民勤和沙坡头地区荒漠植物的净光合速率及CO2补偿点

本文测定了民勤和沙坡头地区26种荒漠旱生植物、21种中生植物和5种农作物的淨光合速率及CO₂补偿点。荒漠旱生植物在自然环境下的淨光合速率都很低,一般只有5-10毫克CO₂/克干重,小时;最低者如超旱生植物红砂;仅有1.5毫克CO₂/克干重。小时;最高者冰草可达14毫克CO₂/克干重。小时。除4种松柏类植物外,中生植物的淨光合速率多数在10-20毫克CO₂/克干重。小时。高产作物的淨光合速率高达30-50毫克CO₂/克干重。小时。与此相反,荒漠旱生植物的CO₂补偿点较高,一般在50-100ppm,最高可达120ppm,而高产作物高粱的CO₂补偿点仅22ppm。初步结论认为:荒漠旱生植物具有低光合速率和高光呼吸的特征,是长期适应干旱环境的结果。     

湖光岩玛珥湖晚全新世人类活动的叶蜡烷烃及其碳同位素沉积记录

通过对广东省湛江市湖光岩玛珥湖晚全新世沉积物中叶蜡烷烃（n-C₂₉,n-C₃₁,n-C₃₃）及其碳同位素（δ^{13C）进行分析,探讨该湖区约3.5 ka BP以来的植被变化历史,重点讨论了人类活动对该区域植被变化可能带来的影响。叶蜡烷烃δ13区C₃植物占绝对优势,表现为典型的C在1.7 ka BP以前偏轻,例如长链烷烃碳同位素在1.78 ka BP为-33.27 ‰,表明湖C₃型生态系统;在1.7 ka BP之后碳同位素明显快速偏重,在1.63 ka BP为-28.26‰,指示了C₄植物出现和C₄比例上升的过程。C₄植物的出现通常指示气候的干旱化,但是烷烃P_aq和ACL指数（平均链长）则显示湖区气候可能在1.7 ka BP后变湿润。通过与研究区甘蔗的同位素和ACL指数的比较分析,推测这一矛盾现象可能与湖区开始有一定规模的甘蔗种植活动有关。}     

区域土地利用影响地表CO2浓度异质性特征的动力学机制

本文综合应用高斯方程和拉姆齐模型,针对京津冀地区2000年以来10 km×10 km栅格尺度的地表CO₂浓度开展研究,分析了区域土地利用影响地表CO₂浓度异质性特征的动力学机制。研究发现：① 地表CO₂浓度与土地利用类型密切相关。2000—2018年京津冀地区CO₂浓度的高值区主要集中于经济较发达的快速城镇化地区;② 土地利用强度及土地利用效率上的时空分异为地表CO₂扩散提供了潜在的势能。京津冀地区地表CO₂排放及扩散存在明显的空间异质性,距离CO₂排放高值区越近,其相应的CO₂浓度越高并随时间推移及空间拓展呈逐步减小的态势;③ 京津冀地区在土地利用结构调整、格局优化及效率提升后,CO₂排放强度增幅明显减弱,其区域间的增幅差异也逐渐缩小。产业转型发展、土地利用格局优化、土地利用效率提高有效地抑制了京津冀地区地表CO₂排放强度的提升并促进了该区域的内涵式增长与高质量发展。     

天目山柳杉树轮δ13C序列所反映的植物水分利用率对大气CO2浓度变化的生理响应

工业化以来,由于大量化石燃料CO₂排入大气,引起大气CO₂浓度的持续升高。研究表明,植物的光合作用、水分利用率及作物生物量等均对周围大气CO₂浓度的增加产生明显的正响应,而植物叶片的气孔导度及蒸腾速率对CO₂浓度增加产生负响应。对采自浙江西天目山地区的三株柳杉树盘交叉定年后,测定了三株树轮的δ¹³C年序列,并利用3株柳杉树轮δ¹³C序列探讨了天目山地区树木生长对大气CO₂浓度增加的生理响应——水分利用率的变化状况。结果是,三株树轮δ¹³C序列反映的水分利用率均是增加的,且增长趋势基本一致。研究结果反映了工业革命前后,树木生长对大气CO₂浓度增加所产生的明显正响应。     

喀斯特关键带水—土—气CO2分压垂直转化特征及影响因素

喀斯特关键带是碳循环在岩石圈、大气圈、水圈和生物圈的主要综合作用区域,各层相互作用形成不同的反应体系,其中,CO₂扮演了十分重要的作用。通过对双河洞洞穴上覆土壤及洞穴水及空气CO₂浓度的监测,采用数理统计分析方法,根据碳酸平衡系统理论对CO₂的垂直向转化特征进行系统分析。结果表明：CO₂的垂直向转化过程受洞穴内外部气温变化、滴水pH及脱气沉积过程的影响,其供给来源、离子饱和状况在雨季和旱季存在明显差异;雨季时,大气降水在土壤中下渗速度较快,构成一个相对稳定的封闭环境,土壤、表层喀斯特带对渗透水CO₂补充作用较弱,渗透水中CO₂分压（即PCO₂）变化范围在0.035~0.126 vol%,洞内水—气CO₂分压（△lg PCO₂ > 0）,洞穴水具有溶蚀性,此时表层喀斯特带下部中的CO₂应为洞穴水CO₂的主要来源;旱季时,由于降水量较小,渗透水有充分时间接受土壤与表层喀斯特带CO₂补充,构成开放系统,渗透水变化范围为0.038 vol%~0.095 vol%,更有利于发生先期沉积过程（PCP）,此时洞内空气PCO₂小于洞穴水（△lg PCO₂ < 0）,促使滴水在洞内再次发生沉积、形成沉积物,此时土壤和表层喀斯特带均为洞穴水CO₂的主要来源。     

中美俄加陆域碳汇对人为增温的消减贡献

作为主要的气候强迫因子,CO₂与人类活动密切相关,但很多研究往往忽视了陆地生态系统碳汇对人为排放CO₂增温的消减作用。俄罗斯、加拿大、中国和美国是世界上地域面积最大、且社会经济处于不同发展阶段的4个国家,将短时期内CO₂排放所引起的辐射强迫进行量化分析,对于评估人为和自然因素对气候的影响非常重要。本文基于CO₂同化数据,利用“碳—气候”参数化方案,在分析人为碳排放及其气候效应的同时,考虑陆地生态系统碳汇的气候效应,进而得到4个国家的全球辐射强迫。结果显示：① 2000—2016年,4个国家人为排放的CO₂均呈明显增加趋势（0.125 Pg C a ^-1）,但陆地生态系统的碳汇作用也不断增强（0.003 Pg C a ^-1）;其中,中美两国总的人为碳排放占了4个国家的87.19%,而俄罗斯陆地生态系统的吸收碳能力最强,总量达14.69 Pg C。② 截至2016年,陆地生态系统的降温效应达-0.013 W m ^-2,可消减人为碳排放增温效应的45.06%。充分说明若不考虑陆地生态系统,将会明显高估人为碳排放的增温效应。③ 整体上,相对于2000年和工业革命前的CO₂浓度水平,4个国家总的人为碳排放分别贡献了0.32 W m ^-2和0.42 W m ^-2的全球辐射强迫。本文还进一步探讨了温度与辐射强迫的线性关系,相对于单一的人为或者自然因素而言,综合两者的辐射强迫,与相应时段的气温变化可解释度最高,达30.3%。     

盐土和碱土土壤无机CO2通量的分离

干旱区盐碱土无机CO₂通量是一个崭新、独特的科学现象,打破了土壤CO₂通量完全来自于有机源的假设;然而,盐碱土无机CO₂通量在土壤CO₂通量和全球碳循环中的重要性还缺乏分离和量化的依据,因而存在很大的不确定性。通过采用高压灭菌的方法,将盐土和碱土的土壤无机CO₂通量从土壤CO₂通量中分离。结果表明：高压灭菌方法并不改变土壤的理化性质,并通过土壤有机CO₂通量与温度的关系验证了分离方法的有效性,从而为盐碱土无机CO₂通量的分离、量化和评估提供了一个可靠有效的方法。盐碱土的土壤无机CO₂通量是土壤CO₂通量的重要组分,土壤无机CO₂通量的分离对精确解析干旱区盐碱土生态系统的碳循环是必要的;对盐碱土土壤无机CO₂通量的研究,将促进对干旱区盐碱土土壤CO₂通量和全球碳循环的理解。     

沙漠及绿洲不同覆被下大气CO2浓度的梯度变化

运用美国生产的开环气体交换系统LI-6400便携式光合作用测定系统,研究了沙漠及绿洲不同覆被下大气CO₂浓度的梯度变化。结果表明,2001年巴丹吉林沙漠南缘大气CO₂浓度为366μmol·mol^-1,秋季大气CO₂浓度梯度在1~ 10m高度范围内为0,CO₂浓度与气温呈线形正相关,相关系数为0.87;与空气相对湿度呈线形负相关,相关系数为 -0.86。秋季绿洲区CO₂浓度高于沙漠区,人类活动向大气排放CO₂,是绿洲区CO₂浓度高于沙漠区的主要原因。绿洲不同覆被类型其CO₂浓度梯度明显不同,影响CO₂浓度梯度的主要因素为:人类活动、覆被变化、气象因子。覆被变化研究得出,杨树林初秋光合作用最强时在10m高度范围内CO₂浓度可降低22μmol·mol^-1;另外得出,降雨能够明显降低空气CO₂浓度。     

郑汴都市区产业CO2排放演变机理及脱钩分析

探索都市区产业CO₂排放变化的驱动机制,因地制宜地制定减排政策,对低碳城市与经济发展具有重要意义.本文将都市区的CO₂排放源分成农业、工业、建筑业、交通运输业、商业和居民等6 个部门的能源消费,并将工业CO₂排放进一步细分为34 种产业的能源消费.基于2000-2009 年能源消费数据,构建CO₂测算模型,核算了各部门各产业范畴1(仅指能源燃烧)与范畴2 的CO₂排放.运用LMDI方法对2000-2009 年间不同层级产业的CO₂排放变化机理进行研究,采用脱钩指数分析郑汴都市区产业低碳发展的类型与方向.结果发现：CO₂排放结构的变化呈现不同的阶段性、部门性和区域性特征;CO₂排放变化是在强度(技术)效应、结构效应与规模效应共同作用下发生的,经济规模与要素投入的外生经济增长方式是CO₂排放变化主要的正向驱动因素,碳排放强度和劳动密集程度是主要的负向驱动因素,劳动生产率与产业结构的变动则起双向作用,而影响居民消费CO₂排放的各因素贡献相对较小;CO₂排放与经济发展的脱钩状态决定了产业调整升级的方向与程度;产业结构调整对CO₂排放的贡献及脱钩程度的确定需要进一步探讨.     

全球主要河流流域碳酸盐岩风化碳汇评估

碳酸盐岩风化吸收的大气CO₂主要以HCO₃ ^-形式连续地经由河流从大陆输送到海洋,成为陆地生态系统的重要碳汇。目前主要河流流域的碳酸盐岩风化碳汇估算存在不确定性,分布格局尚不清晰。基于GEMS-GLORI全球河流数据库提供的全球10万km ²以上主要河流流域多年平均监测数据,利用水化学径流法估算出全球主要河流流域碳酸盐岩对CO₂的吸收速率为0.43±0.15 Pg CO₂ yr ^-1,平均CO₂吸收通量为7.93±2.8 t km ^-2 yr ^-1。CO₂吸收通量在不同气候带下差异显著,热带和暖温带CO₂年吸收速率占全球主要河流流域年吸收速率的62.95%。冷温带CO₂年吸收速率占全球主要河流流域的33.05%,仅次于热带地区。本文划分出全球CO₂吸收通量的9个关键带,关键带的交汇处CO₂吸收通量较高。喀斯特出露流域碳酸盐岩对CO₂吸收通量的均值为8.50 t km ^-2 yr ^-1,约为非喀斯特流域的3倍。全球喀斯特出露流域碳酸盐岩风化碳汇在全球碳循环、水循环及碳收支平衡估算研究方面占据重要地位。     

Lacustrine ostracodes as stable isotope recorders of late-glacial and Holocene environmental dynamics and climate

Oxygen- and carbon-isotopic signatures of benthic ostracodes from lake sediments from climate sensitive regions in the Alpine region, Central Europe, the north-central USA, the Chilean Altiplano and Patagonia, Argentina, are used to characterize lake system processes and to reconstruct climate patterns of the past 16,000 years. The case studies provide examples that highlight different aspects of the broad application of isotope stratigraphies, and provide keys for the interpretation of complex lacustrine records.The integration of stable-isotope stratigraphy, sedimentology, and ecological information from ostracode assemblages is a new tool that acquires climate information from the indirect views of climate series provided by lake sediments. This tool (1) identifies lake system characteristics, (2) confines which isotopic signatures are controlled by which processes in the lake system and/or in the catchment, and (3) defines which signatures are ultimately controlled by climate change. If sudden shifts in the isotopic composition occur concomitantly with changes between sedimentological units, then the isotopes reflect first of all changes in catchment hydrology that may be ultimately controlled by climate. Also, if ostracode ¹⁸O and ¹³C values show the same timing and direction of shifts, then this indicates a major change in the hydrological budget of the lake.The case studies presented here show that coupled isotopic signatures may be used to track hydrological changes related to meltwater and deglaciation, shifting rivers and ground water sources, and changes in precipitation mechanisms and patterns. Values of ¹⁸O from large lakes with short water residence time, low evaporation rates and homothermic bottom waters provide records of past temperatures of precipitation. The ¹³C values reflect changes in the ratio of C₃:C₄ plants in the catchment. They indicate shifts in modes of organic decay in the surface sediments that can be linked to a change in hydrodynamics within a lake. The ¹³C values also allow detection of the input of volcanically charged ground waters providing large quantities of ¹⁴C-free CO₂ that hinders accurate ¹⁴C chronology. General climate trends for the sites in the Americas indicate a dry mid-Holocene punctuated by moist spells, and show a general increase in moisture during the past approximately 4000 years, interrupted by recurring droughts. This hints at an interhemispheric connection and a common driving mechanism.Environmental isotopes from high-resolution lake sediments thus provide an ideal tool to identify and characterize the regional impact and magnitude of global climate change. This tool contributes to a better understanding of regional climate change and its driving mechanisms and thus provides the type of information needed to improve climate models. Environmental isotopes provide more information than just moisture balance and airmass history if they are integrated with the detailed sedimentological and ostracode ecological evidence, and understanding for the component system. Thus environmental isotopes serve to a better understanding of the climate signal archived in lake records and represent an essential contribution to Global Change research and Earth System Science.     

南极中山站-Dome A断面表层雪稳定同位素空间分布及环境影响因素分析

中山站-Dome A断面是表层雪稳定同位素组成分析的理想区域,沿线进行δ18O、δD和d的空间分布及环境影响因素研究对反映东南极地区的气候变化和物质来源具有关键意义。因而,本文基于线性回归及相关性分析方法,详细探究了断面上多种环境因素与表层雪稳定同位素分布的空间关系。结果表明,温度和地理因素与同位素比值之间有显著相关关系,且海拔是地理因素中的主要影响因素,随海拔上升表层雪的δ18O呈线性下降趋势。另外,通过断面上δ-T斜率与南极其他断面对比,发现斜率可能具有冰盖近岸和内陆地区较低的区域性特征,而造成这一现象的原因是水汽源区的改变和低温条件下水汽过饱和时的同位素动力分馏。最后,d的空间分布在沿海区域和内陆区域也有不同,推测主控因素分别是水汽源区条件和温度。     

西南纵向岭谷地形对季风的“通道-阻隔”作用

地形格局对大气环流与区域气候具有重要影响。已有研究认为纵向岭谷区主要受到印度洋季风与太平洋季风的共同影响,二者在哀牢山山脉附近交汇,哀牢山山脉是一条重要的地理分界线。本文从大气环流、水汽输送、区域气候、河川径流以及植物稳定氧同位素等多个方面研究发现:纵向岭谷地区主要受印度洋季风的影响,太平洋季风的影响在8月份有一定的作用,但不够明显;在地形格局作用下,地表水汽、降水以及河川径流在纵向岭谷区表现出明显的纬向差异、经向延伸的特征;大流环流、水汽输送、区域气候以及河川径流等的空间差异,是特殊环境对水热再分配的结果,即"通道-阻隔"作用的效应;这些差异不是地理地带性的表现,而是非地带性作用的结果;这种"通道—阻隔"作用导致地表水热条件的再分配,是该区生态地理格局形成与演化的主驱动力之一。纵向岭谷地形对季风的"通道—阻隔"作用导致了一系列地理要素的空间分异和相关联的生态效应。     

Stable carbon isotopes (δ<Superscript>13</Superscript>C) of total organic carbon and long-chain <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-alkanes as proxies for climate and environmental change in a sediment core from Lake Petén-Itzá, Guatemala

Sediment core PI-6 from Lake Petén Itzá, Guatemala, possesses an ~85-ka record of climate and environmental change from lowland Central America. Variations in sediment lithology suggest large and abrupt changes in precipitation during the last glacial and deglacial periods, and into the early Holocene. We measured stable carbon isotope ratios of total organic carbon and long-chain n-alkanes from the core, the latter representing a largely allochthonous (terrestrial) source of organic matter, to reveal past shifts in the relative proportion of C₃–C₄ terrestrial biomass. We sought to test whether stable carbon isotope results were consistent with other paleoclimate proxies measured in the PI-6 core, and if extraction and isotope analysis of n-alkanes is warranted. The largest δ¹³C variations are associated with Heinrich Events. Carbon isotope values in sediments deposited during the last glacial maximum indicate moderate precipitation with little fluctuation. The deglacial was a period of pronounced climate variability, e.g. a relatively warm and moist Bølling–Allerød, but a cool and dry Younger Dryas. Arid periods of the deglacial were inferred from samples with high δ¹³C values in total organic carbon, which reflect times of greater proportions of C₄ plants. These inferences are supported by stable isotope measurements on ostracod shells and relative abundance of grass pollen from the same depths in core PI-6. Similar trends in carbon stable isotopes measured on bulk organic carbon and n-alkanes suggest that carbon isotope measures on bulk organic carbon in sediments from this lake are sufficient to infer past climate-driven shifts in local vegetation.     

云南丽江树轮δ18O记录的大气环流变化信息

通过对云南玉龙雪山丽江冷杉年轮晚材纤维素氧同位素 (δ¹⁸O) 的分析,建立了1902-2004时段年分辨率的树轮δ¹⁸O序列。将所得序列与相邻的丽江市气象站记录的气候资料对比,分析了树轮δ¹⁸O对气候要素的响应。结果表明,丽江冷杉年轮晚材中的δ¹⁸O与其生长季气候因子密切相关。主要与季风期 (8-10月) 的降水和相对湿度、6-10月总云量、5-6月平均温度显著相关,尤其和总云量相关性最高 (r = -0.45,P = 0.01)。同时,树轮δ¹⁸O年际变化与南亚季风指数、东亚夏季风指数呈反相关关系,并与1-5月南方涛动指数负相关显著,在一定程度上反映了大尺度的大气环流影响。     

Recent advances in isotopes as palaeolimnological proxies

Isotope geochemistry is an essential part of environmental and climate change research and over the last few decades has contributed significantly to our understanding of a huge array of environmental problems, not least in palaeolimnology and limnogeology. Here we describe some of the recent developments in the use of stable isotopes in palaeo-lake research. These are: better preparation, analysis, and interpretation of biogenic silica oxygen and silicon isotopes; extraction and characterisation of specific compounds such as leaf waxes and algal lipids for isotope analysis; determining the excess of ¹³C–¹⁸O bonds in clumped isotopes; and the measurement of multiple isotope ratios in chironomid chitin. These advances have exciting prospects and it will be interesting to see how these techniques develop further and consequently offer a real advancement in our science over the next decade.     

The altitudinal climatic effect on the stable isotope compositions of Agave and Opuntia in arid environments – A case study at the Big Bend National Park,Texas, USA

Several environmental factors potentially influence the stable isotope compositions of plants, depending on species and local environment. Although several studies have discussed these aspects in C₃ and C₄ plants, only a few have attempted to identify the major drivers of δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O, and δ¹⁵N in CAM plants. In this study, stable isotopic ratios of CAM plants collected along an altitudinal transect in the Chisos Mountains/USA during two growth seasons, are used to understand major factors governing isotopic variability. A strong and significant relationship between δ¹³C and altitude, positive for agave at <1700 m and negative for both agave and cacti at >1500 m, suggests variable carbon isotope fractionation at different altitudes, which may be unique to CAM plants. Our data suggest that temperature primarily governs δ¹³C of the studied plants. The significant negative correlations observed between the δ¹⁸O of agaves and the recorded air temperature (0.59‰/°C) are similar to the δ¹⁸O of precipitation vs. temperature variability in global data. The δ¹⁵N variations suggest a similar N-source for both agaves and cacti, and reflect progressive changes in the dominant N-source across desert–grassland–woodland zones. We conclude that the stable carbon and oxygen isotope composition of agave reflects the climatic conditions along the elevation transect.     

Paleoenvironmental evolution of the Pliocene Villarroya Lake, northern Spain, from stable isotopes and trace-element geochemistry of ostracods and molluscs

Stable isotopes and trace-element content of calcite ostracod valves and aragonite mollusc shells from the Pliocene lacustrine succession of Villarroya allow depicting the geochemical record of environmental changes and to compare our data to the paleoenvironmental reconstruction obtained from other proxies. The lower sequences (A and B) are characterized by relatively high isotopic and Me/Ca values in the biogenic carbonates. The recorded large variations of δ¹⁸O in these carbonates mainly reflect variations in the δ¹⁸O_w due to precipitation–evaporation processes and, to a lesser extent, variations in temperature of calcification. The δ¹³C data inform about changes in DIC although they are probably biased by the vital effects of the studied taxa. Minor and trace element contents in ostracod (Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca) and mollusc shells (Sr/Ca) are mainly linked to the Me/Ca of the lake water (Me/Ca_w), and to a lesser extent to temperature and to uptake kinetic effects. Several possible mechanisms may make the Me/Ca_w to vary: long periods of Ca-carbonate (calcite, aragonite) deposition after charophyte development, and different inputs for Ca and Mg to the lake due to changes in drainage area configurations through time, including the changes in saline inputs (Na-Cl type) to the lake. The stable isotopes and the calculated Sr/Ca_w and Mg/Ca_w from sequence C display lower values than those from sequences A and B. The isotopic values from biogenic carbonates of unit C indicate isotopically diluted waters in a hydrologically open lacustrine environment. Distinct δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O plots for molluscs from unit C reflect the different biotopes and metabolism type. For several intervals of the Villarroya succession there is no direct relationships among: (i) salinity changes inferred from invertebrate paleoecology, (ii) paleoenvironmental slices based on isotopic signatures and Me/Ca_w calculations (from biogenic carbonate geochemistry) and (iii) climate in the hinterland deduced from pollen data. Lakes where geochemical behaviour is constrained by sporadic saline inputs and/or relative depletion in Ca due to long periods of Ca-carbonate precipitation or biomineralization, like the Pliocene Villarroya lake was, do not show clear correlation patterns between geochemical signals and climate proxies. In these lakes only major environmental trends display unambiguous geochemical signatures, and only some main shifts in the geochemical signature profiles may be correlated with significant global and/or regional environmental changes that have been reported from other paleoenvironmental records. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Temporal and spatial variations of δ^18O in precipitation of the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin

This paper reveals the temporal and spatial variations of stable isotope in precipitation of the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin based on the variations of δ^18O in precipitation at four stations （Lhaze, Nugesha, Yangcun and Nuxia） in 2005. The results show that δ^18O of precipitation has distinct seasonal changes in the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin. The higher value of δ^18O occurs in spring prior to monsoon precipitation, and the lower value occurs during monsoon precipitation. From the spatial variations, with the altitude-effect and rainout process during moisture transport along the Yarlung Zangbo River Valley, δ^18O of precipitation is gradually depleted. Thus, δ^18O of precipitation decreases gradually from the downstream to the upstream, and the lapse rate of δ^18O in precipitation is approximately 0.34‰/100m and 0.7%J‰/100km for the two reasons. During monsoon precipitation, spatial variation of δ^18O in precipitation is dominated by the amount effect in the large scale synoptic condition.     

Spatial and temporal variations in C3 and C4 plant abundance over the Chinese Loess Plateau since the last glacial maximum

Stable carbon isotopes of soil organic matter from 12 sites in the southern Chinese Loess Plateau are reviewed to examine spatial and temporal patterns of C₃ and C₄ plants in the arid to semiarid monsoonal region during three key periods - last glacial maximum, mid-Holocene, and modern. We have tentatively corrected the effects of atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and precipitation amounts on the δ¹³C endmembers for C₃ plants to reconstruct the relative proportion of C₄ plants because the δ¹³C values of C₃ plants are variable under different CO₂ and climate conditions. The results indicate that C₄ grasses increase from northwest to southeast spatially, which is consistent with present-day increasing precipitation and temperature patterns. This suggests that for a monsoon-dominant arid to semiarid region, such as the Loess Plateau, warm-season rainfall is a primary factor limiting C₄ plants growth, and thus C₄ grasses have been outcompeted by C₃ grasses/shrubs under cold-dry climate conditions. However, temporal fluctuations in atmospheric CO₂ concentration may also affect plant growth through altering water-use efficiency (WUE). Enhanced drought caused by decreased WUE due to low atmospheric CO₂ concentrations during glacial periods, combined with a cold-dry climate, leads to a decline in C₄ grasses, canceling out any advantages gained from lowered atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. To reconstruct accurately the abundance of C₃ and C₄ plants in an ecosystem and explore their controlling factors, process-based vegetation models integrating CO₂ and climatic parameters interactive with plant physiology are necessary.