalous environmental conditions in the northeastern ECS may imply intensified El Niño activity during the late Holocene.     

Sedimentary characteristics of relict deposits on the western South Yellow Sea

Integrated studies of vertical sedimentary sequences, grain sizes, and benthic foraminifera and ostracoda, in combination with AMS 14C dating, and 210Pb and 137Cs analysis were carried out in three vibracores taken from the area of relict deposits on the western South Yellow Sea. The relict sands, which are about 0.4 m thick, overlie on the Early Holocene coastal marsh or tidal flat deposits with an evident erosional interface in between. The middle and upper parts or sometimes the whole of the relict sands have been reworked under the modern dynamic environment. The sedimentation rate varies between 0.20–0.30 cm year-1. The relict sands show a bimodal grain-size distribution pattern in frequency curves, with a sharp peak in the coarse fraction between 3Φ and 4Φ and a secondary peak in the fine fraction of about 7Φ. Of the benthic foraminiferal and ostracod assemblages, the reworked relict sands are characterized by the mixing of the nearshore euryhaline shallow-water species and deeper water species. The erosional interface at the bottom of the relict sands is considered as a regional ravinement surface formed during the transgression in the Early Holocene due to shoreface retreating landwards. The relict sands were accumulated on the ravinement surface during the transgression in the deglaciation period as lag deposits after winnowing and reworking by marine dynamic processes. And the secondary peak of fine fraction in the frequency curve for the relict sands suggests the input of fine-grained sediments during the reworking process. As the conclusion, the relict sands in the study area are interpreted as a type of reworked relict sediments.     

Biomarker records of phytoplankton productivity and community structure changes during the last 14000 years in the mud area southwest off Cheju Island, East China Sea

The ecological environment in the East China Sea (ECS) and the Yellow Sea (YS) has changed significantly due to sea-level rising and the Kuroshio incursion since the last deglaciation. In this study, biomarker records of core F10B from the mud area southwest off Cheju Island (MSWCI) were generated to evaluate phytoplankton productivity and community structure changes in response to environmental evolution during the last 14 kyr. The contents of diatom, dinoflagellate and haptophyte biomarkers (brassicasterol, dinosterol and C₃₇ alkenones) display similar trends, with increasing phytoplankton productivity during the last 14 kyr due to the increased influences of the Kuroshio, and especially due to the eddy-induced upwelling during the late Holocene. On the other hand, the contents of terrestrial biomarkers (C₂₈ +C₃₀ +C₃₂ n-alkanols) and terrestrial organic matter (TOM) proxies (TMBR’ and BIT) all reveal decreasing TOM input into the area around the sampling site for the 14 kyr, mostly due to sea-level rising. Phytoplankton biomarker ratios reveal a shift from a haptophyte-dominated community at 6.2–2.5 kyr BP to a diatom-dominated community at 2.5–1.45 kyr BP, likely caused by a stronger cold eddy circulation system at 2.5–1.45 kyr BP in the MSWCI.     

Holocene temperature records from the East China sea mud area southwest of the Cheju Island reconstructed by the U 37 K′ and TEX86 paleothermometers

As an important marginal sea under the influences of both the Changjiang River and the Kuroshio, the East China Sea (ECS) environment is sensitive to both continental and oceanic forcing. Paleoenvironmental records are essential for understanding the long-term environmental evolution of the ECS and adjacent areas. However, paleo-temperature records from the ECS shelf are currently very limited. In this study, the U ₃₇ ^K′ and TEX₈₆ paleothermometers were used to reconstruct surface and subsurface temperature changes of the mud area southwest of the Cheju Island (Site F10B) in the ECS during the Holocene. The results indicate that temperature changes of F10B during the early Holocene (11.6–6.2 kyr) are associated with global climate change. During the period of 6.2–2.5 kyr, the similar variability trends of smoothing average of ΔT (the difference between surface and subsurface temperature) of Site F10B and the strength of the Kuroshio suggest that the Kuroshio influence on the site started around 6.2 kyr when the Kuroshio entered the Yellow Sea and continued to 2.5 kyr. During the late Holocene (2.5–1.45 kyr), apparent decreases of U ₃₇ ^K′ sea surface temperature (SST) and ΔT imply that the direct influence of the Kuroshio was reduced while cold eddy induced by the Kuroshio gradually controlled hydrological conditions of this region around 2.5 kyr.     

Foraminiferal Changes and Response to the Channel Diversion and Discharge Fluctuation of the Yellow River in the North Yellow Sea During the Past Century

Diversion of the Yellow River is a unique geological event in offshore China, causing changes of the sedimentary environment in eastern China Seas. The last diversion took place in AD 1855, with the estuary diverted from the Yellow Sea into the Bohai Sea. The identification of the river diversion events in the shelf sediments would not only provide the definite ages for the sediments, but also give a clue for better understanding of the sedimentation in that area. In this study, 210 Pb, grain size, geochemical element, and foraminiferal data in core H205 from the north Yellow Sea were systematically investigated. A high-resolution sedimentary record was established, which was coupled with the Yellow River diversion and runoff changes. The results show that the foraminiferal composition and foraminiferal abundance of the sediments from the north Yellow Sea had good response to the Yellow River diversion in 1855. Before the change, shallow water assemblages dominated the foraminifera, and the abundance of each foraminiferal species was very low. After the diversion event, the abundance of most foraminifera increased sharply, with a maximum increase of 16 times, and the assemblage was still dominated by shallow water species. Furthermore, the changes in foraminiferal abundance in the core sediments corresponded well with the discharge fluctuation of the Yellow River since 1855. When the Yellow River began entering the Bohai Sea, the Yellow River water, which is rich in nutrients, along with the coastal currents affected the north Yellow Sea, increased the primary productivity in the north Yellow Sea, which is the main reason for the abrupt increase and fluctuation of foraminiferal abundance in this area. At the meantime, the East Asian winter monsoon could also promote the development of nearshore foraminiferal species by enhancing the coastal currents.     

Formation and evolution of the modem warm current system in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea since the last deglaciation

To reconstruct the formation and evolution process of the warm current system within the East China Sea (ECS) and the Yellow Sea (YS) since the last deglaciation, the paleoceangraphic records in core DGKS9603, core CSH1 and core YSDPI02, which were retrieved from the mainstream of the Kuroshio Current (KC), the edge of the modem Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) and muddy region under cold waters accreted with the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) respectively, were synthetically analyzed. The results indicate that the formation and evolution of the modem warm current system in the ECS and the YS has been accompanied by the development of the KC and impulse rising of the sea level since the last deglaciation. The influence of the KC on the Okinawa Trough had enhanced since 16 cal kyr BE and synchronously the modem TWC began to develop with the rising of sea level and finally formed at about 8.5 cal kyr BP. The KC had experienced two weakening process during the Heinrich event 1 and the Younger Drays event from 16 to 8.5 cal kyr BP. The period of 7-6 cal kyr BP was the strongest stage of the KC and the TWC since the last deglaciation. The YSWC has appeared at about 6.4 cal kyr BP. Thus,the warm current system of the ECS and the YS has ultimately formed. The weakness of the KC,indicated by the occurrence of Pulleniatina minimum event (PME) during the period from 5.3 to 2.8 cal kyr BE caused the main stream of the TWC to shift eastward to the Pacific Ocean around about 3 cal kyr BP. The process resulted in the intruding of continent shelf cold water mass with rich nutrients. Synchronously, the strength of the YSWC was relatively weak and the related cold water body was active at the early-mid stage of its appearance against the PME background, which resulted in the quick formation of muddy deposit system in the southeastern YS. The strength of the warm current system in the ECS and the YS has enhanced evidently, and approached to the modern condition gradually since 3 cal kyr BP.     

Biomarker records of phytoplankton productivity and community structure changes in the Central Yellow Sea mud area during the Mid-late Holocene

The Yellow Sea (YS) environmental and ecological changes during the Holocene are driven by the interactions between the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC), the East Asian Winter Monsoon (EAWM) and the Kuroshio Current (KC). We report marine biomarker records of brassicasterol, dinosterol and C37 alkenones in core ZY1 and core ZY2 from the South Yellow Sea (SYS) to reconstruct the spatial/temporal variations and possible mechanisms of phytoplankton primary productivity and community structure changes during the Mid-late Holocene. The contents of the corresponding biomarkers in the two cores are similar, and they also reveal broadly similar temporal trends. From 6 kyr to 3 kyr, the biomarker contents in the two cores were relatively low with small oscillations, followed by a distinct increase at about 3 kyr indicating productivity increases caused by a stronger EAWM. The alkenone/brassicasterol ratio (A/B) is used as a community structure proxy, which also showed higher values in both cores since 3 kyr, indicating increased haptophyte contribution to total productivity. It is proposed that the YS community structure has been mainly influenced by the YSWC, with stronger YSWC influences causing an increase in haptophyte contribution since 3 kyr. Some differences of the biomarker records between ZY2 and ZY1 suggest spatial variations in response to YSWC and KC forcing. When the KC was intensified during the periods of 6–4.2 kyr and 1.7–0 kyr, the YSWC extended eastward, exerting more influence on core ZY1. On the other hand, when the KC weakened during 4.2–1.7 kyr, the YSWC extended westward, exerting more influence on the ZY2.     

Anti-Phase Relationship Between the East Asian Winter Monsoon and Summer Monsoon During the Holocene?

The relationship between the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) and East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) during the Holocene is complicated and remains controversial. In this study, analysis of grain size and benthic foraminiferal oxygen isotope, as well as accelerator mass spectrometry ¹⁴C dating was performed on a sediment core retrieved from the newly revealed muddy deposit on the northern South China Sea continental shelf. The history of the EAWM and EASM were reconstructed for the last 8200 a BP. Further analysis in conjunction with previously published paleo-climate proxies revealed that the relationship between the EAWM and EASM during the Holocene is more complex than a simple and strict anti-phase one-both negative and positive correlations were identified. The EAWM and EASM are negatively correlated around 7500, 4800, 4200, 3200, and 300 a BP (cooling periods), while positively correlated around 7100, 3700, and 2100 a BP (warm periods). In particular, both the EAWM and EASM intensified during the three positive correlation periods. However, we also found that the relationship between these two sub-monsoons is anti-phase during the final phase of particularly hot periods like Holocene Optimum and Medieval warm period. The possible impact from variations of solar irradiance on the relationship between the EAWM and EASM was also discussed.     

Sedimentary evolution of the Holocene subaqueous clinoform off the southern Shandong Peninsula in the Western South Yellow Sea

Based on the stratigraphic sequence formed since the last glaciation and revealed by 3000 km long high-resolution shallow seismic profiles and the core QDZ03 acquired recently off the southern Shandong Peninsula, we addressed the sedimentary characteristics of a Holocene subaqueous clinoform in this paper. Integrated analyses were made on the core QDZ03, including sedimentary facies, sediment grain sizes, clay minerals, geochemistry, micro paleontology, and AMS 14 C dating. The result indicates that there exists a Holocene subaqueous clinoform, whose bottom boundary generally lies at 15–40 m below the present sea level with its depth contours roughly parallel to the coast and getting deeper seawards. The maximum thickness of the clinoform is up to 22.5 m on the coast side, and the thickness contours generally spread in a banded way along the coastline and becomes thinner towards the sea. At the mouths of some bays along the coast, the clinoform stretches in the shape of a fan and its thickness is evidently larger than that of the surrounding sediments. This clinoform came into being in the early Holocene(about 11.2 cal kyr BP) and can be divided into the lower and upper depositional units(DU 2 and DU 1, respectively). The unit DU 2, being usually less than 3 m in thickness and formed under a low sedimentation rate, is located between the bottom boundary and the Holocene maximum flooding surface(MFS), and represents the sediment of a post-glacial transgressive systems tract; whereas the unit DU 1, the main body of the clinoform, sits on the MFS, belonging to the sediment of a highstand systems tract from middle Holocene(about 7–6 cal kyr BP) to the present. The provenance of the clinoform differs from that of the typical sediments of the Yellow River and can be considered as the results of the joint contribution from both the Yellow River and the proximal coastal sediments of the Shandong Peninsula, as evidenced by the sediment geochemistry of the core. As is controlled mainly by coactions of multiple factors such as the Holocene sea-level changes, sediment supplies and coastal dynamic conditions, the development of the clinoform is genetically related with the synchronous clinoform or subaqueous deltas around the northeastern Shandong Peninsula and in the northern South Yellow Sea in the spatial distribution and sediment provenance, as previously reported, with all of them being formed from the initial stage of the Holocene up to the present.     

Formation and evolution of the modern warm current system in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea since the last deglaciation

To reconstruct the formation and evolution process of the warm current system within the East China Sea (ECS) and the Yellow Sea (YS) since the last deglaciation, the paleoceangraphic records in core DGKS9603, core CSH1 and core YSDP102, which were retrieved from the mainstream of the Kuroshio Current (KC), the edge of the modern Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) and muddy region under cold waters accreted with the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) respectively, were synthetically analyzed. The results indicate that the formation and evolution of the modern warm current system in the ECS and the YS has been accompanied by the development of the KC and impulse rising of the sea level since the last deglaciation. The influence of the KC on the Okinawa Trough had enhanced since 16 cal kyr BP, and synchronously the modern TWC began to develop with the rising of sea level and finally formed at about 8.5 cal kyr BP. The KC had experienced two weakening process during the Heinrich event 1 and the Younger Drays event from 16 to 8.5 cal kyr BP. The period of 7–6 cal kyr BP was the strongest stage of the KC and the TWC since the last deglaciation. The YSWC has appeared at about 6.4 cal kyr BP. Thus, the warm current system of the ECS and the YS has ultimately formed. The weakness of the KC, indicated by the occurrence of Pulleniatina minimum event (PME) during the period from 5.3 to 2.8 cal kyr BP, caused the main stream of the TWC to shift eastward to the Pacific Ocean around about 3 cal kyr BP. The process resulted in the intruding of continent shelf cold water mass with rich nutrients. Synchronously, the strength of the YSWC was relatively weak and the related cold water body was active at the early-mid stage of its appearance against the PME background, which resulted in the quick formation of muddy deposit system in the southeastern YS. The strength of the warm current system in the ECS and the YS has enhanced evidently, and approached to the modern condition gradually since 3 cal kyr BP. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 90411014 and 40506015), the National major Fundamental Research and Development Project (No. 2007CB815903) and the CAS Pilot Project of the National Knowledge Innovation Program (No. KZCFX3-SW-233)     

SEA SURFACE SALINITY AND BOTTOM WATER OXYGENATED CONDITIONS IN WESTERN EQUATORIAL PACIFIC MARGINAL SEAS DURING THE LAST GLACLAL AGE

ImODUcrIONThewesternPadricconsistSofaseriesofrnarginalbasins(twoofwhicharetheSrsandSuluSea)thatareseparatalfromeachotherbysdriofvaryingdepths.The25OOmdepthsiliseparatingtheSrsfromthewesternNorthPadricallowiPadricinteediatewatertoentertheSCS.Inconhast,theSuluSeaiscomPldelysurmundedbyasill,mostofwhichisshallowerthanlOomindepth.Thedeepestchanne1intotheSLduSeais42Omdeep(MindoroStrait)andcutSacrossthesillthatseparateStheSuluSeafromtheSrs.TheseenvironmntSresultalinspeda1hydrographicse…     

Reconsidering Melt-water Pulses 1A and 1B： Global Impacts of Rapid Sea-level Rise

Re-evaluation of the post-glacial sea level derived from the Barbados coral-reef borings suggests slightly revised depth ranges and timing of melt-water pulses MWP-1A (96-76m, 14.3-14.0ka cal BP) and 1B (58-45 m, 11.5-11.2ka cal BP), respectively. Ages of non-reef sea-level indicators from the Sunda Shelf, the East China Sea and Yellow Sea for these two intervals are unreliable because of the well-documented radiocarbon (^14C) plateau, but their vertical clustering corresponds closely with MWP-1A and 1B depth ranges. Close correlation of the revised sea-level curve with Greenland ice-core data suggests that the ^14C plateau may be related to oceanographic-atmospheric changes due to rapid sea-level rise, fresh-water input, and impaired ocean circulation. MWP-1A appears to have occurred at the end of Bφlling Warm Transition, suggesting that the rapid sea-level rise may have resulted from lateral heat transport from low to high-latitude regions and subsequent abrupt ice-sheet collapses in both North America-Europe and Antarctica. An around 70 mma^-1 transgression during MWP-1A may have increased freshwater discharge to the North Atlantic by as much as an order of magnitude, thereby disturbing thermohaline circulation and initiating the Older Dryas global cooling.     

Sedimentary facies of the subaqueous Changjiang River delta since the late Pleistocene

The sedimentary facies of the subaqueous Changjiang(Yangtze) River delta since the late Pleistocene was studied based on lithology and foraminifera analysis for two boreholes,CJK07 and CJK11,along with14C dating.Four sedimentary facies were identified,namely fluvial,tidal flat,offshore,and prodelta facies.The fluvial sedimentary facies is comprised of fluvial channel lag deposits,fluvial point bar deposits,and floodplain deposits,showing a fining-upward sequence in general with no benthic foraminifera.A layer of stiff clay overlies the fluvial deposits in core CJK07,indicating a long-term exposure environment during the Last Glacial Maximum(LGM).During the postglacial sea-level rise around 13-7.5 cal ka BP,the tidal flat facies was deposited in core CJK11,characterized by abundant silt-clay couplets.Euryhaline species dominate the subtidal flat foraminiferal assemblages,while almost no foraminifera was found in the intertidal flat.The offshore environment was the major sedimentary environment when the sea level reached its highest level around 7.5 cal ka BP,with a maximum accumulation rate of 10 mm/a found in core CJK11.Prodelta sediments have been deposited in core CJK11 since ~3 cal ka BP,after the formation of the Changjiang River delta.The difference in sedimentary facies between core CJK07 and CJK11 is due to their location: core CJK07 was in an interfluve while core CJK11 was in an incised valley during the LGM.Furthermore,AMS14C dating of core CJK07 shows poor chronological order,indicating that the sediments were reworked by strong tidal currents and that sediment deposited since ~7.7 cal ka BP in core CJK07 was eroded away by modern hydrodynamic forces caused by the southward shift of the Changjiang River delta depocenter.     

Sedimentary evolution since the late Last Deglaciation in the western North Yellow Sea

To decipher the sedimentary evolution and environmental changes since the late Last Deglaciation, two gravity cores were analyzed from the western North Yellow Sea (NYS). The two cores (B-L44 and B-U35) were sampled for grain size, clay minerals, detrital minerals, and 14C dating. They are comparable in lithofaies, and the observed succession was divided into four depositional units based on lithology and mineral assemblages, which recorded the postglacial transgression. Depositional unit 4 (DU 4) (before 11.5 ka) was characterized with enrichment in sand, and was interpreted as nearshore deposits in shallow water during the Younger Dryas Event. DU 3 (11.5-9.6 ka) displayed a fining-upward succession composed of sediments from local rivers, such as the Huanghe (Yellow) River, and from coastal erosion, which clearly were related to the Early Holocene transgression. Stable muddy deposition (DU 2) in NYS began to form at about 9.6 ka, which received direct supply of fine materials from the Shandong subaqueous clinoform. It is believed that the Yellow Sea circulation system played a major role in controlling the formation of fine sediment deposition in DU 1 (after 6.4 ka) after the sea level maximum.     

Spatiotemporal variation in community structure of marine benthic ciliates in the Yellow Sea during and after macroalgal and giant jellyfish blooms

The annual bloom of the green macroalgal Ulva prolifera from May through July since 2008 and another of giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai from June through September have been frequent events in the Yellow Sea. However, the patterns of benthic ciliate communities during and after the blooms are still not known. In combination with analyses of benthic environmental factors, we investigated the distribution and community composition of benthic ciliates in the Yellow Sea in July and November 2011. In July, ciliates had high standing crops and diversity in the northern Yellow Sea, and in the inshore area off the southern Shandong Peninsula, where large numbers of green macroalgae accumulated. In November, the abundance, biomass and diversity of ciliates were high in the sea areas off the Shandong Peninsula and Changjiang estuary, where a large quantity of jellyfish occurred in August. Neither the abundance nor the biomass had significant difference between seasons, or between different compartments of the Yellow Sea. The species number, and both Margalef and Shannon-Wiener indices of ciliates were all significantly higher in November than in July. In both seasons, prostomateans and karyorelicteans consistently constituted the first and second most important ciliate groups in biomass; and carnivorous ciliates constituted the primary feeding type in terms of biomass as well as species richness, followed by bacterivores, algivores and omnivores. Compared with that in June 2007 when no macroalgae occurred, the percentage of small-sized bacterivores (e.g. Metacystis spp., Euplotes spp. and scuticociliates) increased in July 2011. The proportion of carnivorous ciliates increased in November, and this increased dominance of carnivorous ciliates may be a response to the increase in predominance of heterotrophic nanoflagellates, which might in turn be ascribed to an effect of green macroalgal and giant jellyfish blooms in the Yellow Sea.     

Sedimentary Characteristics of the Second Marine Layer During the Late Marine Isotope Stage 3 in Southern Yellow Sea and Their Response to the East Asian Monsoon

We use the particle size of sediments in core YS01 A to study the sedimentary environment of the mud deposit in the central South Yellow Sea of China during late Marine Isotope Stages 3(MIS3;40.5 kyr–31.3 kyr).In addition,the East Asian Monsoon and its relationship with the North Atlantic Ocean climate change are discussed based on the sensitive grain-size calculation and the spectrum analysis.The results show that during late MIS3,the muddy area in the central South Yellow Sea experienced the evolution of coastal facies,shallow marine facies,coastal facies,and continental facies,with weak hydrodynamic conditions.Compared with other climate indicators,we found that there were many century to millennium-scale climate signals documented in the muddy area sediments in the central South Yellow Sea.According to our particle size results,three strong winter monsoon events occurred at 37.6 kyr,35.6 kyr and 32.2 kyr.The East Asian Winter Monsoon records in core YS01 A are consistent with the Greenland ice core and the Hulu cave stalagmite δ~(18)O.The millennial and centennial scale cycles,which are 55 yr,72 yr,115 yr,262 yr respectively,correspond to solar activity cycles,while the 1049 yr and 2941 yr cycles correspond to the Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles.These cycles indicate that the paleoclimate evolution of the area was controlled by the solar activities,with the high-latitude driving thermohaline circulation as the main energy conveyor belt,followed by the sea-air-land amplification of the winter monsoon variation in the central Yellow Sea in the late MIS3.     

Change in Sediment Provenance Near the Current Estuary of Yellow River Since the Holocene Transgression

Sedimentary sequence and sediment provenance are important factors when it comes to the studies on marine sedimentation. This paper studies grain size distribution, lithological characteristics, major and rare earth elemental compositions, micropaleontological features and ~(14)C ages in order to examine sedimentary sequence and sediment provenance of the core BH6 drilled at the mouth of the Yellow River in Bohai Sea. According to the grain size and the micropaleontological compositions, 4 sedimentary units have been identified. Unit 1(0–8.08 mbsf) is of the delta sedimentary facies, Unit 2(8.08–12.08 mbsf) is of the neritic shelf facies, Unit 3(12.08–23.85 mbsf) is of near-estuary beach-tidal facies, and Unit 4(23.85 mbsf–) is of the continental lake facies. The deposits from Unit 1 to Unit 3 have been found to be marine strata formed after the Holocene transgression at about 10 ka BP, while Unit 4 is continental lacustrine deposit formed before 10 ka BP. The provenances of core BH6 sediments show properties of the continental crust and vary in different sedimentary periods. For Unit 4 sediments, the source regions are dispersed while the main provenance is not clear, although the parent rock characteristics of a few samples are similar to the Luanhe River sediments. For Unit 3, sediments at 21.1–23.85 mbsf have been mainly transported from the Liaohe River, while sediments above 21.1 mbsf are mainly from the Yellow River and partially from the Liaohe River. For Unit 2, the sediments have been mainly transported from the Yellow River, with a small amount from other rivers. For Unit 1, the provenance is mainly the Yellow River catchment. These results help in better understanding the evolution of the Yellow River Delta.     

Biomarker evidence for paleoenvironmental changes in the southern Yellow Sea over the last 8200 years

Previous studies have indicated that the Yellow Sea underwent significant environmental changes during the Holocene, but many questions remain concerning the timing of the establishment of the modern circulation system, which would have major implications for the Yellow Sea ecosystem and carbon cycle. In this study, marine and terrestrial biomarkers were analyzed in Core YE-2 from a muddy area in the southern Yellow Sea to reconstruct Holocene environmental and phytoplankton community change. The content of three individual marine phytoplankton biomarkers (alkenones, brassicasterol and dinosterol) all display a similar trend, and their total contents during the early Holocene (362 ng/g) were lower than those during the mid-late Holocene (991 ng/g). On the other hand, the contents of terrestrial biomarkers (C27+C29+C31n-alkanes) during the early Holocene (1 661 ng/g) were about three times higher than those during the mid-late Holocene (499 ng/g). Our biomarker results suggest that the modern circulation system of the Yellow Sea was established by 5-6 ka, and resulted in higher marine productivity and lower terrestrial organic matter inputs. Biomarker ratios were used to estimate shifts in phytoplankton community structure in response to mid-Holocene (5-6 ka) environmental changes in the Yellow Sea, revealing a transition from a dinoflagellate-diatom dominant community structure during the early Holocene to a coccolithophore-dominant community structure during the mid-late Holocene.     

Abrupt climate changes of Holocene

This paper is a review of studies of abrupt climate changes(ACCs) during the Holocene published during the past ten years.North Atlantic cold events are indicators of ACCs.As indicated by North Atlantic ice-rafted debris(IRD),there were nine confirmed cold events during the Holocene,occurring at 11.1 kyr,10.3 kyr,9.4 kyr,8.1 kyr,5.9 kyr,4.2 kyr,2.8 kyr,1.4 kyr,and 0.4 kyr respectively according to most representative results from Bond et al.(1997).However,the identification of chronology has been made with some uncertainties.Considerable climatic proxy data have shown that,during the cold events,substantial climate abnormalities have occurred widely across the globe,particularly in the areas surrounding the North Atlantic.These abnormalities were in the form of high-latitude cold in the both hemispheres,expansion of the Westerlies to low latitudes,drought in the monsoon regions,recession of summer monsoons,and intensification of the winter monsoons.Studies have indicated that the four ACCs occurring in the early Holocene may be related to freshwater pulses from ice melting in the northern part of the North Atlantic,and the other five ACCs that occurred during the middle and late Holocene may be related to the decreased solar activity.     

Paleo-fluvial sedimentation on the outer shelf of the East China Sea during the last glacial maximum

Evidence from lithology, foraminiferal assemblages, and high-resolution X-ray fluorescence scanning data of core SFK-1 indicates tidally influenced paleo-fluvial sedimentation during the last glacial maximum (LGM) on the outer shelf of the East China Sea. The paleo-fluvial deposits consist of river channel facies and estuarine incised-valley-filling facies. Different reflections on the seismic profile across core SFK-1 suggest that the river channels shifted and overlapped. River channel deposition formed early in the LGM when sea level fell and the estuary extended to the outer shelf. Channel sediments are yellowish-brown in color and rich in foraminifera and shell fragments owing to the strong tidal influence. Following the LGM, the paleo-river mouth retreated and regressive deposition of estuarine and incised-valley-filling facies with an erosion base occurred. The river channel facies and estuarine incised-valley-filling facies have clearly different sedimentary characteristics and provenances. The depositional environment of the paleoriver system on the wide shelf was reconstructed from the foraminiferal assemblages, CaCO₃ content and Ca/Ti ratio. The main results of this study provide further substantial constraints on the recognition of late Quaternary stratigraphy and land-sea interactions on the ECS shelf.