Situated in the semi-arid regions of North China,the Nihewan Basin documents the fluvio-lacustrine sequence and Pleistocene archaeological sites,offering an excellent opportunity to investigate human adaptation to env...Situated in the semi-arid regions of North China,the Nihewan Basin documents the fluvio-lacustrine sequence and Pleistocene archaeological sites,offering an excellent opportunity to investigate human adaptation to environmental change in East Asia,especially in North China.However,paleoenvironmental datasets from Middle Pleistocene archaeological sites are not fully understood.Focusing on the evidence from the 0.63-0.49 Ma-old site of Jijiazhuang(Nihewan Basin,North China),this paper presents the results of various environmental indicators from the site context.Moreover,it explores the links between hominin behavioral adaptations and ecological variability during the extra-long interglacial period in North China.Sedimentological features of the excavated section indicate that the site was formed in the margin of the Nihewan paleolake.Based on well-constructed pollen,sediment grain size,color reflectance,and major geochemical element analyses,five stages of environmental changes were identified during site formation.This study indicates that hominins occupied the site at the early part of Stage 2,when the Nihewan paleolake had a relatively low water level and the climate was temperate,with strong weathering intensity dominated by wooded grassland landscapes.In conclusion,the results suggest that the extra-long duration of interglacial or mild stadial climate events(MISs 15-13)in the Northern Hemisphere may have provided favorable conditions for increased technological innovations and adaptive strategies among Middle Pleistocene hominins in the Nihewan Basin even in North China.展开更多
The groundwater level has been continuously decreasing due to climate change and long-time overexploitation in the Xiong’an New Area,North China,which caused the enhanced mixing of groundwater in different aquifers a...The groundwater level has been continuously decreasing due to climate change and long-time overexploitation in the Xiong’an New Area,North China,which caused the enhanced mixing of groundwater in different aquifers and significant changes in regional groundwater chemistry characteristics.In this study,groundwater and sediment pore-water in drilling cores obtained from a 600 m borehole were investigated to evaluate hydrogeochemical processes in shallow and deep aquifers and paleo-environmental evolution in the past ca.3.10 Ma.Results showed that there was no obvious change overall in chemical composition along the direction of groundwater runoff,but different hydrochemical processes occurred in shallow and deep groundwater in the vertical direction.Shallow groundwater(<150 m)in the Xiong’an New Area was characterized by high salinity(TDS>1000 mg/L)and high concentrations of Mn and Fe,while deep groundwater had better water quality with lower salinity.The high TDS values mostly occurred in aquifers with depth<70 m and>500 m below land surface.Water isotopes showed that aquifer pore-water mostly originated from meteoric water under the influence of evaporation,and aquitard pore-water belonged to Paleo meteoric water.In addition,the evolution of the paleoclimate since 3.10 Ma BP was reconstructed,and four climate periods were determined by theδ18O profiles of pore-water and sporopollen records from sediments at different depths.It can be inferred that the Quaternary Pleistocene(0.78‒2.58 Ma BP)was dominated by the cold and dry climate of the glacial period,with three interglacial intervals of warm and humid climate.What’s more,this study demonstrates the possibilities of the applications of pore-water on the hydrogeochemical study and further supports the finding that pore-water could retain the feature of paleo-sedimentary water.展开更多
The reconstruction of paleohydrology,especially paleosalinity,is an important component of paleoenvironmental research.Researches on the modern characteristics of lake water chemistry and the relationship between lake...The reconstruction of paleohydrology,especially paleosalinity,is an important component of paleoenvironmental research.Researches on the modern characteristics of lake water chemistry and the relationship between lake salinity and hydrochemistry are the basis of paleoenvironment reconstruction.The modern hydrochemical characteristics and the relationship between ion composition and salinity of modern lakes are the basis of paleosalinity reconstruction.In this study,hydrochemical analysis of 21 lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert(BJD)was carried out.The relationships between the Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios and total dissolved solids(TDS)were analyzed.The results show that Na^(+),K^(+),Cl-and SO_(4)^(2-)have high positive correlations with TDS,and Mg^(2+),Sr^(2+),CO_(3)_(2-)and HCO_(3)^(-)have lower correlations with TDS.The Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios do not increase linearly with TDS.Hydrochemical analysis indicates that the studied lakes are in the carbonate precipitation stage and that evaporation is the main factor controlling lake evolution in the BJD.The relationships between the Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios and TDS are mainly influenced by lake evolution stage and the hydrochemical types of the lakes.On the basis of comprehensive previous studies,the factors affecting lake evolution,the Mg and Sr partition coefficients and other hydrochemical parameters that change with lake evolution all affect the relationship between chemical composition and salinity.To reconstruct paleosalinity more accurately,more detailed research on the modern hydrochemical characteristics of lakes and the relationship between the element ratios of carbonates and water salinity should be carried out.展开更多
Monsoon has an important impact on the development of vegetation that subsequently has significant influence on the evolution of plant consumers.The diversities of forest dwellers or herbivores follow the evolution of...Monsoon has an important impact on the development of vegetation that subsequently has significant influence on the evolution of plant consumers.The diversities of forest dwellers or herbivores follow the evolution of the vegetation,and it is therefore possible to take such diversities as forest or vegetation dynamic proxies.The present work selected 36 Pleistocene faunas of large mammals from monsoon-dominated provinces in China as materials and calculated the diversities of forest dwellers and herbivores with different approaches,as well as the consensus gradient coefficients of all the selected faunas in different flora regionalized subkingdoms.The results show that with the evolution and transitions of the East Asian summer and winter monsoon intensities,the forest vitality decreased while steppe vitality increased gradually in a fluctuated way from the Early Pleistocene to the Late Pleistocene,especially in the provinces north of the Qinling-Huaihe Line.The analyses of such diversities of the faunas can help to determine the forest dynamic proxies.Moreover,the correlation of such proxies to loess-paleosol sequences and marine isotope stages can in turn help to improve the accuracy of dating fauna ages and paleoenvironment reconstruction.展开更多
The Eocene Kuldana Formation(KF)in the Yadgar area of Pakistan,comprises a diverse range of sedimentary facies,including variegated red beds of shales,mudstones,and sandstones,as well as interbedded limestone and marl...The Eocene Kuldana Formation(KF)in the Yadgar area of Pakistan,comprises a diverse range of sedimentary facies,including variegated red beds of shales,mudstones,and sandstones,as well as interbedded limestone and marl.In this study,we conducted an integrated micropaleontological,sedimentological,mineralogical,and geochemical investigation to determine the depositional setting,biochronology,provenance,and paleoclimate of the KF.The study identified six lithofacies and six microfacies,which indicate a variety of environments ranging from floodplains and channels to the margins and shallow marine settings.The nannofossil biostratigraphy places the KF in the Early Eocene,more precisely the NP10 zone(Ypresian),and the fossil zone of benthic foraminifera classifies the study section as the Shallow Benthic Zone SBZ-8(Middle Ilerdian 2).In terms of petrography,the KF sandstone was classified as litharenite and feldspathic litharenite,while the QtFL diagram suggests a recycled orogen.Geochemical proxies indicate an oxidizing environment,a high-to-low regular sedimentation rate,moderate-to-intense chemical weathering in the source region,and a warm-humid to dry climate during the deposition of KF.Overall,the findings suggest that the deposition of KF marks the end of Neo-Tethys due to the Early Eocene Indian–Kohistan collision and that the uplifting of the Himalayas provided the source for the deposition of KF in the foreland basin.The study provides new insights into the depositional environment,biochronology,provenance,and paleoclimate of KF,and highlights the potential for red beds as reliable indicators of oxygenation levels in proximity to mineral deposits.展开更多
Recently,new geochronological data and geological observations including the discovery of garnet amphibolite,Ordovician micro-fossils,unconformable contact between the ophiolitic mélange related flysch and the De...Recently,new geochronological data and geological observations including the discovery of garnet amphibolite,Ordovician micro-fossils,unconformable contact between the ophiolitic mélange related flysch and the Devonian to Early Carboniferous terrestrial volcanosedimentary strata provide critical evidences for Paleoenvironmental reconstruction in the western Junggar(Xinjiang,China).Two different geological layers could be clearly identified:the Early Paleozoic metamorphic terrane mainly consists of ophiolitic mélange and flysch,and the Late Paleozoic volcano-sedimentary units lying on the ophiolitic mélange and flysch.Both of these layers were intruded by granitic to dioritic magma during the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian period.Based on these data,a new geological map for the western Junggar has been compiled,which is essential not only for better understanding of the geological evolution but also for exploration of mineral resources.展开更多
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.42371165,No.41872029。
文摘Situated in the semi-arid regions of North China,the Nihewan Basin documents the fluvio-lacustrine sequence and Pleistocene archaeological sites,offering an excellent opportunity to investigate human adaptation to environmental change in East Asia,especially in North China.However,paleoenvironmental datasets from Middle Pleistocene archaeological sites are not fully understood.Focusing on the evidence from the 0.63-0.49 Ma-old site of Jijiazhuang(Nihewan Basin,North China),this paper presents the results of various environmental indicators from the site context.Moreover,it explores the links between hominin behavioral adaptations and ecological variability during the extra-long interglacial period in North China.Sedimentological features of the excavated section indicate that the site was formed in the margin of the Nihewan paleolake.Based on well-constructed pollen,sediment grain size,color reflectance,and major geochemical element analyses,five stages of environmental changes were identified during site formation.This study indicates that hominins occupied the site at the early part of Stage 2,when the Nihewan paleolake had a relatively low water level and the climate was temperate,with strong weathering intensity dominated by wooded grassland landscapes.In conclusion,the results suggest that the extra-long duration of interglacial or mild stadial climate events(MISs 15-13)in the Northern Hemisphere may have provided favorable conditions for increased technological innovations and adaptive strategies among Middle Pleistocene hominins in the Nihewan Basin even in North China.
基金The study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41807220)the Open Fund Project of Hebei Key Laboratory of Geological Resources and Environment Monitoring and Protection(JCYKT201903)the projects of the China Geological Survey(DD20160239 and DD20189142).
文摘The groundwater level has been continuously decreasing due to climate change and long-time overexploitation in the Xiong’an New Area,North China,which caused the enhanced mixing of groundwater in different aquifers and significant changes in regional groundwater chemistry characteristics.In this study,groundwater and sediment pore-water in drilling cores obtained from a 600 m borehole were investigated to evaluate hydrogeochemical processes in shallow and deep aquifers and paleo-environmental evolution in the past ca.3.10 Ma.Results showed that there was no obvious change overall in chemical composition along the direction of groundwater runoff,but different hydrochemical processes occurred in shallow and deep groundwater in the vertical direction.Shallow groundwater(<150 m)in the Xiong’an New Area was characterized by high salinity(TDS>1000 mg/L)and high concentrations of Mn and Fe,while deep groundwater had better water quality with lower salinity.The high TDS values mostly occurred in aquifers with depth<70 m and>500 m below land surface.Water isotopes showed that aquifer pore-water mostly originated from meteoric water under the influence of evaporation,and aquitard pore-water belonged to Paleo meteoric water.In addition,the evolution of the paleoclimate since 3.10 Ma BP was reconstructed,and four climate periods were determined by theδ18O profiles of pore-water and sporopollen records from sediments at different depths.It can be inferred that the Quaternary Pleistocene(0.78‒2.58 Ma BP)was dominated by the cold and dry climate of the glacial period,with three interglacial intervals of warm and humid climate.What’s more,this study demonstrates the possibilities of the applications of pore-water on the hydrogeochemical study and further supports the finding that pore-water could retain the feature of paleo-sedimentary water.
基金financially supported by the Basic Research Program of Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences(CAGS)(YK202302)the projects of the China Geological Survey(DD20221929,121201106000150093)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41807420)。
文摘The reconstruction of paleohydrology,especially paleosalinity,is an important component of paleoenvironmental research.Researches on the modern characteristics of lake water chemistry and the relationship between lake salinity and hydrochemistry are the basis of paleoenvironment reconstruction.The modern hydrochemical characteristics and the relationship between ion composition and salinity of modern lakes are the basis of paleosalinity reconstruction.In this study,hydrochemical analysis of 21 lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert(BJD)was carried out.The relationships between the Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios and total dissolved solids(TDS)were analyzed.The results show that Na^(+),K^(+),Cl-and SO_(4)^(2-)have high positive correlations with TDS,and Mg^(2+),Sr^(2+),CO_(3)_(2-)and HCO_(3)^(-)have lower correlations with TDS.The Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios do not increase linearly with TDS.Hydrochemical analysis indicates that the studied lakes are in the carbonate precipitation stage and that evaporation is the main factor controlling lake evolution in the BJD.The relationships between the Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios and TDS are mainly influenced by lake evolution stage and the hydrochemical types of the lakes.On the basis of comprehensive previous studies,the factors affecting lake evolution,the Mg and Sr partition coefficients and other hydrochemical parameters that change with lake evolution all affect the relationship between chemical composition and salinity.To reconstruct paleosalinity more accurately,more detailed research on the modern hydrochemical characteristics of lakes and the relationship between the element ratios of carbonates and water salinity should be carried out.
文摘Monsoon has an important impact on the development of vegetation that subsequently has significant influence on the evolution of plant consumers.The diversities of forest dwellers or herbivores follow the evolution of the vegetation,and it is therefore possible to take such diversities as forest or vegetation dynamic proxies.The present work selected 36 Pleistocene faunas of large mammals from monsoon-dominated provinces in China as materials and calculated the diversities of forest dwellers and herbivores with different approaches,as well as the consensus gradient coefficients of all the selected faunas in different flora regionalized subkingdoms.The results show that with the evolution and transitions of the East Asian summer and winter monsoon intensities,the forest vitality decreased while steppe vitality increased gradually in a fluctuated way from the Early Pleistocene to the Late Pleistocene,especially in the provinces north of the Qinling-Huaihe Line.The analyses of such diversities of the faunas can help to determine the forest dynamic proxies.Moreover,the correlation of such proxies to loess-paleosol sequences and marine isotope stages can in turn help to improve the accuracy of dating fauna ages and paleoenvironment reconstruction.
文摘The Eocene Kuldana Formation(KF)in the Yadgar area of Pakistan,comprises a diverse range of sedimentary facies,including variegated red beds of shales,mudstones,and sandstones,as well as interbedded limestone and marl.In this study,we conducted an integrated micropaleontological,sedimentological,mineralogical,and geochemical investigation to determine the depositional setting,biochronology,provenance,and paleoclimate of the KF.The study identified six lithofacies and six microfacies,which indicate a variety of environments ranging from floodplains and channels to the margins and shallow marine settings.The nannofossil biostratigraphy places the KF in the Early Eocene,more precisely the NP10 zone(Ypresian),and the fossil zone of benthic foraminifera classifies the study section as the Shallow Benthic Zone SBZ-8(Middle Ilerdian 2).In terms of petrography,the KF sandstone was classified as litharenite and feldspathic litharenite,while the QtFL diagram suggests a recycled orogen.Geochemical proxies indicate an oxidizing environment,a high-to-low regular sedimentation rate,moderate-to-intense chemical weathering in the source region,and a warm-humid to dry climate during the deposition of KF.Overall,the findings suggest that the deposition of KF marks the end of Neo-Tethys due to the Early Eocene Indian–Kohistan collision and that the uplifting of the Himalayas provided the source for the deposition of KF in the foreland basin.The study provides new insights into the depositional environment,biochronology,provenance,and paleoclimate of KF,and highlights the potential for red beds as reliable indicators of oxygenation levels in proximity to mineral deposits.
基金International S&T Cooperation Program of China(Grant 2010DFB23390)Natural Science Foundation of China(41072041,41121062)for financial support.
文摘Recently,new geochronological data and geological observations including the discovery of garnet amphibolite,Ordovician micro-fossils,unconformable contact between the ophiolitic mélange related flysch and the Devonian to Early Carboniferous terrestrial volcanosedimentary strata provide critical evidences for Paleoenvironmental reconstruction in the western Junggar(Xinjiang,China).Two different geological layers could be clearly identified:the Early Paleozoic metamorphic terrane mainly consists of ophiolitic mélange and flysch,and the Late Paleozoic volcano-sedimentary units lying on the ophiolitic mélange and flysch.Both of these layers were intruded by granitic to dioritic magma during the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian period.Based on these data,a new geological map for the western Junggar has been compiled,which is essential not only for better understanding of the geological evolution but also for exploration of mineral resources.
