Climatic conditions recorded by terrestrial mollusc assemblages in the Chinese Loess Plateau during marine Oxygen Isotope Stages 12–10

Past analogs for our present interglacial have been sought for better understanding of our present and future climate. Marine Isotope Stage 11 (MIS 11) has long been considered to be a good candidate and has gained increasing attention in recent studies of marine and terrestrial records. In the Chinese loess–paleosol sequences, S4 soil, interpreted as equivalent to MIS 11, yields a very precise terrestrial paleoclimate record of environmental changes that prevailed during this period. In this study, two high-resolution terrestrial mollusc records from the Loess Plateau have been analyzed to characterize climate variability during the periods of MIS 12–10. The changes in environment and climate, indicated by the variations in abundance of land mollusc species, are thus documented. Our mollusc results show that the L5 loess, equivalent of MIS 12, developed under relatively cold and dry conditions. Climate during this period was not as severe as indicated in the marine isotopic records. An episode of warmer and more humid condition occurred at the middle stage of the MIS 12, reflecting a summer monsoon strengthened during the glacial interval. A similar scenario has been observed in the middle part of MIS 10. In addition, our mollusc records provide insight into the climate conditions over the Loess Plateau during MIS 11, a general warm–humid climate dominated during the formation of S4 soil. But at least four fluctuations occurred at Xifeng region, reflecting unstable climate conditions and regional climate differences within the Loess Plateau during this period. Our study shows that the early part of S4, spanning over 30 ka, was very warm and humid, while the late part was characterized by mild-cool conditions. Comparison of mollusc species compositions of both MIS 11 and Holocene intervals reveals different climate conditions. The early part of MIS 11 was warmer and more humid than the Holocene optimum period, while the late part of MIS 11 was similar or cooler. Our study indicates that the extent of warming during the Holocene in the Loess Plateau might be significantly less than the conditions that prevailed during the MIS 11 interglacial period.     

Climatic implications of alternating clay and carbonate formation in semiarid soils of South-Central Montana

Evidence for climatic change is found in petrographic thin sections from soils formed on glaciofluvial deposits of Rock Creek and the lower Clarks Fork, Montana. These soils, presently in a semiarid climate, range from late Pliocene to Holocene in age, and have undergone periodic fluctuations in soil moisture caused by climatic changes. In the lower parts of soil B horizons, accretion of illuvial layers of clay (argillans) occurs mainly during wet (glacial) climatic periods, whereas carbonate precipitates mainly during dry (interglacial) climatic periods. Thin-section studies of the argillan and carbonate layers show that: (1) post-Pinedale soils that have formed only in the present interglacial climate contain areas of secondary carbonate unrelated to argillans, (2) soils formed on outwash of successively older glaciations contain proportionately more alternating layers of argillans and carbonate, and (3) the maximum number and sequence of layers in a soil correspond to the number of local cycles of glacial-outwash deposition and subsequent stream incision that followed the beginning of soil formation. These cycles are inferred to correspond to local glacial-interglacial fluctuations. The correspondence between the microscopic record and the glacial-outwash record for Rock Creek suggests that some of the climatic changes seen in the marine oxygen-isotope record did not strongly affect the study area.     

Impacts of tectonic and orbital forcing on East African climate: a comparison based on global climate model simulations

A global atmosphere–ocean model has been forced with topographic and orbital scenarios in order to evaluate the relative role of both factors for the past climate of East Africa. Forcing the model with a significantly reduced topography in Eastern and Southern Africa leads to a distinct increase in moisture transport from the Indian Ocean into the eastern part of the continent and increased precipitation in Eastern Africa. Simulations with step-wise reduced height show that this climate change occurs continuously with the change in topography, i.e., an abrupt change of local climatic features with a critical height is not found. Simulations of the last interglacial (at 125,000 years before present, i.e., the Eemian interglacial) and the last glacial inception (at 115,000 years before present) are used as examples for the role of orbital-induced changes in insolation. Here, changes in meridional temperature gradients lead to modifications in moisture transport of similar order of magnitude, but with different spatial and seasonal structure. For the Eemian interglacial, a distinct increase in summer moisture transport from the Atlantic deep into the continent at around 20°N is simulated.     

Paleoecology of two marine oxygen isotope stage 7 sites correlated by the Sheep Creek tephra, northwestern North America

Pollen analysis at two sites, correlated by the presence of the 190,000 yr-old Sheep Creek tephra, documents fluctuations in vegetation and climate consistent with this date and indicates that the records span marine oxygen isotope stage 7 and the stage 6/7 transition. Dawson Cut, near Fairbanks, Alaska, provides a 5.2-m-long pollen record of interglacial boreal forest succeeded by shrub tundra and then forest/tundra. Ash Bend, Stewart River, central Yukon, provides a 9.5-m-long record of interglacial boreal forest succeeded by forest/tundra, shrub tundra, and herbaceous tundra. The replacement of forest at both sites by more open or tundra vegetation indicates warm interglacial conditions giving way to cold and arid climate. It is not clear whether stage 7 was warmer than the present. The warm-cool-warm climate oscillation evident at both sites may correlate to Lake Baikal substages 7a, 7b, and 7c. Sheep Creek tephra fell on forest/tundra vegetation.     

An early–middle Eocene Antarctic summer monsoon: Evidence of ‘fossil climates’

A warmer and mostly ice-free South polar region prevailed during the early–middle Eocene, indicative of a low latitudinal temperature gradient. Climatic models mostly fail to reconstruct such a low gradient, demonstrating our poor understanding of the mechanisms involved in heat transfer. Here we describe a new phenomenon that shaped the southern high latitude climate during the early–middle Eocene: the Antarctic summer monsoon. Our palaeoclimatic reconstruction is based on 25 morphotypes of fossil dicotyledonous leaves from the early–middle Eocene fossil leaf assemblage of Fossil Hill from King George Island, the Antarctic Peninsula. We use a novel CLAMP (Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program) calibration which includes new climatic parameters that allow us to characterise better the seasonality in precipitation. Our reconstruction indicates a warm humid temperate climate with strong seasonality in temperature and precipitation. Seasonality in precipitation indicates a rainfall rate of 6.4 ± 1.30 mm/day during summer (summer daily rate of precipitation; SDR) and a summer precipitation representing more than 60.3 ± 8.28% of annual rainfall (ratio of summer precipitation; RSP), which fulfils the definition of a summer monsoon in the modern world. This implies a seasonal alternation of high- and low-pressure systems over Antarctica during the early–middle Eocene. Such a climate regime would have impacted upon global atmospheric circulation and heat transfer. This climatic regime presents a challenge for climatic models and their ability to reconstruct accurately palaeoclimates at high southern latitudes and thereby understand latitudinal heat transfer in a ‘greenhouse Earth’ regime.     

Bryophytes from the last interglacial/glacial cycle, Jameson Land, East Greenland

Subfossil bryophyte remains from Jameson Land, central East Greenland reveal diverse moss floras from the Langelandselv interglacial and the Hugin Sø interstadial. Around 30 species are reported as new subfossils from Greenland, indicating our insufficient knowledge of earlier bryophyte floras in the area. Among the species found from the Langelandselv interglacial. Several are southern and do not reach as far north as Jameson Land today, thus indicating a slightly warmer climate than at present in the area. The climate indications for the Hugin Sø interstadial are less clear, and further studies are necessary before delinitivc conclusions can he drawn. A large proportion of the found taxa indicate mineral-rich or intermediately mineral-rich conditions. Several wetland species indicate moving water, and a few sometimes or exclusively ( Sanionia nivalis ) occur in connection with late snow beds or meltwater brooks. Abundant material or the Polytrichaceae and of Racomitrum indicates that more or less unstable soil. with sparse vascular plant cover, was relatively abundant.     

Appraisal of the future climate of the Holocene in the Rocky Mountains

Consideration of the history of Holocene climate in the Rocky Mountains indicates that the over-all trend during the past 2500 yr has been toward increasing warmth, interrupted by cooler times of minor advances of cirque glaciers. Comparison of Holocene climatic history with the record of past interglacials in the region suggests that the present interglacial is not complete and that the climate may become first warmer and subsequently wetter before it is completed. Correlation of the timing of the regional glacial-interglacial record for the past 140,000 yr with the record of major sea level changes and with the calculated changes in the earth's insolation suggest that the present interglacial may be completed within a few millenia and that it may be followed by a significant cooling of the climate.     

Terrestrial and freshwater carbonates in Hoxnian interglacial deposits, UK: micromorphology, stable isotopic composition and palaeoenvironmental significance

MIS 11 is often considered to be the best climatic analogue for the Holocene. Many studies have suggested, however, that it is a period of extreme climate warmth comparable in temperatures to the Middle and Late Pliocene. In Britain deposits of the Hoxnian interglacial are correlated to MIS 11 and multi-proxy techniques can be used to reconstruct the climate of this interglacial. Soil, groundwater and freshwater carbonates are common in Hoxnian deposits and the stable isotopic composition of these precipitates can be used to increase our understanding of MIS 11 environments in Britain. Carbonates from Marks Tey, Clacton, Swanscombe, Elveden and West Stow are studied, the stratigraphic context of which indicates that their formation is broadly synchronous (in the mid-Hoxnian, pollen zones Ho II to Ho III). The carbon isotopic composition of groundwater and pedogenic carbonates is typically depleted with respect to δ¹³C (ca −9 to −8‰ VPDB) reflecting uptake of plant respired CO₂ during water migration/recharge. The carbon isotopic composition of lacustrine carbonate is more enriched with respect to δ¹³C (ca 0-1‰VPDB) reflecting the equilibration of lake waters with atmospheric CO₂. The δ¹⁸O of groundwater and pedogenic carbonates is slightly more enriched than modern soil carbonates but not as enriched as soil carbonates formed under interglacials that were warmer than the Holocene (i.e. the Cromerian). The stable isotopic composition of Hoxnian carbonates does not, therefore, indicate that this interglacial was characterised by uniquely warm climates in the context of other Middle Pleistocene interglacials and the Holocene. This is contrary to many marine and littoral records from around the world but consistent with environmental records from Britain and Europe.     

Vegetation context and climatic limits of the Early Pleistocene hominin dispersal in Europe

The vegetation and the climatic context in which the first hominins entered and dispersed in Europe during the Early Pleistocene are reconstructed, using literature review and a new climatic simulation. Both in situ fauna and in situ pollen at the twelve early hominin sites under consideration indicate the occurrence of open landscapes: grasslands or forested steppes. The presence of ancient hominins (Homo of the erectus group) in Europe is only possible at the transition from glacial to interglacial periods, the full glacial being too cold for them and the transition interglacial to glacial too forested. Glacial–interglacial cycles forced by obliquity showed paralleled vegetation successions, which repeated c. 42 times during the course of the Early Pleistocene (2.58–0.78 Ma), providing 42 narrow windows of opportunity for hominins to disperse into Europe.The climatic conditions of this Early Pleistocene vegetation at glacial-interglacial transitions are compared with a climatic simulation for 9 ka ago without ice sheet, as this time period is so far the best analogue available. The climate at the beginning of the present interglacial displayed a stronger seasonality than now. Forest cover would not have been hampered though, clearly indicating that other factors linked to refugial location and soils leave this period relatively free of forests. Similar situations with an offset between climate and vegetation at the beginning of interglacials repeated themselves throughout the Quaternary and benefitted the early hominins when colonising Europe.The duration of this open phase of vegetation at the glacial–interglacial transition was long enough to allow colonisation from the Levant to the Atlantic.The twelve sites fall within rather narrow ranges of summer precipitation and temperature of the coldest month, suggesting the hominins had only a very low tolerance to climate variability.     

黄土高原古气候变化定量重建的新进展

中国黄土- 红黏土沉积是可与深海沉积媲美的陆相沉积载体,记录了晚新生代东亚大陆气候环境变化历史。基于中国黄土的多种理化指标,重建了黄土高原地区构造- 千年尺度东亚季风变化历史,为探讨区域与全球气候的联系提供了关键证据。近年来,黄土高原古气候变化研究逐步从定性描述拓展到定量重建,本文旨在回顾基于中国黄土定量重建古温度和古降雨变化取得的重要进展。首先,梳理了古气候要素定量重建的指标和方法,古温度重建指标包括植硅体、碳酸盐耦合同位素、微生物脂类代用指标等;古降水变化敏感指标包括磁化率、白云石/方解石含量、生物微钙体Sr/Ca比值、有机碳同位素以及10Be等。然后,汇总了典型黄土剖面定量重建的古气候变化序列,分别从构造、轨道及千年时间尺度上探讨了古温度和古降雨的变化特征。结果表明,基于生标重建的不同时间跨度的土壤古温度变化序列,在冰期—间冰期尺度上的波动特征基本一致,但在冰盛期—冰消期时段出现了增温超前现象,说明陆地植被对土壤温度变化有重要调制作用。然而,不同指标重建的降水变化幅度差异较大,主导周期也存在差异,说明定量重建降水变化仍有较大挑战。最后,简要总结了黄土高原古气候定量重建存在的问题,明确了区分温度和降水季节性变化的重要性,指出加强地质记录与模拟结果的对比同化,将有助深化对多尺度季风变化动力学的理解。     

Seven ambiguities in the Mediterranean palaeoenvironmental narrative

A review of seven outstanding issues on Mediterranean palaeoenvironments is presented. These are related to the dominant orbital pacing of climate variability, the length of the interglacial vegetation succession, the influence of the African summer monsoon, the seasonality of precipitation during boreal insolation maxima, the moisture balance during glacial maxima and the appearance of the mediterranean-type climate rhythm and evolution of mediterranean sclerophyllous plants. What emerges is that (1) marine δ¹⁸O_planktonic and SST records show that precession has been a fundamental tempo of Mediterranean climate change, representing both a low-latitude signal (runoff from North Africa) and the direct influence of insolation at Mediterranean latitudes, but high-latitude glacial effects (41-kyr and 100-kyr cycles) became superimposed after 2.8 Ma. Sapropel and dust deposition patterns in marine cores reveal that obliquity also has an effect on Mediterranean climate through dry–wet oscillations, which are independent of glacial–interglacial variability. (2) The temperate part of interglacial vegetation succession has a duration of approximately half a precession cycle. This persisted during the interval of obliquity-dominated glacial cycles (∼2.8–1 Ma), with distinct forest successions following the precessional cycles. However, these are not always separated by an open vegetation phase because of minimal ice growth, producing an impression of a prolonged interglacial forest interval. (3) The effect of an enhanced African monsoon during summer insolation maxima has been mainly indirect, in terms of Nile discharge and runoff along the North African coast, leading to increased freshwater input into the Mediterranean Sea, reduced deep-water ventilation and sapropel deposition. (4) The notion of an accentuated summer rain regime in the northern Mediterranean borderlands also contributing to a freshening of the Mediterranean Sea during boreal insolation maxima is not supported by the available evidence, which suggests increased summer aridity. (5) Recent improvements in chronological precision and data resolution point to an increase in aridity and decreased temperatures during the Last Glacial Maximum (21±2 ka), but suggest an increase in effective moisture during the immediately preceding interval of 24–27 ka. (6) The mediterranean-type climate is not exclusively a post-3.6 Ma phenomenon, but may have appeared intermittently during the course of the Tertiary (or before). (7) If that is the case, then the paradigm that the sclerophyllous evergreen habit represents a pre-adaptation to summer drought may need re-evaluation.     

Holocene climate variability in northernmost Europe

The sediments of a small lake on Nordkinnhalvøya, Finnmark, Norway, were investigated in order to test the hypothesis that this region was sensitive to centennial–millennial climatic fluctuations during the Holocene related to changes in ocean circulation. Sedimentation at the site began during the Younger Dryas, although the site chronology, developed using a series of ¹⁴C age measurements, reveals an early Holocene hiatus in accumulation. Pollen analysis confirmed that the regional vegetation responded to Holocene climatic variability at centennial–millennial time scales and provided data used to make quantitative palaeoclimate reconstructions. The latter indicate that marked changes in seasonality characterised Holocene climatic fluctuations. Intervals with warmer summers, higher temperature sums and higher precipitation, but cooler winters and generally reduced moisture availability, alternated with intervals with cooler summers, lower temperature sums, lower precipitation, warmer winters and greater moisture availability. The former conditions were more prevalent between ca 8950 and 3950 cal BP, whereas the latter were predominant before ca 8950 and since ca 3950 cal BP. Sediment geochemistry indicates minerogenic material deposited in the lake was probably derived from two or more distinct sources or transport pathways that differed in their responses to palaeoclimatic conditions. A series of cryptotephras were located, although the small size of the shards rendered them unsuitable for electron microprobe analyses. Time-series analysis of pollen analytical and sediment geochemical data indicates that each exhibits statistically significant periodic behaviour (at periods of ca 190, 410, 1050, 1650 and 1810 yr). The periods detected suggest this behaviour may reflect regional expression of climate system responses to solar variability and/or of effects upon tides and ocean circulation of periodic lunar orbital variation. Comparison with records of fluctuations in ocean thermohaline circulation strength indicate some concordance with respect to timing of warmer and cooler intervals, but also some differences. The 8.2 ka event, that is evident in marine records from the Barents Sea, is clearly expressed by both the palaeovegetation and geochemical records. Distinctive temporal behaviour of the palaeovegetation and of different geochemical components indicates complexity in the underlying causes and mechanisms of regional climatic variability; ocean circulation variability alone cannot account for the complex climatic variability observed.     

陕西洛川地区全新世中期土壤与气候变化*

在洛川城东全新世中期古土壤剖面中采集了66块样品,利用气量法、磁化率测定、颗粒分析和显微镜观察方法,对土壤层中的CaCO₃含量、磁化率、颗粒成分、微结构进行了分析和鉴定。粒度成分显示洛川中全新世土壤可分为两层,中间为薄层黄土层。实验资料表明,洛川中全新世早期土壤CaCO₃含量低,平均为0.34 ％ ,具有显著淋溶土壤的特征; 小于0.005mm的粘粒含量比马兰黄土高约12 ％ 。粘化层(Bt层)中光性粘土胶膜有一定的发育,而且可见少量块状粘土胶膜存在,表明该层古土壤具有粘粒迁移和粘粒淀积的特征,指示中全新世早期发生的成壤作用比洛川现今成壤作用显著强。由此可以确定,中全新世早期土壤类型应为淋溶褐土, 当时夏季风活动增强,气候比现今明显温湿,年平均降水量至少比现今多100mm余。中全新世晚期古土壤CaCO₃平均含量为2.5 ％ ,淀积型粘土胶膜发育差,以残积粘土为主。中全新世晚期古土壤比早期土壤发育弱,但比该区现代土壤发育强,土壤类型应为典型褐土,当时气候也比现代温湿。中全新世中期6000~5000年间为气候冷干和沙尘暴活动加强的环境恶化期。研究结果对揭示黄土高原中部全新世中期土壤性质和气候变化具有重要意义。     

Spatio-temporal variability in remotely sensed surface soil moisture and its relationship with precipitation and evapotranspiration during the growing season in the Loess Plateau,China

The distribution and variability of surface soil moisture at regional scales is still poorly understood in the Loess Plateau of China. Spatial and temporal dynamics of surface soil moisture is important due to its impact on vegetation growth and its potential feedback to atmospheric and hydrologic processes. In this study, we analyzed surface soil moisture dynamics and the impacts of precipitation and evapotranspiration on surface soil moisture using remote sensing data during the growing season in 2011 for the Loess Plateau, which contain surface soil moisture, precipitation, vegetation index and evapotranspiration. Results indicate that the areas with low surface soil moisture are mainly located in the semi-arid region. Under dry surface soil moisture, evapotranspiration temporal persistence has a higher positive correlation (0.537) with surface soil moisture temporal persistence, and evapotranspiration is very sensitive to surface soil moisture. But under wet surface soil moisture regime, surface soil moisture temporal persistence has a higher negative correlation (?0.621) with evapotranspiration temporal persistence. Correlation of surface soil moisture and monthly precipitation, evapotranspiration and vegetation index illustrated that precipitation was a significant factor influencing surface soil moisture spatial variance. The correlation coefficients between monthly surface soil moisture and precipitation was varied in different climatic regions, which was 0.304 in arid, 0.364 in semi-arid, 0.490 in transitional and 0.300 in semi-humid regions. Surface soil moisture is more sensitive to precipitation, evapotranspiration, in transitional regions between dry and wet climates.     

风尘堆积物中石英颗粒表面微结构特征及其沉积学指示

通过对黄土-沙漠交接带的定边县、黄土高原中部偏南的灵台县表土样品及甘肃灵台剖面不同层位的黄土-古土壤-红粘土样品中石英颗粒的形态特征及表面微结构的观察测试,结果表明红粘土、古土壤及灵台表土原样中石英颗粒表面具有较丰富的次生硅质沉淀和明显的溶蚀痕迹,指示了碎屑石英在沉积之后,由于适宜的温湿气候条件而经历了较强烈的风化成壤改造作用;而定边县表土样及上粉沙层(L9)土样中的石英颗粒表面干净,具有较多的撞击浅坑等风力搬运痕迹。经过双氧水和盐酸清洗过后的石英颗粒的形态特征及表面微结构非常清晰,多为次棱角至次圆状,均具有较丰富的撞击麻点和浅坑,少数样品可见裂纹分布,说明红粘土和上覆的黄土和古土壤一样,主要为风力搬运堆积;但红粘土样中石英颗粒表面所具有的丰富硅质沉淀和明显的溶蚀痕迹,似乎暗示了晚第三纪沉积气候环境显著不同于第四纪的冷干、暖湿气候组合演化格局。     

灵台风尘堆积中钙质结核的地球化学研究

通过对甘肃灵台风成黄土－古土壤－红粘土序列中钙质结核的野外分布及形态特征观察,并对主元素和微量元素进行化学分析,发现结核中氧化物活动给分和惰性组分含量的比值在剖面中自下而上逐渐变大,反映了结核形成时其上覆土层所经历的淋溶程度逐渐增强;而ＭｇＯ含量校正后的ＭｇＯ／Ｃａｏ比值则逐渐减小,批示结核形成时环境温度逐渐降低。灵台剖面自下而上不同层位结核中Ｓｒ／Ｂａ比值及ＣａＣＯ３含量的变化同氧化物含量及比值     

Paleorainfall Reconstructions from Pedogenic Magnetic Susceptibility Variations in the Chinese Loess and Paleosols

The rock magnetic properties of the Chinese loess and paleosols constitute a unique and sensitive record of East Asian paleoclimate through the Quaternary Period. Systematic variations in the concentration and grain size of the magnetic minerals in these sediments have produced systematic variations in the magnetic susceptibility signal, which can be easily and rapidly measured at many sites across the Loess Plateau. Variations in many other rock magnetic properties can be used to identify the key shifts in ferrimagnetic grain size, but magnetic susceptibility alone is sufficiently sensitive to record stadial and interstadial climate stages, as well as glaciations and interglaciations. Past changes in rainfall and monsoon activity for this region are reconstructed from the susceptibility variations. The susceptibility record is calibrated using the modern relationship between rainfall and pedogenic susceptibility on the Loess Plateau. Our rainfall reconstructions identify enhanced summer monsoonal activity in the Chinese Loess Plateau region in the early Holocene and the last interglaciation. In the presently semiarid western area of the plateau, annual precipitation in interglacial times was up to 80% higher than at present; in the more humid southern and eastern areas, values were up to 20% higher than today's levels. During the last glaciation, precipitation decreased across the entire plateau, typically by 25%. The relationship between pedogenic susceptibility, climate, and weathering age was examined over the Northern Hemisphere temperate zone and the observed positive correlation between rainfall and susceptibility indicates that climate, rather than soil age, is the predominant factor that controls pedogenic susceptibility enhancement in loess soils.     

基于多源卫星观测的中国土壤湿度时空特征分析

为了揭示中国表层土壤湿度的时空分布特征及主要影响因子,通过SMAP、SMOS、AMSR2、FY3B和FY3C 5个卫星平台的遥感信息,采用集合平均法合成了2015-2016年中国25 km、逐日表层土壤湿度信息,通过比较5套产品之间的差异来分析卫星产品的不确定性,分析了中国土壤湿度的空间和季节分布特征以及同降雨量和蒸散发量的关联。结果表明:中国表层土壤湿度呈较明显带状分布,与干湿气候带的分布基本一致,总体由西北向东南和东北增加;土壤湿度在大部分地区呈现明显季节变化,主要表现为夏高冬低,不同地区的季节变化特征有所不同;中国60%以上地区,土壤湿度受同步和前期降雨量的强控制影响;中国87.5%的地区土壤湿度和蒸散发呈显著正相关和强依存关系。     

青藏高原隆升与欧亚内陆及北非的干旱化

通过利用一个较为完善的大气环流模式(GCM)进行了一系列青藏高原不断隆升的数值模拟试验结果.共进行了11个改变地形高度的数值试验,即对欧亚大陆上现代大地形所在地区(约10～60°N,50～140°E)陆地上所有格点的地形高度分别取为现代地形高度值的100%,90%,80%,70%,…,10%,外加一个无地形试验MOO,共完成了11个试验.结合与干旱化有关的地质记录,探讨了高原隆起在欧亚内陆及北非干旱演化过程中的作用.结果表明,仅仅改变高原地区地形高度的数值试验结果与气候变化地质记录在趋势上有可比性,青藏高原隆升是中亚及北非地区在地质时间尺度上干旱化加剧的重要原因,但却不是上述干旱区形成的根本原因.     

East Asian monsoon variations during Oxygen Isotope Stage 5: evidence from the northwestern margin of the Chinese loess plateau

We present the results of high-resolution multi-proxy climate studies of the S1 palaeosol, corresponding to oxygen isotope stage (OIS) 5, from the northwestern margin of the Chinese Loess Plateau area. Here, S1 is much thicker (ca. 6–8 m) than in the central Loess Plateau areas (ca. 2 m), where most previous studies have been conducted. Hence, much higher-resolution stratigraphic studies are possible, yielding more insight into the temporal variations of the East Asian monsoon during MIS 5. The frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility, as well as the concentration of secondary carbonate, is used as an indicator of the summer monsoon intensity, and the median particle size as an indicator of the winter monsoon intensity. The results suggest that the northwestern margin of the Chinese Loess Plateau experienced the strongest summer monsoon intensity in sub-stage (OISS) 5e and the weakest in OISS 5a, among the three warmer periods during stage 5. The summer monsoon was weaker in OISS 5b than in OISS 5d. A dusty interval interrupted the second warmer period (5c) and a soil-forming event interrupted the first colder period (5d). The results also suggest that the directions of changes in the intensities of summer and winter monsoons may not always have been proportionately opposite. For example, the weakest summer monsoon occurred in OISS 5a during which the winter monsoon was not the strongest. We further conclude that the winter monsoon during the last interglacial was probably driven by global ice volume fluctuations, while the summer monsoon was primarily controlled by the northern hemisphere solar insolation and was probably modified by a feedback mechanism. That is, the climatic buffering effect of low-latitudinal oceans may have distorted the response of the summer monsoon to insolation variations. Finally, our results do not show the degree of climatic instability comparable to that recorded in the GRIP ice core for the last interglacial (OISS 5e), even though the study area is situated in a region which has been sensitive to climatic changes.