“Greatest lake period” and its palaeo-environment on the Tibetan Plateau

The “greatest lake period” means that the lakes are in the stage of their maximum areas. As the paleo lake shorelines are widely distributed in the lake basins on the Tibetan Plateau, the lake areas during the “greatest lake period” may be inferred by the last highest lake shorelines. They are several, even tens times larger than that at present. According to the analyses of tens of lakes on the Plateau, most dating data fell into the range of 40-25 ka BP, some lasted to 20 ka BP. It was corresponded to the stage 3 of marine isotope and interstitial of last glaciation. The occurrence of maximum areas of lakes marked the very humid period on the Plateau and was also related to the stronger summer monsoon during that period.     

"Greatest lake period"|and its palaeo-environment on the Tibetan Plateau

The “greatest lake period” means that the lakes are in the stage of their maximum areas. As the paleo lake shorelines are widely distributed in the lake basins on the Tibetan Plateau, the lake areas during the “greatest lake period” may be inferred by the last highest lake shorelines. They are several, even tens times larger than that at present. According to the analyses of tens of lakes on the Plateau, most dating data fell into the range of 40-25 ka BP, some lasted to 20 ka BP. It was corresponded to the stage 3 of marine isotope and interstitial of last glaciation. The occurrence of maximum areas of lakes marked the very humid period on the Plateau and was also related to the stronger summer monsoon during that period.     

班戈错盐湖古湖岸堤石英光释光年代学及其古环境指示意义研究

古湖岸堤是湖泊湖面变化的地貌学证据,通过古湖岸堤沉积年代学研究可重建地质时期湖泊演化历史。青藏高原内陆湖泊众多,保存了大量的第四纪时期古湖岸堤,是研究过去湖泊演化和气候变化信息的重要载体。对青藏高原班戈错盐湖北岸和东岸的低位连续古湖岸堤开展了地貌调查和光释光年代学研究。结果表明班戈错自末次冰消期(13. 5±1. 2 ka BP)以来,湖面整体呈波动下降过程,期间出现了4期湖面稳定阶段,分别在末次冰消期(13. 5±1. 2～11. 2±1. 0 ka BP)、全新世早中期(10. 1±0. 8～6. 5±0. 5 ka BP)、全新世后期(4. 2±0. 4～3. 1±0. 2 ka BP)以及全新世晚期(1. 7±0. 1～1. 2±0. 1 ka BP)。全新世晚期约1. 7 ka BP以后湖面迅速退缩,湖泊蒸发浓缩进入盐湖阶段。在末次冰消期班戈错高湖面形成主要与北半球太阳辐射强度增加引起气温升高,导致区域冰雪融水量增加相关,而在全新世湖面变化主要受印度季风强度变化控制。     

Late Quaternary Qaidam lake histories and implications for an MIS 3 “Greatest Lakes” period in northwest China

Da Qaidam and Xiao Qaidam are two of a number of lakes in northwestern China whose lake histories have been used to support the notion of a “Greatest Lakes” period in the region during marine isotope stage (MIS) 3. Reappraisal of the basins’ geomorphology, however, suggests that both lakes are highly problematic proxies for past climate. Xiao Qaidam has a low overflow threshold, only ~10–12 m above the lake surface, well below previously estimated high stands, and until about 17–23 ka BP Da Qaidam was occasionally fed by a river whose flow into the lake basin was geomorphically, rather than climatically controlled. Based on limited optically stimulated luminescence dating of shoreline and alluvial sediments it appears that highstands in the basins occurred ~100 ka BP or earlier. The two lakes are thus part of an increasing number of lake records that suggest, at least in northwestern China, (1) some lake histories may not record climate events, and (2) that the “Greatest Lakes” high stands occurred much earlier than previously recognized.     

40 kaBP来亚非季风演化趋势及青藏高原泛湖期

基于18个黄土/古土壤序列 (黄土高原与青藏高原) 与27个湖泊沉积序列 (青藏高原、新疆、云南与赤道非洲及其以北的非洲季风区) 对比分析了东亚季风区、印度季风区与非洲季风区40 ka以来的区域环境演变特征。结果显示：上述区域在对应岁差周期的高太阳辐射阶段,也就是40~24 kaBP与14~4 kaBP分别经历了一次环境湿润期,而在末次冰期最盛期,除中国云南、青藏高原及新疆部分地区外,其他地区则较为干燥。青藏高原及其北侧的新疆区,40~24 kaBP比14~4 kaBP气候更为湿润,湖泊呈现40 ka以来的最高最大湖面,高原进入一次泛湖期。而非洲区及黄土高原,则与此相反;14~4 kaBP气候比40~24 kaBP更为湿润、适宜,湖面更高,成壤作用更强。40~24 kaBP,印度季风强盛,加强了对高原的水汽与潜热输送,同时,由于北方冰盖的存在,西风气流则相对南移,增加了对高原的影响,两种气流交互作用引起的强降水,可能是造成湖泊显著扩张的主要原因。     

Holocene environmental changes around Xiaohe Cemetery and its effects on human occupation,Xinjiang, China

The Xiaohe Cemetery archaeological site (Cal. 4–3.5 ka BP) is one of the most important Bronze Age sites in Xinjiang, China. Although the surrounding environment is an extremely arid desert now, abundant archaeological remains indicate that human occupation was common during certain periods in the Holocene. Field investigations and laboratory analyses of a sediment profile near the Xiaohe Cemetery indicate that while the regional environment was arid desert throughout the Holocene there were three episodes of lake formation near the site in the periods 4.8–3.5 ka BP, 2.6–2.1 ka BP and 1.2–0.9 ka BP. Geomorphic and hydrological investigations reveal that a lake or lakes formed in a low-lying area when water was derived initially from the Kongque River and then shunted into the Xiaohe River basin. Low amounts of active chemical elements in lacustrine sediment between 4.8–3.5 ka BP indicate abundant and continuous water volume in the lake; the content of active chemical elements increased between 2.6–2.1 ka BP but was still at a relatively low level, suggesting a declining amount of water and diminished inflow. Between 1.2–0.9 ka BP there was a very high content of active elements, suggesting decreased water volume and indicating that the lake was stagnate. In contrast, the general climate condition shows that there had a warm-humid stage at 8–6 ka BP, a cool-humid stage at 6–2.9 ka BP and a warm-dry stage at 2.9–0.9 ka BP in this region. The hydrological evolutions around Xiaohe Cemetery did not have one-to-one correspondence with climate changes. Regional comparison indicates that broad-scale climatic conditions played an important role through its influences on the water volume of the Tarim River and Kongque River. But, the formation of the lakes and their level were controlled by geomorphic conditions that influenced how much water volume could be shunted to Xiaohe River from Kongque River. Human occupation of the Xiaohe Cemetery and nearby regions during the Bronze Age and Han-Jin period (202 BC–420 AD) corresponded to the two earlier lake periods, while no human activities existed in the third lake period because of the decreased water volume.     

Age and height of last highest lake levels on theTibetan Plateau and their enveironmentalsignificance

Thefluctuahonoflakelet'elsmaywellreflectthevariahonsofthetotalwaterbalanceinthelakebasins.ac,hichcanulteriorlyexplaintilechangesoflocalprecipitationandevaporahon.Theappearanceoftheunitivehighlakelevelinacertainareawasdolnillatedbyhleclimahcchange,asonlythetemperatureandprecipitahonmad'determinethewaterbalanceinmacroscale.TheTibetsPlateauisthebiggestlakedistributedareainChina,inwhichfluctuahonoflakelevelsisoneoftheimportantindicatorstothex'ariationsofaridityandhullildity(FigUrel).Itisoneofthe…     

近22 ka以来吉兰泰盐湖的环境变化及成盐过程

 根据研究区及毗邻地区第四纪地层沉积特征资料,运用层序地层学的基本方法,对吉兰泰盐湖22 ka BP以来的环境变化和成盐过程进行初步分析。同时,将其划分为6个阶段:冷干期（22.0~14.0 ka BP）,淡水湖演化阶段;冷湿期（14.0~10.0 ka BP）,仙女木期气候颤动期,湖水开始咸水化;暖湿期（10.0~7.0 ka BP）,咸水湖阶段;暖湿转干期（7.0~6.0 ka BP）,咸水湖阶段,亦是湖泊“成盐事件”的预备阶段;冷干期（6.0~4.7 ka BP）,盐湖阶段气候干湿交替,也是盐湖的成盐发展期;凉干期（4.7 ka BP至今）,是盐湖的成盐旺期,盐湖湖水不断缩减,加之周围沙漠的不断吞噬,盐湖开始由干盐湖向沙下湖发展。吉兰泰地区距今22 ka以来的古环境变化及气候转型,不仅是对全球古气候变化的响应,而且对盐湖矿产资源的成盐事件及区域可持续发展具有重要意义。     

共和盆地末次冰消期以来的植被和环境演变

在青藏高原共和盆地中的内陆湖泊--达连海获取40.92 m长的湖泊岩芯(DLH钻孔),选用植物残体作为测年材料,利用AMS14C测年技术建立可靠的地层年代序列,对岩芯进行孢粉分析,重建该地末次冰消期以来的古植被和古环境。末次冰消期以来达连海周围山地在14.8～12.9Cal ka BP和9.4～3.9 Cal ka BP时段曾发育森林,气候较湿润,达连海附近盆地发育的荒漠草原盖度增加或演化为草原;在15.8～14.8 Cal ka BP、12.9～9.4 Cal ka BP 和3.9～1.4 Cal ka BP 时段该地气候比较干旱,依据干旱的程度周围山地森林退化或消失,盆地内发育盖度较低的荒漠草原或草原化荒漠。1.4 Cal ka BP以来湿度有所增加,发育草原植被类型。依据植被的演替历史推断该地气候的变化历程是15.8～14.8 Cal ka BP 干旱,14.8～12.9 Cal ka BP 湿润,12.9～9.4 Cal ka BP干旱,9.4～3.9 Cal ka BP湿润,3.9～1.4 Cal ka BP干旱,1.4～0 Cal ka BP湿润。达连海的孢粉记录与附近青海湖的孢粉结果对比,发现两地植被发育基本一致。末次冰消期Bølling-Allerød 时期,山地森林发育;新仙女木事件发生时森林萎缩;全新世中期两地针叶林发育达到鼎盛,之后逐渐减少至消失。早全新世达连海森林扩张的时间滞后于青海湖,主要与两地森林树种的不同和植被演替的时间差异有关。该区森林发育的全盛时期在中全新世,这与石笋记录到的亚洲季风强盛时期在早全新世不相一致,可能与植被复杂的响应机制有关。     

吉兰泰盐湖的形成及指示的环境意义

选择位于季风边缘区的吉兰泰盐湖为研究对象,利用OSL和14C测年手段重建湖面波动历史,探讨盐湖形成年代与环境变化过程。通过大范围的野外调查发现,在该湖泊南部地区发育高于现代干盐滩9 m的湖滨砂沉积,上覆风成砂沉积,其中湖滨沉积物的OSL年代为6.7 ka BP前后,表明当时该湖泊处于浅水状态,此后湖水经历了快速的下降过程。对于盐湖中心剖面点盐层之下粘土层的14C测年显示,在5 500 aBP以来,集聚大量的石膏、芒硝和石盐等蒸发盐类,该湖泊进入成盐期。通过区域对比发现,吉兰泰湖面快速下降阶段与季风边缘区中全新世干旱事件发生时间相对应。研究认为,吉兰泰盐类矿物的开始沉积,反映了中全新世阿拉善高原区域环境的突然变化,可能指示着5.5 Cal ka BP前后干旱事件的发生。     

16 ka以来黄土高原东亚夏季风变化的环境磁学记录

末次冰消期以来的气候变化是第四纪古气候研究的重要内容。本文对黄土高原西部和平镇剖面16 ka以来的黄土沉积序列（厚度为3.5 m）进行了高分辨率环境磁学研究。结果表明：该黄土序列的磁性颗粒主要由细颗粒磁铁矿主导。其磁化率和频率磁化率具有相同的变化特征,与黄土高原中部和东部的黄土磁化率变化机制一致,即黄土高原西部和平镇黄土的磁化率和频率磁化率仍然受成土作用形成的细颗粒磁铁矿控制,因此其磁化率和频率磁化率仍然可以反映季风降雨的变化特征,并且其反映的16 ka以来季风降雨变化与南方石笋氧同位素记录的季风变化特征一致。通过详细的海陆综合对比,本文认为16 ka至11 ka间东亚季风降雨的变化受到北半球太阳辐射和北半球区域温度的共同影响,而11 ka之后的夏季风降雨减少主要受太阳辐射降低的影响。     

乌兰布和沙漠的形成与环境变化

在对乌兰布和沙漠进行野外考察的基础上,通过地貌学、沉积学和年代学的研究,为恢复该地区全新世以来沙漠的形成与演化找到了新的证据。乌兰布和沙漠西南部的吉兰泰盐湖周围及沙漠南部丘间低地湖相地层下部风成砂的系统OSL测年结果表明,乌兰布和沙漠的形成年代约在7 ka BP前后。此外,该沙漠腹地众多的干盐湖,大量含有蓝蚬的湖岸堤,以及丘间低地中的湖相地层和植物根系等的存在,证明了沙漠腹地大古湖的存在。乌兰布和沙漠的形成,可以归因于吉兰泰古湖面积的不断缩小和干涸,湖泊周围松散沉积物的风蚀、搬运及选择性堆积过程。     

Paleoenvironmental implications of new OSL dates on the formation of the “Shell Bar” in the Qaidam Basin,northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

A geological feature in the Qaidam Basin known as the “Shell Bar” contains millions of freshwater clam shells buried in situ. Since the 1980s, this feature in the now hyper-arid basin has been interpreted to be lake deposits that provide evidence for a warmer and more humid climate than present during late marine isotope stage 3 (MIS 3). Global climate during late MIS 3 and the last glacial maximum, however, was cold and dry, with much lower sea levels. We re-investigated the feature geomorphologically and sedimentologically, and employed optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating to verify the chronology of the sediments. We interpret the Shell Bar to be a remnant of a river channel formed by a stream that ran across an exposed lake bed during a regressive lake phase. Deflation of the surrounding older, fine-grained lacustrine deposits has left the fluvial channel sediments topographically inverted, indicating the erosive nature of the landscape. Luminescence ages place the formation of the Shell Bar in MIS 5 (~113–99 ka), much older than previous radiocarbon ages of <40 ka BP, but place the paleoclimatic inferences more in accord with other regional and global climate proxy records. We present a brief review of the age differences derived from ¹⁴C and OSL dating of some critical sections that were thought to represent a warmer and more humid climate than present during late MIS 3. We attribute the differences to underestimation of ¹⁴C ages. We suggest that ¹⁴C ages older than ~25 ka BP may require re-investigation, especially dates on samples from arid regions.     

The influence of temperature, moisture, and eolian activity on Holocene lake development in West Greenland

Holocene paleolimnological records (diatoms, organic content, spectrally inferred sediment chlorophyll-a) from three West Greenland lakes (~67°N) situated along a transect from the outer coast to a nunatak at the periphery of the Greenland Ice Sheet are used to explore the nature of regional postglacial lake development and its relationship to Holocene climate evolution. The lakes were deglaciated asynchronously by approximately 4?ka (earliest on the coast) and thus their sediment records document different starting points of Holocene ontogeny, both temporally and paleoclimatically. Despite similar time-transgressive characteristics of the diatom stratigraphies, overarching climatic factors, principally effective moisture, and eolian inputs, govern individual lake development. The transition to Neoglaciation between 5.6 and 4?ka BP marks a shift toward a cooler, moister, windier climate from the aridity and higher temperatures of the mid-Holocene (8?C6?ka BP). A shift toward increased aridity, windiness, and eolian activity is documented in the interior lakes over the last 500?years. These lake records demonstrate the sensitivity of freshwater lakes in arid regions to changes in effective moisture and highlight the role of wind and eolian activity in Arctic lake environments.     

Investigating the influence of hydrogeomorphic setting on the response of lake sedimentation to climatic changes in the Uinta Mountains, Utah, USA

Reader Lake and Elbow Lake, two high-altitude lakes in the Uinta Mountains of Utah, are located approximately 2 km apart, at similar elevations, and within identical vegetation communities. Loss on ignition, carbon to nitrogen ratios, biogenic silica, and sediment grain size were analyzed throughout percussion cores retrieved from both lakes to construct continuous time series spanning 14 to ca. 2 ka BP. Given the proximity of the lakes, it is assumed that both were subjected to the same climatic forcing over this time. Accordingly, the first goal of this study was to consider these two multiproxy datasets in concert to yield an integrated paleoclimate record for this region. Close inspection of the records identified discrepancies indicating that the lakes responded to climate changes in different ways despite their proximity and similar setting. Clarifying these differences and understanding why the two lakes behaved differently at certain times was the second goal of this study. Overall, the paleoclimatic records document lake formation in the latest Pleistocene following glacier retreat. Buried glacier ice at the location of Reader Lake may have persisted through the Younger Dryas. Both lakes became biologically productive ca. 11.5 ka BP, and the first appearance of conifer needles indicates that trees had replaced alpine tundra in these watersheds by 10.5 ka BP. The interval from 10 to 6 ka BP was marked by a dramatic increase in precipitation, perhaps related to enhanced monsoonal circulation driven by the insolation maximum. The two lakes recorded this event in notably contrasting ways given their differing hydrogeomorphic settings. Precipitation decreased from 6 to 4 ka BP, and low water levels and drought conditions marked the interval from 4.0 to 2.7 ka BP. The integrated paleoclimate record developed from these cores provides a useful point of comparison with other records from the region. The differences between the records from these closely spaced lakes underscore the need to consider hydrogeomorphic setting when evaluating the suitability of a lake for a paleolimnological study.     

13kaBP以来黄土高原西部的植被与环境演化(英文)

Pollen records from the Chinese Loess Plateau revealed a detailed history of vegetation variation and associated climate changes during the last 13.0 ka BP.Before 12.1 ka BP,steppe or desert-steppe vegetation dominated landscape then was replaced by a coniferous forest under a generally wet climate(12.1-11.0 ka BP).The vegetation was deteriorated into steppe landscape and further into a desert-steppe landscape between 11.0 and 9.8 ka BP.After a brief episode of a cool and wet climate(9.8-9.6 ka BP),a relati...     

Vegetation and environmental changes in western Chinese Loess Plateau since 13.0 ka BP

Pollen records from the Chinese Loess Plateau revealed a detailed history of vegetation variation and associated climate changes during the last 13.0 ka BP. Before 12.1 ka BP, steppe or desert-steppe vegetation dominated landscape then was replaced by a coniferous forest under a generally wet climate (12.1–11.0 ka BP). The vegetation was deteriorated into steppe landscape and further into a desert-steppe landscape between 11.0 and 9.8 ka BP. After a brief episode of a cool and wet climate (9.8–9.6 ka BP), a relatively mild and dry condition prevailed during the early Holocene (9.6–7.6 ka BP). The most favourable climate of warm and humid period occurred during mid-Holocene (7.6–~4.0 ka BP) marked by forest-steppe landscape and vegetation alternatively changed between steppe and desert- steppe from ~4.0 to ~1.0 ka BP.     

黄土高原的形成与发展

根据黄土高原古地理及气候演变、黄土地层年代学和侵蚀期与堆积期的资料分析,得出黄土高原出现之前为红土高原,气候以温暖半湿润弱波动为特征,250×10⁴ a来的黄土高原可分3个阶段。第一阶段出现在250×10⁴~140×10⁴ a之间,为高原内部弱侵蚀循环期,气候冷暖振动幅度较小。第二阶段出现在140×10⁴~0.4×10⁴ a之间,侵蚀动力加强,为高原自然侵蚀加强时期,气候冷暖振动幅度较大;第三阶段出现在4000 a以来,为高原异常加速侵蚀外流期。未来200 a黄土高原有向冷干发展的表现,这对黄土高原的治理是不利的,但不会发生大的自然变化。通过人类活动的积极作用,黄土高原的加速侵蚀向自然侵蚀或小于自然侵蚀的变化将会发生。可以预测,未来200 a的黄土高原仍是适于人类生存的好地方。     

云南东北部拱王山末次冰期

1 Introduction The Gongwang mountains constitute one of the few high m ountains of irrefutable late Pleistocene glaciation in eastern China. This area is one of the m ost extensively studied Quaternary geologicallocationsin eastern China and the interpret…     

Late Pleistocene glaciation of the Hulifang Massif of Gongwang mountains in Yunnan Province

Late Pleistocene glaciation was restricted to only a few high mountains in eastern China. The Gongwang mountains constitute one of the typical places once glaciated. Geomorphic mapping of the area and the TL dating provides evidence for at least four distinct glaciations. YJT-I glacial advance occurred about 100 ka BP and two TL absolute ages (101,100 ±7780 a BP; 104,000±8300 a BP) indicate this advance happened during the Penultimale Glaciation. The early stage glacial advance (YJT-II advance) during the last glaciation occurred about 40,920±3400 a BP. The last glacial maximum advance (YJT-III advance) about 18-25 ka BP, which sustained by two TL ages (18,230 ±1420 a BP; 25,420 ±2110 a BP). The Penultimale and the early stage glaciations were more extensive and the last glacial maximum (LGM) and the late-glacial period (YJT-IV advance, 10 ka BP) were progressively less extensive. Correlated with the other mountains in eastern China, these glacial advances in the Gongwang mountains just like the advances in the western part such as Diancang mountains, Yulong mountains of Yunnan Province and the glacier series are more complete than the adjacent mid-latitude regions such as Taibai mountain and Taiwan mountains and are roughly representative of climate changes during the last glacial cycle in Yunnan Province.