Paleoenvironment of the Folsom archaeological site, New Mexico, USA, approximately 10,500 C yr B.P. as inferred from the stable isotope composition of fossil land snail shells

Well-preserved aragonitic land snail shells (Vallonia) from late Pleistocene Eolian sediment in the Folsom archaeological site in New Mexico exhibit an overall decrease of δ¹⁸O_PDB from maximum values of +2.7‰ (more positive than modern) to younger samples with lower average values of about −3.6‰ (within the modern range). The age of the samples (approximately 10,500 ¹⁴C yr B.P.) suggests that the decrease in δ¹⁸O may manifest climatic changes associated with the Younger Dryas. Some combination of increased relative humidity and cooler temperatures with decreased δ¹⁸O of precipitation during the times of snail activity can explain the decrease in shell δ¹⁸O. A well-known Paleoindian bison kill occurred at the Folsom site during this inferred environmental transition.Average δ¹³C values of the aragonite shells of the fossil Vallonia range from −7.3 to −6.0‰ among different archaeological levels and are not as negative as modern values. This suggests that the proportion of C₄ vegetation at the Folsom site approximately 10,500 ¹⁴C yr B.P. was greater than at present; a result which is consistent with other evidence for higher proportions of C₄ plants in the region at that time.     

n-Alkane distribution and carbon stable isotope composition in leaf waxes of C3 and C4 plants from Angola

Palaeoenvironmental assessment of past C₃ and C₄ vegetation distributions relies on end member data from plant analyses. In southwestern Africa, end member data of the carbon number distribution of n-alkanes from leaf waxes and their carbon isotopic composition were available for the rainforest and the savannah. To complement this, we analysed the n-alkane parameters of 41 C₃ plants and 11 C₄ plants from the transition region, i.e., the wood- and shrubland of Angola. The combined results for the rainforest, the wood- and shrubland and the savannah show an increase in the average chain length (ACL) of C₃ and C₄ plants and an increasingly enriched carbon stable isotope composition for the C₃ plants from the equator towards southern Africa. The enlarged database was applied to the data of a north–south transect of deep-sea surface sediments already used in a previous study, which resulted in the proxies showing a good reflection of the vegetation on the adjacent southwest African continent in terms of %C₄ plant cover. Applying end member values for ACL and δ¹³C obtained from the enlarged database by two different averaging methods (arithmetic average and median) to the n-alkane data from the sediment transect yielded similar vegetation reconstructions. In addition, a correlation between ACL and growth height of the plants is discussed, indicating that the ACL may be useful as a tree abundance parameter. Thus, the enlarged end member database strengthens the n-alkane parameters as tools for palaeoenvironmental studies.     

Late Pleistocene paleoecology of arctic ground squirrel (Urocitellus parryii) caches and nests from Interior Alaska's mammoth steppe ecosystem, USA

Botanical analyses of fossil and modern arctic ground squirrel (Urocitellus parryii) caches and nests have been used to reconstruct the past vegetation from some parts of Beringia, but such archives are understudied in Alaska. Five modern and four fossil samples from arctic ground squirrel caches and nests provide information on late Pleistocene vegetation in Eastern Beringia. Modern arctic ground squirrel caches from Alaska's arctic tundra were dominated by willow and grass leaves and grass seeds and bearberries, which were widespread in the local vegetation as confirmed by vegetation surveys. Late Pleistocene caches from Interior Alaska were primarily composed of steppe and dry tundra graminoid and herb seeds. Graminoid cuticle analysis of fossil leaves identified Calamagrostis canadensis, Koeleria sp. and Carex albonigra as being common in the fossil samples. Stable carbon isotopes analysis of these graminoid specimens indicated that plants using the C₃ photosynthetic pathways were present and functioning with medium to high water-use efficiency. Fossil plant taxa and environments from ground squirrel caches in Alaska are similar to other macrofossil assemblages from the Yukon Territory, which supports the existence of a widespread mammoth steppe ecosystem type in Eastern Beringia that persisted throughout much of the late Pleistocene.     

Invertebrates of the relict steppe ecosystems of Beringia,and the reconstruction of Pleistocene landscapes

Studies of invertebrates from steppe patches in the tundra and taiga zones of Beringia provide additional evidence that these areas could be relict steppes. A number of insect species common to both modern relict steppes and fossil Beringian insect faunal assemblages have been found. These provide important information on the moisture and temperature preferences of some of the surviving members of Pleistocene steppe-tundra insect communities. The most significant species of West Beringian insects are weevils in the genus Stephanocleonus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), indicators of thermophytic steppe, and the pill beetle Morychus viridis (Coleoptera, Byrrhidae), the indicator of hemicryophytic steppe. The East Beringian invertebrate population of relict steppe is substantially different. Fossil evidence suggests that biotic exchange between the two parts of Beringia was limited during the Pleistocene; populations of steppe insects did not move across the Bering Land Bridge (BLB), while tundra species had more flexibility. The tundra environment reconstructed for the Pleistocene BLB should have facilitated amphi-beringian distributions for most tundra invertebrate species, but apparently only a few species achieved this.     

黄土高原西部地区末次冰期和全新世有机碳同位素变化与C3/C4植被类型转换研究

文章利用黄土高原西缘代表性的塬堡剖面有机碳同位素数据,估算了末次冰期以来地表植被中C₃/C₄植 物的相对丰度,指示出研究区域末次冰期几乎为纯粹的C₃植物,而全新世为C₃植物占优势的C₃和C₄混合植被类 型。温度是控制中国黄土高原C₄植物是否发生的关键性气候因素,末次冰期向全新世转化过程中存在的某“阈值 温度”控制了两种植被类型的存在。全新世土壤有机碳同位素偏正于末次冰期,符合前人研究得到的认识。末次 冰期间冰段(MIS3)至盛冰期,土壤有机碳同位素为偏正变化趋势,符合现代C₃植物本身随气候条件改变的碳同位 素组成变化。研究表明,利用黄土-古土壤有机碳同位素进行古气候变化研究,不能只将有机碳同位素简单的解 释为C₃/C₄植物相对丰度的变化,在单一植被类型下,还需要考虑植物本身碳同位素组成随气候条件的变化;另外, 研究还说明,我国黄土高原不同地区同时段土壤有机碳同位素值可以不同,其变化可以不具有相同的趋势,因此, 简单将有机碳同位素偏正归因于夏季风增强是值得商榷的。     

The variations of stable carbon isotope ratio of land plant-derived n-alkanes in deep-sea sediments from the Bering Sea and the North Pacific Ocean during the last 250,000 years

Two piston cores, one located far from the continents (The North Pacific Ocean: ES core), and another located comparatively closer to the continents (The Bering Sea: BOW-8a core) were investigated to reconstruct environmental changes on source land areas. The results show significant contribution of terrestrial organic matter to sediments in both cores. The δ¹³C values of n-C₂₇, n-C₂₉, and n-C₃₁ alkanes in sediments from the North Pacific ES core show significant glacial to interglacial variation whereas those from the Bering Sea core do not. Variations of δ¹³C values of land plant n-alkanes are related to the environmental or vegetational changes in the source land areas. Environmental changes, especially, aridity, rainfall, and pCO₂ during glacial/interglacial transitional periods can affect vegetation, and therefore C₃ / C₄ plant ratios, resulting in δ¹³C changes in the preserved land plant biomarkers. Maximum values of δ¹³C as well as maximum average chain length values of long chain n-alkanes in the ES core occur mostly at the interglacial to glacial transition zones reflecting a time lag related to incorporation of living organic matter into soil and transportation into ocean basins via wind and/or ability of C₄ plants to adapt for a longer period before being replaced by C₃ plants when subjected to gradual climatic changes. Irregular variations with no clear glacial to interglacial trends in the BOW-8a core may result from complex mixture of aerosols from westerly winds and riverine organic matter from the Bering Sea catchments. In addition, terrestrial organic matter entering the Bering Sea could originate from multiple pathways including eolian, riverine, and ice rafted debris, and possibly be disturbed by turbidity and other local currents which can induce re-suspension and re-sedimentation causing an obliterated time relation in the Bering Sea biomarker records.     

Volatile C1C8 organic compounds in sediments from the Peru upwelling region

Volatile C₁C₈ organic compounds were analyzed in seven cores recovered from a transect across the Peru Shelf Upwelling Region. Compounds detected in ng/g dry weight quantities included methane, ethane, propane and other C₄C₇ alkanes as well as functionalized compounds including alkenes, furans and aldehydes. Strong correlations were observed between some groups of compounds with similar structures. Maxima in two groups of compounds were observed: (1) C₁, C₂, C₃, furans, and butanals (plus sporadic alkanes) as nitrate levels decreased below about 2–4 μM in the subsurface, and (2) C₄C₆ alkenes together with predominantly branched and cycloalkanes at the sediment-water interface in cores recovered from oxygenated bottom waters. The levels of C₁C₇ alkanes in these sediments are comparable to levels found in DSDP cores buried to depths of less than 600 m (or not exposed to geothermal temperatures exceeding about 30°C).     

贵州石灰岩和砂岩地区C4和C3植物营养元素的化学计量对N/P比值波动的影响

陆地生态系统植物的生长受到营养元素氮(N)和磷(P)的可利用性的限制。已有的证据表明营养元素的相对丰度将控制生态系统的营养元素循环和能量流动的速度。文章提出如下假设:为了适应环境的变化,植物具有可伸缩性地调整营养元素含量的能力,也就是营养元素化学计量比值变化的能力,植物N/P比值波动的影响不仅来源于N对P的相对可利用性的变化,也来源于其他营养元素化学计量的变化,尤其是与Ca的化学计量的变化。为了验证上述假设,本研究利用3种C₄植物和11种C₃植物,研究了植物N/P化学计量比值的波动随N与Ca和P与Ca化学计量的变化模式:对C₄植物来说,N/P比值的波动主要受生物量P与Ca化学计量变化的影响;而对C₃植物来说,则同时受N与Ca和P与Ca化学计量变化的控制,它们之间的相对控制能力的大小将决定植物N/P比值波动的变化梯度,C₄植物和C₃植物的N/P比值的波动都要受土壤pH值的影响。本研究对了解物种丰度和N对P的相对可利用性、N与Ca,以及P与Ca的化学计量之间关系具有重要意义。     

C3 and C4 Biomass Allocation Responses to Elevated CO2 and Nitrogen: Contrasting Resource Capture Strategies

Plants alter biomass allocation to optimize resource capture. Plant strategy for resource capture may have important implications in intertidal marshes, where soil nitrogen (N) levels and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) are changing. We conducted a factorial manipulation of atmospheric CO₂ (ambient and ambient?+?340?ppm) and soil N (ambient and ambient?+?25?g?m^?2?year^?1) in an intertidal marsh composed of common North Atlantic C₃ and C₄ species. Estimation of C₃ stem turnover was used to adjust aboveground C₃ productivity, and fine root productivity was partitioned into C₃?CC₄ functional groups by isotopic analysis. The results suggest that the plants follow resource capture theory. The C₃ species increased aboveground productivity under the added N and elevated CO₂ treatment (P?<?0.0001), but did not under either added N or elevated CO₂ alone. C₃ fine root production decreased with added N (P?<?0.0001), but fine roots increased under elevated CO₂ (P?=?0.0481). The C₄ species increased growth under high N availability both above- and belowground, but that stimulation was diminished under elevated CO₂. The results suggest that the marsh vegetation allocates biomass according to resource capture at the individual plant level rather than for optimal ecosystem viability in regards to biomass influence over the processes that maintain soil surface elevation in equilibrium with sea level.     

Carboxylic acid distribution patterns of temperate C3 and C4 crops

Agricultural grasses cover a major part of the land surface in temperate agro-ecosystems and contribute significantly to the formation of soil organic matter. Crop-derived lipids are assumed to be responsible for fast carbon turnover in soils. Differences in lipid distribution patterns between crops following C₃ and C₄ photosynthesis pathways have rarely been described, but could be useful for source apportionment of crop-derived input into soils or sediments. The distribution of long chain n-carboxylic acids (C₂₂, C₂₄, C₂₆) reveals significant differences between crop plants following either the C₃ or the C₄ photosynthetic carbon fixation pathway. The plant compartments leaves, stems and roots of C₄ plants contain relatively large proportions (> 40%) of n-C₂₄ carboxylic acid when compared to C₃ plants. These reveal larger relative proportions of n-C₂₂ and n-C₂₆ acids, whose relative abundance is subject to change between different plant compartments and during the growing season. The carboxylic acid ratio [CAR = n-C₂₄/(n-C₂₂ + n-C₂₆) carboxylic acids] provides distinct ratios for C₄ (> 0.67) and C₃ crops (< 0.67) and can thus be used as a molecular marker for the differentiation of crop plant biomass. In combination with the bulk stable carbon isotopic composition (δ¹³C) the CAR can be used as a tool for the estimation of the C₄ derived carbon proportion in soils or sediments.     

Seasonal changes in stable carbon isotopic composition of n-alkanes in the marine aerosols from the western North Pacific: Implications for the source and atmospheric transport

To constrain seasonal changes in the long-range atmospheric transport of land-derived lipid biomarker compounds, we investigated the compound-specific stable isotopic composition of marine aerosol n-alkanes collected from 1990 to 1993 at a remote island, Chichi-Jima (27°04′N, 142°13′E), in the western North Pacific. Compound-specific isotope analysis revealed, in particular, strong seasonal changes in the δ¹³C values of the C₂₉ and C₃₁n-alkanes (biomarkers for higher plants). Lighter δ¹³C values were observed in winter (typically −32 to −34‰), with a transition to heavier values in summer (typically −28 to −31‰). Using a mixing equation and typical end members for C₃ and C₄ plants, we found that this is due to relative increases in the contributions from C₄ plants in the summer season. Using backward air-mass trajectory analyses, it was shown that the Asian continent was the major source region for C₃ plant material during winter/spring, whereas Indonesia/Australia and possibly the Americas were the major source regions for C₄ material during the summer/autumn. Also observed was an enhanced atmospheric transport of n-alkanes from C₄ plants in 1991 summer/autumn during a strong El Nino event, which was associated with forest and bushfires in Indonesia and Australia. In addition to providing information on contemporary processes, this study also provides a base for future paleoclimatological work in ocean sediments.     

Distribution patterns and stable carbon isotopic composition of alkanes and alkan-1-ols from plant waxes of African rain forest and savanna C3 species

Leaf wax components of terrestrial plants are an important source of biomass in the geological records of soils, lakes and marine sediments. Relevant to the emerging use of plant wax derived biomarkers as proxies for past vegetation composition this study provides key data for C₃ plants of tropical and subtropical Africa. We present analytical results for 45 savanna species and 24 rain forest plants sampled in their natural habitats. Contents and distribution patterns of long chain n-alkanes (n-C₂₅ to n-C₃₅) and n-alkan-1-ols (n-C₂₄ to n-C₃₄) as well as bulk and molecular carbon isotopic data are presented. The variations of the analysed parameters among different growth forms (herb, shrub, liana and tree) are small within the vegetation zones, whereas characteristic differences occur between the signatures of rain forest and savanna plants. Therefore, we provide averaged histogram representations for rain forest and savanna C₃ plants.The findings were compared to previously published data of typical C₄ grass waxes of tropical and subtropical Africa. Generally, trends to longer n-alkane chains and less negative carbon isotopic values are evident from rain forest over C₃ savanna to C₄ vegetation. For n-alkanols of rain forest plants the maximum of the averaged distribution pattern is between those of C₃ savanna plants and C₄ grasses. The averaged presentations for tropical and subtropical vegetation and their characteristics may constitute useful biomarker proxies for studies analysing the expansion and contraction of African vegetation zones.     

Patterns and implications of plant-soil δC and δN values in African savanna ecosystems

Southern African savannas are mixed plant communities where C₃ trees co-exist with C₄ grasses. Here foliar δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C were used as indicators of nitrogen uptake and of water use efficiency to investigate the effect of the rainfall regime on the use of nitrogen and water by herbaceous and woody plants in both dry and wet seasons. Foliar δ¹⁵N increased as aridity rose for both C₃ and C₄ plants for both seasons, although the magnitude of the increase was different for C₃ and C₄ plants and for two seasons. Soil δ¹⁵N also significantly increased with aridity. Foliar δ¹³C increased with aridity for C₃ plants in the wet season but not in the dry season, whereas in C₄ plants the relationship was more complex and non-linear. The consistently higher foliar δ¹⁵N for C₃ plants suggests that C₄ plants may be a superior competitor for nitrogen. The different foliar δ¹³C relationships with rainfall may indicate that the C₃ plants have an advantage when competing for water resources. The differences in water and nitrogen use likely collectively contribute to the tree-grass coexistence in savannas. Such differences facilitate interpretations of palaeo-vegetation composition variations and help predictions of vegetation composition changes under future climatic scenarios.     

Carbon isotope composition of long chain leaf wax n-alkanes in lake sediments: A dual indicator of paleoenvironment in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C values) of long chain n-alkanes in lake sediments has been considered a reliable means of tracking changes in the terrigenous contribution of plants with C₃ and C₄ photosynthetic pathways. A key premise is that long chain leaf wax components used for isotope analysis are derived primarily from terrigenous higher plants. The role of aquatic plants in affecting δ¹³C values of long chain n-alkanes in lacustrine sediments may, however, have long been underestimated. In this study, we found that a large portion of long chain n-alkanes (C₂₇ and C₂₉) in nearshore sediments of the Lake Qinghai catchment was contributed by submerged aquatic plants, which displayed a relatively positive carbon isotope composition (e.g. −26.7‰ to −15.7‰ for C₂₉) similar to that of terrestrial C₄ plants. Thus, the use of δ¹³C values of sedimentary C₂₇ and C₂₉ n-alkanes for tracing terrigenous vegetation composition may create a bias toward significant overestimation/underestimation of the proportion of terrestrial C₄ plants. For sedimentary C₃₁, however, the contribution from submerged plants was minor, so that the δ¹³C values for C₃₁ n-alkane in surface sediments were in accord with those of the modern terrestrial vegetation in the Lake Qinghai region. Moreover, we found that changes in the δ¹³C values of sedimentary C₂₇ and C₂₉ n-alkanes were closely related to water depth variation. Downcore analysis further demonstrated the significant influence of endogenous lipids in lake sediments for the interpretation of terrestrial C₄ vegetation and associated environment/climate reconstruction. In conclusion, our results suggest that the δ¹³C values of sedimentary long chain n-alkanes (C₂₇, C₂₉ and C₃₁) may carry different environmental signals. While the δ¹³C values of C₃₁ were a reliable proxy for C₄/C₃ terrestrial vegetation composition, the δ¹³C values of C₂₇ and C₂₉ n-alkanes may have recorded lake ecological conditions and sources of organic carbon, which might be affected by lake water depth.     

C3、C4植物及其硅酸体研究的古生态意义

本文概述了C₃、C₄植物生理、生态学意义、地理分布及其相应的植物硅酸体形态,进一步讨论了C₃、C₄植物硅酸体形态在我国表层土壤中的分布规律及生态学意义。最后,对洛川黑木沟全新世黄土剖面中C₃、C₄植物硅酸体形态变化特点做了分析,表明地层中典型的C₃、C₄植物硅酸体形态,作为古植物的直接证据,可以较准确地反映古植被、古环境的变化规律。     

The occurence of unusual C27 and C29 sterane predominances in two types of Oman crude oil

Two types of Oman crude oils reveal unusual sterane distributions. Type “A”, which is the more common (74 examples), is characterised by a predominance of C₂₉ iso- and normal-steranes and generally none or only very low relative concentrations of rearranged-steranes. The triterpanes are characterised by the predominance of the C₂₉ 17αH, 21βH norhopane over the C₃₀ 17αH, 21βH hopane and non-predominant C₂₀–C₃₀ tricyclic terpanes. The C₂₉ steranes of this type of crude were not derived from the C₂₉ sterols of land-plant origin (frequently proposed as the source of C₂₉ steranes) since there is good geological evidence that these crudes were generated from a pre-Cambrian source rock, a geological period when land-plants did not exist.The type “B” crude oil (11 known examples) is characterised by a strong predominance of C₂₇ iso-, normal- and rearranged-steranes, relatively lower concentrations of 17αH, 21βH hopanes and relatively high concentrations of C₂₀–C₃₀ tricyclic terpanes.The remarkably different biomarker characteristics of these crude oils imply that the organisms active in the depositional environment of the respective source rocks were significantly different.     

Vegetation and climate variability in East Asia driven by low-latitude oceanic forcing during the middle to late Holocene

At centennial to millennial timescales, little is known of C₃ and C₄ plant productivity’s responses to past regional climate changes and the dominant forcing factors during the Holocene, although large-scale changes in glacial-interglacial periods have been attributed to changes in aridity, temperature, and CO₂ concentration. We investigated the δ¹³C of TOC, C/N ratios, and pollen in samples from a wetland on Jeju Island, Korea. The bulk isotopic signal ranging from ?17‰ to ?29‰ was partitioned into C₃ and C₄ plant signals by using a binary mixing model and calculating separate organic carbon-accumulation rates for C₃ and C₄ plants (OCAR₃ and OCAR₄) during the last 6500 years. Pollen data indicated that the temperate deciduous broadleaved trees replaced grassland dominated by Artemisia, dry-tolerant grass, and further expanded in the maar. The long-term decreasing trend of Artemisia-dominated grassland was similar to those of δ¹³C values and OCAR₄. The multi-centennial to millennial variability superimposed on the gradual increasing trend of OCAR₃ was inversely correlated with those of the sea surface temperature (SST) in the western tropical Pacific (WTP) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) activity, suggesting that C₃ plants have stronger sensitivity to regional climate change driven by oceanic forcing. Our data suggest that vegetation changes in a coastal area in East Asia were affected by monsoonal changes coupled with SST in WTP and ENSO activity. The vegetation change on Jeju Island varied quite differently from change in the westerly pathway, suggesting only a weak influence from high-latitude-driven atmospheric circulation changes. We conclude that centennial- to millennial-scale climate changes in coastal regions of East Asia during the mid- to late-Holocene may have been mainly controlled by low-latitudinal oceanic forcing, including forcing by SST and ENSO activity.     

Isotopic compositions of tropical East African flora and their potential as source indicators of organic matter in coastal marine sediments

The C and N stable isotope compositions of some flora of East Africa from coastal Tanzania and Amboseli National Park (Kenya) are used to assess if they can be used as a terrestrial end member during the estimation of terrestrial fraction in coastal marine sediments. The results of C isotope composition of various tree leaves, which average −29.3 ± 1.4%, indicate that these tropical higher land plant species follow a Calvin-Benson or non-Kranz (C₃) type of metabolism. The results for grass species, which average −13.2 ± 2.4%, indicate that most of them follow a Hatch-Slack or Kranz (C₄) type of metabolism. However, some of the succulent plants from the Amboseli National Park have δ¹³C values that average −14.7%, an indication that they follow a CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) type of metabolism. The N isotope values are relatively higher than expected for the terrestrial organic material. The average δ¹⁵N values for both tree and grass samples are higher than 5% and fall within the range normally considered to be marine. The high enrichment in ¹⁵N may be related to the environmental conditions in which plants thrive. Plants growing in sandy, dry and overgrazed environments are expected to be enriched in ¹⁵N owing to full utilisation of all available N species, regardless of their isotopic compositions. Other processes which may cause an enrichment in ¹⁵N include adsorption by various types of clay minerals, supply of ¹⁵N-enriched nitrate through sea-spray, and local denitrification, especially in swampy and lake margins where the input of organic matter may be higher than the rate of decomposition.The stable isotopic composition of organic C and N for surficial organic matter for the coastal marine sediments averages −17.0 ± 0.9% and 5.4 ± 1.1%, respectively. These values indicate a substantial contribution of C₄ plants and sea grasses. However, contribution of C₄ relative to that of sea grasses can not be evaluated owing to the fact that there is no significant difference in the isotopic compositions between the two groups.In the savannah environment, where a contribution from the C₄ types of plants might be substantial, the δ¹³C value for a terrestrial end member needs to be established prior to evaluation of the terrestrially derived organic matter in the marine environment. Owing to a significant contribution of sea grasses to the total organic matter preserved in coastal marine sediments, the stable isotopes of organic C seem to have a limited applicability as source indicators in the East African coastal waters. Furthermore, the results indicate that N stable isotopes seem to have a limited applicability as source indicators in coastal waters of East Africa. However, more work needs to be conducted to determine the terrestrial and sea grass end member values for the coastal areas.     

新疆罗北洼地湖相沉积物有机碳同位素的变化序列及其古环境意义

测定了新疆罗布泊地区湖相沉积物CK-2钻孔样品的总有机碳含量（TOC）及其同位素组成、碳酸盐含量和C/N比值等环境代用指标,以及石膏矿物的质谱-铀系年龄。测试结果表明,20～9kaB.P.期间沉积物δ¹³C_org.在-23.4‰～-16.1‰之间波动且阶段性明显,与TOC呈现良好的相关关系,整体变化趋势同南极Dome C冰芯中记录的全球大气CO₂浓度一致;C/N比值表明有机碳来源主要是陆生高等植物。因此大气CO₂浓度变化是影响20～9kaB.P.期间罗布泊湖相沉积物δ¹³C_org.值变化的主导因素,周围山体上C₃/C₄植物相对生物量的变化则是另一重要因素。依据δ¹³C_org.的变化序列将此时间段湖区古环境的演化分成6个阶段:20.0～14.1kaB.P.期间受到末次盛冰期的影响,气温偏低,湖水丰沛;14.1～13.3kaB.P.是一个气候不稳定期,冷暖波动较频繁,但以暖为趋势;13.3～12.8kaB.P.期间经历了一段冷期,于12.8kaB.P.结束了末次冰期,随后气候开始转暖至11.8kaB.P.;其后气温再次变冷并维持到10kaB.P.;最后从10kaB.P.进入全新世暖期。δ¹³C_org.序列明显向偏负方向变化,表明该地区变暖的趋势相当明显。罗布泊地区日益干旱化是全球气候变化的结果,尤其是受到全球CO₂浓度的不断升高所制约。     

Tectonics or climate: What drove the Miocene global expansion of C4 grasslands?

Investigations into the most plausible causes which triggered the Late Miocene global expansion of C₄ grasslands have reached no consensus and are still being debated. The global decline in CO₂ levels in the Late Miocene has been thought to be the most common driver. Although C₄ grassland expansion was largely confined to the Late Miocene, their first appearance varied significantly in different parts of the Old and New world and therefore emphasizes role of local and/or regional factors may or may not be in combination with one or more global factors. The dynamic Himalayan orogen constitutes a significant global tectonic event that is believed to have affected global climate. Hence, a study of the Himalayan foreland basin sediments could help in gleaning out possible causes behind this major paleoecologic event, which could perhaps be directly or indirectly related. Stable carbon isotope analyses of a total of 141 pedogenic carbonates in the Mio-Pleistocene Siwalik paleosols of the Ramnagar sub-basin are coherent, providing a better insight into paleovegetational changes across the sub-basin on temporal and spatial scales. Furthermore, paleovegetational history during Oligocene is reconstructed from Dagshai paleosols exposed in the Subathu sub-basin. The isotopic results show dominance of C₃ vegetation pre-7 Ma and dominance of C₄ vegetation post-5 Ma. Percentage abundance of C₄ vegetation was less than 20 % pre-7 Ma but increased to more than 40 % post-5 Ma, reaching up to 100 % in the youngest analyzed sediments. There is exclusive dominance of C₃ vegetation during Oligocene. These results conform to the pattern of change in vegetation documented in other parts of the Himalayan belt. The global expansion of C₄ grasslands largely during Late Miocene have long been linked with then climate changes, particularly brought by declining atmospheric CO₂ level, large-scale fires, intensification of monsoon, seasonality, and aridity as demonstrated by various researchers. These major hypotheses explaining expansion of C₄ grasslands during Late Miocene are not very convincing due to significant shortcomings associated with them, for example, expansion of C₄ grasslands in non-monsoonal regions put serious constraints on the monsoonal intensification hypothesis. Likewise, aridity as being the primary driver of C₄ grassland expansion seems hard to support since there is no substantial evidence that could suggest global onset of arid conditions at about same geologic time, and some most arid periods, like the Triassic, show no evidence of C₄ plants. We suggest that the initial lowering of CO₂ below 450 ppmV created an environment for the beginning of C₄ vegetation, but the persistence of this threshold value for a considerable time during Late Miocene appears to be the probable cause of the Late Miocene global expansion of C₄ grasslands irrespective of their time of first appearance. It has been deduced through the correlation of Himalayan tectonic events with atmospheric CO₂ levels and paleovegetational changes since Upper Miocene times that it was indeed the Late Miocene continuous, intense tectonic instability of the Himalayas that significantly decreased atmospheric CO₂ levels and which perhaps played a key role in changing the nature of photosynthetic pathways.