The effect of C3 and C4 plants for the magnetic susceptibility signal in soils

To understand the origin of the ultrafine pedogenic components responsible for the magnetic susceptibility (MS) enhancement remains a major challenging problem in linking magnetic signal with paleoclimate. Here we examine the effect of the natural fires on the MS signal of both plants and modern soils and in particular the MS difference between C3 and C4 plant ashes and their influence on magnetic susceptibility. We also proved the influence of the different floral root systems on the MS signal of modern soils. We find that the C3 and C4 plants are different in their ability to enhance MS signal of modern soils. Increased MS signal of modern soils by C4 plants was much greater than that by C3 plants.     

The magnetic susceptibility of modern soils in China and its use for paleoclimate reconstruction

Summary Magnetic susceptibility of more than 160 modern silty soil samples in China was measured to assess the relationship between the magnetic susceptibility and modern climatic parameters. Correlation between magnetic susceptibility and mean annual temperature (MAT) or mean annual precipitation (MAP), shows a complex picture and no single function can be found to fit all the data on the national scale. In East China, where East Asian monsoon plays an important role for the climate conditions, magnetic susceptibility increases with the increase of MAT or MAP in temperate semi-arid regions of the Loess Plateau and surrounding areas. This can be attributed to increasing intensity of pedogenesis which would favor the formation of strongly magnetic minerals and/or reduce depositional rate of eolian dust. Magnetic susceptibility tends to decrease with the increase of temperature and precipitation in the tropical and subtropical warm and humid regions of the vast areas south of the Yangtze River. This may be explained by pedogenic transformation of iron-bearing minerals to weakly magnetic minerals. Between these two different correlation patterns, 15°C of MAT and/or 1200 mm of MAP seem to be the thresholds. In West China, the correlation becomes quite complex in the great mountains and vast sedimentary basins in the north-west. This may be due to the prevailing continental climate in this region and topographic contrast within short distance. The correlation for the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau is not clear because very few samples were collected. Fluctuations of paleo-temperature and paleo-precipitation at Luochuan for the last 130 ka were estimated using the climofunction obtained from this study.     

黄土地层中真菌孢子的发现及古环境意义

通过对我国各地１３０余块表层土壤样品的分析，发现了多种类型的真菌孢子，其中有一类大孢子（大小１００－３５０μｍ，外壁厚５－１０μｍ以上）与在黄土地层及红粘土层中发现的带尾的微球粒形态是一致的，进一步研究认为这种微球粒实际上是一类分布在我国北方干旱、半干旱草原区的真菌大孢子。这一发现对于恢复黄土地层及红粘土层沉积环境的演化有一定意义。     

粟、黍和狗尾草的淀粉粒形态比较及其在植物考古研究中的潜在意义

为了区分农作物与野生草类的淀粉粒形态,对现代粟（Setariaitalica）、黍（Panicummiliaceum）和狗尾草（Setariaviridis）的淀粉粒形态进行了比较。观察结果表明,粟的淀粉粒以圆球形单粒为主,脐点位于中央,大部分由脐点向外有1～3条放射线,表面光滑,淀粉粒平均长度约19m。黍的淀粉粒以多角形单粒为主,脐点位于中央,但很多淀粉粒的脐点不是很明显。在一些脐点形成1～3条射线,表面光滑,淀粉粒平均长度约为19m。狗尾草淀粉粒以卵形为主,脐点位于中央,表面可见层纹,边缘凹凸不平且常有裂隙形成,淀粉粒平均长度约为18m。研究证明,利用粟、黍和狗尾草的淀粉粒形态特征,可以有效地对考古遗存中的这几种禾本科植物遗迹进行区分。     

棕榈科植硅体形态分析及其环境意义

植硅体分析在古环境、古生态、环境考古、植物分类等众多领域研究中逐渐显示出其重要的作用,其应用潜力依赖于现代植硅体形态基础研究工作的深入。文章主要针对我国热带、亚热带地区常见的棕榈科15个属20个种植物进行了植硅体形态鉴定和多项形态参数(大小、突起等)的测量分析,同时对旅人蕉科的白花扇芭蕉、蝎尾蕉科的黄芭蝎尾蕉、苏木科的无忧树进行了对比研究。结合聚类分析方法把植硅体形态分为5个大的类型,棕榈科植硅体主要包括刺球形、水母形和草帽形3种形态。白花扇芭蕉植硅体呈褶球形,黄芭蝎尾蕉植硅体呈飞梭形,无忧树不含有植硅体。同时,给出了不同类型形态参数的大小和范围,为利用棕榈科植硅体等进行古环境研究提供了基础。     

A new pollen record of the last 2.8 Ma from the Co Ngoin,central Tibetan Plateau

A new pollen record from the lake of Co Ngoin in the central Tibetan Plateau provides information on the vegetation and climate changes during the last 2.8 Ma. Seven major significant changes in pollen associations indicate the processes of vegetation change and possible tectonic uplifts. The seven changes in vegetation succession include a temperate montane conifer and broad-leaved mixed forest, cold temperate montane dark conifer forest, alpine shrub-meadow and alpine desert, montane dark coniferous forest and alpine shrub meadow, montane dark coniferous forest and alpine shrub meadow, montane dark coniferous forest and alpine meadow, and alpine desert and meadow. The pollen record provides the evidence of at least five times tectonic uplifts occurring at about 2.58 Ma, 1.87 Ma, 1.17 Ma, 0.83 Ma, and 0.3 Ma ago, respectively. Before 0.8 Ma, this region maintained the altitude below 4000 m a.s.l. Larger amplitude of uplift occurring at about 0.8 Ma ago enforced the plateau rising into cryosphere, shaping the basic topographic pattern of modern plateau. The major successions in vegetation of this area were largely controlled by stepwise uplift of the Tibetan Plateau.

     

晚第四纪风尘物质成分的变化及其环境意义

对长武和宜川晚第四纪黄土-古土壤序列的高分辨率铁含量分析表明,不同时期的风尘在化学成分上具有较明显的区别。在排除成壤过程中CaCO₃淋溶和淀积的相对影响后,研究剖面的铁含量基本反映了原始风尘的铁含量。已有研究表明,西部源区的气溶胶和现代地表流沙中铁的相对含量显著高于东部源区。本文认为,风尘铁含量的变化反映了西部沙漠风尘对黄土堆积的相对贡献。由于西风带北支是西部源区风尘的主要搬运者,风尘中全铁含量可能反映了西风带北支气流的强度,并明显存在着千年尺度的变化。     

末次间冰期以来黄土高原南部植被演替的植物硅酸体记录

对于本次间冰期以来黄土高原是否存在大面积森林植被的问题一直存在争议,本文通过对渭南、宝鸡和兰州剖面的植物硅酸体记录研究表明,末次间冰期以来,在黄土高原南部,主要发育草原和森林草原的植被类型,只有在气候最适宜期年降水量超过800mm以上,才可能有短期的森林植被发育。在黄土高原源区发育森林植被所需要的降水量要比基岩山地高250mm以上。     

关中盆地6000～2100cal.aB.P. 期间黍、粟农业的植硅体证据

黍、粟是我国北方两种重要的旱作农作物,对中华文明起源和发展产生过重要的影响。长期以来由于受到考古样品保存及研究方法的限制,早期考古发掘报道的我国关中盆地新石器遗存的农作物多是以粟为主或粟、黍不分,统称粟类作物,缺少对该区新石器时期粟、黍农业状况的深入研究。本文利用植硅体方法,分别对现代黍、粟和水稻种子的植硅体产量以及关中盆地新石器考古样品中的植硅体进行分析。结果表明,等重量的黍、粟种子稃片的植硅体产量基本相等,其植硅体含量所反映的是黍、粟的相对产量(重量);水稻双峰型植硅体的百分含量比水稻实际含量相对偏低。关中盆地泉护、杨官寨、浒西庄、案板、王家嘴,水沟等6个考古遗址17个¹⁴C年龄和47个植硅体样品分析结果显示,约6000～2100cal.aB.P.期间,关中盆地黍子的植硅体含量一直占优势(3.4％～34.5％),粟次之(0～6.2％),即使在气候相对暖湿的阶段,黍的产量仍超过粟。泉护、杨官寨、浒西庄,案板等遗址的个别样品中保存水稻植硅体。这些结果为重新认识关中地区新石器时期农业生产与社会经济形态以及与气候环境条件的关系提供了新的参考资料。