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.     

Palaeoenvironments and weathering regime of the Neoproterozoic Squantum ‘Tillite’, Boston Basin: no evidence of a snowball Earth

The snowball Earth hypothesis describes episodes of Neoproterozoic global glaciations, when ice sheets reached sea‐level, the ocean froze to great depth and biota were decimated, accompanied by a complete shutdown of the hydrological cycle. Recent studies of sedimentary successions and Earth systems modelling, however, have brought the hypothesis under considerable debate. The Squantum ‘Tillite’ (Boston Basin, USA), is one of the best constrained snowball Earth successions with respect to age and palaeogeography, and it is suitable to test the hypothesis for the Gaskiers glaciation. The approach used here was to assess the palaeoenvironmental conditions at the type locality of the Squantum Member through an analysis of sedimentary facies and weathering regime (chemical index of alteration). The stratigraphic succession with a total thickness of ca 330 m documents both glacial and non‐glacial depositional environments with a cool‐temperate glacial to temperate non‐glacial climate weathering regime. The base of the succession is composed of thin diamictites and mudstones that carry evidence of sedimentation from floating glacial ice, interbedded with inner shelf sandstones and mudstones. Thicker diamictites interbedded with thin sandstones mark the onset of gravity flow activity, followed by graded sandstones documenting channellized mass gravity flow events. An upward decrease in terrigenous supply is evident, culminating in deep‐water mudstones with a non‐glacial chemical weathering signal. Renewed terrigenous supply and iceberg sedimentation is evident at the top of the succession, beyond which exposure is lost. The glacially influenced sedimentary facies at Squantum Head are more consistent with meltwater dominated alpine glaciation or small local ice caps. The chemical index of alteration values of 61 to 75 for the non‐volcanic rocks requires significant exposure of land surfaces to allow chemical weathering. Therefore, extreme snowball Earth conditions with a complete shutdown of the hydrological cycle do not seem to apply to the Gaskiers glaciation.     

Paleofire reconstruction for high-elevation forests in the Sierra Nevada, California, with implications for wildfire synchrony and climate variability in the late Holocene

Here, we present two high-resolution records of macroscopic charcoal from high-elevation lake sites in the Sierra Nevada, California, and evaluate the synchroneity of fire response for east- and west-side subalpine forests during the past 9200 yr. Charcoal influx was low between 11,200 and 8000 cal yr BP when vegetation consisted of sparse Pinus-dominated forest and montane chaparral shrubs. High charcoal influx after ∼ 8000 cal yr BP marks the arrival of Tsuga mertensiana and Abies magnifica, and a higher-than-present treeline that persisted into the mid-Holocene. Coeval decreases in fire episode frequency coincide with neoglacial advances and lower treeline in the Sierra Nevada after 3800 cal yr BP. Independent fire response occurs between 9200 and 5000 cal yr BP, and significant synchrony at 100- to 1000-yr timescales emerges between 5000 cal yr BP and the present, especially during the last 2500 yr. Indistinguishable fire-return interval distributions and synchronous fires show that climatic control of fire became increasingly important during the late Holocene. Fires after 1200 cal yr BP are often synchronous and corroborate with inferred droughts. Holocene fire activity in the high Sierra Nevada is driven by changes in climate linked to insolation and appears to be sensitive to the dynamics of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation.     

Development of sediment–landform associations at cold glacier margins,Dry Valleys,Antarctica

The impact of modern cold glaciers on arid periglacial landscapes has received little attention compared with other glacial regimes, and there is a widely held assumption that cold glaciers are not effective geomorphological agents, despite recent studies to the contrary. This paper focuses on the processes operating at the margins of a number of glaciers in the Dry Valleys of Victoria Land, notably the Wright Lower Glacier. The glaciers are entraining primarily older drift deposits and highly weathered regolith which texturally are sandy gravels, as well as well‐sorted sands of fluvial origin. Despite basal temperatures of the order of ?16°C, frozen layers and blocks of sand and gravel are being incorporated into the base of the glaciers by folding and thrusting. The sedimentary products are ridges and aprons several metres high within which the principal lithofacies are sand, gravel, foliated glacier ice, lake ice and snow. These facies are glaciotectonized strongly. Draped over these landforms is a veneer of well‐sorted aeolian sand up to half a metre thick. Supraglacial streams flowing off the glaciers incise these landforms and the sediment is redeposited as alluvial fans, lake deltas and lake‐bottomset deposits. Overall the sediment/landform association differs markedly from those of other glacial regimes, with sand and gravel being the dominant facies, while the usual indicators of glacier working (such as facets and striations on clasts) are lacking. The preservation potential for these landforms on a thousand‐year time scale is high, as modification in this arid regime by slope processes and running water is limited. Sublimation of buried ice is so slow that ridge features are likely to remain ice‐cored almost indefinitely, modified only by wind transport and weathering.     

Palynological evidence for Pennsylvanian (Late Carboniferous) vegetation change in the Sydney Coalfield,eastern Canada

The palynology of clastic samples from seven stratigraphical levels in the late Moscovian Sydney Mines Formation, exposed along the shore at Bras d'Or, Nova Scotia, has been investigated. Most of the samples were from roof shales of major coals; the one sample that was not yielded a much higher proportion of pollen derived from extra‐basinal vegetation. The four stratigraphically lower roof shale samples yielded essentially similar palynological spectra, with 39 ± 4% lycophytes, 9 ± 4% sphenophylls, 23 ± 4% tree‐ferns, 12 ± 4% other ferns and 5 ± 3% cordaites. The palynology of the upper part of the investigated succession suggests a shift in vegetation towards one favouring more marattialean tree‐ferns, cordaites and conifers, and fewer lycophytes. This correlates with changes in drainage patterns as the alluvial plain migrated seawards and thus changed water tables. No evidence was found to suggest significant climate change at this time. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1948-2009年塔里木盆地空中水汽输送时空分布特征

利用1948-2009年美国NCEP/NCAR的逐月再分析资料(2.5°×2.5°),分析了塔里木地区大气中不同层次水平和垂直方向的水汽输入、输出和收支情况及其变化趋势.结果表明:1)塔里木盆地上空水平方向为水汽汇,且纬向贡献大于经向,垂直方向水汽主要由下层向中上层输送;2)水汽的水平和垂直净收支均具有季节性变化,且夏季辐合为主,冬季辐散为主;3)水汽的水平和垂直输送都表现为较一致的年际变化,且均在1970年代中后期出现了较明显的年代际突变;4)在1978年到2003年全球变暖明显的时段内,水平方向水汽净输入量呈减少趋势,垂直方向呈增加趋势.可以认为,在气候变化背景下,全球变暖加速了水循环,但同时改变了纬向的热力差异,导致塔里木盆地局地水循环的加速,以及经向水汽净输入量的减少.     

塔里木河流域适应气候变化和人类活动的应对措施

自2001年开始实施塔里木河流域近期综合治理工程,提出了以强化流域水资源统一管理和调度为核心,以源流区节水改造和干流河道治理为重点进行综合治理,积极稳妥地进行经济结构调整,实施退耕封育保护,有效保护好现有天然林草植被.通过向塔里木河下游生态输水,干涸近30a的台特玛湖于2001年11月16日开始有水,使塔里木河下游绿色走廊得到初步复苏等,流域生态环境得到极大的恢复.然而,自2007年以来,塔里木河向下游输水已大为减少,仅能输水到中游,特别是2009年水文干旱,塔里木河干流断流达1 100km多,使下游绿色走廊再度陷入生态危机.为此,需要重新审视塔里木河流域的综合治理,从加强源流治理开始,来巩固干流治理成果.认真总结10a来治理经验与教训,针对人类活动和气候变化对源流与干流造成的影响程度,积极采取应对措施.     

青海湖北岸土壤温度变化特征

利用1981-2008年刚察站0～320cm逐月平均土壤温度资料和2001-2008年逐日土壤温度观测资料,分析了青海湖北岸土壤温度变化特征、气候突变和异常年份.结果表明:各层年、季平均土壤温度呈现为极显著的升高趋势,升温率为0.25～0.91℃.(10a)-1;月平均土壤温度呈波形变化,位相随深度增加而滞后;日平均土壤温度呈正弦曲线变化;1月和10月随着深度的增加,土壤温度逐渐增大,4月和7月土壤温度随深度增加而减小;14:00时土壤温度随着深度增加逐渐下降,2:00时、8:00时和20:00时土壤温度随着深度增加而升高;除冬季5cm和15cm,秋季40cm平均土壤温度变化相对平稳,未出现突变现象外,其余各层年、季平均土壤温度均发生了突变;15cm、20cm、40cm、160cm和320cm年平均土壤温度均在20世纪80年代出现了异常偏冷,春季平均土壤温度出现了异常偏暖现象,其余各季和年平均地均表现为异常偏冷.     

气候变化对地表水环境的影响研究与展望

全球气候变暖引起水资源量和时空上的分布变化,进一步将影响着地表水环境,改变着河流湖泊的水质和环境情势.大多数关于气候变化对水的影响研究主要集中在气候变化对水量的影响方面,对水环境影响方面的定量研究相对较少.基于目前关于气候变化和水环境国内外现有的研究成果,本文主要讨论了气候变化(温度和极端水文事件)对河道、湖泊等水体水质的带来的可能影响,总结了目前的一些研究和采用的方法主要包括经验统计和模型模拟.在此基础上,提出了气候变化和水环境影响研究方面的展望.     

海南新村潟湖潮汐、潮流特征及其对营养盐的影响

基于海南新村潟湖2020年12月水文和水质多要素实测数据,研究了该海域的潮汐、潮流变化特征,并探讨了潮位变化对潟湖营养盐的影响。结果表明,新村潟湖的潮汐为不规则全日潮,潟湖口门处的潮流为往复流,涨潮历时15 h,落潮历时10 h。大、小潮期间3个观测站点溶解性无机氮(DIN)浓度变化范围为0.91~20.87 μmol/L,磷酸盐(PO3-4)浓度变化范围为0.11~5.92 μmol/L,硅酸盐(SiO2-3)浓度变化范围为2.36~134.75 μmol/L。大、小潮期间,潟湖内3个观测站点DIN、PO3-4、SiO2-3浓度随着涨、落潮过程发生变化。潟湖口门处流速对观测站点潮位变化有着重要的影响,潮通量基本决定了潮位的变化。潟湖口门处和渔排密集区域的营养盐浓度与潮位呈现显著的负相关关系,潮流流速对口门处和渔排密集区域的营养盐变化有着重要影响。该研究结果将为新村潟湖的污染治理及生态修复提供科学依据。