青藏高原东缘湖相沉积和黄土高原黄土沉积磁化率与粒度相关性对比*

为探讨构造稳定地区(如黄土高原)和构造活跃地区(如青藏高原东缘)粉尘沉积物中磁化率(SUS)与粒度的相关性及其对环境事件的指示意义,本次研究分析了黄土高原蓝田剖面黄土—古土壤样品和青藏高原东缘湖相沉积样品的粒度和磁化率记录。黄土高原黄土—古土壤沉积SUS与2~10 μm粒度组分最强正相关,青藏高原东缘湖相沉积的SUS与2~10 μm粒度组分最强负相关,反映2~10 μm粒度组分为黄土高原和青藏高原乃至亚洲干旱—半干旱地区连续稳定敏感的背景沉积组分。黄土高原黄土—古土壤沉积的SUS与32~63 μm粒度组分最强负相关,青藏高原东缘湖相沉积的SUS与32~63 μm粒度组分最强正相关,反映32~63 μm粒度组分不仅是黄土高原尘暴事件沉积的敏感指标,也是青藏高原东缘湖相沉积记录的地震事件敏感指标。SUS与粒度组分的相关性在青藏高原东缘地区地震事件层开始部分高于结束部分,也较好地反映地震事件为研究区添加新鲜沉积物后随地形地貌恢复逐步减少的过程。SUS与粒度组分相关性也受当地物源的影响。     

兰州地区新生代最老的风成沉积

黄土高原西部风成沉积的研究,是近年古气候研究的重要问题之一,但对新生代风成沉积底界的认识仍存在争议。渐新世晚期发育于兰州地区的咸水河组的岩性特征与黄土高原的风尘沉积有相似的特征,对其进行系统的沉积相和沉积环境研究对认识黄土高原西部早期风尘沉积有重要意义。本研究对兰州以北厚约916m的凤凰山剖面进行了岩石磁学、粒度、成份分析和电镜等多种分析,初步结果表明,咸水河组大部分黏土没有水平层理,其粒度概率分布曲线、概率累积曲线、组成特征和磁化率、元素含量及扫描电镜与典型黄土、古土壤和红黏土非常相似,为风成沉积,是目前发现的兰州地区新生代最老的风成沉积。这套黏土的色调和磁化率等环境代用指标与黄土高原的第四纪黄土接近,指示了第三纪早期一个低温干旱的地质环境。咸水河组中出现的砂砾石层,以颗粒大、分选差、一般无水平层理或层理不明显为特征,其粒度概率曲线、累积概率曲线与典型河流沉积物非常相似,是河流沉积物,指示了多期河流发育,可能与青藏高原的隆升有关。     

扬子克拉通北缘中元古界神农架群台子组沉积特征*

有关扬子克拉通北缘神农架地区中元古界神农架群台子组沉积环境的认识一直存有分歧,文中基于野外和室内的综合研究讨论了台子组的沉积环境。台子组底部为蛋青色砂砾岩,下部为灰色、肉粉色细粉晶白云岩,中部为灰绿色、浅灰色石英中—细砂岩、粉砂岩与深灰色粉砂岩、粉砂质泥岩和泥质粉砂岩组合,上部则是粉砂岩—泥岩韵律。同时,台子组石英砂岩中以发育块状层理和平行层理为主,粉砂岩和泥岩则发育丰富的水平层理和透镜状层理。砂岩粒度概率累计曲线显示斜率较大,跳跃组分为主,悬浮组分含量低,无滚动组分,其中跳跃组分又以二段或多段式为特征。上述沉积指相标志和粒度分析均表明,台子组形成于滨岸与潮坪沉积环境,同时纵向沉积序列上,碎屑岩沉积物粒度表现为粗—细—粗—细演化特征,沉积相由下部到上部呈现滨岸相—碳酸盐岩缓坡台地相—潟湖相—潮坪相—潟湖相的演替规律,总体上构成由退积—进积—退积—进积的沉积序列。     

岷江上游新磨村湖相沉积物粒度端元反演及其记录的构造和气候事件

应用沉积物粒度端元分析模型对岷江上游新磨村湖相沉积高分辨率粒度数据序列进行了反演,分离出2个端元。根据端元的频率分布曲线和沉积学分析,并结合岷江上游的地质构造背景,分析了各端元与研究区物源和古地震活动的对应关系。EM1为震间期的湖泊沉积,代表风力近源搬运的极细颗粒组分;EM2为极端灾变(地震等)期间的湖泊沉积,代表风力为主和部分水力近距离搬运的细颗粒组分。对新磨村剖面分离出的EM2百分含量与中值粒径、20~63μm、63~200μm粒径组分、磁化率值及地球化学比值(SiO2/Al2O3、TiO2/Al2O3、CaO/Al2O3、Sr/Al2O3、Rb/Sr,Na2O/Al2O3)进行对比分析,各指标的突变明显受粒度变化控制,指示可能的地震事件,进而识别出26次地震事件。为确定地震事件所代表的地震震级,基于震级与累积砂层厚度关系进行估算,共获得16次5~6级,5次6~7级,5次>7级地震。因此,采用粒度端元模拟不仅可以分离出不同的粒径组分和各组分百分含量,有效识别出不同动力组分和沉积动力环境,还可以较好地厘定出沉积记录的构造事件(地震等)等,更好地理解构造活动在地质、地貌演化中的作用。     

哈尔滨荒山黄土的成因——粒度、地球化学、磁化率、沉积和地貌特征的整合记录

哈尔滨荒山黄土位于欧亚黄土带的最东端,毗邻亚洲大陆干旱带的东部边缘,对它的成因机制研究有助于我们深层次理解松嫩平原地貌-气候-粉尘堆积的耦合关系。然而,目前荒山黄土成因还存在认识上的不统一。我们通过野外观察及对哈尔滨荒山钻井岩芯进行粒度、元素地球化学组成和磁化率分析,进而探讨荒山黄土的成因机制。结果表明:荒山黄土的粒度组成以粗粉砂级(16～63μm)为主,粒度参数特征(平均粒径、中值粒径、标准偏差、偏度和峰态)、粒度像特征(C-M、A-M和L-M)、判别式函数及Kd值对荒山黄土风成成因的指示不明显; L1-L5黄土的元素地球化学组成也没有与受流水改造的L5次生黄土和黄土-古土壤序列下伏的河湖相沉积(荒山组)区分开;荒山黄土-古土壤序列的磁化率呈现出周期性高低变化的特征,与黄土高原典型风成黄土剖面具有较好的一致性;结合野外观察,荒山黄土具有均一沉积和垂直节理发育等风成黄土典型特征。本文运用整合的方法确定哈尔滨荒山黄土为风积成因。黄土的粒度和地球化学指标作为黄土成因机制的替代性指标存在一定的局限性,在实际应用中应当结合野外观察和磁化率等其他替代性指标共同使用,才能够从中提取正确的成因机制信息。     

江苏徐州赵圩剖面新元古界倪园组沉积环境演化与事件沉积

江苏徐州赵圩剖面新元古界倪园组出露完整连续,岩性组合极具代表性,沉积现象丰富,发育有大量典型的事件沉积,因其成因存在争议而长期受到关注。本研究以倪园组野外宏观岩性组合及镜下微观岩石特征为基础,依据宏观—微观对照的方法,分析了倪园组沉积环境及事件沉积特征,探讨了事件沉积频发及类型多样的成因。研究表明: (1)倪园组沉积环境自下而上依次为潟湖—缓坡中上部—缓坡中下部—缓坡中上部—潮坪+潟湖; (2)事件沉积在各段的发育情况均有所区别,其中砾屑灰岩与冲刷—充填构造在各段均有发育,但下段与中段规模较大,除此之外,中段局部见震裂角砾岩、液化底辟构造,顶部发育臼齿构造,而上段底部以臼齿构造为主,中上部见软沉积物变形构造以及交错层理,结合沉积环境分析,认为事件沉积主要发生于缓斜坡环境以及潮坪、潟湖环境; (3)综合以上研究结果,认为倪园组频发—多类型事件沉积与正常沉积构成的特殊旋回,其动力机制或与周期性的地震—风暴作用有关,即可能为Rodinia古大陆的汇聚—裂解导致的华北地台东缘伸展型区域构造运动与米兰科维奇旋回的叠加而引发的多因素耦合作用的结果。     

兰州地区新近纪地层的沉积相与古环境记录

兰州地区位于黄土和青藏高原的过渡带,其第三纪地层对研究风尘沉积发育和青藏高原隆升都有着特殊的意义。本研究以0.25 m为间距对厚度210 m的兰州皋兰山剖面的新近纪地层采集样品901个,在实验室对试验样品进行前处理后对其进行了粒度、磁化率和色度测试。用粒度分布函数的方法分离了沉积物的各成因组分,确定了风成组分和水成组分在全剖面沉积物中所占的百分比。结合色度和磁化率的实验结果分析表明,皋兰山剖面地层以风尘沉积为主,其间夹有河流相沉积的约15层砂岩。古环境的恢复表明,兰州地区从至少约7 Ma开始,沉积地层经历了由河湖相向风尘沉积转变,气候干旱化开始,与黄土高原风尘序列堆积底界8～7 Ma基本一致。6～5.2 Ma构造稳定,是比较开阔的平原环境,并且气候条件比较湿热;5.2～3.5 Ma间构造波动比较频繁,形成了间隔性的河流相砂岩沉积,而在气候表现为干冷;自3.5 Ma开始,兰州地区发生相对构造沉陷,五泉砾岩层的发育是对青藏运动A幕的具体响应。     

秦皇岛地区上古生界沉积特征与沉积演化

目前渤海湾盆地中浅层油气资源勘探已进入中、高成熟阶段,上古生界现成为寻找和发现潜在油气资源的重要领域,对上古生界地层特征、沉积相类型及沉积演化过程进行深入研究,对于油气勘探具有一定的指导作用。以沉积学理论为指导,以华北东部地区秦皇岛石门寨上古生界野外露头剖面为基础,通过对其进行详细勘测,识别岩性特征、地层序列以及发育的沉积相类型,明确沉积演化过程。研究表明,秦皇岛地区上古生界自下而上可分为本溪组、太原组、山西组、下石盒子组、上石盒子组及石千峰组,共识别出潮坪相、潟湖相、障壁岛相、台地相、浅水三角洲相及河流相6种主要的沉积相类型;本溪组—太原组发育潮坪相、潟湖相、障壁岛相、台地相,山西组发育浅水三角洲相,下石盒子组—石千峰组发育河流相。研究区上古生界经历了由海相—海陆过渡相—陆相的沉积演化过程。     

青藏高原东部黄土沉积元素地球化学示踪

青藏高原东部广泛分布着典型黄土沉积,对气候变化有着敏感的响应。对青藏高原东部地区典型表土、黄土、古土壤以及砂样,进行系统的常量、微量元素组成分析,结果显示,高原东部黄土常量元素氧化物主要为SiO₂、Al₂O₃、Fe₂O₃和CaO,黄土中SiO₂和CaO含量差别较大;Rb、Sr、Ba、Zr、V含量占了微量元素含量的大部分,表土、黄土、古土壤微量元素含量差别不一。与高原东部的风沙沉积、黄土高原黄土、河西走廊黄土的对比结果表明,青藏高原东部黄土组分的常量元素之间的比值（SiO₂/Al₂O₃、TiO₂/Al₂O₃）、常量与微量元素之间的比值（Zr/Al、Zr/Ti）、常量元素三角图（Ca-Mg-K、Ca-Mg-Na）等与其他地区黄土有明显差异,而青藏高原东部黄土与高原表土沉积物及河流砂、风成砂样品比较接近。这些异同点指示青藏高原东部黄土与黄土高原黄土的物源不同;其物源可能主要来自于青藏高原内部,高原内部的河流沉积物、冰碛物等粉尘物质可能为青藏高原东部黄土的主要物源。     

萨拉乌苏组沉积时代的重新厘定

重新认识我国北方地区晚更新世河湖相标准地层--萨拉乌苏组的形成时代，对于萨拉乌苏组与马兰黄土的关系，与冰期气候对比等具有重要意义。笔者近年来根据野外层位对比和地层沉积相的划分，采用绝对年代控制，并结合黄土－古土壤序列研究的最新成果，初步建立了可以与黄土、深海沉积记录和冰期气候波动对比的萨拉乌苏组地层序列。认为河湖相沉积的萨拉乌苏组形成于约１４００００～７００００ａ.Ｂ.Ｐ.的末次间冰期，大致与深海氧同位素第５阶段对应，与黄土高原古土壤Ｓ１发育同期。城川组风成细砂形成于约７００００～１００００ａ.Ｂ.Ｐ的末次冰期，与黄土高原的马兰黄土是同期异相地质体.     

Grain-Size Distribution of Detrital Sediment in the Amami Sankaku Basin Since Late Pleistocene and Its Provenance and Palaeoclimate Implications

The grain size composition of detrital sediments in Hole U1438A from the Amami Sankaku Basin(ASB) in the northwest of the Philippine Sea since the last 350 ka was analyzed. The result shows that the mean grain size of the detrital sediment is about 13.1 μm, ranging from 0.04 to 160 μm. The grain size distribution displays a four-peak pattern and positive skewness. Four independent grain size components were separated by using Weibull distribution function. The ultra-fine component varies from 0.04 to 0.9 μm, with a size mode at about 0.3 μm, which may be genetically related to marine authigenetic clay. The fine-grained fraction ranges from 0.2 to 32 μm, with a size mode at about 3.5 μm, and slightly coarser than the eolian dust of the North Pacific. We argued that this fraction was mainly derived from Asian dust. The coarse-grained and ultra-coarse-grained fractions show distinct size mode at about 10 μm and 40 μm, and range from 0.3 to 90 μm, and from 3 to 160 μm respectively. Both the coarse and ultra-coarse components represent volcanic materials which were mainly derived from the ridges and islands around ASB. The variation of the ratio of environmentally sensitive size population 1.3~2.2 μm/28~40 μm was similar with the ratio of fine-sized component (Asian dust) and coarse-sized component (volcanic material) (0.9~3 μm/>10 μm), showing higher value during glacial period than that during interglacial, which is also identical with the variation of the mass accumulation of eolian dust in the North Pacific and Chinese Loess Plateau, and grain size in Chinese Loess Plateau. The increased ratio responded to the enhanced aridity of Asian continent and strengthened East Asia Winter Monsoon (EAWM)/westerly during glacial period. We argued that the increase of eolian fraction was driven by the enhanced aridity of Asian continent and strengthened East Asia Winter Monsoon (EAWM)/westerly during glacial period. Therefore, the ratio of 0.9~3 μm/>10 μm can be used as a proxy of the increased aridity and enhanced atmospheric circulation of Asian continent. These results suggest that the grain size composition of the detrial sediment in the ASB can be used to reconstruct the history of Asian aridity and atmospheric circulation.     

基于碎屑锆石的黄土高原—毛乌素交界区石峁黄土粉尘物源估算*

对于黄土高原粉尘物质的来源以及沙漠和河流对粉尘的贡献,仍未达成一致的认识。本研究以毛乌素东神木市石峁剖面为研究对象,利用碎屑锆石年龄谱,对末次冰消期以来的风成粉尘堆积和河流沉积物展开源区分析,并使用逆蒙特卡罗模型进行物源的定量计算。结果显示,粒径分布和阴极发光(CL)图像显示石峁黄土为典型风成沉积。其粗颗粒碎屑锆石(>40 μm)年龄峰值集中在190~300 Ma、300~600 Ma、1700~1900 Ma和2300~2600 Ma,年龄谱显示近源(局地基岩碎屑)、中源(黄河河沙)和远源(阿拉善地区沙漠)均有贡献; 定量计算表明,三者分别贡献71%、21%和8%的风成粗颗粒。中、近源中,黄河及其支流侵蚀基岩后搬运沉积的漫滩物质成为粉尘输移的中转站,为黄土的形成提供了主要的物源。光释光测年结果表明,石峁剖面河流沉积物及其上覆的黄土物质分别形成于倒数第2次冰消期和末次冰消期,两者之间的沉积间断可能指示了末次冰期至冰消期的侵蚀事件,导致了河滩物质暴露,从而形成了潜在的局地尘源。这些结果表明,包括黄河干支流在内的河流系统对黄土粉尘有重要的物源贡献。     

基于碎屑锆石的黄土高原—毛乌素交界区石峁黄土粉尘物源估算*

对于黄土高原粉尘物质的来源以及沙漠和河流对粉尘的贡献,仍未达成一致的认识。本研究以毛乌素东神木市石峁剖面为研究对象,利用碎屑锆石年龄谱,对末次冰消期以来的风成粉尘堆积和河流沉积物展开源区分析,并使用逆蒙特卡罗模型进行物源的定量计算。结果显示,粒径分布和阴极发光(CL)图像显示石峁黄土为典型风成沉积。其粗颗粒碎屑锆石(>40 μm)年龄峰值集中在190~300 Ma、300~600 Ma、1700~1900 Ma和2300~2600 Ma,年龄谱显示近源(局地基岩碎屑)、中源(黄河河沙)和远源(阿拉善地区沙漠)均有贡献; 定量计算表明,三者分别贡献71%、21%和8%的风成粗颗粒。中、近源中,黄河及其支流侵蚀基岩后搬运沉积的漫滩物质成为粉尘输移的中转站,为黄土的形成提供了主要的物源。光释光测年结果表明,石峁剖面河流沉积物及其上覆的黄土物质分别形成于倒数第2次冰消期和末次冰消期,两者之间的沉积间断可能指示了末次冰期至冰消期的侵蚀事件,导致了河滩物质暴露,从而形成了潜在的局地尘源。这些结果表明,包括黄河干支流在内的河流系统对黄土粉尘有重要的物源贡献。     

Geochemical Characteristics of Eolian Deposits on the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau and Implications for Provenance

Eolian dust deposition is intimately related to atmospheric circulation and environmental setting of the source region, and therefore is an invaluable tool for studying the evolutionary history of atmospheric circulation patterns and paleoclimatic change. Identifying the provenance of any eolian deposit is crucial not only for reconstructing the paleoenvironmental history of the dust source region, but also for understanding the paleoclimatic significance of various indices. Loess and paleosol samples from the Garze region on the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau(TP) were analyzed for their elemental(major and trace elements) and isotopic(Sm-Nd) geochemistry and compared with those of Northern Chinese(NC) loess formed at the same age. The results show that the geochemical compositions of the Garze loess and paleosol samples are similar to those eolian deposits on the Chinese Loess Plateau(CLP), and also resemble the average UCC. This indicates that the eolian deposits on the eastern margin of the TP were derived from well-mixed sedimentary protoliths that had undergone numerous upper crustal recycling processes, just as with the CLP loess deposits. However, compared with NC loess, the Garze samples have higher ∑REE, Li, Rb, Zr, Cs, Hf and Bi concentrations, higher TiO2/Al2O3, Hf/Nb, La/Nb, Th/Nb and lower K2O/TiO2, Zr/Hf, Ba/Rb ratios. From the Sm-Nd isotopic geochemistry, εNd(0) and 147Sm/144Nd values of Garze loess and paleosol samples are clearly lower than the NC loess. The higher Bi, Zr and Hf concentrations are relevant to the widely distributed acid-magmatic rocks in this region, whereas the higher contents of Li, Cs, Rb are attributed to the high background values of the TP. The geochemical characteristics of the Garze loess and paleosol samples further prove that the local glacial and other Quaternary detrital sediments are predominantly the contributors for the eolian deposits on the eastern margin of the TP. Stable element concentrations and their ratios in the Garze loess and paleosol samples formed at different times have relatively greater variation ranges in comparison with the NC loess, indicating that the source regions for eolian deposits have been unstable since the late Early Pleistocene. We attribute the instability of dust sources to variable earth surface conditions and the changeable TP winter monsoon in direction and intensity, which are in turn related to the uplift of the TP.     

青藏高原古里雅冰帽冰碛和冰水沉积物粒度特征及其意义

冰冻圈演化不仅与青藏高原水塔变化、地表侵蚀风化及荒漠化密切相关,还深刻影响着亚洲季风系统和全球气候,冰碛物的粒度组成可以为冰冻圈演化提供重要信息,但高原冰碛物的特征粒度组成及其形成机理仍不清楚,高原冰碛物与高原冷黄土及河湖沉积物的关系也不明确。为此,选择青藏高原最大的冰帽——古里雅冰帽的冰碛物及系列冰水沉积物,开展系统粒度组成研究。研究发现：自终碛到冰川前端冰水扇及下游河流冰水沉积均表现出特征的双峰模态,即1~3 Φ（500~125 μm）的中细砂峰和6~8 Φ（16~4 μm）的细粉砂峰,前者可能由冰川压碎、寒冻风化崩裂作用造成,后者由冰川研磨作用形成,并受到源区基岩岩性软弱和组成颗粒大小的影响。冰川磨蚀的细粉砂组分含量,从冰碛物经冰水扇、河流到湖滩沉积物整体呈现减小趋势,粗粉砂在湖滩沉积中几乎完全被风吹走,粗粉砂直接成为下游黄土的物源并富集其中成为黄土特征组分,水流分选在开口湖泊中产生粗、细粉砂的明显富集,这些证据揭示出,无论是与冰川发育相关的尾闾湖沉积还是近源、远源的青藏高原及周边黄土沉积,其粉砂组成和来源,均可为高原冰冻圈的形成演化提供重要信息。     

黄土高原黄土物源区的同位素证据

系统采集了黄土高原马兰黄土、河西走廊和青藏高原东北部黄土、河床沙和湖泥样品。用酸淋洗去除方解石后,黄土高原马兰黄土εNd(0)值从-9.2到-11.3,87Sr/86Sr比值从0.71784到0.71944,都落在同位素B区内,与青藏高原东北部、巴丹吉林沙漠和腾格里沙漠的值一致。黄土高原马兰黄土白云石的δ13C值从1.2‰到1.5‰,与青藏高原东北部和河西走廊黄土,巴丹吉林沙漠的白云石的值类似。这些表明青藏高原东北部、巴丹吉林沙漠和腾格里沙漠可能是黄土高原黄土的源区,从而排除了其他沙漠(古尔班通古特沙漠、塔克拉玛干沙漠、毛乌素沙漠、库布齐沙漠、浑善达克沙地、科尔沁沙地和呼伦贝尔沙地)作为黄土物源区的可能性。同位素研究结果和野外调查进一步揭示,黄土高原黄土、巴丹吉林沙漠和腾格里沙漠物质可能最终都是来源于青藏高原东北部。     

青藏高原东北缘西宁黄土物源研究

碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学被认为是研究沉积物物源的有效手段。然而,应用碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学对中国黄土高原进行物源研究时却获得了非常复杂的物源信息。西宁黄土沉积于青藏高原东北缘地区,对其开展碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学研究不仅可以获得其物源信息,同时可以为探讨青藏高原北缘碎屑物质对黄土高原的贡献提供重要依据。碎屑锆石形貌学研究结果表明其可能经历了强烈的物理风化以及多次再循环,同时也可能暗示了物源的高度复杂性。来自不同沉积层位的碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄结果表明,西宁黄土碎屑物质的最终来源可能是青藏高原北缘和中亚造山带,且物源区自约1.3 Ma以来可能没有显著变化,但是两者对西宁黄土的相对贡献可能在不同的时期具有微弱的差异。西宁黄土与中国黄土高原中、西部典型剖面的碎屑锆石年龄分布具有高度相似性,暗示了两者的物源区可能很大程度上具有一致性,但具少量差异。      

Lateglacial and Holocene variation in aeolian sediment flux over the northeastern Tibetan Plateau recorded by laminated sediments of a saline meromictic lake

Predominantly laminated lake sediments from a saline closed‐basin lake on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau were investigated using a multi‐proxy approach (¹⁴C‐accelerator mass spectrometry dating, smear‐slide analysis, loss on ignition, grain size, X‐ray diffraction, elemental concentration, ostracod assemblages, stable isotopes of ostracod shells) to trace the regional environmental and climatic history in the Lateglacial and Holocene. Before about 15 cal. ka BP, small saline water bodies probably filled the basin under unstable cold and harsh environmental conditions. Soon after about 14.9 cal. ka BP, a relatively deep saline lake was established, probably as a result of runoff from melting snow, ice and frozen ground in the lake's catchment. Large changes in flux of aeolian material to the lake were recorded during this initial period of formation of Lake Kuhai. Highest lake levels, a low sediment accumulation rate and less saline conditions were maintained between about 12.8 and 7.1 cal. ka BP when the aeolian influx diminished significantly. After about 7.1 cal. ka BP, the aeolian influx remained at a moderate level apart from a strongly increased dust delivery to the lake between about 6.1 and 5.4 cal. ka BP and a minor short‐lived period of slightly enhanced aeolian influx at about 2.7 cal. ka BP. The strongly enhanced dust input to the lake between 6.1 and 5.4 cal. ka BP represented the largest influx of aeolian material to Lake Kuhai during the entire Holocene. However, evidence for climatic deterioration during this period is not seen at most other palaeoclimate sites on the Tibetan Plateau, but instead a significant increase in aridity has been recorded at numerous sites in the northern foreland of the Tibetan Plateau and on the Chinese Loess Plateau. The large dust input to Lake Kuhai between 6.1 and 5.4 cal. ka BP probably did not result from a severe climate deterioration on the Tibetan Plateau itself, but from the pronounced aridity in its northern and eastern foreland. In contrast, the increase in dust influx about 2.7 cal. ka BP seems to correspond to a brief warming spell recorded at other sites on the Tibetan Plateau too. A slight increase in lake level and decrease in salinity after about 0.6 cal. ka BP suggests a slightly higher effective moisture during the final lake stage, accompanied by a somewhat larger dust influx. This apparent contradiction possibly results from enhanced human activities on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau during the last 600 years. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.