The ostracod assemblages and their environmental significance in the Chen Co area,southern Tibet in recent 1400 years

The CC1 core, with a length of 216 cm, was drilled in the west part of the Chen Co (Lake) in southern Tibet Plateau. The²¹⁰Pb and¹³⁷Cs measurement indicated that it was a consecutive sedimentary sequence since ca. 1400 years. The ostracoda and their assemblages under the level of 1 cm samples’ cutting interval were finished for this core to reveal the past environmental changes in the lake area. A total of 15 species of ostracods belonging to 7 genera in the core sediments had been identified. According to the ostracod distributions, abundances and preservations in the core, seven ostracod assemblages had been distinguished. The ostracod assemblages and their ecological features, together with the sediments dating decision were used to infer the past ca. 1400 years environmental changes of the Chen Co environmental evolutions in three stages, which had responded to the Medieval Ages Warm-period (MAW), the Little Ice Age (LIA) and modern warm period. The results show that the changes of the Chen Co environment had been mainly influenced by the climatic variations. The trend of the lake level fluctuations had been accorded with that of climatic variation during the past 1400 years.     

藏南沉错地区近1400年来的介形类与环境变化

通过分析藏南沉错CC1孔的介形类动物群所提供的古环境信息，探讨近1400年来的湖泊演化。CC1孔介形类共计7属15种。据其属种，数量及生态特征，可划分为7个组合，同时发现1400年来沉错环境变化可分为3个时期：（1）公元6世末－14世纪下半叶沉错主要为较深水湖，其中大约在708－780年和1199－1213年湖泊迅速扩大加深；（2）14世纪下半叶－19世纪末沉错主要为浅水湖，其中大约在1454－1525年，1645－1670年和1803－1891年3个时段湖泊强烈退缩，环境极不稳定，而大约在1731－1803年湖泊发生逆向转化，湖水增多，湖面抬升；（3）19世纪末至今沉错由较深水湖转变为浅水湖，20世纪60年代以前为较深水湖，其中大约在1929－1935年湖泊急剧加深，20世纪70年代以来湖泊退缩，湖水变浅。     

藏南沉错沉积物的粒度特征及其古环境意义

通过对藏南沉错粒度参数的分析 ,并结合与其它环境代用指标的比较 ,可以将本地区约 1 40 0年来环境变化分为四个阶段 :约 5 93A.D.～ 82 1 A.D.是湖泊水位相对较高而且变化频繁的时期 ,反映了波动较大且比较湿润的气候状况 ;约 82 1 A.D.～ 1 343A.D.是一个较长的气候相对稳定时期 ,粒度指示该阶段湖泊扩张 ,湖面升高 ,反映了湿润的气候状况 ;约 1 343A.D.～ 1 892 A.D.是一个气候波动十分剧烈且频繁的时期 ,其中约 1 60 2 A.D.前后可能出现了一次短时间的流水突然增加 ,而在这前后各有一个浅水阶段 ( 1 343A.D.～ 1 5 1 2 A.D.和 1 670 A.D.～ 1 892 A.D.) ,反映了湖泊补给程度的减弱 ;1 892 A.D.～1 998A.D.是一个相对稳定的时期 ,湖面变化不太明显 ,而 1 892 A.D.前后具有一个明显的补给水动力减弱的变化。粒度参数所反映的湖面波动与环境变化得到了其他环境代用指标较好的支持。     

A summary of past and recent plankton of Lake Winnipeg, Canada using algal fossil remains

Although the phytoplankton and protozoan assemblages of Lake Winnipeg are quite variable both, spatial and temporally, knowledge of their current distribution and ecology enables them to be used as indicators providing unique information concerning past and recent ecosystem conditions. Many of the main taxa have been similar throughout history although there have been dramatic changes in their abundance. Lake Winnipeg is currently very responsive to the climatic conditions in its drainage basin and it appears, historically, to have been a diatom-bluegreen algal lake with Tintinnids and thecate amoeba forming significant components of the protozoan community. A wide variety of microfossil remains have been used to infer past conditions in this large prairie lake. Microfossils reported from the long core 103 (8 m) taken from the north basin of LakeWinnipeg and short core Namao 7a taken from the south basin of the lake in August 1994 indicate that the lake has experienced several changes over its history. Diatom assemblages, low throughout the core 103 below 50 cm, except for a peak around 300–400 cm are virtually absent below 690–800 cm (Lake Agassiz). Stephanodiscus and Aulacoseira are the two major pelagic diatom genera represented throughout the lake's history. Species changes occur near the top of the core indicate increased anthropogenic eutrophication. Shallow water littoral taxa were never abundant at either coring sites. The presence of planktic cyanoprokaryote (cyanophyte, cyanobacteria, bluegreen algae) remains (akinetes) from 600 cm depth and the progressive increase in abundance from 400 cm to through the top 100 cm of the core indicates increasing phosphorus levels, warming summer temperatures and increasing summer nitrogen limitation in the lake. Nitrogen fixing bluegreens (especially Anabaena and Aphanizomenon akinetes) and the diatoms (Aulacoseira ambigua, A. granulata, A. islandica, S. binderanus, and S. niagarae) were abundant in the upper sediments and changes after 100 cm can be interpreted as the effects of human impact. These taxa indicative of increase eutrophication, in addition to S. agassizensis, Melosira varians and Cyclostephanos dubius, are representative of present day plankton. The short core Namao 7a was dated by ^Pb210 and the fossil remains also show a rise in the Aulacoseira (particularly A. granulata and A. ambigua) and bluegreen akinetes in the last 40 years as was seen in the upper sediments of the 103 core. There was an interesting peak in chrysophyte cysts during the 1930's which corresponds nicely with climatic conditions during this period. The fires accompaning the hot dry period in the mid 70's can be seen in the dramatic rise in charcoal during this period. Multiple types of micro fossils remains provides several useful tools for interpreting past lacustrine conditions.     

藏南沉错湖泊沉积多指标揭示的2万年以来环境变化

通过对藏南沉错湖芯TC1孔的研究,分析了TC1孔的粒度、TOC、TN、C/N、Fe/Mn、Sr/Ba以及环境磁学参数等环境代用指标,基本上获得了这一地区2万年以来的环境变化记录。结果显示约19 800~18 000 Cal aBP的温度下降在各指标中具有明显的反映;约16 000 Cal aBP左右,温度在一次跃动上升之后,随即出现急剧下降;约15 200~12 000 Cal aBP,是降温之后的缓慢回升过程;约12 000~9 500 Cal aBP,各种指标均显示湖区环境处于不适宜阶段,特别是11 600~10 400 Cal aBP,湖区环境显著恶化。进入全新世后,湖区环境经历了3次明显的暖期(约9 500~7 600 Cal aBP、约6 800~5 800 Cal aBP、约4 800~3 800 Cal aBP) 和2次冷期(约7 600~6 800 Cal aBP、约5 800~4 800 Cal aBP),呈现出暖干/冷湿的交替规律,具有南亚季风(西南季风) 区气候变化的特征。沉错湖区2万年来的气候环境变化序列中的某些特征时段与格陵兰冰芯记录和青藏高原其他记录相比具有较好的一致性,反映了湖区及藏南地区的气候环境演变特征具有全球性特征。     

Records of environmental and climatic changes during the late Holocene from Svalbard: palaeolimnology of Kongressvatnet

A multi-core, multidisciplinary palaeolimnological study of the partially varved sediment of a deep, meromictic, arctic lake, Kongressvatnet (Svalbard, Western Spitsbergen), provides a record of environmental and climatic changes during last ca. 1800 years. The chronology of sedimentation was established using several dating techniques (¹³⁷Cs, ²¹⁰Pb, varve counts, palaeomagnetic correlation). A multiproxy record of palaeolimnological variability was compiled based on sedimentation rates, magnetic properties, varve thickness, organic matter, geochemistry, pigments from algal and photosynthetic bacteria, mineralogy and biological assemblages (diatoms, Cladocera). The major features recognised in our master core K99-3 include a shift in sediment source and supply (magnetic measurements, geochemistry) probably caused by glaciological changes in the catchment around 38–32 cm core depth (AD 700–820). Additional environmental changes are inferred at 20–18, 8–4.5 and 3–2 cm (AD ca. 1160–1255; 1715–1880; 1940–1963, respectively). During the past ca. 120 years a prominent sedimentological change from brownish-grey, partly laminated silt-clay (varves) to black organic-rich deposits was observed. From AD 1350 to AD1880 the sediment is comprised of a continuous sequence of varves, whereas the earlier sediments are mostly homogeneous with only a few short intercalated laminated sections between AD 860 and 1350. Sedimentation and accumulation rates increased during the last 30 years (modern warming). Pigment concentrations are very low in the lower ca. 32 cm of the core (AD 820) probably because of the high turbidity high energy environment. The high sulphur content in the uppermost 32 cm of sediment has given rise to two horizontally stratified populations of sulphur anaerobic photosynthetic bacteria, as inferred from their specific carotenoids. These bacteria populations are much more abundant during the Little Ice Age (LIA) than during warmer periods (e.g., during the Medieval Warm Period and 20th century). Diatoms are lacking from the core base up to 18 cm (ca. AD 1255); at this level, species indicative of mesotrophic water are present, whereas from 17 cm to the top of the core, oligotrophic taxa such as Staurosira construens/S. pinnata complex dominate, indicating extended ice coverage and more oligotrophic waters during the LIA. The concentration of Cladocera subfossil remains (dominated by Chydorus) are relatively high in the deepest sections (54–32 cm), whereas the upper 32 cm are characterized by a very low concentration of remains, possibly because of the strongly anoxic conditions, and in this upper sediment section rotifer resting eggs become prevalent. We interpret these changes as responses to climate forcing through its impact on glacial melt water, lake ice cover duration and mainly redox conditions in deep water. The observed changes suggest that at least some of our recorded changes may parallel the Greenland Ice core, although our study added more details about the inferred climatic changes. Further aspects are discussed, such as catchment processes, glacial activity, duration of the Medieval Warm Period, the Little Ice Age, local human activity, and limnology.     

Paleoecological and paleoenvironmental record of the Late Pleistocene record of Lake Khubsugul (Mongolia) based on ostracod remains

This paper deals with the investigation of the upper 11.6 m portion of a long drill core (KDP-01) taken from the bottom sediments of Lake Khubsugul. Ostracod species and their assemblages recovered from the core were analyzed. The data are compared with the carbonate and sulfate values obtained from bulk sediment, as well as with the flux of the coarse terrigenous fraction (>200 m) from the same core. Based on the previously calculated depth-age sedimentary model, the oldest age of the core studied here is about 230 ka. The four ostracod species recovered in the core are Cytherissa lacustris, Candona lepnevae, Limnocythere inopinata and Leucocythere sp. According to the distribution of those ostracods, we distinguish four main periods, each of about 50 ka long. Based on the ecological requirements of extant ostracods, two assemblages typifying a low water level and high salinity, on the first hand, and another representing freshwater and high lake level are recognized. The first “high salinity” ostracods correspond to “cold” periods as seen globally, while “freshwater” ostracods are associated with interglacials. Ostracod valves are absent during interglacial optima. This may be due to chemical dissolution of calcium carbonate related to organic matter decay at the initial stages of diagenesis, probably because during interglacials, in contrast to glacials, organic matter flux reaching the lake bottom were significantly higher. The periodicity in the development of ostracod species assemblages follows 17, 24 and 47 ka cycles related to orbital forcing. Its diversity is correlated with summer temperature fluctuations in northern altitudes for the past 230 ka. The maximum in species diversity follows the temperature maxima, by about 1.5 and 2 ka. Overall, the data obtained demonstrate a correlation between climatic changes and variations in specific and quantitative ratios of ostracod species during the last 230 ka.     

A ~30,000-year record of environmental changes inferred from Lake Chen Co,Southern Tibet

Climatic and environmental changes since the last glacial period are important to our understanding of global environmental change. There are few records from Southern Tibet, one of the most climatically sensitive areas on earth. Here we present a study of the lake sediments (TC1 core) from Lake Chen Co, Southern Tibet. Two sediment cores were drilled using a hydraulic borer in Terrace 1 of Lake Chen Co. AMS ¹⁴C dating of the sediments showed that the sequence spanned >30,000 years. Analyses of present lake hydrology indicated that glacier melt water is very important to maintaining the lake level. Sediment variables such as grain size, TOC, TN, C/N, Fe/Mn, CaCO₃, and pollen were analyzed. Warm and moderately humid conditions dominated during the interval 30,000–26,500 cal year BP. From 26,500 to 20,000 cal year BP, chemical variables and pollen assemblages indicate a cold/dry environment, and pollen amounts and assemblages suggest a decline in vegetation. From 20,000 to 18,000 cal year BP, the environment shifted from cold/dry to warm/humid and vegetation rebounded. The environment transitioned to cold/humid during 16,500–10,500 cal year BP, with a cold/dry event around 14,500 cal year BP. After 10,500 cal year BP, the environment in this region tended to be warm/dry, but exhibited three stages. From 10,500 to 9,000 cal year BP, there was a short warm/humid period, but a shift to cold/dry conditions occurred around 9,000 cal year BP. Thereafter, from 9,000 to 6,000 cal year BP, there was a change from cold/dry to warm/humid conditions, with the warmest period around 6,000 cal year BP. After 6,000 cal year BP, the environment cooled rapidly, but then displayed a warming trend. Chemical variables indicate that a relatively warm/dry event occurred around 5,500–5,000 cal year BP, which is supported by time-lagged pollen assemblages around 4,800 cal year BP. Our lake sediment sequence exhibits environmental changes since 30,000 cal year BP, and most features agree with records from the Greenland GISP2 ice core and with other sequences from the Tibetan Plateau. This indicates that environmental changes inferred from Lake Chen Co, Southern Tibet were globally significant.     

近150a来南红山湖的地球化学特征及环境意义

通过对西昆仑山南红山湖的沉积地球化学特征的分析，恢复了南红山湖区近150a来的环境变化。19世纪50年代初－19世纪80年代中期，气候受小冰期末次波动的影响，以冷湿为特点。19世纪80年代中期－1997年，处于小冰期后回暖期，以暖干趋势为主。其中19世纪80年代中期－20世纪20年代初，以暖干为特点；20世纪20年代初－20世纪中叶，气候较干燥，而且温度与湿度的结合较复杂，属于冷干－暖湿交替的气候类型；20世纪中叶－1997年，气候总特征以暖干为主，尤其是1990年以后，温度升高趋势明显，气候干燥。从近150a湖泊变化的整体趋势看，随着时间的推移，南红山湖在逐渐萎缩。就湖区的气候变化与西昆仑山古里雅冰芯所恢复的气温、降水变化及与较近的两个站点的气象记录进行了对比，认为该地区与古里雅冰芯地区受相同的气候系统控制；高原上区域间存在气候差异；应开展多尺度、高分辨率的多种代用资料的研究。     

A 40,000-year record of environmental change from ancient Lake Ohrid (Albania and Macedonia)

Lake Ohrid is considered to be of Pliocene origin and is the oldest extant lake in Europe. A 1,075-cm-long sediment core was recovered from the southeastern part of the lake, from a water depth of 105 m. The core was investigated using geophysical, granulometric, biogeochemical, diatom, ostracod, and pollen analyses. Tephrochronology and AMS radiocarbon dating of plant macrofossils reveals that the sediment sequence spans the past ca. 39,500 years and features a hiatus between ca. 14,600 and 9,400 cal. year BP. The Pleistocene sequence indicates relatively stable and cold conditions, with steppe vegetation in the catchment, at least partial winter ice-cover of the lake, and oxygenated bottom waters at the coring site. The Holocene sequence indicates that the catchment vegetation had changed to forest dominated by pine and summer-green oak. Several of the proxies suggest the impact of abrupt climate oscillations such as the 8.2 or 4.0 ka event. The observed changes, however, cannot be related clearly to a change in temperature or humidity. Human impact started about 5,000 cal. year BP and increased significantly during the past 2,400 years. Water column mixing conditions, inflow from subaquatic springs, and human impact are the most important parameters influencing internal lake processes, notably affecting the composition and characteristics of the sediments.     

A high-resolution Holocene ostracod record from the Sahel zone of Northeastern Nigeria

The ostracod record from Kajemarum Oasis in the Sahel zone of Northeastern Nigeria covers the last c. 4000 cal. years of a 5500 cal. year lake-sediment sequence. The first appearance of ostracods, around 4000 cal. yr BP, reflects the switch from a very dilute lake during the mid-Holocene, to slightly oligosaline conditions that favoured the occurrence and preservation of ostracods. Between 3800 and 3100 cal. yr BP, the lake remained permanent and fresh or slightly oligosaline, with a Ca-Mg-HCO3 composition. A rise in salinity c. 3100 cal. yr BP, accompanied by a change to more variable conditions on a seasonal to interannual timescale, led to the influx of more-euryhaline taxa. Oligosaline conditions continued between 3100 and 1500 cal. yr BP. Around 1500 cal. yr BP, there was a sharp rise in salinity, probably accompanied by a shift to Na-CO3-type water, with marked seasonal and interannual variability. Salinity decreased after 900 cal. yr BP, although short-term variations were marked between 900 cal. yr BP and the top of the sequence, 95 cal. yr BP. Changes in the species assemblages and ostracod abundance were a response to climate-driven variations in the seasonal and interannual stability of the lake, together with changes in its salinity and solute composition, but there is no simple relationship between ostracod faunas and salinity. Within Kajemarum, there is no evidence of ostracod assemblages typical of deep, fresh water, nor of hypersaline Na-Cl waters. The sediments associated with the freshest waters at Kajemarum did not favour ostracod preservation, and the driest climatic conditions were associated with oligosaline to mesosaline water of Na-CO3-type. The species-poor assemblages reflect the short-term instability of the lake, coupled with the limited opportunities for the colonisation of this isolated basin.     

Late Holocene paleoenvironmental changes in subtropical Taiwan inferred from pollen and diatoms in lake sediments

We analyzed pollen, spores, diatoms, organic carbon, nitrogen, and δ¹³C of organic matter in lake sediments to infer climate changes and reconstruct the paleo-environment of subtropical Taiwan over the past ∼1300 years. A 31.5-cm sediment core that represents deposition from 650 AD to present was taken from a mountain lake, Duck Pond, located 760 m a.s.l. We differentiated five zones using cluster analysis on pollen and spore assemblages. Fluctuations in the relative abundances of arboreal taxa, herbaceous plants, and ferns reflect changes in the relative amounts of woody versus grassland vegetation. Such shifts are associated with changes in temperature and humidity and are consistent with climatic periods reported for the temperate region of central China. Climate changes inferred from the pollen assemblages are also correlated well with changes in the ratios of fern spores to pollen, with organic carbon to nitrogen, and with the δ¹³C values in the sediments. Fluctuations in these data throughout the entire core were in good agreement with the changes in pH inferred from diatom assemblages. This study provides evidence of climate change in northern Taiwan over the past 1.3 millennia, assuming that climate can be inferred from the ratio of arboreal to non-arboreal pollen and from the pH of the aquatic environment.     

Late Holocene environmental changes inferred from diatoms in a lake on the western Taimyr Peninsula, northern Russia

Changes in the diatom assemblages preserved in a sediment core taken from a small lake located north of arctic treeline on the western Taimyr Peninsula, Russia, were examined in order to investigate late Holocene (i.e., ca 5000 cal yr BP to present) climatic and environmental changes within the region. Early diatom assemblages were dominated by benthic Fragilaria taxa and indicate a transitional phase in the lake history, most likely reflecting lake development and environmental change associated with treeline retreat to the south of the study site. Concurrent with pollen and macrofossil evidence of a vegetation shift to shrub tundra in the catchment basin at ca 4200 cal yr BP, an increase in cold-water taxa, followed by little change in diatom assemblages until ca 2800 cal yr BP, suggests that conditions were relatively cool and stable at this time. The last 2000 years of the Middendorf Lake record have been marked by fluctuating limnological conditions, characterized by striking successional shifts between Fragilaria pinnata and Aulacoseira distans var. humilis. Recent conditions in Middendorf Lake indicate an increase in diatom taxa previously rare in the record, possibly associated with twentieth-century climatic warming. The Middendorf Lake record indicates that significant limnological change may occur in the absence of catchment vegetation shifts, suggesting late-Holocene decoupling of aquatic and terrestrial responses to climatic and hydrological change. Our study results represent one of the few paleoecological records currently available from northern Russia, and highlight the need for further development of calibration data sets from this region.     

青海湖介壳与无机碳酸盐氧同位素组成差异的环境意义

青海湖Q14B沉积物柱芯560~415 cm(约14.0~10.5 ka B.P.)段,介壳1δ8O高于无机碳酸盐1δ8O可能反映了此时青海湖表层水温高于底层水温;介壳1δ8O与无机碳酸盐1δ8O之间的较小差值可能揭示了此时青海湖水位很浅,气候干冷;介壳1δ8O变幅大于无机碳酸盐1δ8O变幅,则可能源于此时青海湖水位大幅度波动导致的底层水温变幅超过表层,以及无机碳酸盐1δ8O测自全碳酸盐所致。在利用湖泊碳酸盐1δ8O进行气候及环境变化研究时,有必要分别测试不同种属介形虫及不同无机碳酸盐矿物的同位素值。     

A late quaternary ostracod record from the Tso Kar basin (North India) with a note on the distribution of recent species

The fossil ostracod associations from a radiocarbon dated sediment core (15.3–0 cal kyr) of the high altitude (4,527 m a.s.l.) hyperhaline Tso Kar lake in North India reveal changes in ostracod species abundances and composition. These document the process of lake formation and ongoing desiccation during the latest quaternary and broadly confirm the results of previous geochemical, geomorphological and pollen analysis. The most striking feature of the core record is a period of freshwater conditions between 9.0 and 6.5 cal kyr BP, as calculated by means of an ostracod-based conductivity transfer function. This early- to mid-Holocene interval of the core correlates with similar ostracod assemblages (Cytherissa lacustris—Candona candida—Eucypris afghanistanensis) of an outcrop section at the basin margin, about 98 m above the modern lake level and marks the highest lake level under the influence of an intensified Indian Summer Monsoon. After 6.5 cal kyr BP, Limnocythere inopinata is the sole representative of the ostracod fauna in the sediment core, which suggests rising salinity conditions most probably due to lake shallowing. From 3.2 cal kyr BP to present, the near absence of ostracods in the core Tk106 is most likely a consequence of salinisation of the lake towards the hyperhaline conditions that are realised at present. Although the modern morphology and physico-chemical properties of Tso Kar lake are in contrast to the past lake conditions, most of the ostracod species, except for Limnocythere mirabilis found in the sediment core, are also identified from surface sediment and outcrop samples. In contrast, Heterocypris salina and Eucypris dulcifons are widespread in the shallow surface waters with a total dissolved solids content ranging from 0.6 to 15.0 g L^?1, but are excluded from the core record and outcrop strata. At a basinal scale, the lake shrinkage and segregation into the Tso Kar and hydrologically open freshwater lake Startsapuk Tso have forced diversification of ostracod taxa, probably as an effect of the emergence of new ecological niches under enhanced “environmental pressure”.     

Interpretation of Holocene lake-level change from diatom assemblages in Lake Sidi Ali,Middle Atlas,Morocco

While palaeohydrological changes in non-outlet lakes provide a key proxy indicator of past climatic fluctuations, for lake systems which have been chemically insensitive, it is necessary to use indicators of water depth rather than salinity to reconstruct their hydro- climatic histories. A study of diatoms in the modern sediments of Sidi Ali, a non-outlet lake in the Middle Atlas of Morocco, has shown a statistically significant correlation between water depth and the ratio of planktonic to littoral diatoms. This relationship is used to calibrate fossil diatom assemblages from a lake sediment core from the same lake to provide a quantitative index of water levels over the pastc. 6500 years. Palaeoecological evidence suggests that climatically induced hydrological variations have dominated the bulk of the mid-late Holocene lake sediment record, with significant human-induced catchment disturbance only occurring during the twentieth century. The pattern of water depth fluctuations suggests that the response time of the regional groundwater system to climatic forcing is <100 years.This is the third in a series of papers published in this issue on the paleolimnology of arid regions. These papers were presented at the Sixth International Palaeolimnology Symposium held 19–21 April, 1993 at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. Dr A. R. Chivas served as guest editor for these papers.     

The influence of Asian summer monsoon variability on the water balance of a Tibetan lake

Past water-balance changes in Tibetan lakes are generally attributed to changes in the strength of the summer monsoon. However, the water balance of a lake reflects many different water fluxes, which are controlled by many climatic and hydrologic processes. In this research, weather data and evaporation models are used to determine the climatic cause of a recent water-balance change in Ahung Co, a lake in central Tibet. Between 1995 and 2001, lake level rose at least 20 cm and the lake began to overflow. Results indicate that an increase in summer monsoon precipitation over the lake and drainage basin is responsible for the rise in lake level. Stronger monsoon conditions between 1995 and 2001 also led to decreased lake evaporation and basin evapotranspiration due to increased clouds and humidity. This contributed to the rise in lake level, but to a much smaller extent than the increase in monsoon precipitation. Lake evaporation during the spring and fall was also reduced between 1995 and 2001 due to longer lasting ice cover. Variations in ice cover play a small role in the overall water balance of Ahung Co, however, because the lake area is small compared to the drainage basin area. If these results hold true for the past, water-balance fluctuations inferred from the geochemistry of sediments from Ahung Co provide a record of variations in monsoon precipitation during the Holocene.     

安固里淖沉积物记录的气候环境变迁

根据对河北坝上地区安固里淖湖泊沉积物粒度、碳酸盐与TOC含量的分析,探讨了安固里淖近400年来的气候与环境变迁。研究结果表明,安固里淖地区近400年来的气候大致经历了凉干-冷湿-暖干三个气候变化阶段：1634～1801年间的气候凉干期、1801～1889年间的冷湿期以及1889年至今的暖干期,表现为暖干与冷湿相交替的气候演替类型,近百年来干暖化趋势明显。     

Changes in fossil midge (Chironomidae) assemblages in response to cultural activities in a shallow, polymictic lake

Chironomid (Diptera: Chironomidae) head capsules were studied from a core of recent sediments from shallow, macrophyte-dominated Lake Opinicon, Ontario, Canada, to determine if assemblages have changed in response to lake-level changes and other watershed disturbances, including deforestation and agriculture. Our results indicate that the construction of the Rideau Canal in the early 1830s and subsequent flooding of Lake Opinicon has had the greatest impact on this system, but that even this disturbance did not greatly affect chironomid assemblages. Despite other significant cultural disturbances in the watershed, the lake sediments have recorded only minor changes in its recent history, providing support for the hypothesis of alternative lake equilibria. These results correspond well with diatom inferences of only minor changes in past lake trophic status.     

Quantitative reconstruction of lake conductivity in the Quaternary of the Near East (Israel) using ostracods

Surface sediments, water samples and environmental data from 37 lakes, ponds and streams in Israel were analysed to determine the main variables controlling ostracod species distributions. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that the greatest amounts of variation in the distribution of the ostracod taxa among the 37 water bodies were explained by the host water δD value (12.9%), water temperature (11.0%), mean January air temperature (10.5%), electrical conductivity (9.5%), and the Mg and NO₃ concentrations (7.8 and 7.1%, ion concentrations as % of the anions or cations). A supplementary data set comprising ostracod species composition and electrical conductivity readings for 24 water bodies was available from previous research and was merged with the 37 samples data set to develop an ostracod-based transfer function for the reconstruction of electrical conductivities. A weighted averaging partial least squares regression (WA-PLS) provided the best results with a relatively high coefficient of determination (r ²) between measured and inferred electrical conductivity values of 0.73, a root mean square error of prediction of 0.13 (13.4% of gradient length) and a maximum bias of 0.24 (23.9% of gradient length), as assessed by leave-one-out cross-validation based on 56 water bodies. The application of the EC transfer function onto (sub)fossil ostracod assemblages from Holocene and early to mid Pleistocene lake sediments provided EC values consistent with other proxies and demonstrated that Quaternary ostracod assemblages from subaqueous sediments can now be used to trace the hydrological history of water bodies in the Near East. A better understanding of past hydrological conditions in response to the natural climate variability is crucial in regions that face restricted water resources and rising demands in times of rapid climate and environmental change.