Paleosols and their reflection of the environmental changes in the northeast region of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau

Based on field investigations, laboratory analyses and ¹⁴C dating, this paper discusses the laws of the formation and development of the paleosols in the northeast region of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau since Late Pleistocene. The authors reconstruct basic conditions of climate, vegetation, soil and natural zones during the three periods in which the paleosols were formed, i.e. the last interglacial of the Late Pleistocene, warm stage of Late Glacial and the Optimum of Holocene. Finally, this paper discusses the relationship between the paleosols and the uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.     

Progress in studies on geographical environments of the Qinghai-Xiang plateau

The Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau area was subjected to twice uplift and planation in the Tertiary. Intense uplifting of the plateau area has given rise to drastic changes and differentiation of physical environment on the plateau and the surrounding area since 3.4 Ma B.P. Significant environmental changes with dry tendency in interior of the plateau had occurred during the last 150 ka B.P. By comparative study on several mountains of the plateau, two systems of the structure-type of the altitudinal belt are identified and nine groups are subdivided. A distribution model with close relevance to highland uplift effect has been generalized. A number of striking geo-ecological phenomen and their spatial pattern such as moisture corridor, dry valleys, high-cold meadow zone, and high-cold arid core area are investigated and discussed. Based on the thermal conditions, moisture regimes and variation in landforms of the plateau is sequentially demarcated. A tentative scheme of 2 temperature belts, 10 natural zones and 28 physical districts has been proposed not including southern slopes of the East Himalayas. The Qinghai-Xizang Plateau is sensitive to “green house effect”, showing close relation with global change. Characteristics of temperature and precipitation on the plateau during the last 2000 years, and response of glaciers, snow deposit and permafrost on the plateau to global change are dealt with in the present paper. Under the auspices of Chinese National Key Project for Basic Research (G1998040800) and CAS project on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau (KZ951 - A1 - 204, KZ95T - 06)     

The formation, evolution and optimazation of territorial structure in the southern China

1　ＴＨＥＢＡＣＫＧＲＯＵＮＤＡＮＤＣＯＮＤＩＴＩＯＮＯＦＴＥＲＲＩＴＯＲＩＡＬＳＴＲＵＣＴＵＲＥＦＯＲＭＡＴＩＯＮＩＮＴＨＥＳＯＵＴＨＥＲＮＣＨＩＮＡ1.1　ＴｈｅＣｈａｎｇｅｏｆＧｅｏｐｏｌｉｔｉｃａｌＰａｔｔｅｒｎ—ａＰｒｅ ｒｅｑｕｉｓｉｔｅｔｏｔｈｅＦｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎｏｆＴｅｒｒｉｔｏｒｉａｌＳｔｒｕｃｔｕｒｅｉｎｔｈｅｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎＣｈｉｎａＡｆｔｅｒＷｏｒｌｄＷａｒⅡ ,ｔｈｅｗｏｒｌｄｇｅｏｐｏｌｉｔｉｃａｌｐａｔ ｔｅｒｎｈｅａｄｅｄｂｙＲｕｓｓｉａｎａｎｄｔｈｅＵｎｉｔｅｄＳｔａｔ…     

Florogeography of mire plants in southern part of qinghai-xizang plateau and its adjacent areas

The southern part of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau and its adjacent area are rich in mire flora. There are 51 families, 101 genera and 220 species. The geographical compositions of this region are very complex, consisting of the following-geographical elements: tropic-subtropic elements approximating to 8.33% of the entire flora in the region, tropic-temperate elements 22.71%, temperate elements 43.18%, cosmopolitan elements 9.85%, the Qinghai-Xizang endemic elements 14.39%, north polemountain elements 1.51%. Temperate elements in this region are dominant. The dominant species of mires, Carex lasiocarpa, in this region is also found in northeast China, Finland and North America. The origin of mires of this region is earlier than northeast China and Finland. This shows that the southern part of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and its adjacent areas may be the centre of the origin and distribution of temperate elements.     

The anisotropy of loess magnetic susceptibility in the northeastern fringe of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau as an indicator of palaeowind direction

Estimates of the palaeo-subaerial wind direction were studied systematically for the first time by using the anisotropy of loess magnetic susceptibility (AMS) measurements in the northwestern China. One hundred and forty undisturbed oriented aeolian loess samples were collected from Lanzhou, Linxia and Wudu areas for AMS measurements, which indicated the subaerial wind directions were not the same while the loess deposited. From the Early Pleistocene to Middle Pleistocene till Late Pleistocene, the wind direction experienced an anticlockwise rotation in the studied area. We suggested this change was related to the uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the adjustment of current and landform effects.     

Environmental evolution of Gongwang Mountains during Holocene in northeastern Yunnan, China

This paper presents the study on two continuous glacio-lacustrine sedimentary deposits, Laotanfang (3 597 m) and Shibantang (3 689 m) located on the southern and northern sides of Hulifang peak in Yunan, China. Environmental change indexes are constructed for each deposit, based on grain size, geochemical and pollen analysis, environmental magnetic susceptibility, and 14C dating. The study of climatic environmental change since the Holocene epoch in this region shows that the climate fluctuated at different stages during the early Holocene, that is, the climate was cool and wet during 8 4-7 7 ka, cold and wet during 7 7-6 5 ka, cold and dry during 6 5-4 7 ka, cool and wet during 4 7-2 1 ka, warm and wet during 2 1-1 0 ka, and warmer and wet since 1 ka. These findings reflect the overlapping influences of the southwest and southeast monsoons in different times during the Holocene in the north part of southwestern China are in accord with other Holocene climate change models in this part of China.     

Review of Digital Elevation Model （DEM） Based Research on China Loess Plateau

Introduction The Loess Plateau is located in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River, among the western Taihang Mt, eastern Riyue-Helan Mt, northern Qinling Mt, and southern Yinsan Mt (from 100°54′to 114°33′E and 33°43′to 41°31′N; Figure 1). It covers a total area of 624,000 km2. The Loess Plateau of China has drawnworldwide attention in geographical research for its unique morphological features, abundant nature resources, most serious soil erosion, as well as its pot…     

Environmental evolution of Gongwang Mountains during Holocene in northeastern Yunnan, China

This paper presents the study on two continuous glacio-lacustrine sedimentary deposits, Laotanfang （3 597 m） and Shibantang （3 689 m） located on the southern and northern sides of Hulifang peak in Yunan, China. Environmental change indexes are constructed for each deposit, based on grain size, geochemical and pollen analysis, environmental magnetic susceptibility, and 14C dating. The study of climatic environmental change since the Holocene epoch in this region shows that the climate fluctuated at different stages during the early Holocene, that is, the climate was cool and wet during 8.4-7. 7r ka, cold and wet during 7.7-6. 5 ka, cold and dry during 6. 5-4.7 ka, cool and wet during 4.7-2. 1 ka, warm and wet during 2. 1-1.0 ka, and warmer and wet since 1 ka. These findings reflect the overlapping influences of the southwest and southeast monsoons in different times during the Holocene in the north part of southwestern China are in accord with other Holocene climate change models in this part of China.     

Last glaciation and maximum glaciation in the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau: A controversy to M. Kuhle’s ice sheet hypothesis

Since the late 1950’s, many Chinese scientists have explored the remains of the Quaternary glaciation in the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau and its surrounding mountains. In the main, 3–4 glaciations have been recognized. The largest one occurred in the Late Middle Pleistocene with piedmont glaciers, ice caps and trellis valley glaciers in many high peak regions. But here is no evidence of a unified ice sheet covering the whole plateau as described by M. Kuhle. Due to the further uplifting of the Himalayas and Qinghai-Xizang Plateau the climate became progressively driver, diminishing the extension of glaciers during the Late Pleistocene. The elevation of the snow line during the Last Glaciation was about 4,000 m on the south, east and northeast edges of the plateau and ascended to 5500 m on the hinder northwest of the plateau. The thermal effect of the big plateau massif, the sharp increase of aridity from the southeast rim to the northwest inland area and the abrupt decrease of precipitation during the Ice Age largely account for the distribution of the Quaternary glaciers in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. The neglect of Chinese literature may be one of the causes accounting for M. Kuhle’s misinterpretation on the environment of the Quaternary glaciations in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.     

STUDIES ON ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND VALUES IN CHINA

An investigation on environmental background values was made in an area of about 1,140,000 km2, which included temperate and subtropical zones of China. The environmental background values of 142 soil environment units, 18 main soil types, 87 surface water environment units, 8 aquatic organism environment units and 20 underground water environment units were obtained. The rules, causes and effecting factors of regional differentiation of the environmental background values were deduced from over 200,000 various data.     

Regional Evolution Features and Coordinated Development Strategies for Northeast China

1 Introduction Northeast China consists of the three provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, this region has supported the whole country with huge quantity of grain, raw materials, primary products, and heavy industrial products at the cost of environment and resources, and thereafter became an old industrial base as well as an important marketable grain base in the whole country (Zhang et al., 2004). However, since the 19…     

Recent progress of research on Oasis in China

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DRY-WET EVOLUTION IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE DURING LAST 500 YEARS

1 INTRODUCTIONThe global warming change has already become one ofthe focuses that many scientists pay attention to, and theprecipitation change of China is also one part of thequestionsunder the whole world changes today. Accord-ing to the actual material analysis, the climate in Chinahad a warm-dry tendency in a wide spread range duringthe past one hundred years (ZHAO, 1993), and it couldnot draw a verdict as for future tendency at present. Fol-lowing the thought of Prof. HUANG Bing…     

Social effect of environmental pollution on valley-cities in western China

Accompanied with the acceleration of urbanization and industrialization, the large and medium-scale valley-cities in the western China are facing environmental problems at respective levels in common. The urban environmental pollution causes economic losses, and also brings out negative effects on urban society. Based on the social investigation method, this paper aims to study the harms to urban society brought by environmental pollution. After the investigation to the inhabitants of six typical valley-cities: Lanzhou, Xining, Chongqing, Baiyin, Luzhou and Zigong, we found that the urban environmental pollution has resulted in negative influences with different levels on residents' physical, psychological, work, recreations, studies and social activities. The problem of environmental pollution has become a serious restriction to sustainable development of cities mentioned above. Herewith, it has become urgent to strengthen the government regulations for controlling urban environmental pollution.     

STUDIES ON WATER STAGE FLUCTUATION OF YAMZHO LAKE IN XIZANG

ＳＴＵＤＩＥＳＯＮＷＡＴＥＲＳＴＡＧＥＦＬＵＣＴＵＡＴＩＯＮＯＦＹＡＭＺＨＯＬＡＫＥＩＮＸＩＺＡＮＧＬｉｕＴｉａｎｃｈｏｕ（刘天仇）（ＴｉｂｅｔａｎＢｕｒｅａｕｏｆＷａｔｅｒＲｅｓｏｕｒｃｅａｎｄＨｙｄｒｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌＳｕｒｖｅｙ，Ｌｈａｓａ３５０...     

Spatiotemporal evolution of urban land uses in modern urbanization of China

Taking social statistic data as basic data,this paper extended the meaning of urban land uses,highlighted the meaning of urban land uses in modern urbanization,which includes direct,indirect and induced land uses,quantitatively simulated the indirect and induced land uses by the substitution method of agricultural consumption and urban carbon emission and then,analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution of urban land uses in China during 1952–2005 by spatial analysis tool of Geographic Information System. The results indicate that the area of urban land use in China had been increasing since 1952,showing an inversed pyramid structure,i.e.,the directthe indirectthe induced. Specifically,Chinese urban land use has changed from concentrated distribution in Northwest China to balanced spatial distribution,and the eastern coastal area is under great pressure. Moreover,the northeastern region has moved into the induced dominant stage,while the western region remains at the indirect dominant stage. Finally,it is proposed that in order to guarantee the future demand of urban land use in China,ensuring the induced land use in the eastern region should be taken as a priority goal of Chinese developing policy.     

Variation of d δ18O/dT in precipitation in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau

The relations between δ¹⁸O and temperature on the different time scales were analysed, according to the data from Tuotuohe (34°13′N, 96°25′E; 4533 m a. s. l.), Delingha (37°22′N, 97°22′E; 2981 m a. s. l.) and Xining (36°37′N, 101°46′E; 2261 m a. s. l.) in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. The results show that the significance of d δ¹⁸O/dT on different time scales are different. The d δ¹⁸O/dT on the synoptic scale reflects the interdependent relation between δ¹⁸O and temperature in the short-term synoptic scale process; the d δ¹⁸O/d T on the seasonal scale reflects the relation between them whithin a year; and the d δ¹⁸O/d T on the climatic scale reflects the relation between them in the long-term climatic change. The calculated d δ¹⁸O/dT on climatic scale is very close to the theoretical values on the condition of advection transport for Tuotuohe Station. However, there are great differences between the calculated and the theoretical values for Delingha and Xining stations.     

THEORIES AND METHODS OF STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF MODERN LOGISTICS DEVELOPMENT——A Case Study of Dalian City, China

1IN T R O D U C T IO N As a risingindustry,modern logisticpslaya vitalrolein thedevelopment ofurban economy . Meantime , many expertsin theworld are interestedin modern logistic.s Study on modern logisticsismostly focused on man - agement and program (HES…     

Planation surfaces on the Tibet Plateau, China

A planation hypothesis is proposed to explain landform evolution of the Tibet Plateau. A denudation threshold （T）, the maximum potential denudation rate for a certain type of rock, is introduced to explain the combined effects of lithology and tectonics on landform evolution. If the tectonic uplifting rate （U） is equal to or less than the threshold rate （U ≤ T）, the tectonic uplifting and terrain denudation are in dynamic equilibrium, and landforms are in a steady state. The end product should be planation surfaces whether the original landforms are flat plains or deeply dissected mountains. If U 〉 T, uplift and denudation are not able to reach a dynamic equilibrium state. The plateau surface is mostly underlain by soft rocks, such as the Mesozoic epimetamorphic argillites and Tertiary sedimentary rocks, while the mountain ranges comprise hard rocks, such as granite, gneiss and limestone. In soft rock regions, hills are low with a relative relief of mostly less than 100 m and the slopes are gentle at a gradient of 〈200. In contrast, hills can maintain steep slopes in hard rock regions. The Tibet Plateau has been under an equilibrium condition between tectonic uplifting and denudation except for the mountain ranges. The plateau might have reached the present altitudes before the Quaternary.     

天水谢家湾全新世环境变迁及人地关系演化

在野外详细观测的基础上，对天水谢家湾全新世黄土剖面以2cm为间距进行了连续采样，并对所有样品作了磁化率和粒度分析，结果综合反映出研究区自全新世以来，经历了早期升温、中期基本暖湿、晚期趋于干冷的气候环境演化阶段，其中全新世中期在总体温湿的大背景下，存在频繁的气候波动。以此为基础，结合对渭河文化的历史研究资料，探讨了区内约1万年以来的人地关系演化历史，指出人地关系的和谐与统一，对人类社会发展具有重要意义。