Last interglacial-glacial climatic cycle in loess-palaeosol successions of north-western France

The loess series at St. Pierre-les-Elbeuf and St. Sauflieu are key successions for the western European Quaternary stratigraphy. The present study proposes a detailed record of the last interglacial-glacial climatic cycle at St. Pierre and its integration into the synthetic pedosedimentary record of north-western France using detailed correlations with the type sections of St. Sauflieu and Achenheim. Finally, comparisons with the marine isotope, Greenland GRIP chronologies and dust records are proposed. At St. Pierre, the pedostratigraphic and sedimentological analyses (total iron, organic matter, carbonate, grain size), in association with low field magnetic susceptibility measurements, demonstrate that this loess succession records the major climatic events of the Upper Pleistocene. The basal soil complex at St. Pierre is similar to those from the main successions of North (St. Sauflieu) or Northeast France (Achenheim). It shows a Bt horizon of brown leached soil, a deeply reworked grey forest soil and two isohumic steppe soils separated by a non-calcareous loess layer. This loess level corresponds to the first aeolian event clearly observed in the succession and can be correlated with Marker II of the Central European stratigraphy located around the marine isotope stage (MIS) 5/4 boundary. The main aeolian sedimentation starts after the soil complex and ends with the top soil (brown leached soil). Finally, a good parallel is observed between the strongest peaks of the dust records of the ice cores and the main period of loess deposition in St Pierre-lès-Elbeuf occurring during MIS 2.     

Correlation and interpretation of paleosols and loess across European Russia and Asia over the last interglacial-glacial cycle

Loess-paleosol sequences of the last interglacial-glacial cycle are correlated from European Russia to central Siberia and the Chinese Loess Plateau. During cold periods represented by marine oxygen isotope stages (OIS) 2 and 4, loess deposition dominated in the Russian Plain and the Loess Plateau. In central Siberia, loess deposition took place also, but five to seven thin, weakly developed paleosols are identified in both stages. OIS 3, in the Chinese Loess Plateau near Yangchang, consists of a loess bed that is flanked by two weakly developed paleosols. At Kurtak, Siberia, OIS 3 is represented by two distinct, stacked paleosols with no loess bed separating the paleosols. In the Russian Plain, OIS 3 consists of a single, possibly welded paleosol, representing upper and lower stage-3 climates. Brunisols and Chernozems dominate the profiles in China and Siberia, whereas Regosols, Luvisols, and Chernozems are evident in the northern and southern Russian Plain, respectively. OIS 5 is represented in China and the Russian Plain by pedo complexes in a series of welded soils, whereas in contrast, the Kurtak site consists of six paleosols with interbedded loess. The paleosols consist largely of Brunisols and Chernozems. Although the three areas examined have different climates, geographical settings, and loess source areas, they all had similar climate changes during the last interglacial-glacial cycle.     

A terrestrial record of Last Interglacial climate preserved by voluminous debris avalanche inundation in Taranaki,New Zealand

At Airedale Reef, western North Island, New Zealand, a ca. 4 m thick volcanogenic debris avalanche deposit has facilitated the preservation of an enveloping sequence of peats with interbedded andesitic tephras spanning marine isotope (MIS) 5. The sequence closely overlies a wave‐cut terrace correlated to MIS 5e and, in turn, is overlain by andic beds with tephra interbeds including the Rotoehu and Kawakawa tephras deposited during early MIS 3 and mid‐MIS 2, respectively. Pollen analysis of the organic sequence shows a coherent pattern of fluctuating climate for the Last Interglacial–Last Glacial transition that corresponds with marine isotope stratigraphy and supports the contention that orbital variations were a primary factor in late Quaternary southern mid‐latitude climate change. A five‐stage subdivision of MIS 5 is clearly recognised, with marine isotope substage (MISS) 5b drier than MISS 5d, and the cooling transition from 5a to MIS 4 also may have been comparatively dry and characterised by natural fire, perhaps associated with volcanism. Several other examples of volcanic impact on vegetation and the landscape are evident. The Airedale Reef sequence exhibits strong similarities with fragmentary MIS 5 pollen records preserved elsewhere in New Zealand and enables the proxy record of southern mid‐latitude climatic variability during the Last Interglacial–Glacial cycle to be extended. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Upper pleistocene loess stratigraphy and paleolithic site chronology on the Russian plain

Loess stratigraphy provides the best existing means of establishing an accurate geochronology for the Paleolithic of the Russian Plain, especially for time periods beyond the range of radiocarbon dating. Loess/paleosol sequences in adjoining regions, particularly Central Europe where correlation with oxygen-isotope stratigraphy has been achieved, represent a useful standard for the correlation and dating of loess deposits on the Russian Plain. However, better control is needed over local paleoenvironmental conditions and colluvial redeposition. Correlation is facilitated by two key marker horizons: buried soils of the Last Interglacial (127,000-116,000 B.P.) and the terminal Middle Pleniglacial (30,000-25,000 B.P.); assignment of paleosols and loess beds between these markers to time-stratigraphic units in the Upper Pleistocene sequence is sometimes problematic. Paleolithic remains on the Russian Plain are typically contained in colluvial loam, but can often be related to primary loess stratigraphy. Analysis of the latter suggests sharp contrasts with Western and Central Europe in the timing and distribution of Paleolithic settlement, apparently reflecting the harsher environments of the Russian Plain.     

A long pollen record from Lac du Bouchet, Massif Central, France: for the period ca. 325 to 100 ka BP (OIS 9c to OIS 5e)

Pollen analysis was carried out on sediments older than the Würm pleniglacial (OIS 4), in two new sequences (H and I) derived from the centre of Lac du Bouchet, Massif Central. The inferred vegetation history enables, for the first time in France, five temperate episodes to be defined which pre-date the last interglacial. These temperate episodes alternate with episodes during which the changes in vegetation are indicative of glacial climates. Comparison of these climatic episodes with the oceanic isotope record shows that the pollen record of sequences H and I from Lac du Bouchet spans the time interval from OIS 9c (Ussel interstadial) to OIS 5e (Ribains/Eemian interglacial). In the organic sediments from the Amargiers interstadial (OIS 9a), a trachytic layer, Ar/Ar dated to ca 275 ka, enables a correlation to be established with the upper part of a sequence derived from the nearby Praclaux crater, the lower part of this sequence being of Holsteinian age (OIS 11c). The cross-dating of the pollen sequences from Lac du Bouchet (cores H, I and D) and from Praclaux provides a complete record from the Massif Central, southern France, of successive glacial and interglacial episodes that span the last ca. 400 ka, that is the interval from the Holsteinian to the Holocene.     

Loess stratigraphy in central China

The loess deposits in central China record world-wide climate changes of the last 2.5 Ma. Numerous climatic oscillations are marked by alternating loess and soil units with continuous coverage of the Matuyama and Brunhes Epochs. Magnetic susceptibility of the deposits correlates closely with the oxygen isotope record of the deep-sea sediments and provides an independent measure of climate and time.The key marker bed of the chinese loess sequence is the paleosol S5, the time equivalent of the mid-Brunhes oxygen isotope stages 13, 14 and 15. It marks a prolonged interval of warm humid climate lasting from approximately 615 to 470 thousand years ago. Several episodes of river downcutting coincide with deposition of the exceptionally thick loess units L1 (oceanic oxygen isotope stages 2 to 4) L2 (stage 6), L5 (stage 12) L6, (stage 16) L9 (stage 22) L15 (stage 38 about 1.15 Ma) and WS4 (about 2.3 Ma). These erosional events are interpreted as a result of episodic uplift of the Loess Plateau.The deposition of the earliest loess layers between 2.5 and 2.3 Ma ago marks a first order shift from warm and humid environments toward harsh continental steppes comparable to those of the Middle and Late Pleistocene. Little, if any lithologic or paleontologic changes were noted within or above the Olduvai magnetozone, so that the proposed Plio/Pleistocene boundary at approximately 1.65 Ma has no lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic representation in the chinese loess series.Comparison with the Deep Sea Drilling Program core 552A in the North Atlantic and with the Santerno River section near Bologna shows that the occurrence of the earliest loess in China coincides with the timing of the first significant ice rafting in the North Atlantic and with the appearance of cold water foraminifers in the marine deposits of northern Italy. An extension of the stage system of the oxygen isotope signal extended back to the Gauss-Matuyama boundary is proposed.     

青藏高原东北缘黄土的气候演化与高原隆升的耦合

通过对青藏高原东北缘的民和黄土的磁化率、粒度、CaCO3和TOC等气候载体进行综合测试分析，可以将青藏高原东北缘黄土1．90～0．70MaB．P．段划分出7个气候阶段。对民和黄土的气候分析表明，1．10MaB．P．(民和黄土的L11黄土层)前气候差异较小，冬夏季风不强，对抗性较弱，黄土古土壤发育不明显，厚度较薄；10MaB．P．后，冬夏季风对抗性迅速增强，气候差异性增强。将民和黄土与其他地区以及深海沉积物氧同位素记录进行对比可以发现，民和黄土的S8、S9和S10古土壤分别与深海氧同位素21、23和25阶段较好地对应，而L9、L10和L11则分别对应22、24和26阶段。L11黄土层以下的黄土记录与深海氧同位素记录的可比性不是很明显。同时，民和黄土的高分辨率气候记录与青藏高原的阶段性隆升有较好的耦合关系。     

甘肃环县剖面记录的末次间冰期地磁场

环县剖面的古地磁研究结果表明，在第一层古土壤S1的上部和下部分别存在两个地磁场异常。通过剖面磁化率曲线与深海沉积物氧同位素曲线的对比，建立了地磁场变化的时间序列。S1上部记录的地磁场异常，年龄与挪威-格陵兰海及大西洋中发现的地磁异常年龄相当。S1下部的地磁异常，以磁偏角方向强烈摆动，偶极磁场强度明显下降为特征，其年龄与报道的布莱克事件的年龄相当，也与索马里海和地中海所记录的大幅度偶极磁场减弱相吻合，但与西宁剖面的记录不同的是，环县剖面记录的地磁场从没有达到完全的倒转，VGP曲线表现为围绕采样点旋转的经过南半球低纬地区的大环。这些特征表明，在偶极磁场减弱期，具有强烈区域性的非偶极磁场的变化可能对地磁场起着重要的作用。     

A continuous stable isotope record from the penultimate glacial maximum to the Last Interglacial (159–121 ka) from Tana Che Urla Cave (Apuan Alps,central Italy)

Relatively few radiometrically dated records are available for the central Mediterranean spanning the marine oxygen isotope stage 6–5 (MIS 6–5) transition and the first part of the Last Interglacial. Two flowstone cores from Tana che Urla Cave (TCU, central Italy), constrained by 19 U/Th ages, preserve an interval of continuous speleothem deposition between ca. 159 and 121 ka. A multiproxy record (δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C, growth rate and petrographic changes) obtained from this flowstone preserves significant regional-scale hydrological changes through the glacial/interglacial transition and multi-centennial variability (interpreted as alternations between wetter and drier periods) within both glacial and interglacial stages. The glacial stage shows a wetter period between ca. 154 and 152 ka, while the early to middle Last Interglacial period shows several drying events at ca. 129, 126 and 122 ka, which can be placed in the wider context of climatic instability emerging from North Atlantic marine and NW European terrestrial records. The TCU record also provides important insights into the evolution of local environmental conditions (i.e. soil development) in response to regional and global-scale climate events.     

220ka BP来萨拉乌苏河流域地质剖面地球化学特征及其对全球气候变化的响应

萨拉乌苏河流域位于我国北方沙漠/黄土过渡带和生态脆弱带,它对全球气候变化反映非常敏感,是研究全球气候变化响应的理想区域.对该区域滴哨沟湾剖面地球化学元素氧化物及其比值变化进行了分析,结果表明:约220 ka BP以来我国北方气候变化极不稳定,存在着不同时间尺度的频繁变化,这种不稳定性无论是在冰期还是间冰期都有很好的反映.其中倒数第二次间冰期存在3次气候波动;倒数第二次冰期存在7个气候旋回;末次间冰期存在7个气候旋回;末次冰期存在9个气候旋回.这些气候变化与深海氧同位素、极地冰芯反映的全球变化具有良好的对应关系,反映了该区气候变化与全球变化的高度一致性.     

末次盛冰期北美风成环境变化及其在全球气候突变事件中的意义

本文用末次冰期北美大冰盖南缘的风尘堆积记录来重建末次盛冰期的亚极地环境变化.磁化率、有机碳含量和潜育化程度的资料表明,末次盛冰期的前期(约21000～15000aB P.)植被覆盖较差,而后期(15000～10000aB.P.)植被覆盖较好,15 000aB.P.环境发生了急剧的变化,磁化率曲线显示了大约1000a的氧化-还原周期.这种大约1000a的环境变化周期很可能由低纬地区的海洋和大气的扰动所驱动,这种扰动的能量通过北美大冰盖及时地传递到北大西洋.     

Millennial-scale climate variability during the Last Interglacial recorded in a speleothem from south-western France

A stalagmite (BDinf) recovered from an archaeological cave (Bourgeois–Delaunay, La Chaise de Vouthon) in SW France provides a rare, high-resolution, precisely dated continental palaeoclimate record covering the warmest part of the Last Interglacial (128 ± 1–121 ± 1 ka). The growth interval spans the pluvial period recorded in Soreq and Peqiin Cave speleothems (during sapropel event S5), suggesting that the eastern Mediterranean and western Europe experienced relatively wet conditions simultaneously during this part of the Last Interglacial. Stable oxygen and carbon isotope ratios from BDinf show prominent millennial-scale variations, which are interpreted respectively in terms of changes in the amount of rainfall reaching the cave and soil biological activity. The timing of the oxygen isotope changes agrees with similar excursions recorded in speleothems from Corchia Cave (Italy), where close coupling between rainfall amount and regional sea surface temperatures has been demonstrated. Three “warmer–wetter” periods are interspersed with four “cooler–drier” periods. The first “warmer–wetter” period is the most prominent, as is the case at Corchia, and coincides with the SST optimum off western Europe. This is followed by a prominent “cooler–drier” excursion (centred on ～126 ka), which can be linked to a period of increased loess deposition recorded in annually laminated lake sediments from Eifel, Germany. Although there is already ample evidence for Last Interglacial climate instability, we show for the first time that specific climatic events occurred more or less synchronously between southwestern Europe, central Mediterranean (Italy) and northern Europe (Germany).     

中原末次冰期间冰阶以来的古季风气候变迁

中原邙山黄土地层以巨厚的马兰黄土为特色。本文研究了末次冰期间冰阶以来邙山黄土－古土壤序列的粗颗粒含量和磁化率值曲线反映的冬夏季风变迁及其相互关系,发现在万年尺度上夏季风增强对应于冬季风减弱,冬季风增强对应于夏季风减弱,但在千年尺度上冬季风变化比夏季风强烈得多,而且末次间冰段开始时冬季风减弱明显早于夏季风增强。通过中原黄土记录与深海及冰芯Ｏ同位素记录的对比,发现短时间尺度气候变化阶段明显具有很大的区域性特征,它们不能简单地进行等时性全球对比,而应该通过各自独立的时间标尺来建立古气候变化的远距离联系。     

Spatial distribution of climatic conditions from the Middle Eocene to Late Miocene based on palynoflora in Central,Eastern and Western Anatolia

The continental climatic evolution of Anatolia has been reconstructed quantitatively for the last 45 million years using the coexistence approach. Although there were some regional effects, the Anatolian Cenozoic continental climate record correlated with the European climatic condition and the global oxygen isotope record from marine environments. From middle Eocene to late Miocene, continental warming in Anatolia was pronounced for inferred winter temperature and mean annual temperature as in Europe. Generally, the palaeoclimatic property of Anatolia resembles the European climatic changing and marine temperature changing based on the oxygen isotope record; however, climatic values of the terrestrial area in Anatolia are higher from Lutetian to Aquitanian and these values are lower than European values from Aquitanian to Tortonian. Correspondingly, Cenozoic climatic cooling in Anatolia is directly associated with an increase of seasonality, palaeogeographic position and terrestrial condition. Furthermore, mean annual precipitation values of Anatolia remained relatively stable during the Eocene–Oligocene; however, these values indicated changing throughout middle–late Miocene. Moreover, in this study, decline of abundance and variables for the mangrove and back mangrove palaeocommunities during the last 45 million years is recorded because of the decreasing of humidity, temperature and increasing of terrestrial condition.     

最后4个冰期旋回中国黄土记录的东亚冬季风变化

开展高分辨率的黄土记录研究, 是揭示过去气候变迁和变率的主要途径.选择黄土高原中部的灵台和赵家川剖面, 对L5以上的黄土-古土壤序列进行了石英颗粒的提取和粒度分析.结果表明, 石英粗颗粒(> 43μm) 体积分数变化揭示了最后4个冰期旋回东亚冬季风存有的快速变化特征, 并同深海氧同位素记录具有良好的对应关系; 然而, 在每一个冰期时段, 石英粗颗粒体积分数的变化幅度和频率存有较大差异, 可能意味着对应的冰期下垫面状况和气候系统内部的非线性响应机制并不相同.值得注意的是由石英粗颗粒体积分数反映的东亚冬季风变化, 在某些时段不仅同磁化率记录的夏季风变化不协调, 而且同深海氧同位素记录存有明显差异.深入研究这种由不同代用指标反映的古气候变化间的差异, 对理解黄土记录的全球性意义显得尤为重要.      

Loess—palaeosol sequence in Kashmir: Correlation of mineral magnetic stratigraphy with the marine palaeoclimatic record

In this paper we use the mineral magnetic data (χ and χ_fd) to stratigraphically correlate different loess-palaeosol profiles in Kashmir Valley. The two available thermoluminescence (TL) chronologies on the Kashmir loess profiles have been reinterpreted to identify the soil of the Last Interglacial (ca. 125 000 yr BP). We show that the mineral magnetic data correlates well with the global marine δ¹⁸O record. This correlation has revealed the well-known Milankovich periodicities of 40 ka and 20 ka in the loess-palaeosol record. On the basis of this study, we conclude that loess deposition in the Kashmir Valley started around 200 ka and not 350 ka ago as suggested by earlier workers, and that magnetic susceptibility variations provide a tool to decipher climatic changes from loess-palaeosol sequences.     

The chronostratigraphy of the latest Middle Pleistocene aeolian and alluvial activity on the Island of Hvar,eastern Adriatic,Croatia

Pleistocene aeolian sands and alluvial deposits can frequently be traced along the Mediterranean coast. Such deposits also exist along the eastern Adriatic coast and the nearby islands. Four stratigraphical sections of these deposits were studied on the Island of Hvar with the purpose of establishing a chronological framework of the aeolian–alluvial depositional system, using luminescence dating and magnetic susceptibility stratigraphy. Luminescence dating was applied on coarse‐grained feldspar and quartz grains separated from the sands. Both quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and feldspar post‐IR infrared stimulated luminescence (pIRIR) age estimates are in good agreement, with values ranging between 167±24 to 120±12 ka (OSL) and 179±18 to 131±18 ka (pIRIR measured at 290 °C) after a fading correction for the pIRIR signal. The results can be clearly correlated to around the end of oxygen isotope stage (OIS) 6 and the beginning of OSI 5, indicating that the aeolian accumulation of sands was a result of the Penultimate Glacial and climate fluctuations at the beginning of the Last Interglacial. Variations in magnetic susceptibility (MS) data can be interpreted alongside these dating results; several stronger peaks detected at the very end of the Penultimate Glacial and the initial stage of the Last Interglacial cycle most probably indicates more intensive pedogenesis resulting from a more favourable climate, probably because of climate changes. Breccias related to major bounding surfaces in association with evidence of soil formation and bioturbation could be the result of more favourable climate conditions and changes during the transition from OIS 6 to OIS 5 (Penultimate Glacial–Last Interglacial). These results are in agreement with similar data from the wider Mediterranean area.     

全新世与上次间冰期气候差异的古土壤记录

目前国际上对全新世与上次间冰期的气候差异还存在着较大的争议。对西欧阿晴里姆黄土中全新世和上次间冰期古土壤（埃姆古土壤）,中国黄土中S₀及S₁的对比研究表明,埃姆古土壤和S₁是典型的复合土壤,记载了相同的沉积-成壤事件序列,并与深海氧同位素记录有很好的一致性。第一成壤期与氧同位素阶段5e相对应,代表了典型的间冰期气候。西欧在该时期形成的土壤与全新世土壤的成壤过程基本相同,二者反映了类似的气候条件;而中国黄土中S₀和S₁则具很大差异,这表明我国北方最后两次间冰期的气候条件显著不同。青藏高原在中更新世末期以来的隆升对季风环流的影响是值得注意的原因之一。     

Late Pleistocene Climatic Variations at Achenheim, France, Based on a Magnetic Susceptibility and TL Chronology of Loess

New field investigations of the Achenheim sequence (Alsace, France) allow for the characterization of variations in the low-field magnetic susceptibility over most of the last climatic cycle, i.e., the past 130,000 yr. New stratigraphic data and thermoluminescence measurements permit reassessment of the previous chronological interpretation of the Upper Pleistocene at Achenheim. A high-resolution analysis of magnetic susceptibility discloses the occurrence of a fine-grained “marker” horizon which was also found recently in another section. This horizon is interpreted as a small-scale dust layer deposited prior to the main interval of loess deposition. The horizon, deposited at the marine isotope stage (MIS) 5/4 boundary, has been found in other loess sequences and is especially prevalent in central Europe. It is characterized by low susceptibility values and a grayish color. New thermoluminescence dates indicate that the loess deposition took place after the MIS 5/4 boundary, i.e., after 70,000 yr. These results are consistent with the Greenland GRIP ice-core dust record which also demonstrates a dusty atmosphere after 72,000 yr ago. On a more regional scale, the Achenheim loess sequence demonstrates a reliable correlation between the western side of the Eurasian loess belt and the dust record of the Greenland ice cores.     

末次间冰期以来沙漠-黄土边界带移动与气候变化

位于现代季风区边缘的沙漠－黄土边界带，具有高度不稳定性。末次间冰期以来历经多次北进南退移动和暖湿、冷干变化。依据古风成砂－黄土－古土壤叠覆更替的沉积序列和磁化率等气候代用指标分析，对末次间冰期以来，尤其是特征时期边界带的位置进行了讨论。其中，盛冰期时移动幅度最大，南界可能达３０°Ｎ左右；末次间冰期和全新世气候鼎盛期最靠西北，南界在古长城以北。全球冰期－间冰期波动导致的气候变化以及东亚冬夏季风强弱变化是控制边界带移动和气候变化的根本因素。