Re-envisioning the structure of last glacial vegetation in New Zealand using beetle fossils

A series of 18 fossil beetle assemblages are used to reconstruct the paleoenvironment of the northwest West Coast, New Zealand, over the period of the last interstadial-stadial transition (ca. 37,000-21,300 cal yr BP). The samples were recovered from an in-filled hollow within a dune field ca. 9 km south west of Westport (41°47′S, 171°30′E). This fossil beetle reconstruction is compared to an existing palynological reconstruction from the same site. The beetle assemblages indicate an environment of marshy shrubland interspersed with closed canopy coastal vegetation prior to glacial onset, and a mosaic of closed canopy patches and open tussock grassland during full glacial conditions. These interpretations, contrast with the palynologically based interpretation which indicates subalpine shrubland prior to glacial onset and widespread grassland with little woody vegetation during the period of maximum glacial cooling. This study is consistent with other non-pollen studies in New Zealand and indicates that the palynological interpretation of the paleoenvironment of the Westport region downplays the importance of closed canopy vegetation in the area during the transition from interstadial to full glacial (stadial) conditions. It challenges the interpretation of open vegetation at low elevations during glacial periods from pollen studies.     

Evidence of a two-fold glacial advance during the last glacial maximum in the Tagliamento end moraine system (eastern Alps)

The glacial history of the Tagliamento morainic amphitheater (southeastern Alpine foreland, Italy) during the last glacial maximum (LGM) has been reconstructed by means of a geological survey and drillings, radiocarbon dating and pollen analysis in the amphitheater and in the sandur. Two phases of glacial culmination, separated by a distinct recession, are responsible for glacial landforms and related sediments in the outer part of the amphitheater. The age of the younger advance fits the chronology of the culmination of the last glaciation in the Alps, well established between 24 and 21 cal ka BP (20 to 17.5 ¹⁴C ka BP), whereas the first pulse between 26.5 and 23 cal ka BP (22 to 21 ¹⁴C ka BP), previously undated, was usually related to older (pre-LGM) glaciations by previous authors. Here, the first pulse is the most extensive LGM culmination, but is often buried by the subsequent pulse. The onset and final recession of the late Würm Alpine glaciation in the Tagliamento amphitheater are synchronous with the established global glacial maximum between 30 and 19 cal ka BP. The two-fold LGM glacial oscillation is interpreted as a millennial-scale modulation within the late Würm glaciation, caused by oscillations in inputs of southerly atmospheric airflows related to Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles. Phases of enhanced southerly circulation promoted increased rainfall and ice accumulation in the southern Alps.     

Malaco temperature reconstructions and numerical simulation of environmental conditions in the southeastern Carpathian Basin during the Last Glacial Maximum

We investigate the glacial climate conditions in the southeastern Carpathian Basin (Vojvodina, Serbia) based on the reconstruction of malacological palaeotemperatures and results from a high-resolution regional climate simulation. Land snail assemblages from eight loess profiles are used to reconstruct July temperatures during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The malacological reconstructed temperatures are in good agreement with the simulated LGM July temperatures by the Weather Research and Forecast model. Both methods indicate increasing temperatures from the northwestern towards the southeastern parts of the study area. LGM aridity indices calculated based on the regional climate model data suggest more arid conditions in the southeastern parts compared with more humid conditions in the northwestern parts. However, for present-day conditions, the moisture gradient is reversed, exhibiting more humid (arid) conditions in the southeast (northwest). An explanation for the reversed LGM aridity pattern is provided by an analysis of the prevailing wind directions over the South Banat district (Serbia). The prevailing moist northwesterly winds during summer are not able to compensate for the annual lack of moisture induced by the dry winds from the southeast that are more frequent during the LGM for the other seasons.     

若尔盖盆地黄河第一湾河岸沉积地层序列及其成因研究

经过在若尔盖盆地进行全面野外考察,在黄河第一弯岸边发现了沉积序列清晰的、具有代表性的完整沉积地层剖面。通过沉积学和地层学特征和沉积相的观测分析,结合实验室粒度分析、数据处理和测年断代,其结果表明：该剖面底部蓝灰色古湖相沉积层反映出盆地内部在OSL年龄35 ka之前为较深的湖泊。其上覆盖的风沙与泥炭互层,反映出在该区域湖水消失之后,在30 ka之前古湖底出现泥炭沼泽,同时风沙作用盛行。而浊黄橙色古洪水沉积层（OFD1）则反映出在30~27 ka之间,曾经有来自于黄河源区流域的规模巨大的洪水进入若尔盖盆地,在古湖底泛滥并且将其携带的分选良好的细沙与粉沙质泥沙堆积下来。该剖面中部厚度达5~7 m的河漫滩-风沙层,沿着河岸追索,则可见其表现为高低起伏的古沙丘。这表明在末次冰期盛期和冰消期,气候干旱寒冷,黄河已经下切形成其河槽,其河漫滩沉积物被强劲的风力吹扬,形成连绵起伏的沙丘。该层之上所覆盖的浊黄橙色古洪水沉积层（OFD2）,则反映出在全新世初期9.86~8.28 ka之间,来自于黄河源区流域的大洪水再次进入盆地,在黄河第一湾两岸的古湖底沉积了分选良好的细沙质与粉沙质的泥沙。到了全新世中期后,若尔盖盆地风沙作用依然盛行,黄河河槽深切,第一湾两岸接受沙尘暴沉积。在全新世中期的相对温暖湿润气候条件之下,沙尘暴沉积物被改造为亚高山草甸黑土类土壤,成熟度极高。到了全新世晚期以来,风沙作用与沙尘暴沉积过程持续,沙尘暴沉积物也被改造为亚高山草甸黑土层。本文研究对于深入理解黄河源区末次冰期以来环境变化与地表过程演变,以及晚更新世以来的气候水文变化规律具有重要的科学意义。     

Luminescence dating of shoreline sediments indicates a late deglacial lake-level rise of Selin Co on the central Tibetan Plateau

The palaeo-shorelines around the lakes on the Tibetan Plateau can be used to reconstruct water level variations, which serve as sensitive indicators of hydroclimate change. Extensive studies have been carried out to constrain the Holocene lake level fluctuations by dating shorelines with a variety of methods (e.g., luminescence, ¹⁴C, ¹⁰Be and U–Th series). In comparison, the timing of the lake level variations during the last glacial and subsequent deglaciation periods has been rarely studied. The driving factors of such changes, therefore, remain elusive. In this study, we performed a detailed luminescence dating investigation on six samples taken from a nearshore sedimentary outcrop in the south of Selin Co basin. The post-IR IRSL signals measured at 225 °C (pIRIR₂₂₅) on sand-sized K-feldspar grains demonstrated a generally good behavior and yielded reliable chronologies, while the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signals of quartz showed systematical age underestimation, which was attributed to anomalous fading. Six pIRIR₂₂₅ ages ranging from 15 to 10 ka suggested that the lake level of Selin Co during the last deglaciation reached up to 40–45 m high above the modern lake level. In view of the regional precipitation and temperature proxy records, we consider that the glacier meltwater supply has likely been the primary contributor to the lake highstands during the last deglaciation.     

天山末次冰期以来干旱化过程的冰川证据

依据天山7个有确切年代学资料的典型地区进行冰川面积和平衡线高度等重建,揭示天山地区末次冰期以来冰川经历的扩张和收缩过程。冰川规模在MIS 4~MIS 3大幅度扩张,形成大规模的复合型山谷冰川和山麓冰川;MIS 2冰川扩张显著,但远不及MIS 4~MIS 3,许多山区形成大型山谷冰川;全新世新冰期NG和小冰期LIA都略有扩张,冰碛垄分布在现代冰川外围,冰川类型与现在一致。冰川平衡线高度的降幅亦表现为MIS 4~MIS 3最大,MIS 2以后降幅递减。MIS 4~MIS 3天山冰川大规模扩张与欧亚冰盖演化,巨大冰前湖泊、广阔的湿地的形成为西风提供更多水气带到天山有关;MIS 2至今,随着欧亚冰盖减小到消失,西风带来的水气渐少,干冷的蒙古高压逐渐加强,制约了冰川规模扩张。     

Late quaternary sea bottom conditions in the southern Panama basin,Eastern Equatorial Pacific

A paleoceanographic reconstruction of the southern Panama Basin for the last 23.000 years, based on the benthic foraminiferal analysis from the deep sea core ME0005A-24JC (0.01°N, 86.28°W, water depth 2941) is presented. Cluster and SHEBI (SHE Analysis for Biozone Identification) analyses performed on the benthic foraminiferal assemblages, evidence a faunal turnover in the early Holocene at 14 ky BP. Between 23 and 14 ky BP, Fursenkoina rotundata, Hoeglundina elegans, Globobulimina affinis, Globobulimina pacifica, Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi and Uvigerina hispidocostata were common. Conversely, from 14 ky to the present, the assemblage is represented by Chilostomella oolina, Laticarinina pauperata, and Uvigerina proboscidea. This faunal turnover suggests significant fluctuations in oxygen content at the sea floor and the organic matter (OM) influx, which could reflect: (1) fluctuations in the surface productivity related to the equatorial divergence and, (2) OM advection caused by the dynamic of the deep sea currents.Paleoproductivity estimates and benthic foraminiferal rates depict a general trend towards lower values since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) with a conspicuous change at 14 ky BP. Therefore, the paleoceanographic reconstructions of the ME0005A-24JC core suggest a transition from La Niña-like conditions during the LGM to El Niño-like conditions in the recent, as previously proposed for the Eastern Equatorial Pacific. Estimates of the paleo-intensity of deep sea currents based on the relative percentage abundance of the epifaunal foraminifera Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi suggest stronger deep sea currents on the Carnegie Ridge before 14 ky BP.     

Short-term climate changes during the Last Glacial–Holocene transition: comparison between Mediterranean records and the GRIP event stratigraphy

This paper presents biostratigraphical and stable isotope data obtained from core CM92–43, which was recovered from the central Adriatic as part of a comprehensive investigation of the palaeoenvironmental history of the basin. The data span the period of the Last Glacial–Holocene (LG–H) transition (ca. 18000 to 8000 GRIP ice-core yr BP). Regional biozones are defined on the basis of characteristic assemblages of planktic Foraminifera, and these are compared with other foraminiferal biostratigraphical schemes from the southern Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Variations in relative abundance of selected planktic Foraminifera and in selected pollen types are shown alongside variations in δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C obtained from Globigerina bulloides and relative abundance of Globigerinoides ex. gr. ruber. The data are compared with the GRIP ice-core record and the event stratigraphy scheme based on this record, and it is concluded that the climate forcing mechanisms that controlled climate variations in the North Atlantic region during the LG–H transition also extended their influence into the Mediterranean region over the same period. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

甘青地区末次冰消期以来植被与气候演化的孢粉记录对比分析

选用甘青地区达连海、青海湖、苏家湾、大地湾4个典型高分辨率的钻孔资料进行对比分析,阐明了该地区末次冰消期以来气候变化规律与主要气候事件,初步探讨了该地区植被纬向时空演化规律。结果显示末次冰消期大致开始于15.2~14.6 ka BP之间,冰消期期间该地区气候表现为冷暖波动频繁,气候不稳定,植被类型由东向西为草原-荒漠化草原。全新世早期阶段10.4~8.2 ka BP气候表现为温干,植被类型由东向西为疏林草原-草原。全新世中期8.2~4.3 ka BP气候温暖湿润,植被发育良好,由东向西出现森林-森林草原植被。4.3 ka BP以后该地区气候总体向凉干方向发展,3.9~3.4 ka BP期间陇中地区气候波动较显著,植被类型草原-森林草原交替出现。晚全新世后期2.3~0 ka BP气候冷干,从东到西发育草原-荒漠化草原植被。     

末次盛冰期以来巴伦支海-喀拉海古海洋环境及海冰研究进展

巴伦支海-喀拉海是北冰洋最大的边缘海,能够对环境变化做出快速的响应和反馈,是全球气候变化最为敏感的区域之一,其古海洋环境演变及海冰变化研究是全球气候变化研究的重要组成部分。末次盛冰期以来,该区域的古海洋环境受到太阳辐射、海流强度、海平面变化、温盐环流和河流输入等因素影响发生了一系列不同尺度的波动。巴伦支海受到北大西洋暖水和极地冷水两大水团相互作用的影响,在水团交界处 （极锋) 由于不同水团性质的差异,导致其海水温度、盐度及海冰发生剧烈变化。而喀拉海则受到叶尼塞河和鄂毕河大量淡水输入影响,海流系统较巴伦支海相对复杂,沉积物主要来源于河流输入的陆源物质,并可以通过磁化率的分析明确区分两条河流的陆源物质。由于受到冷水和暖水的相互作用,巴伦支海-喀拉海海冰变化迅速,并且在全新世中晚期存在 0.4 ka 和 0.95 ka 的变化周期,但海冰变化的影响因素并不是单一的,而是气候系统内部各因子相互作用的结果。目前古海冰重建研究工作主要为定性研究,定量研究相对较少,所选用的重建指标也相对单一,另外存在年代框架差、分辨率低等不足。本文以巴伦支海和喀拉海为中心,总结了其快速气候突变事件、古温度盐度、海平面及海冰的变化,对影响因素进行了探讨,并通过分析末次盛冰期以来古海洋环境研究的不足,提出了相应的展望。