The Little Ice Age recorded in sediments of a small dystrophic mountain lake in southern Poland

We inferred the temperature and environmental conditions of Smreczynski Staw Lake in the Tatra Mountains, southern Poland, from a sediment record covering the last 1,500 years. Paleobiological methods (cladocera, chironomid, and diatom analyses) were used together with sedimentological analysis and dating. These studies provide new information about the timing and character of climate fluctuations during the Little Ice Age (LIA). The Medieval Warm Period ended in the Tatra region at the beginning of the thirteenth century, followed by the first episode of the LIA. The LIA was a relatively long but unstable period. The first part of the LIA was cold in the Tatra Mountains, without evidence of increasing precipitation, while the second part, after AD 1540, was cold and humid. The LIA terminated in the Tatra Mountains at the beginning of the twentieth century, although some aspects of its climatic and sedimentological regime continued until the 1920s. We also found some evidence of warming and acidification during the twentieth century.     

Holocene development and anthropogenic disturbance of a shallow lake system in Central Ireland recorded by diatoms

Three cores from two connected lakes in Central Ireland (Lough Kinale and Derragh Lough) were investigated using diatom analysis to establish the Holocene development of the lacustrine system, any local variations within the lakes and any anthropogenic influences. The study area was situated in a lowland location and the lakes were shallow, unstratified and interconnected. Litho-and bio-stratigraphical analyses of the lake cores and deposits beneath a mire separating the two lakes showed the changing spatial configuration of the lake system in the early Holocene and the separation of the initial lake into three basins (cf. lacustrine cells) and finally into two interlinked lakes. The evolution of the lake system is conceptualised as the development of distinct lacustrine cells, and its sediments have recorded changes in the physical (geography, depth and sedimentation) and chemical (water chemistry) properties of the lakes inferred through diatom analyses. The longest sequence, from the early Holocene, records fluctuating lake levels and these are correlated with geomorphological mapping and surveying of palaeoshorelines. The diatom assemblages of the upper 2 m of the three cores, covering approximately the last 2000–3000 radiocarbon years show considerable difference in trophic status and life-form categories. This is related to the location of the cores in the lake and also the distance from human settlement with particular reference to proximity to crannog (artificial island) construction and use. The most central core from the deepest part of Lough Kinale has the least representation of the human settlement and agricultural activity in the catchment and on the fringes of the lake, whereas the core taken from the edge of a crannog is able to identify when construction and use of the crannog occurred. The local nature of the palaeoecological response to human activity due to incomplete water mixing has the advantage of allowing the lake sediment cores to be used to determine spatially discrete settlement patterns.     

藏南羊卓雍错沉积物元素地球化学记录的过去2000年环境变化

以青藏高原南部的羊卓雍错（简称羊湖）沉积岩芯为研究对象,以较可靠的年代数据（ ²¹⁰Pb和AMS ¹⁴C交叉定年）为框架,基于高分辨率的元素地球化学记录,通过数理统计分析方法提取环境信息,结合粒度和磁化率,重建该地区过去2000年来的环境变化。结果显示,该区黑暗时代冷期（DCAP）和小冰期（LIA）气候较为寒冷,降水量较高;而中世纪暖期（MWP）和现代暖期（CWP）气候较为温暖,降水量较低,气候具有冷湿—暖干的特征。其中,重建的温度显示,中世纪暖期的温暖程度似乎持平甚至超过20世纪暖期;小冰期期间可能存在一次百年尺度的温暖事件,而17世纪和18世纪可能是过去2000中最寒冷的一段时期。分析发现,过去2000年以来青藏高原南部存在着冷湿—暖干的气候模式;过去2000年青藏高原南部地区温度的变化可能主要受到太阳辐射的影响,而小冰期期间西风环流的南移和增强可能是导致区域降水增加的重要因素。另外,该时期羊湖的湖泊水位的变化受温度和降水共同控制：当温度降低,降水增加时,湖泊水位上升,反之亦然。     

The CASPIA project: diatoms,salt lakes,and environmental change

The Climate and Salinity (CASPIA) Project is concerned with diatoms as environmental indicators in inland waters and their use in reconstructing salinity and major ion composition from fossil diatom assemblages in lake sediments. By comparing saline lake diatom floras from around the world the project aims to establish a common, harmonised approach to sample collection, diatom identification and nomenclature, and to develop techniques for numerical analysis and data storage.This is the first in a series of papers published in this issue on the paleolimnology of arid regions. These papers were presented at the Sixth International Palaeolimnology Symposium held 19–21 April, 1993 at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. Dr A. R. Chivas served as guest editor for these papers.Palliser Triangle Global Change Project Contribution Number 19.     

Anthropogenic impacts recorded in recent sediments from Otisco Lake,New York,USA

Geochemical analysis of ²¹⁰Pb-dated sediment cores from Otisco Lake (New York) combined with analysis of recent land cover change in the watershed revealed the history of land use change, lake management, and industrial pollution since European settlement in the northeastern US. Clearance of forestland for agriculture characterized the early settlement era that was marked in the Otisco Lake sediments by a decline in organic carbon (OC) and OC:N ratios, which indicate a change in the sources of organic matter to the lake. Agricultural land use reached its greatest areal extent in the Otisco watershed around 1900, followed by field abandonment and reforestation over the last century. In the 1920s sediment accumulation rates began to increase coincident with residential development along the lake shore. Nitrogen and organic carbon, which are transported from the watershed, show increased fluxes to the lake in response to this change. Deposition of inorganic carbon increased markedly over a short period from the 1940s to the 1980s, which is consistent with enhanced mobilization of watershed calcium by increased acidic deposition, followed by alkalinization of the lake waters and calcite precipitation. An increase in copper content in the sediments reflects application, since 1942, of the algicide copper sulfate to the lake waters to control algal blooms. This CuSO₄ marker confirmed the accuracy of the ²¹⁰Pb chronology. Atmospheric mercury (Hg) fluxes to the lake were affected by increased sediment transport from the watershed. The maximum Hg peak in the sediment record, however, was dated to the early 1970s and coincides with maximum Hg emissions to the atmosphere in the Great Lakes region.     

Spatial and temporal distribution of diatoms in sediments of Lake Malawi,Central Africa,and ecological implications

Lake Malawi lies in a major rift valley in Central Africa that is some 700 m deep and 550 km long. A total of 242 cores and 111 grab samples were recovered between 1984 and 1989 and form the data base for a study of diatom distribution in this lake basin. The sediments consist of homogeneous diatomites, pelagic diatomaceous muds, varved diatomite-mud couplets, turbidites, littoral sand sheets and extensive deposits of ferro-manganous nodules.Fossil diatoms show major temporal and regional contrasts between the southern, central and northern areas of the lake. A wide variety of Aulacoseira species occur in the southern lake sediments. To the north, the Nkhotakota region is generally characterised by Stephanodiscus and Aulacoseira, with occasional diatomite laminae composed of Aulacoseira or Nitzschia. The central parts of the lake show the greatest variation, with Stephanodiscus, Nitzschia and Aulacoseira all being prominent. The northern region is dominated by Aulacoseira nyassensis throughout most core sequences.Variability in these assemblages appears to be controlled by Si:P ratios, Si concentrations, turbulence and light penetration. These factors themselves are influenced by differences in the depth and duration of lake mixing due to variations in wind strength, seiches and bottom topography among different regions of the lake and from lakewide circulation patterns.     

A deep seismic profile of 800 km length recorded in southern Queensland, Australia

Summary. In 1984, the Australian Bureau of Mineral Resources and the Geological Survey of Queensland recorded a regional seismic reflection profile of over 800 km length from the eastern part of the Eromanga Basin to the Beenleigh Block east of the Clarence Moreton Basin. A relatively transparent upper crustal basement with an underlying, more reflective lower crust is characteristic of much of the region. Prominent westerly dipping reflectors occur well below the sediments of the eastern margin of the Clarence Moreton Basin and the adjacent Beenleigh Block, and provide some of the most interesting features of the entire survey. A wide angle reflection/refraction survey of 192 km length and an expanding reflection spread of 25 km length were recorded across the Nebine Ridge. The only clear deep reflectors are interpreted as P-to-SV or SV-to-P converted reflections from a mid-crustal boundary at a depth of about 17 km. The combined Nebine Ridge data provide well-constrained P and S wave velocity models of the upper crust, and suggest a crustal structure quite different from that beneath the adjacent Mesozoic basins.     

Multiple ecological and hydrological changes recorded in varved sediments from Sanagak Lake,Nunavut, Canada

A combination of biotic, sedimentary and biogeochemical proxies was used to investigate the timing and causes of post-18th century changes in the stratigraphic record of a large, deep lake on the Boothia Peninsula, Nunavut, Canada (70°15′ N, 94°30′ W). A varve chronology verified with radioisotopic dating (²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs) revealed a complex pattern of environmental dynamics since c. AD 1830. An increase in the diatoms Asterionella formosa, Stephanodiscus minutulus and Cyclotella atomus and a decrease in Aulacoseira taxa in the uppermost centimetre of sediment suggested that environmental conditions have favoured the growth of smaller and/or lighter planktonic species since the 1980s. Longer term changes in some benthic species, the chrysophyte cysts to diatom valve ratio, %C, and C/N ratios suggest declined river inflow and a relative reduction in allochthonous inputs during the last century. Higher than average δ¹⁵N values in the late 19th to early 20th centuries coincide with changes in bulk carbon and nitrogen profiles, and below average values since approximately 1950 may be associated with increased atmospheric N loading or reduced productivity. Biogenic silica and organic carbon accumulation in the sediments suggest a possible decline in lake production during the 20th century that may be associated with changes in the river discharge regime. The short and long-term ecological and biogeochemical trends were also reflected in the sedimentary structure through declining varve thickness for the duration of the record and an abrupt change in sedimentology in the uppermost 1 cm, coinciding with deposition since ca. AD 1987. Together, these biological and physical changes suggest changes in hydroclimatic conditions in the 20th century, and an increase in planktonic diatom taxa since the 1980s that coincides with a distinct period of climate warming.     

Feasibility of using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy for the analysis of C, N, P, and diatoms in lake sediments

The present study explored whether rapid, non-destructive near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) could complement conventional paleolimnological and chemical analyses of sediment cores for greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The study used a 47-cm long freeze-core from the deepest point in Lake Arendsee, Mecklenburg Plain in northern Germany taken in 1993 to elucidate eutrophication history and to identify the pre-impact algal communities in this system. The core had been analyzed for total C, CO32-, N, P, and diatoms. Thirty-four of the 47 1-cm thick core sections were scanned by NIRS and calibrations were developed for total C, CO32-, N, P, N:P, total diatoms, and three dominant diatom species with different sedimentary profiles (Stephanodiscus binatus, Cyclotella rossii, and Fragilaria crotonensis). Total C ranged from 167-194 mg g-1 dry weight (d.w.), CO32- from 31.3-66.4 mg g-1 d. w., N from 9.9-17.4 mg g-1 d. w., and P from 0.7-6.0 mg g-1 d. w. Calibrations developed using multiple linear regression between NIR-predicted values and chemically-measured values were excellent for P (r2 > 0.99), good for C, N, and N:P (r2 > 0.93), and satisfactory for CO32-(r2 > 0.8). Calibrations for total diatoms and for individual species were highly statistically significant (r2 between 0.54 and 0.69). Although the calibrations are not useful for reliable predictions of the content of diatoms in the samples, the results indicate that NIRS detects spectral properties associated with diatoms or lake conditions when they were present, and that further work is warranted to attempt to improve the results. The study demonstrated that rapid, non-destructive, simultaneous analysis of total C, CO32-, N, P, and N:P in sediment cores is feasible.     

中国海岸风沙沉积记录的环境变化

海岸是陆、海、气相互作用的地带。海岸风沙沉积是这一特殊动力环境的产物,是研究海岸环境演变及海平面变化的良好信息载体。中国海岸主要存在3种风沙沉积,分别为“老红砂”、沙丘岩及海岸沙丘。本文通过比较已报道的风沙堆积的物质组成、地层变化等,进一步总结了海岸风沙沉积的特征;选择已开展绝对测年的沉积剖面,利用概率密度函数分析了风沙沉积年代的分布特征,考察了中国海岸风沙活动历史,结合其他气候记录,探讨了不同地质历史时期海岸风沙堆积的关键影响因素。结果表明：“老红砂”沉积主要记录了冰期-间冰期尺度的风沙活动,在120 ka BP前后、73—55 ka BP等时期,风沙活动主要与海平面下降时陆架提供的丰富沙源和强盛的冬季风有关;而在105 ka BP、80 ka BP前后,风沙活动与高海平面时期丰富的沙源或季风气候的季节性增强有关;55 ka BP以来风沙活动强度降低更多地反映了沉积记录保存环境的变化,末次冰期海岸风沙沉积大多分布在现代海面之下,并不代表实际的海岸风沙活动减弱。相比之下,海岸沙丘沉积所记录的风沙活动主要发生在近3 000 a,可能与中国海岸冬季风的增强有关。     

MIS 3以来雅鲁藏布江流域风成沉积及环境意义

雅江流域风成沉积广泛发育,其气候指示意义及年代的界定尚不够清晰。从雅江全流域视角出发,全面分析了不同区域风成沉积的发育机制及模式,同时对风成沉积年代数据归一化处理,并与全球气候对比研究。结果表明：① 流域内风成沉积有盛行风场发育模式和局地风场发育模式,不同模式对环境的指示意义不同。② 雅江流域风成沉积多堆积于末次盛冰期（LGM）以后,且主要发育于晚冰期（15 ka BP）以来的不同时段,冰川退缩地表裸露,丰富的冲洪积碎屑物源可能是风成沉积发育的主控因素;更早时段的风成沉积因LGM后气候转暖、冰川消融所致的侵蚀搬运作用而未能保存。③ LGM以来风成沉积过程受区域及全球古气候环境共同控制,波动变化剧烈;其对30°N夏季太阳辐射、印度季风及西风变化信号的指示有所差异,但对YD等全球气候冷事件有较好记录,其沉积过程与高原面上其他区域既存在对全球古气候响应的同步性,又有其区域独特性。④ 流域内风成沉积的强烈堆积过程与全球气候变化并非简单对应关系,呈现出较复杂的响应模式。说明高山河谷环境的风成沉积除受大区域气候影响,还受许多局地环境因素控制,古气候环境的指示意义复杂。     

腾格里沙漠南缘土门剖面末次间冰期5e的主量元素特征及其记录的古气候

腾格里沙漠南缘地处中国西北沙漠与黄土交错带,也是东亚冬季风与夏季风交替控制的过渡地带,其对全球气候变化十分敏感,是研究古气候与古生态的理想地点。选择该区域一典型剖面即"土门剖面"(TMS)为代表,通过野外考察、采样和室内采用X-射线荧光光谱仪进行主量元素测试,探讨了以该剖面主元素氧化物为气候代用指标指示的腾格里沙漠沙漠南缘末次间冰期5e(MIS5e)的古气候变化。年代相当于MIS5e的土门剖面末次间冰期5e层段(TMS5e)由16层风成砂、11层湖积黄土和5层湖相构成,记录了14.5个风成砂与湖相或和湖积黄土构成的沉积旋回与元素旋回。分析结果显示,该层段8种主量元素的含量高低依次为:SiO₂ >Al₂O₃ >CaO >TOFE(FeO+Fe₂O₃) >K₂O >MgO >Na₂O >TiO₂,平均值依次为64.11%、11.31%、5.15%、4.08%、2.37%、2.26%、2.01%、0.41%。这些主量元素在TMS5e层段的垂直方向上呈两组镜像对称变化:一组为SiO₂,其含量在风成砂层位显峰态,而在湖相和湖积黄土层位显谷态;另一组为Al₂O₃、TOFE、CaO、MgO、Na₂O、K₂O、TiO₂,它们在风成砂层位呈谷态,在湖相和湖积黄土层位显谷态。土门剖面TMS5e层段的主元素氧化物指示的MIS5e腾格里沙漠南缘的气候是不稳定的,经历了14.5次暖湿与冷干交替的气候波动,且可划分为TMS5e5(139~129.30 ka BP)、TMS5e4(129.30~124 ka BP)、TMS5e3(124~119.50 ka BP)、TMS5e2(119.5~116.5 ka BP)和TMS5e1(116.5~113.70 ka BP)等5个亚段,其在时代上与末次间冰期5eGRIP冰芯δ¹⁸O记录的5个阶段具有遥相关关系。该研究深化了对我国西北季风边缘区MIS5e古气候状况的了解,也为国际上仍有争议的"MIS5e气候是不稳定"的理论观点提供了有力的地质证据。     

Late Holocene paleoenvironmental changes in subtropical Taiwan inferred from pollen and diatoms in lake sediments

We analyzed pollen, spores, diatoms, organic carbon, nitrogen, and δ¹³C of organic matter in lake sediments to infer climate changes and reconstruct the paleo-environment of subtropical Taiwan over the past ∼1300 years. A 31.5-cm sediment core that represents deposition from 650 AD to present was taken from a mountain lake, Duck Pond, located 760 m a.s.l. We differentiated five zones using cluster analysis on pollen and spore assemblages. Fluctuations in the relative abundances of arboreal taxa, herbaceous plants, and ferns reflect changes in the relative amounts of woody versus grassland vegetation. Such shifts are associated with changes in temperature and humidity and are consistent with climatic periods reported for the temperate region of central China. Climate changes inferred from the pollen assemblages are also correlated well with changes in the ratios of fern spores to pollen, with organic carbon to nitrogen, and with the δ¹³C values in the sediments. Fluctuations in these data throughout the entire core were in good agreement with the changes in pH inferred from diatom assemblages. This study provides evidence of climate change in northern Taiwan over the past 1.3 millennia, assuming that climate can be inferred from the ratio of arboreal to non-arboreal pollen and from the pH of the aquatic environment.     

Little Ice Age recorded in summer temperature reconstruction from vared sediments of Donard Lake, Baffin Island, Canada

Clastic varved sediments from Donard Lake, in the Cape Dyer region of Baffin Island, provide a 1250 yr record of decadal-to-centennial scale climate variability. Donard Lake experiences strong seasonal fluctuations in runoff and sediment fluxes due to the summer melting of the Caribou Glacier, which presently dominates its catchment. The seasonal variation in sediment supply results in the annual deposition of laminae couplets. A radiocarbon date measured on moss fragments, with a calibrated age of 860 ± 80 yrs before present (BP), is in close agreement with the age based on paired-layer counts. Together with the fabric of the laminae determined from microscope analysis, the age agreement demonstrates that the laminae couplets are annually deposited varves. Comparisons of varve thickness and average summer temperature from nearby Cape Dyer show a significant positive correlation (r= 0.57 for annual records, r = 0.82 for 3-yr averages), indicating that varve thickness reflects changes in average summer temperature. Varve thickness was used to reconstruct average summer temperatures for the past 1250 yrs, and shows abrupt shifts and large amplitude decadal-to-centennial scale variability throughout the record. The most prominent feature of the record is a period of elevated summer temperatures from 1200-1375 AD, followed by cooler conditions from 1375-1820 AD, coincident with the Little Ice Age.     

Two geomagnetic excursions during the Brunhes chron recorded in Chinese loess-palaeosol sediments

Detailed palaeomagnetic integrated with rock magnetic studies have been carried out on a loess-palaeosol sequence in Baoji, Shaanxi province, southern Chinese Loess Plateau. For most samples stepwise thermal demagnetization revealed two well-defined magnetization components. A low-temperature component (LTC), which was isolated between 100 and 200 °C, is consistent with the present geomagnetic field direction. A high-temperature component (HTC), which was isolated between 250 and 620–680 °C, shows normal, reversed or transitional polarities. Our new magnetostatigraphy revealed two distinct geomagnetic excursions recorded in loess unit of L5 and palaeosol unit of S7, respectively, and the Matuyama-Brunhes (M-B) polarity boundary in loess unit of L8. Rock magnetic experiments demonstrated that the specimens from the excursion zones have the same magnetic properties as those from the Brunhes normal or Matuyama reversed polarity zones. Measurements of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) showed that the sediments have primary sedimentary fabrics. Based on the palaeoclimatological and magnetostratigraphic age models, the middle Brunhes excursion in loess L5 is dated at 413–433 ka, and the early Brunhes excursion is estimated to occur 23–33 ka after the M-B reversal. Comparing with previously reported geomagnetic excursions in the Brunhes chron, the middle Brunhes excursion (L5) is likely global. For the early Brunhes excursion (S7), we need further studies to examine its global occurrence.     

Holocene environmental dynamics of south-eastern Brazil recorded in laminated sediments of Lago Aleixo

Environmental changes of the last 9,300 years were reconstructed by geochemical and pollen analyses of a 14-m-long, laminated sediment core from Lago Aleixo, south-eastern Brazil. Fossil pollen assemblages indicate open savannah vegetation (campo cerrado) and gallery forests until approximately 6,900 cal. BP. During that time, siderite laminae were deposited under anoxic conditions at the lake bottom. Then, increased rainfall and a shorter annual dry period allowed gallery forests and semi-deciduous forests to expand, leading to more closed cerrado vegetation. High-intensity rainfall events during this period are recorded as peaks in K and Ti concentrations. The sediment facies during this period consists of alternating layers of diatoms and minerogenic matter. C/N ratios imply that algae and perhaps soils, too, were the main contributors to sediment organic matter. Biogenic silica and δ¹³C_org variations indicate increasing primary productivity, which was related to higher nutrient flux from intensified leaching of soils, as shown by rising K/Al ratios. Around 800 cal. BP, a closed, semi-deciduous forest developed under present-day climate conditions. Slope stabilization diminished erosion processes in the catchment and caused reduced input of minerogenic matter into the basin. Human impact is evident in the topmost homogeneous sediments, as removal of the stabilizing forest cover amplified soil erosion. The continuous trend to more humid conditions during the Holocene probably reflects increased influence of the Amazon Basin as a moisture source. We conclude that the Lago Aleixo sediment archive was a sensitive recorder of environmental dynamics in tropical South America, which were mainly controlled by changes in precipitation patterns.     

A new flow cytometry method enabling rapid purification of diatoms from silica-rich lacustrine sediments

Sub-fossil diatoms represent an important archive of past environmental change in both terrestrial and marine settings. In recent years the isotopic analysis of diatom frustules has developed into an important area of paleo-environmental research. The extraction and concentration of diatoms from marine and lake sediments has proven difficult, particularly in silica rich samples. Here we present a new method for the rapid extraction of diatom frustules from lacustrine sediment using flow cytometry. This new technique produces samples suitable for geochemical and isotope-based research with a high degree of purity over a much shorter time frame than existing techniques, hours rather than days.     

全新世中晚期福建海岸沙丘记录的海岸环境与人类活动

选取福建长乐典型海岸沙丘进行研究,在光释光(OSL)年代学基础上,结合环境代用指标分析和地质雷达图像,探讨研究区晚全新世以来沙丘发育历史及其古环境意义。结果显示:1东山(DS)沙丘发育过程主要存在5个沉积期和3个沉积间断。主要反映了东亚季风强度变化,是东亚冬季风的区域响应结果。同时与火山活动、中国东部冬半年气温、夏季风降水具有良好对应关系;2 DS剖面保存了近6 ka以来福州盆地海平面变化信息。清晰记录了存在于闽粤台地区的大范围的高海面期,分别是5.6~2.8 ka BP、2.8~1.7 ka BP、1.7~0.8 ka BP,其中1.7~0.8ka BP阶段最为明显。3 DS沙丘发育过程与闽东北区域人类活动记录以及新石器文化序列具有良好对应关系。5.6~2.8 ka BP、2.8~1.7 ka BP阶段的人类活动主要受到自然环境影响。~1.7ka BP之后,唐代至五代是福建社会经济的复苏阶段。     

Origin and significance of diagenetic concretions in sediments of Laguna Potrok Aike, southern Argentina

Authigenic minerals can form in the water column and sediments of lakes, either abiotically or mediated by biological activity. Such minerals have been used as paleosalinity and paleoproductivity indicators and reflect trophic state and early diagenetic conditions. They are also considered potential indicators of past and perhaps ongoing microbial activity within sediments. Authigenic concretions, including vivianite, were described in late glacial sediments of Laguna Potrok Aike, a maar lake in southernmost Argentina. Occurrence of iron phosphate implies specific phosphorus sorption behavior and a reducing environment, with methane present. Because organic matter content in these sediments was generally low during glacial times, there must have been alternative sources of phosphorus and biogenic methane. Identifying these sources can help define past trophic state of the lake and diagenetic processes in the sediments. We used scanning electron microscopy, phosphorus speciation in bulk sediment, pore water analyses, in situ ATP measurements, microbial cell counts, and measurements of methane content and its carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C_CH4) to identify components of and processes in the sediment. The multiple approaches indicated that volcanic materials in the catchment are important suppliers of iron, sulfur and phosphorus. These elements influence primary productivity and play a role in microbial metabolism during early diagenesis. Authigenic processes led to the formation of pyrite framboids and revealed sulfate reduction. Anaerobic oxidation of methane and shifts in pore water ion concentration indicated microbial influence with depth. This study documents the presence of active microbes within the sediments and their relationship to changing environmental conditions. It also illustrates the substantial role played by microbes in the formation of Laguna Potrok Aike concretions. Thus, authigenic minerals can be used as biosignatures in these late Pleistocene maar sediments.     

青海湖湖东沙地河湖-风成沉积记录的中晚全新世以来环境变化

青海湖盆地因其独特的地理位置和气候环境,对气候变化响应敏感,是研究环境变化重要的场所。本研究在青海湖湖东沙地获取两个剖面,采用AMS¹⁴C测年,结合岩性、粒径组分和常量元素氧化物及其比值等多指标分析方法,重建了湖东沙地8.4 ka BP以来的环境演变过程。结果表明：除少量沉积物处于中等化学风化阶段外,大部分沉积物处于物理风化和初级化学风化阶段,说明自8.4 ka BP以来研究区气候环境总体上相对寒冷干燥。在千年尺度上,研究区不同时间段的气候环境存在较大的差异。8.4—4.2 ka BP气候相对温暖湿润;其中,8.4—6.2 ka BP河湖相和风成相沉积互层,表明存在明显的百年尺度气候波动;6.2—4.2 ka BP化学风化和淋溶作用较强,表明季风降水较多,径流较强,发育了较为稳定的湖泊沉积环境。4.2 ka BP以来湖泊消失,化学风化和淋溶作用减弱,沉积物从砾石转变为砂质黄土,显示气候较为冷干且波动较大。对比分析表明,中晚全新世以来青海湖湖东沙地的气候变化特征与东亚季风边缘区其他区域基本一致,并主导了区域沉积环境的演变过程。