Humid Little Ice Age in arid central Asia documented by Bosten Lake, Xinjiang, China

Short sediment cores retrieved from Bosten Lake, the largest inland freshwater lake in China, were used to explore humidity and precipitation variations in arid central Asia during the past millennium. The chronology of the cores was established using 137Cs, 210Pb and AMS 14C dating re- sults. Multi-proxy high-resolution analysis, including pollen ratios of Artemisia and Chenopodiaceae (A/C), carbonate content and grain size, indicates that the climate during the past millennium can be divided into three stages: a dry climate between 1000―1500 AD, a humid climate during the Little Ice Age (LIA) (c. 1500―1900 AD), and a warm dry period after 1900 AD. On centennial timescales, the climate change in northwestern China during the past 1000 years is characterized by oscillations between warm-dry and cold-humid climate conditions. All the proxies changed significantly and indi- cate increased precipitation during the LIA, including increased pollen A/C ratios and pollen concen- trations, decreased carbonate content and increased grain size. The humid period during the LIA re- corded by the Bosten Lake sediments is representative of arid central Asia and is supported by nu- merous records from other sites. During the LIA, the water runoff into the Keriya River and Tarim River in the Tarim Basin increased, while the ice accumulation in the Guliya ice core increased. Additionally, the lake levels of the Aral and Caspian Sea also rose, while tree-ring analysis indicates that precipita- tion increased. We hypothesize that both the lower temperature within China and the negative anomalies of North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) during this period may have contributed to the humid climate within this area during LIA.     

1990—2019年咸海水量平衡及其影响因素分析

咸海地处中亚,气候和人类的双重影响下湖面急剧萎缩引发区域生态危机,定量解析其水量平衡互动关系及影响因素对咸海地区水资源管理和生态保护有重要意义.基于1990—2019年密集时序Landsat影像、T/P卫星、Jason1/2测高卫星及咸海数字测深模型（DBM）,提取近30年咸海面积、水位变化信息,重建咸海水位-面积-库容曲线,探明咸海水量变化特征;建立水量平衡模型,定量分析研究区水量平衡要素变化及时空差异,探讨其互动关系与影响机制.结果表明：（1）1990—2019年间,咸海水量减少了2271.6×10⁸ m³（约75.15%）,年平均变化率达-78.3×10⁸ m³/a;南咸海水量变化趋势与咸海整体基本一致,北咸海除1999年出现了极小值外,其余年份水量变化趋势均呈波动上升状态,至2019年水位已恢复至1984年水平.（2）1990s以来,南、北咸海水量平衡结构变化时空差异显著,阿姆河入湖径流量呈波动减少趋势,随着咸海持续退缩水体蒸发不断减小,区域水量支出收入比由1990年的2.46降低到2015年的0.87;近年来丰水年份南咸海地下水可由亏损转化为盈余状态,水域变化进入相对平缓的状态.北咸海入湖径流量波动增加,蒸散发随水域面积增加而增加,1990s初以来水量收入超过水量支出,区域地下水盈余,湖泊水位不断抬升.（3）湖区尺度上,入湖径流量和水域蒸发量是咸海水量变化的主导因素.流域尺度上,气候变化与人类活动共同影响咸海入湖水量,南咸海入湖水量与阿姆河上游来水、流域耕地面积显著相关,而北咸海入湖水量主要与锡尔河上游来水相关.     

不同时间尺度青海湖沉积物总有机碳对气候变化的敏感性

湖泊沉积物总有机碳（TOC）含量通常作为表征流域和湖泊生产力的指标,在亚洲季风区也常常被当作夏季风的代用指标,被广泛应用于气候与环境变化研究.本文梳理了过去千年、全新世以及冰期-间冰期时间尺度上青海湖沉积物TOC的变化特征,并探讨了其指示气候变化的敏感性与有效性.结果表明,过去千年青海湖沉积物TOC含量与区域暖季温度和降水表现出较为一致的周期性波动.通过对比全新世区域夏季温度、基于孢粉的降水定量重建结果,以及湖泊水位、风沙活动反映的湿度状况等,发现不能简单地将青海湖沉积物TOC含量或沉积通量作为夏季风强度或者季风降水强度的代用指标.青海湖沉积物TOC含量在冰期和间冰期表现出巨大的差异,指示了冰期-间冰期时间尺度上较大的温度与降水变幅.因此,不同地域条件及不同时间尺度下,湖泊沉积物TOC对气候变化的敏感性不同,将湖泊沉积物TOC含量作为亚洲夏季风的代用指标需要特别谨慎,特别是在高寒气候区.     

Records of hydrological change and environmental disasters in sediments from deep Lake Issyk-Kul

In the context of global warming, the mountainous areas of Central Asia are sensitive to climate and environmental changes and are highly vulnerable to natural disasters. Here, we use high-resolution lacustrine grain-size and geochemical records from Lake Issyk-Kul to infer hydrological changes, environmental events, and their driving factors in the western Tianshan Mountains of Central Asia over the last 350 years. The regional hydrological and environmental changes can be divided into three phases. In stage I (1674–1860 AD), the values of total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and magnetic susceptibility (MS) were high, and the element contents changed indistinctively, suggesting that lake water levels were relatively stable. In Stage II (1860–2000 AD), the TOC and TN contents increased, the MS values decreased, and the grain size changed markedly, suggesting that water levels fluctuated dramatically. In Stage III (2000–2013 AD), the coarse particle and migratory element contents increased dramatically, indicating that regional rainfall and runoff increased and that the water level rose. Studies have also shown that the synchronous increases in sedimentary coarse particles, TOC and migratory elements indicate multiple flood events. Extreme floods have been frequent and intense in recent years, which indicates that the climate is generally warming, which is in good agreement with tree ring data, ice core records and other sediment records in alpine regions. Additionally, the lake sediments recorded a seismic event in approximately 1910 AD, which was consistent with historical documentation. Comparative analysis of records suggests that the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation is one of the dominant factors driving climate and hydrological changes in the study area. Climate change, combined with natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes) and anthropogenic activities, is generating extreme floods and variations in hydrological patterns in the mountain basin. These findings can provide crucial information about sedimentary physicochemical clues for tracking past hydrological and environmental conditions and contribute to a better understanding of hydrological processes and driving factors in the mountainous areas of Central Asia.     

黄河下游南四湖地区黄河河道变迁的湖泊沉积响应

黄河下游地区湖泊演化多与黄河河道变迁密切相关,进行高分辨率的湖泊沉积环境的研究,可揭示历史时期黄河下游的河道变迁,本文以南四湖ＤＳ孔为例,探讨河道变迁的湖泊沉响应。     

鄱阳湖流域大型湖库水生生态环境变化及驱动力分析——以柘林湖为例

鄱阳湖流域内湖库资源众多,柘林湖作为鄱阳湖最大的入湖湖库,是鄱阳湖流域内最大的调节湖库,对鄱阳湖入湖径流有一定的影响,在鄱阳湖的入湖流量中占重要地位.本文以鄱阳湖流域内纳入水质良好湖泊的柘林湖为例,通过对柘林湖的形成及湖泊水系生态环境演变进行探讨,分析近30年来该湖水生生态环境的变化及其关键驱动力因子.综合研究表明:柘林湖水生生物多样性有下降趋势,水质有先变差后改善的趋势,其变化的驱动力主要是流域内人口数量增加、城镇化工业化进程加快、入湖污染负荷逐年增长、滨湖区生态安全屏障受人为破坏以及资源开发不合理等.只有处理好"人湖"和谐、"三次飞跃"和"四大转变",并采取科学合理的措施进行集成研究和综合治理,才能行之有效地改善柘林湖水生生态环境,并发挥其应有的生态效应,从而保障鄱阳湖入湖"一湖清水".     

近百年来洞庭湖粒度指示的沉积环境演变特征

湖泊沉积物储存着长时期的流域环境信息,是百年尺度湖泊环境演变研究的高分辨率记录器。本文通过²¹⁰Pb_ex、¹³⁷Cs组合定年法,分析放射性核素剖面特征,研究沉积速率时空变化规律,并解析沉积物粒度指示的环境信息,揭示百年尺度湖泊沉积环境演变。结果表明:洞庭湖²¹⁰ Pb_ex剖面分布呈现多段衰变型、混合—衰变—平衡型、衰变—本底型和无沉积型4种类型。3大湖体200 cm的沉积深度对应的年代跨度为127～162年,构建了洞庭湖沉积物深度—年代关系。洞庭湖平均质量沉积速率为1.47～3.11 g/(cm²·a),整体上呈现南洞庭湖>西洞庭湖>东洞庭湖的空间特征;自1900年后,质量沉积速率增加了3～7倍,呈时序增加趋势。沉积年代上,沉积物粒度特征表明洞庭湖沉积环境呈3个阶段2个过渡期的演变特征,与同时期区域内毁林开荒、水利建设、植树造林等人为活动有较好的对应关系,说明近百年来人为活动是洞庭湖泥沙沉积的重要因素。本研究结果可为强化湖泊及其流域生态环境保护...     

内蒙古锡林郭勒盟盐湖浮游生物的群落特征

通过2003年9月-2004年1月的渔获物调查,并结合1984-2002年的鱼类产量统计资料,分析了近二十年来太湖鱼类产量和组成的变化规律以及环境间的相互作用关系.结果表明,太湖鱼类的种类在不断减少,如本次调查和2002年3月-2003年12月的调查只采集到48种鱼类,和历史资源料比较有55种鱼类难以采到;鱼类产量组成表现为仅鲚鱼的产量和组成比例总体呈较快的上升趋势,从1984年的5153.7t、占总产量的36.2%上升到2002年的19571t、64.1%,鲤、鲫鱼基本维持不变,但近四年略有上升,其余鱼类均呈下降趋势.用Wilhm改进式计算的鱼类产量组成的均匀度指数H总体呈逐年下降趋势,近二十年来平均以每年-0.0465的速率下降;分析认为,人类活动以及由此引起的太湖生态环境变化,包括江湖阻隔、过渡捕捞、富营养化及太湖特有的鱼类生态学特点决定了鱼类组成的这一变化趋势:江湖阻隔、过度捕捞是引起太湖鱼类种类减少和鱼类组成发生巨大变化的主要原因;太湖近二十年来富营养化程度不断加重,由此使初级生产力水平持续增长,浮游生物饵料丰富,使鲚鱼等浮游生物食性鱼类产量逐年提高;舶鱼数量的减少又使鲚鱼失去抑制.随着鲚鱼等浮游动物食性鱼类产量的升高,太湖浮游动物的生物量呈下降趋势,这可能是太湖浮游植物数量倍增的生物学因素之一.目前太湖鱼类产量组成的变化正向着抑制浮游动物和有利浮游植物生长的方向发展.     

黑龙江省连环湖孢粉记录揭示的约220年的环境变化与人类活动

通过210Pb测年建立年代标尺,利用黑龙江省连环湖阿木塔泡高分辨率的孢粉记录,探讨了研究区约220年的环境变化与人类活动.研究表明,1790-1820 AD期间,植被类型可能是以禾本科为主的草甸草原植被,沙地类型以固定沙地为主,气候相对较凉湿或环境几乎不受人类活动的破坏,湖泊营养较丰富.1820-1930 AD期间,草...     

近百年来枝角类群落响应洱海营养水平、外来鱼类引入以及水生植被变化的特征

近几十年来,以大型湖泊为代表的云南部分湖泊受人类活动的持续影响出现了生态环境的明显变化.洱海作为云南面积第2大淡水湖泊,经历了多重环境压力(富营养化、外来鱼类引入、水生植被退化等)的影响.在湖泊现代监测数据面临时段较短、缺乏连续记录的背景下,湖泊沉积物的连续记录可以提供湖泊生态环境变化的长期历史并可用于生态响应模式的识别.以目前处于富营养水平的洱海为研究对象,应用湖泊沉积物记录进行多指标分析,探讨多重环境压力影响下洱海枝角类群落的长期变化特征以及影响因素,并与已有研究成果和现代监测数据进行对比,探讨了枝角类群落对环境压力响应的空间差异性.通过分析沉积物枝角类记录,重建了近百年来洱海枝角类群落的变化历史,结果表明过去100年来,枝角类的生物量总体呈增加趋势,尤其从1990年左右开始,象鼻溞生物量显著增加,物种相对组成出现明显变化(如Bosmina longispina被B.longirostris取代).同时象鼻溞的生物量、壳长与触角长度在1990s初期有明显降低的趋势,与同期外来鱼类(如银鱼)引种成功的时间一致.限制性聚类分析结果表明,枝角类群落结构的变化有3个主要阶段:1990s以前,底栖枝角类为群落的主要组成;1990—2000年左右,浮游枝角类(以象鼻溞为主)在枝角类群落结构中的比例迅速增加;从2000年以后,枝角类群落组成以浮游枝角类为主.同时,枝角类数据的主成分(PCA)分析显示,仅有PCA主轴1呈现显著的变化且解释了群落结构变化的61.64%,进一步分析表明水生植被变化可能是驱动枝角类变化的主要环境梯度,如底栖枝角类生物量减少响应了湖泊水生植被的退化.与已有研究对比表明,浅水湖区沉积物记录的枝角类生物量在1970s急剧增加与1980s急剧降低等现象并没有被深水区的沉积物记录所反映,指示了洱海生态系统的变化模式存在空间差异性.同时象鼻溞个体大小的变化模式反映了外来鱼类引入导致的鱼类捕食压力的变化.总之,本文揭示了枝角类群落结构与生物量的长期变化,反映了洱海富营养化过程、水生植被的退化与外来鱼类引入的长期驱动影响,因此对洱海的生态管理与修复工作应考虑多个环境压力的影响并加强对湖泊生态系统的评价.     

A Scenario of Possible Effect of Changes in the Hydrological Conditions on the Medical and Environmental Situation: On the Problem of Global Hydroclimatic Changes

The effect of transformation of the human habitat on the medical and ecological situation is considered in the context of anticipated changes in the hydrological situation. The results of earlier studies of environmental crises (transgression of the Caspian Sea and degression of the Aral Sea) are used to show the possibility of a considerable increase in the rates of infectious and noninfectious diseases caused by a direct or indirect effect of significant changes in the hydrological and hydrogeological conditions. Regularities in the dynamics of this process have been established, which allows us to discuss possible changes in public health under new hydroclimatic conditions, in particular, under global climate changes. It is shown that the scientific principles and methods for prediction of the consequences of changes in the regime, quantity, and quality of continental waters should be improved in order to allow the assessment of their effect on public health and the development of timely preventive measures.     

Climatic and environmental changes at southeastern coast of Lake Biwa over past 3000 years, inferred from borehole temperature data

In order to infer past climatic change in central Japan, we measured temperatures in a borehole at the Karasuma site, on the southeastern coast of Lake Biwa, and reconstructed sediment surface temperature history during the last 3000 years. The reconstructed temperature history shows apparent Medieval Warm Period, Little Ice Age, and contemporary temperature warming. However, the large amplitude of the temperature changes up to 4-5 K cannot be explained by past climatic change only, suggesting that there was some other cause of the larger amplitude temperature changes. The onsets of temperature decrease in the late 12th century a.d. and temperature increase in the mid 17th century a.d. appear to coincide with occurrences of two destructive earthquakes (1185 and 1662 a.d.) that caused water level changes of Lake Biwa. It suggests that the reconstructed sediment surface temperature history reflects the environmental change due to tectonically induced water level changes of the lake. If the annual mean of the ground surface temperature was higher than that of the bottom water temperature in a shallow part of the lake, which is consistent with the present-day data, the large amplitude of the sediment surface temperature change may be attributed to a combined effect of past climatic and environmental changes. Thus, we suggest that the borehole temperature at the Karasuma site preserves information not only on past climate changes but also on environmental changes due to tectonically induced water level changes.     

近1200 a来黄河下游梁山泊沉积记录的环境变迁

利用梁山泊670 cm柱状岩芯沉积物,基于精确的AMS-~(14)C年代测定,通过高分辨率的粒度、磁化率、总有机碳、C/N比值等环境代用指标的综合分析,并结合历史文献记载,初步揭示了1200 a来黄河下游地区平原湖泊沉积特征及环境演化历史.结果表明,梁山泊环境演化大致分为5个阶段:790-940 AD期间,为低湖面的沼泽沉积环境,气候冷干;940-1215 AD期间,屡次受到黄河决溢洪水影响,湖盆扩张,湖泊水位上升,为梁山泊极盛期,气候暖湿;1215-1310 AD期间,黄河夺淮入黄海,湖区淤积严重,湖泊萎缩减小;1310-1470 AD期间,再次受到黄河决溢洪水影响,水位上升,面积扩张,但逊于极盛期;1470 AD至现代,黄河河道进一步南移,远离梁山泊,湖盆淤积抬高,梁山泊最终消失,直到1855AD,黄河第6次大改道北移,湖泊再次受到黄河洪水影响,由于前期受到泥沙淤积抬高,该地区仅作为黄河泥沙承载区.在气候变化大背景下,黄河改道决溢是梁山泊演化的主因.     

湖北梁子湖近百年来环境演变历史及驱动因素分析

湖泊生态系统的修复必须建立在历史生态环境演化过程与驱动机制认识的基础之上.针对草型湖泊演化历史研究相对不足的现状,以长江中游典型草型湖泊梁子湖为研究对象,结合210Pb和137Cs年代测试,通过对沉积柱高分辨率的多指标分析(硅藻、元素地球化学和粒度)以及流域历史资料重建近百年来梁子湖生态环境的演化过程,并在此基础上利用冗余分析定量区分影响该湖泊生态环境演化的关键驱动因子.结果显示,沉积物总磷和重金属元素Cu是影响该湖泊生态环境演化的2个显著变量,它们分别单独解释硅藻组合的12.7%和8.5%变率.这表明近百年来人类活动引起的营养输入对梁子湖生态环境演化起关键性作用,而重金属污染也是影响梁子湖环境演变的重要因子.本研究结果可以为梁子湖及长江中下游其他类似湖泊的环境治理提供科学依据.     

人与自然关系的修复——日本琵琶湖治理与生活环境主义的应用

湖泊的环境、生态问题与流域社会、经济密切相关.如何从社会学的角度认识和解决湖泊所遇到的问题,越来越受到各领域研究者的关注.环境社会学一种理论如何付诸于解决环境问题的实践？尚处于探索过程之中.通过了解日本环境社会学以及生活环境主义的起源和思想,总结日本琵琶湖将生活环境主义思想应用于湖泊治理中的各种方法和实例,分析环境社会学在湖泊治理中发挥的作用.通过环境社会学在琵琶湖的治理中的经验,探讨生活环境主义在湖泊治理中可能发挥的作用.认为在下一阶段的湖泊治理中修复“人与自然的关系”将会成为重要内容.     

A ∼300-year record of environmental changes in Lake Issyk-Kul,Central Asia,inferred from lipid biomarkers in sediments

We measured lipid biomarkers (n-alkanes [n-ALKs] and n-alkanoic acids [n-FAs]) and other components of organic matter (total organic carbon [TOC] and total nitrogen [TN]) in a sediment core from Lake Issyk-Kul, Central Asia, to infer environmental changes in and around the lake during the last ∼300 years. Stratigraphic shifts in lipid biomarkers, TOC and TN, indicate three distinct environmental stages in the lake over the past three centuries: (1) Stage I (1670s–1790s, 51–36 cm sediment depth) corresponds to a period of stable hydrology in the lake, reflected by relatively constant concentrations of n-ALKs and n-FAs and values of related indexes. The interval was a period of relatively low trophic state. Natural factors were the main controls on environmental changes in and around the lake. (2) Stage II (1800s–1970s, 35–15 cm sediment depth) was a period when human activities began to exert influence on the environment in and around the lake. Enhanced agricultural exploitation and greater regional rainfall resulted in delivery to the lake of more land-derived lipids. Logging activity around the lake altered the vegetation, as revealed by shifts in C₂₇/C₃₃ ratios and the average chain length (ACL₂₇₋₃₃). A significant decline in lake level caused by excessive water consumption impacted aquatic macrophytes, as revealed by a reduction in macrophyte indicators. Lower nutrient concentrations were inferred for this period. (3) Stage III (1980s–present, 14–0 cm sediment depth) corresponds to a period of accelerating eutrophication. Before year 2000, lake level declined steadily as a result of low rainfall (drought) and high evaporation, which exerted a strong influence on the lake condition. In addition, anthropogenic activities contributed to lake eutrophication. After 2000, the lake experienced a dramatic increase in trophic state, characterized by high algal productivity, as indicated by greater TN, short-chain n-ALKs and short-chain n-FAs. The change was probably caused by flourishing tourism around the lake. In summary, environmental changes in and around Lake Issyk-Kul during the past ∼300 years were originally driven largely by natural factors such as shifts in regional precipitation amount. Human activities (e.g. logging, agriculture, water extraction, and more recently, tourism) took on increasingly important roles during the last two centuries, affecting watershed vegetation, the lake primary producer community and lake trophic status. Changes recorded in the lake sediments over the last ∼300 years are in good agreement with historical records.     

湖泊沉积物DNA在气候环境变化和生态系统响应研究中的应用

随着气候与生态问题的不断涌现,气候环境变化与生态系统响应研究的重要性日益凸显,而传统方法逐渐难以满足深入研究的需要.现代分子生物技术的快速发展使针对湖泊沉积物的DNA分析逐渐被引入相关研究中,有效弥补了传统研究方法的不足,为研究者提供了理解过去气候和环境变化、生态系统响应的新视角.湖泊沉积物中的DNA蕴藏着丰富的生物群落演变信息,不仅是重建古气候、古环境变化历史的有力工具,更有助于研究生态系统的长期演化过程及内部机制,探讨气候环境变化及人类活动对生态系统的影响.本文分析了保存在湖泊沉积物中DNA的特点,着重介绍湖泊沉积物DNA分析在气候环境变化及生态系统响应研究中的应用,并对该技术目前存在的挑战、可能的解决方案及未来发展潜力进行了总结与展望.     

古生态记录揭示的长江中下游太白湖生态系统稳态转换过程

长江中下游浅水湖泊在过去百年内受到强烈的人类活动影响,生态系统状态发生显著的变化,服务功能逐渐丧失.为了更科学有效地管理浅水湖泊,当前迫切需要了解湖泊的生态系统转变过程.以长江中下游典型富营养化浅水湖泊太白湖为例,结合历史资料和监测数据,基于铅铯同位素重建年代序列,利用粒度、地化指标和沉积物中硅藻群落的时间序列数据,对太白湖过去百年间生态系统转变进行分析.基于T检验的STARS法检测硅藻群落的结果显示,有2个稳态转换分别发生在1950s末和1990s末.1950s末太白湖硅藻群落代表的生态系统状态发生了显著突变,这主要归因于由于建闸筑坝造成的水文条件和营养条件的改变;1990s期间的湖泊生态系统整体转变则是由长期营养输入和渔业活动加强导致的生态系统弹性损失引起的.讨论了不同阶段太白湖生态系统主要要素间反馈机制在水文条件改变和营养富集影响下的变化,加深了对人类活动干扰下太白湖生态系统结构变化过程的理解,为建立浅水湖泊系统动力学模型提供基础.     

Lacustrine environment responses to human activities in the past 300 years in Longgan Lake catchment,southeast China

The chronology of a gravity core sediment from Longgan Lake center was defined by²¹⁰Pb, combining with historic events recorded by document and sediment. The relationship between vegetation, soil erosion and lake nutrient state was discussed based on pollen, magnetic parameters, diatoms, phosphorus and pigments. The results show that the lake has undergone twice obvious transformations from oligotrophic to mesotrophic condition. Two eutrophications occurring at about 1768AD and the beginning of the 20th century respectively were related to external nutrient loading increase resulting from the enhanced human activities in the lake catchment. It is probable that strength of human actions in historic periods was influenced more or less by climatic changes. The lake eutrophication presented a more serious tendency because of the wide use of chemical fertilizer, reclamation of wetland and wetland vegetation destruction around the lake in the last 40 years.     

Geochemical evidence of human impacts on deep Lake Fuxian,southwest China

Human activities in Lake Fuxian and its catchment have caused environmental changes that are preserved in the geochemical records of lake sediments. Human activities responsible for the environmental changes include agriculture, mining, industrial development, and fishery management. To elucidate human impacts on this deep water body during the past several decades, two short sediment cores were collected from the lake, dated by ¹³⁷Cs, and analyzed for several geochemical variables (total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), δ¹³C and heavy metals). The multi-proxy geochemical and isotopic evidence can be used to divide the limnological record into a 3-part history. Although increasing inputs of chromium (Cr) had begun as early as the 1950s, human activities, including heavy metal contamination, apparently had little effect on lacustrine production, as δ¹³C, TOC, TN and TOC/TN were relatively constant until the 1980s. Mining and industry have generated large amounts of heavy metal elements such as Zn, Pb and Cd that have been deposited into the lake since the 1980s, increasing to their highest concentrations over the last decades. Zn, Pb and Cd probably were released by industrial processes such as the manufacture of cement. Cr concentrations increased at site FB, but declined at site FZ, most likely due to the closer proximity of site FB to the source of metal production. From the middle of the 1980s, the decreased δ¹³C, and increased TOC, TN and TOC/TN suggest a broad change in lake ecology. In the 1980s, a new fish species was introduced into Lake Fuxian and fish yields increased quickly, which may mark the beginning of a change in ecosystem structure.