全新世气候变化与中国北方沙漠化

气候变化是中国北方地区荒漠化形成发展的主要控制因素.新生代以来伴随着青藏高原的隆升和内陆盆地的下降逐渐形成的气候格局造就了北方地区荒漠化土地的分布.北方西部内陆盆地以干旱气候为主要特征,中部高原是受季风系统中夏季风和冬季风的消长变化影响最为显著的地区,东部地区则以暖湿气候为主,受夏季风控制.第四系以来气候的波动则控制着沙漠化的发展或逆转.末次间冰期以来一直持续的大约以1500a为周期的气候振荡对中国北方地区的沙漠化有重要的影响或控制作用.全新世以来,北方地区约在10000aBP、8000aBP、5500aBP、4000aBP、3000aBP、1500aBP的沙漠化过程分别与北大西洋第7、5、4、3、2和1次的浮冰事件相应,沙漠化扩大过程与全球气候变化的主要事件相一致.十年尺度上气候变化的周期性振荡对沙漠化有一定的影响,至少在生态环境脆弱的敏感地带对沙漠化可以起到控制作用.年际尺度上,6.7a和3.38a气候变化周期控制着我国北方地区沙尘暴的发生.此外,北方不同地区近150a以来的人类活动对沙漠化的扩大起到了重要作用.     

Changing hillslope and fluvial Holocene sediment dynamics in a Belgian loess catchment

Floodplain deposition is an essential part of the Holocene sediment dynamics of many catchments and a thorough dating control of these floodplain deposits is therefore essential to understand the driving forces of these sediment dynamics. In this paper we date floodplain and colluvial deposition in the Belgian Dijle catchment using accelerator mass spectrometric radiocarbon and optical stimulated luminescence dating. Relative mass accumulation curves for the Holocene were constructed for three colluvial sites and 12 alluvial sites. A database was constructed of all available radiocarbon ages of the catchment and this database was analysed using relative sediment mass accumulation rates and cumulative probability functions of ages and site‐specific sedimentation curves. Cumulative probability functions of ages were split into different depositional environments representing stable phases and phases of accelerated clastic deposition. The results indicate that there is an important variation between the different dated sites. After an initial stable early and middle Holocene phase with mainly peat growth in the floodplains, clastic sedimentation rates increased from 4000 BC on. This first phase was more pronounced and started somewhat earlier for colluvial deposits then for alluvial deposits. The main part of the Holocene deposits, both in colluvial and alluvial valleys, was deposited during the last 1 ka. The sedimentation pattern of the individual dated sites and the catchment‐wide pattern indicate that land use changes are responsible for the main variations in the Holocene sediment dynamics of this catchment, while the field data do not provide indications for a climatological influence on the sediment dynamics. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

东北地区以泥炭为信息载体的全新世气候变迁研究进展

泥炭作为一种地质信息载体,在全球环境变化研究中起着越来越重要的作用.我国东北地区地处全球变化的敏感区,泥炭地研究的意义更为显著.笔者针对近年来东北地区泥炭地研究的多种成果,对该区全新世以来泥炭沉积和区域气候变迁历史进行了系统分析.得出:①东北地区泥炭有三次沉积高峰,分别始于早全新世、中全新世与晚全新世初期;②该区10000a以来大体上经历了冷湿-温暖适宜-凉湿-温暖偏干-冷干-寒冷略湿-变暖这样一个气候变迁过程.     

中国东北全新世干湿状况的演变

通过综合分析植物花粉,沙土埋藏土壤,泥炭形成与发展,沙丘活动历史,黄土状土堆积和黑土发育等多种资料表明,我国东北地区的湿润程度或土壤水分含量在５ｋａ ＢＰ以前的早中全新世较低,中晚全新世不能增加,早中全新世最干燥时段出现的＾１４Ｃ年代９－８ｋａ ＢＰ,中晚全新世湿润时期可能是最近的２ｋａ,近现代气候比过去１０ｋａ平均状况湿润。     

Holocene climate variations from Zhuyeze terminal lake records in East Asian monsoon margin in arid northern China

Zhuyeze palaeolake is a terminal lake situated in the arid northern China in the East Asian monsoon margin. In order to examine the Holocene palaeoclimatic change in the East Asian monsoon margin, Qingtu Lake section (QTL) from Zhuyeze palaeolake is sampled in high resolution. Palaeoclimatic proxies such as grain size, carbonate, TOC, C/N and δ¹³C of organic matter, were analyzed; eleven ¹⁴C samples and six optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) samples were dated to provide chronological control. We also investigated the geomorphic features of lake shorelines in this area. The results show that the climate was warm and dry in early-Holocene (9.5-7.0 cal ka BP), cool and humid in mid-Holocene (7.0-4.8 cal ka BP), and increasingly drier in late-Holocene (since 4.8 cal ka BP). Comparisons of our records with other records in adjacent areas, as well as with the records in the Asian monsoon areas, suggested that changes in effective moisture was synchronous in East Asian monsoon marginal zone (i.e. the pattern of dry early-Holocene, humid mid-Holocene, and aridity-increasing late-Holocene), and that the moisture optimum during the Holocene was out-of-phase between Asian monsoon margin and Asian monsoonal dominated region, possibly due to the high temperature at that time.     

Holocene environmental and climatic changes inferred from Wulungu Lake in northern Xinjiang, China

Sedimentological, geochemical and palynological data from Wulungu Lake in northern Xinjiang, China, are used to reconstruct environmental and climate changes since 9550 cal yr BP. High abundance of Sparganium and Poaceae, low Md (median diameter) and δ¹³C_organic values indicate aridity between 9550 and 6730 cal yr BP. High Md and δ¹³C_organic values, and the prevalence of desert-steppe and steppe vegetation between 4200 and 560 cal yr BP, indicate that effective moisture increased after 6730 cal yr BP, peaking at 4200 and 560 cal yr BP. Low Md values, a negative excursion of δ¹³C_org, and the transition from steppe to desert vegetation since 560 cal yr BP reflect a decrease in effective moisture during the latest Holocene. Late Holocene human activities were indicated by sharp increase in the abundance of Pediastrum then. Variations in carbonate contents indicate that temperature was generally high between 9550 and 7740 cal yr BP, low between 7740 and 6730 cal yr BP, intermediate between 6730 and 560 cal yr BP, and low during the last 560 yr. Regional comparison indicates that the Asian monsoon did not extend to Wulungu Lake and westerlies were the main factor in determining the moisture availability during the Holocene.     

Luminescence dating of loessic sediments from the Loess plateau, China

Loess/palaeosol sequences from the Loess plateau in China were investigated by combined infrared optically stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) dating techniques in order to study the luminescence properties of the loessic sediments and to provide a direct chronological link for correlation and position of the last interglacial soil in Central Asia and the Loess plateau in China. Sensitivity changes were found for all samples through artificial bleaching of the samples. The greatest sensitivity changes, of up to 50%, were found for very old loess samples designated to be older than the Matu-yama/Brunhes magnetic boundary and hence older than 788,000±1,800 years. The upper dating limit, as investigated by the very old loess samples, ranges from 250,000 to 300,000 years, if the TL additive dose method is applied. The chronological position of the last interglacial soil S1 at the section near Lanzhou indicates luminescence age estimates ranging from 82,000 to 75,000 years for the marine-isotope stage 5 to 4 transition. However, the loess from below S1 yielded luminescence age estimates between 153,200±14,200 and 110,100±20,100 years for TL and IRSL additive dose methods, respectively. Thus, a direct correlation between the S1 and the first intercalated pedocomplex PC1 in Central Asia is most likely. Received: 31 March 1998 / Accepted: 25 October 1998     

Palynological records of Holocene monsoon change from the Gulf of Tonkin (Beibuwan), northwestern South China Sea

Palynological records in cores C4 and B106 from the Gulf of Tonkin reveal signals of paleo-monsoon and paleoenvironmental change during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. Before ∼ 13.4 cal kyr BP, the Gulf of Tonkin was exposed to the atmosphere and covered by grassland. Starting at ∼ 11.7 cal kyr BP, the Gulf of Tonkin was inundated by brackish water, indicated by the appearance of the brackish algae Cleistosphaeridium, Sentusidinium and Spiniferites, a decrease of herb content, and an increase of Pinus. After Hainan Island was completely separated from the Leizhou Peninsula by Qiongzhou Strait at ∼ 8.5 cal kyr BP, a continuous marine sedimentary environment was found. The current patterns were similar to those of the present, with a general trend of current homogenization reflected by gradually decreasing quantities of Quercus pollen and a narrowing gap between the palynological concentrations of the southern and northern parts of the region. The data suggest that three short periods of strengthened winter monsoons and currents were centered at ∼ 6.0 cal kyr BP, ∼ 2.7 cal kyr BP and ∼ 0.2 cal kyr BP and that two short periods of strengthened summer monsoons and currents were centered at ∼ 7.5 cal kyr BP and ∼ 3.4 cal kyr BP.     

广东西樵剖面主量元素记录的全新世气候突变

以广东佛山市西樵山（22°56'15"N,112°57'16"E）全新统厚153 cm的河湖相及红土为研究对象,在11个AMS-¹⁴C测年数据和沉积物主量元素分析的基础上探讨全新世以来该剖面的化学风化特征及古环境意义,对具有明确指示化学风化意义的脱硅富铝铁化指标Al₂O₃/SiO₂和（Al₂O₃+TFeO）/SiO₂进行分析,结合孢粉指示的古生态,确定了气候旋回与化学风化旋回之间的关系,为南亚热带地区全新世环境演变提供了地球化学证据。研究结果表明,西樵山全新统共记录了13次弱风化-冬季风事件,其中发生于2000 cal.a B.P.（xc1）、2900 cal.a B.P.（xc3）、4100 cal.a B.P.（xc4）、5300 cal.a B.P.（xc5）、7800 cal.a B.P.（xc10）、9300 cal.a B.P.（xc11）、9500 cal.a B.P.（xc12）和9700 cal.a B.P.（xc13）的事件可对应北大西洋深海沉积Bond事件1~8,前6次事件与南海陆坡北部的17940孔10 ka B.P.以来的6个弱季风事件相应,且这13个冷事件几乎都可与太阳黑子活动最小值阶段相对应。这意味着西樵山剖面全新世突变事件除受北半球高纬冰量变化的影响外,可能还在相当程度上受到太阳活动的强迫。

     

Late Holocene monsoon climate as evidenced by proxy records from a lacustrine sediment sequence in western Guangdong,South China

The study of a 300-cm-thick exposed lacustrine sediment section in the Hedong village in Zhaoqing area which is located in sub-tropical west Guangdong Province in South China, demonstrates that the lacustrine sedimentary sequence possibly contains evidence for exploring variation of Asian monsoon climate. Multi-proxy records, including the humification intensity, total organic carbon, and grain size fractions, reveal a general trend towards dry and cold conditions in the late Holocene that this is because of a decrease in solar insolation on an orbital scale. Three intensified Asian summer monsoon (ASM) intervals (∼3300–3000 cal yr BP, ∼2600–1600 cal yr BP, and ∼900–600 cal yr BP), and three weakened ASM intervals (∼4000–3300 cal yr BP, ∼3000–2600 cal yr BP, and ∼1600–900 cal yr BP) are identified. Our humification record (HD_cal) shows a good correlation on multi-centennial scale with the tree ring Δ¹⁴C record, a proxy of solar activity. A spectral analysis of HD_cal reveals four significant cycles, i.e., ∼1250 yr, 300 yr, 110 yr, and 70 yr, and most of these cycles are related to the solar activity. Our findings indicate that solar output and oceanic–atmospheric circulation probably have influenced the late Holocene climate variability in the study region.     

东海陆架全新统高分辨率层序地层学研究

在高分辨率14C测年、岩石、生物、化学、同位素、气候及磁性地层学研究成果基础上,通过不同沉积背景典型钻孔的沉积学分析,运用层序地层学理论,对东海陆架全新统进行了高分辨率层序划分及对比;建立了全新世层序地层格架及海平面变化过程;提出了相应的层序成因模式。研究结果表明,东海陆架全新统相当于一个发育中的六级（1~10ka）层序,可进一步划分为3个七级（0.1~1ka）层序和若干个更次级层序。代表1个六级或3个七级周期相对海平面变化过程中叠加有若干更次级的海平面波动,它们与地球旋回谱系中的太阳带、历法带密切相关。七级层序具有与三级层序相近的内部构型和成因格架。在东海陆架全新世沉积演化过程中,长江三角州至少有3次不同程度地越过东海陆架进入冲绳海槽,并滞留有至少3层海侵改造"残积砂"沉积。在东海陆架全新世海平面变化期间,最大海平面时期为约距今6~5ka,大致高于现今海平面2~4m,最低海平面在距今10ka左右,大约低于现今海平面130m。目前,由于温室效应的影响,海平面仍呈小幅度波浪式上升。事实证明,层序地层学不仅丰富了现代海洋沉积学的内容,而且解决了许多海洋沉积学未能解决的问题.     

关于江苏建湖庆丰剖面全新世沉积环境与海面变化关系的讨论

应用有孔虫、介形虫、软体动物和现代沉积环境等方面的研究成果,对江苏建湖庆丰剖面所显示的全新世沉积环境和海面变化进行讨论。认为在露头上大量原地埋藏的软体动物壳体指示环境的作用比有孔虫埋藏群更有意义。庆丰剖面所揭示的情况是 6 0 0 0～ 12 70aBP该地区一直处于潮间带-河口湾环境。 6 0 0 0aBP以前海面是上升的,6 0 0 0aBP达到了与现今海面相当的位置,其后海面是稳定的,看不出海面波动现象。     

南海北部晚全新世高海平面及其波动的海滩沉积证据

揭示晚全新世以来的海平面变化过程对于理解海平面所处的现状和变化的趋势等具有重要意义。构造活动相对稳定的雷州半岛珊瑚礁区蕴藏着丰富的海平面变化信息,文中对该区晚全新世发育的海滩沉积序列研究表明,距今约1.7～1.2Cal.kaBP(14C年代为2.1～1.7kaBP)期间总体上是一个海平面持续上升的时期,其中在距今约1.5Cal.kaBP时海平面有过短暂的下降波动,约1.2Cal.kaBP时的海平面比现在的至少高128cm;之后海平面开始下降,至今海岸线后退了约210m,形成现代海滩-沙堤地貌体系。结合本区珊瑚礁记录的全新世其他时段海平面的变化特征,本文认为全新世海平面与气候变化一样,也存在千年、百年、年代际尺度的波动特征。     

Elevated iron and manganese concentrations in groundwater derived from the Holocene transgression in the Hang-Jia-Hu Plain, China

Groundwater in the Hang-Jia-Hu Plain, eastern China, is a drinking water source for local residents. Groundwater samples were collected from large-diameter hand-dug wells and boreholes for comparison of their iron and manganese concentrations, as well as other ions. The results show that iron and manganese concentrations are relatively high, exceeding drinking water standards by several times. Aquifer sediment samples contain abundant iron (30,790 mg kg⁻¹) and manganese (602 mg kg⁻¹). The results of correspondence factor analysis of the hydrochemistry data and the liberation experiments (using seawater and rainwater as leachants) suggest that iron and manganese in shallow groundwater come from the sediment in the Holocene aquifer. A reductive environment involving relatively high total dissolved solids and organic carbon in the aquifer system is favorable to iron and manganese transferring from the sediment to groundwater and stabilizes these ions. Shallow, large-diameter hand-dug wells provide oxic conditions that decrease the concentrations of dissolved iron and manganese in the well water.

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Résumé Dans la Plaine de Hang-Jia-Hu, à l’Est de la Chine, les eaux souterraines constituent une ressource en eau potable pour les autochtones. Des échantillons d’eau souterraine ont été prélevés dans des puits de large diamètre creusés manuellement et dans des forages, afin de confronter leurs concentrations en fer, manganèse et autres ions. Les résultats montrent des concentrations en fer et manganèse relativement hautes, souvent au-delà des limites de potabilité. Les échantillons de sédiments de l’aquifère contiennent des quantités abondantes de fer (30,790 mg kg⁻¹) et de manganèse (602 mg kg⁻¹). Les résultats de l’analyse factorielle de correspondance des données hydrochimiques et des tests de libération (utilisant l’eau de mer et l’eau de pluie comme vecteurs) suggèrent que le fer et le manganèse contenus dans les aquifères superficiels proviennent des sédiments de l’aquifère holocène. Un environnement réducteur, impliquant une quantité élevée de solides dissous et de carbone organique dans le système aquifère, est favorable à un transfert du fer et du manganèse depuis les sédiments vers les eaux souterraines, et stabilise les ions considérés. Les puits peu profonds, de large diamètre et creusés à la main créent des conditions oxydantes qui abaissent les concentrations en fer et manganèse dissous dans l’eau du puits.

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Resumen El agua subterránea en la Llanura de Hang-Jia-Hu, al este de China, es una fuente de agua potable para los residentes locales. Las muestras de agua subterránea fueron recogidas en pozos de gran diámetro excavados a mano y en pozos barrenados con el objeto de comparar las concentraciones de hierro y manganeso, y también las de otros iones. Los resultados muestran que las concentraciones de hierro y manganeso son relativamente altas, excediendo varias veces los límites para agua potable. Las muestras de sedimentos tomadas del acuífero contienen abundante hierro (30,790 mg kg⁻¹) y manganeso (602 mg kg⁻¹). Los resultados del análisis de correspondencia de los datos hidroquímicos y experimentos de liberación (usando agua de mar y agua de lluvia como lixiviantes) sugieren que los iones hierro y manganeso en las aguas subterráneas someras provienen de los sedimentos acuíferos del Holoceno. Un ambiente reductor que contiene relativamente alta cantidad de sólidos totales disueltos y carbono orgánico en el sistema acuífero es favorable para la transferencia de hierro y manganeso desde los sedimentos al agua subterránea y para estabilizar estos iones. Los pozos poco profundos, de gran diámetro, excavados a mano, suministran condiciones de oxidación que disminuyen las concentraciones de hierro y manganeso disueltos en el agua del pozo.

     

Timing and duration of growth hiatuses in mid Holocene massive Porites corals from the northern South China Sea

Growth hiatuses in massive corals are usually indicative of past ecological or environmental stresses. Among 37 fossil Porites colonies surveyed from the reef flat of Dadonghai fringing reef at Sanya, Hainan Island, northern South China Sea, seven of them were found to show clear evidence of past mortality, representing a population of ～19%. Among these samples, two of them (SYO‐13 and SYO‐28) display clear growth hiatuses reflecting mortality followed by subsequent recruitment, and five others exhibit a well‐preserved mortality surface and no subsequent recruitment. The growth hiatuses were dated using high‐precision thermal ionisation mass spectrometry U‐series techniques. The age results suggest all the dated corals formed and died in the mid Holocene. Multiple dates below the growth hiatuses suggest that SYO‐13 and SYO‐28 died at 6298 ± 11 and 6929 ± 19 a BP (i.e. years before AD 1950), respectively. Multiple dates above the growth hiatuses indicate that growth in SYO‐13 and SYO‐28 resumed at 6257 ± 14 and 6898 ± 20 a BP, respectively. The calculated durations of growth hiatuses are therefore 41 ± 18 a for SYO‐13 and 31 ± 28 a for SYO‐28, respectively, implying growth resumed within decades after the mortality events. U‐series dating of four other samples with dead heads suggests that they died at 6035 ± 53, 6059 ± 23, 6127 ± 22 and 6474 ± 24 a BP, respectively. In addition, using solution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS), monthly resolution Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios were determined for the annual growth bands below and above the growth hiatuses for three of the dated samples. The Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca profiles indicate that the three corals probably died in different seasons (from spring to autumn), and the mortality appears to be unrelated to anomalous sea surface temperature‐induced bleaching. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A preliminary study on the enrichment mechanism and occurrence of hazardous trace elements in the Tertiary lignite from the Shenbei coalfield, China

The Cr and Ni contents are high in the Eocene lignite of the Shenbei coalfield, which is a small intracontinental basin located in Liaoning Province, China. In this paper, we studied the distribution, origin and occurrence of Cr, Ni and other hazardous trace elements in the Shenbei lignite on the basis of coal petrology, and geochemistry of the lignite and combustion products. The following conclusions on the Shenbei lignite can be drawn: (1) The dominant maceral group in the Shenbei coal is huminite (humodetrinite), accounting for 96%–99% of the total maceral. Inertinite content is less than 1%. Liptinite content (sporinite and cutinite) is 0.2–1.6%. Common minerals in the Shenbei lignite include clay minerals (kaolinite), pyrite and quartz, and calcite and siderite. Chromite is not present in the lignite. (2) Potentially hazardous trace elements such as Co (22 μg/g), Cr (79 μg/g), Cu (63 μg/g), Zn (93 μg/g), V (88 μg/g) and Ni (75 μg/g) are strongly enriched in the Shenbei lignite compared with average concentration of trace elements in the Chinese coal and worldwide lignite. These elements are mainly associated with fulvic acid (FA) and/or coal organic macromolecular compounds in most of the studied lignite samples, indicating an organic association and enrichment of these elements in the Shenbei lignite. (3) Unusually high trace elements contents in the Shenbei lignite are derived mainly from the olivine basalt (country rock of coal basin) that consists of 52.7% plagioclase, 17.8% pyroxene, 14% olivine and 15.5% Ti–Fe oxide minerals. These olivine basalts have higher Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn contents than other types of rock and worldwide basalts do. (4) Fly ash of the Shenbei lignite, with 90% 1–50 μm amorphous particles and 8% 1–10 μm cenosphere, has high contents of Zn (23,707 μg/g), Be (12 μg/g), Sr (1574 μg/g), Pb (486 μg/g) and Cr (349 μg/g). In particular, the ferruginous micro-cenoshperes contain 1–12.79% Zn. Fine bottom ash (<0.031mm) of the Shenbei lignite has higher contents for most of the elements with the exception of Mo, Sn and Zn. Therefore, the potentially environmental and health impact of the fly ash and fine bottom ash should constitute a major concern.     

Holocene climate reconstructions of Ulungur Lake (Xinjiang,China) inferred from ostracod species assemblages and stable isotopes

In this paper, the data on the paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental changes during the Holocene are presented and a discussion is made on a 225-cm-long sediment core from Ulungur Lake, located in Northwest China. The chronology is constructed from six AMS radiocarbon dates on the bulk organic matter. On the basis of the analysis of ostracod assemblages and the shell stable isotopes, the core is divided into three paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental evolution stages: 9 985–5 250 cal.aB.P. stage is the wettest phase of the core section. The climate changed from moderate-dry to cool-wet, and then to warm-wet in turn, and the lake level rose accordingly, showing the characteristic of a high lake level. 5 250–1 255 cal.aB.P. stage was the driest phase of the core sediment. The climate turned from the early warm-dry to the late warm-wet and the lake level fell and rose again. Finally, the 1 255 cal.aB.P. stage was the medium stage of the section. The temperature was low and then increased after the 1920s and the climate was dry. The whole climatic and environmental evolution records of Lake Ulungur were not only in agreement with the sporopollen record of the same core but also in agreement with the record of environmental changes of adjacent areas. It responded to regional environmental changes and global abrupt climate events, following the westerly climate change mode on 100-year-scale, primarily with cold-wet and warmdry characteristics. __________ Translated from Quaternary Sciences, 2007, 27(3):382–391 [译自:第四纪研究]     

Holocene palaeoenvironmental reconstruction based on fossil beetle faunas from the Southern Altai region,north‐west China

We present here the results of the first‐ever Quaternary entomological research in China. The Halashazi Wetland, located in the southern Altai Mountain region in the northernmost part of Xinjiang Province, yielded Holocene insect fossils (mostly beetles) from two peat profiles. In total, 55 Coleoptera taxa were found, including 37 identified species. A new species, Helophorus sinoglacialis, was identified. The fauna is strongly northern Holarctic in character. The interval from 10 424 to 9705 cal a BP was probably a cold and wet period, and the study site was above the treeline. From 9665 to 9500 cal a BP it was probably warmer and drier, and treeline moved to higher elevations. Following a depositional hiatus, mid‐Holocene (5400–4400 cal a BP ) insect assemblages represent cold conditions with the site above the treeline. The exception was a brief warming around 5450 cal a BP , when bark beetle evidence suggests that the treeline moved to a higher elevation. Of the 37 identified beetle species from the Halashazi site, 34 (92%) have modern records in Siberia. The Altai Mountains probably served as a dispersal corridor between the Siberian arctic and alpine regions of northern China. Copyright © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal and petrological structure of the lithosphere beneath Hannuoba, Sino-Korean Craton, China: evidence from xenoliths

Deep-seated xenoliths entrained in the Hannuoba basalts of the northern Sino-Korean Craton include mafic and felsic granulites, mantle wall-rock from spinel– and garnet–spinel peridotite facies, and basaltic crystallisation products from the spinel-pyroxenite and garnet-pyroxenite stability fields. The mineral compositions of the xenoliths have been used to estimate temperatures and, where possible, pressures of equilibration, and to construct a geothermal framework to interpret the upper mantle and lower crustal rock-type sequences for the region. The xenolith-derived paleogeotherm is constrained in the depth interval of 45–65 km and like others from areas of young basalt magmatism, is elevated and strongly convex toward the temperature axis. Two-pyroxene granulites give the lowest temperatures and garnet pyroxenites the highest, while the spinel lherzolites fall between these two groups. The present-day Moho beneath the Hannuoba area is defined at 42 km by seismic data, and coincides with the deepest occurrence of granulite. Above this boundary, there is a lower crust–upper mantle transition zone about 10-km thick, in which spinel lherzolites and mafic granulites (with variable plagioclase contents) are intermixed. It is inferred that this underplating has resulted in a lowering of the original pre-Cenozoic Moho (then coinciding with the crust–mantle boundary, CMB) from about 30 km to its present-day position and was due to intrusions of basaltic magmas that displaced peridotite mantle wall-rock and equilibrated to mafic granulites. Trace element patterns of the diopsides (analysed by laser ablation-ICPMS) from the Cr-diopside series spinel lherzolites and associated layered xenoliths (spinel lherzolites and pyroxenites) indicate a fertile uppermost mantle with moderate depletion by low degrees of partial melting and little evidence of metasomatic activity. The similarity in major and trace element compositions of the minerals in both rock types suggests that the layered ultramafic xenoliths formed by mantle deformation processes (metamorphic segregation), rather than by melt veining or metasomatism.     

Paleoenvironmental proxy records from Lake Hovsgol, Mongolia, and a synthesis of Holocene climate change in the Lake Baikal watershed

Here we discuss paleoenvironmental evolution in the Baikal region during the Holocene using new records of aquatic (diatom) and terrestrial vegetation changes from Hovsgol, Mongolia's largest and deepest lake. We reconcile previous contradictory Baikal timescales by constraining reservoir corrections of AMS dates on bulk sedimentary organic carbon. Synthesis of the Holocene records in the Baikal watershed reveals a northward progression in landscape/vegetation changes and an anti-phase behavior of diatom and biogenic silica proxies in neighboring rift lakes. In Lake Baikal, these proxies appear to be responsive to annual temperature increases after 6 ka, whereas in Lake Hovsgol they respond to higher precipitation/runoff from 11 to 7 ka. Unlike around Lake Baikal, warmer summers between 6 and 3.5 ka resulted in the decline, not expansion, of forest vegetation around Lake Hovsgol, apparently as a result of higher soil temperatures and lower moisture availability. The regional climatic proxy data are consistent with a series of 500-yr time slice Holocene GCM simulations for continental Eurasia. Our results allow reevaluation of the concepts of ‘the Holocene optimum’ and a ‘maximum of the Asian summer monsoon’, as applied to paleoclimate records from continental Asia.