A new cranium and two mandibles of Ailuropoda melanoleuca from Xiangxi,Hunan Province are described here.The materials were discovered in a karst cave on the Bamian Mountain at an altitude of 1200 m,with AMC carbon-fo...A new cranium and two mandibles of Ailuropoda melanoleuca from Xiangxi,Hunan Province are described here.The materials were discovered in a karst cave on the Bamian Mountain at an altitude of 1200 m,with AMC carbon-fourteen isotope dating indicating an age of 2800±30 BP.Historically,the giant panda was widely distributed in southern China and parts of Southeast Asia during the Pleistocene epoch,but it is now confined and isolated to six mountain ranges in southwest China’s Sichuan,Shaanxi,and Gansu provinces.The subfossil materials reported here represent the first discovery of the living species of giant panda in Xiangxi,Hunan.This extends their geographical distribution in southern China during the Holocene epoch eastward to the eastern edge of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and their recent altitude range down to 1200 m.展开更多
Arid West Asia(AWA)is a critical hub of the Silk Road and one of the primary dust source regions in the Northern Hemisphere.Dust storms in AWA emitting substantial dust particles into the atmosphere,significantly infl...Arid West Asia(AWA)is a critical hub of the Silk Road and one of the primary dust source regions in the Northern Hemisphere.Dust storms in AWA emitting substantial dust particles into the atmosphere,significantly influencing air quality,climate change and marine productivity.However,the variability of dust storm activity in this region during the Holocene,particularly its links to vegetation and hydroclimatic changes,remains debated,hindering our understanding of the interconnected dynamics between climate change and surface environments.This study reconstructs dust storm variations in AWA over the past 9000 years using geochemical analyses(trace elements,Sr-Nd isotopes)from a well-dated,high-resolution sediment core from the Almalou Peatland,located on the western Iranian Plateau.Our results reveal a decline in dust storm frequency from the early to mid-Holocene,a minimum occurrence during the mid-Holocene,and a significant increase in the late Holocene.Provenance analysis indicates that the primary dust sources were the arid regions of Mesopotamia,located upwind of the study area.A comparison with proxy records and paleoclimate models suggests an inverse relationship between dust storm activity and regional hydroclimatic and vegetation changes,along with a positive correlation with wind speeds.The concentration of dust storms during the wetter month of May highlights wind speed as a more critical driving factor.Moreover,given the dominant influence of the subtropical high on hydroclimatic conditions and wind speeds in AWA,we propose that this system is the key regulator of regional dust storm dynamics.Our findings provide new insights into the drivers of dust storm activity in AWA and hold implications for developing targeted dust storm management strategies.展开更多
0 INTRODUCTION.The Asian drylands,encompassing the northern East Asian monsoon region(NMA),the westerlies-dominated arid central Asia(ACA)and arid west Asia(AWA),are ecologically fragile areas and among the most sensi...0 INTRODUCTION.The Asian drylands,encompassing the northern East Asian monsoon region(NMA),the westerlies-dominated arid central Asia(ACA)and arid west Asia(AWA),are ecologically fragile areas and among the most sensitive regions to global change.These regions are significant dust sources of the Northern Hemisphere(e.g.,Uno et al.,2009),playing a vital role in global climate change and marine biogeochemical cycles.展开更多
High-resolution,continuous Late Holocene lacustrine records are scarce in the Qaidam Basin,but is of especially important for our understanding the future climate variability in the western China.Here,we use grain siz...High-resolution,continuous Late Holocene lacustrine records are scarce in the Qaidam Basin,but is of especially important for our understanding the future climate variability in the western China.Here,we use grain size,element content and XRD-identified data from the Lake Hurleg in the eastern Qaidam Basin to present the Late Holocene climate variability,which have been temporally constrained using 210Pb-,137Cs-and AMS 14C dating.Our records demonstrate that decreased precipitation climate occurred at~800–1000 yr and~1300–1800 yr intervals,and increased precipitation occurred at~354–800 yr,~1000–1300 yr and~1800 yr to the present.The results show that the Qaidam Basin has undergone a process of warming and humidification since the Industrial Revolution,which is consistent with the meteorological records.The climate in the northeastern Qaidam Basin is dominated by the Asian Monsoon.展开更多
Investigating the timing and features of climate transitions in East Asia during the Holocene, via the sensitive response of ecosystems on the East Asian Summer Monsoon(EASM) boundary, is crucial for understanding the...Investigating the timing and features of climate transitions in East Asia during the Holocene, via the sensitive response of ecosystems on the East Asian Summer Monsoon(EASM) boundary, is crucial for understanding the underlying mechanisms that drive these transitions. This study presents highresolution palynological sequences for the period 6800–900 cal a B.P. from peat cores retrieved from the Arxan region in the Greater Khingan Range, northeast China. The lithological changes in the cores show that peat deposition began at 6430 cal a B.P. Regional vegetation was dominated by forest steppes, with Artemisia prevailing the vegetation landscape. Variations in Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae(A/C) pollen ratios, Principal Component Analysis(PCA) results, and charcoal concentration derived from the pollen data suggest that regional moisture availability increased from 6800 to 4200 cal a B.P., thereafter experiencing a marked decline. These changes in moisture availability causes fluctuations in the water table of the Arxan marshes, resulting in the expansion and reduction of the marshland, as demonstrated by swamp and aquatic palynomorphs, however did not disrupt subsequent peat deposition. In addition to the forcing of low-latitude summer insolation, the climate transition in northeast China around 4200 cal a B.P. aligns with a notable increase in sea ice in the western Okhotsk Sea during the late Holocene, which probably resulted in a reduction of EASM precipitation over the region. Our study offers new insights into the vegetation response observed in montane marshlands on the EASM boundary to climate transitions during the mid-late Holocene period.展开更多
Palaeoceanographic and palaeoclimatic reconstructions,particularly on the spatial and temporal evolution across different regions,can offer valuable insights into global changes.At present,abundant data recorded in se...Palaeoceanographic and palaeoclimatic reconstructions,particularly on the spatial and temporal evolution across different regions,can offer valuable insights into global changes.At present,abundant data recorded in sediments indicate a phase asynchrony from land to sea during the Holocene.This has raised great debate about the forcing mechanisms of paleoclimatic evolution.In this study,we reconstructed sea surface temperature and salinity during the Holocene from the northern South China Sea(SCS)by the Mg/Ca ratios andδ^(18)O values of Globigerinoides ruber sensu stricto(s.s.)in the core SH-CL38.By comparing the results with records from other cores in the SCS,it indicates that during the Holocene,the climatic changes in the SCS are mainly influenced by the East Asian summer monsoon driven by Northern Hemisphere summer insolation.The lower salinity in the early Holocene com-pared to the mid-late Holocene is mainly controlled by palaeogeographic changes in the SCS Basin related to sea level.The fitted sea surface temperature anomaly results from the northern and southern SCS show that the climate evolution in the entire SCS during the early Holocene was asynchronous.The multi-year mean air mass backward trajectory results indicate that the northern SCS is signifi-cantly influenced by moisture originating from the tropical western Pacific,while the southern SCS exhibits notable local or regional contributions.Therefore,the differences in the composition of moisture contributions caused by changes in the strength and path of the summer monsoon may be a factor driving the different spatial climate patterns in the SCS.展开更多
According to the field survey and ^14C dating at Luhuitou, southern Hainan Island, a subsiding area, the authors conclude the high sea level history recorded by coral reef in the Holocene. At least 4 sea level high-st...According to the field survey and ^14C dating at Luhuitou, southern Hainan Island, a subsiding area, the authors conclude the high sea level history recorded by coral reef in the Holocene. At least 4 sea level high-stands can be identified from the distribution of coral reef ages： 7300 - 6000 cal.aBP, 4800 - 4700 cal.aBP, 4300 - 4200 cal.aBP and 3100 - 2900 cal.aBP. The highest sea level occurred around 7300 - 6700 cal.aBP, and biological-morphological zones took their shape during the stage. The later coral reefs developed in ponds, depressions, and developed outwards on both sides of Luhuitou peninsula. The modern coral reefs are developing in out reef flat and reef-front slope. Moreover, the time of high sea levels in the northern South China Sea recorded by coral reefs in the Luhuitou peninsula can link up with that in other parts of South China Sea. That means the high sea levels in the South China Sea during the Holocene, which are relative to the warming climate, have the global background.展开更多
Through the Pearl River Estuary Wan Qing-sha W2 core AMS 14^C dating of sediments, combining with paleomagnetic test, pollen analysis, and comprehensive comparison with other relevant records, the regional framework o...Through the Pearl River Estuary Wan Qing-sha W2 core AMS 14^C dating of sediments, combining with paleomagnetic test, pollen analysis, and comprehensive comparison with other relevant records, the regional framework of Holocene age was established. Using the combined feature grain size and magnetic susceptibility proxies for the environment, climate change information in the area since about 6 000 cal yr BP was obtained. The result showed the area since the middle Holocene had experienced three stages climate changes of warm and dry - cool and wet temperature and humidity South area of China in the late Holocene climate （especially rainfall） had important changes, corresponding to the Northern Hemisphere solar radiation reducing, air temperature decreasing, Asian monsoon weakening, and it had close ties with activities to strengthen El Nino - Southern Oscillation events.展开更多
Coastal dune rocks in China are eolian sands cemented by calcium carbonate under subaerial conditions, widely distributing on the tropical and subtropical coasts of South China. Particular temperature and precipitatio...Coastal dune rocks in China are eolian sands cemented by calcium carbonate under subaerial conditions, widely distributing on the tropical and subtropical coasts of South China. Particular temperature and precipitation as well as local wave and landform conditions are required for the formation of the dune rocks. A correspondence was found between Holocene environmental changes and coastal dune rock development by comparing the features of the sea-level and climate changes in the Holocene period with the ages, scales, and cementation of the dune rocks on the South China coasts. The findings provide well grounded explanation for some problems unresolved in the past researches on the coastal dune rock in South China： （1） There were no dune rocks with ages older than 6000 years in South China because the dune rocks formed before 6000 a BP were covered by the sea water that rose in the later period; （2） the dune rocks with ages of around 3000 a BP were widely found in South China today because the coastal dunes were cumulated on a large scale at that time as a result of temperature falling after the end of Megathermal; （3） Medieval Warm Period was the main period for the eolian dunes to be cemented into the coastal dune rocks in South China; （4） lack of dune rocks of younger than 1000 a BP was accounted for by that the climate conditions in recent one thousand years were not suitable for the cementation.展开更多
Based on the stratigraphic sequence formed since the last glaciation and revealed by 3000 km long high-resolution shallow seismic profiles and the core QDZ03 acquired recently off the southern Shandong Peninsula, we a...Based on the stratigraphic sequence formed since the last glaciation and revealed by 3000 km long high-resolution shallow seismic profiles and the core QDZ03 acquired recently off the southern Shandong Peninsula, we addressed the sedimentary characteristics of a Holocene subaqueous clinoform in this paper. Integrated analyses were made on the core QDZ03, including sedimentary facies, sediment grain sizes, clay minerals, geochemistry, micro paleontology, and AMS 14 C dating. The result indicates that there exists a Holocene subaqueous clinoform, whose bottom boundary generally lies at 15–40 m below the present sea level with its depth contours roughly parallel to the coast and getting deeper seawards. The maximum thickness of the clinoform is up to 22.5 m on the coast side, and the thickness contours generally spread in a banded way along the coastline and becomes thinner towards the sea. At the mouths of some bays along the coast, the clinoform stretches in the shape of a fan and its thickness is evidently larger than that of the surrounding sediments. This clinoform came into being in the early Holocene(about 11.2 cal kyr BP) and can be divided into the lower and upper depositional units(DU 2 and DU 1, respectively). The unit DU 2, being usually less than 3 m in thickness and formed under a low sedimentation rate, is located between the bottom boundary and the Holocene maximum flooding surface(MFS), and represents the sediment of a post-glacial transgressive systems tract; whereas the unit DU 1, the main body of the clinoform, sits on the MFS, belonging to the sediment of a highstand systems tract from middle Holocene(about 7–6 cal kyr BP) to the present. The provenance of the clinoform differs from that of the typical sediments of the Yellow River and can be considered as the results of the joint contribution from both the Yellow River and the proximal coastal sediments of the Shandong Peninsula, as evidenced by the sediment geochemistry of the core. As is controlled mainly by coactions of multiple factors such as the Holocene sea-level changes, sediment supplies and coastal dynamic conditions, the development of the clinoform is genetically related with the synchronous clinoform or subaqueous deltas around the northeastern Shandong Peninsula and in the northern South Yellow Sea in the spatial distribution and sediment provenance, as previously reported, with all of them being formed from the initial stage of the Holocene up to the present.展开更多
The goal of this research study is to describe academic issues which have been debated in the field of Chinese geosciences for a century. In 1922, Jonquei S. Lee(Li Siguang) discovered Quaternary glacial relics at Tai...The goal of this research study is to describe academic issues which have been debated in the field of Chinese geosciences for a century. In 1922, Jonquei S. Lee(Li Siguang) discovered Quaternary glacial relics at Taihang Mountainin eastern China. In 1947, he published his research findings in the magazine Mount Lushan in Glacial Age. The research results had established three Ice Ages: Poyang(Gonzi), Dagu(Minde), and Lushan(Lisi). However, at that time, no Wurm glacial relics of the last Ice Age had been found in Lushan Mountain. Since then, the research team represented by Shi Yafeng, who is considered to be "the father of glaciers in China", questioned Jonquei S. Lee’s research results and concluded that "Professor Jonquei S. Lee’s Quaternary glacier research in Lushan Mountain having misread the debris flow". In 2005, the "middle-low mountains" in eastern China were finally defined as follows: "We clearly and unambiguously believe that there were no glacial activities in the middle-low mountainous areas of eastern China(east of 102° to 104°E;below 3,000 and 2,500 m) during the Quaternary Period". Currently, the long-standing academic debate appears to have come to a conclusion. As of 2015, the author and others began to investigate and study the Quaternary glacial relics in Mengshan Mountain(1,156 m above sea level), Shandong Province, one of the "middle-low mountains" of eastern China. The relics have been observed to posses the systematic features of glacial erosion, trough and valley striations, and moraine deposits. The applied dating method shave confirmed that there were not only glacial relics of the last Ice Age(Wurm), but also Holocene glacial relics in the Mengshan Mountain area. Therefore, in order to further establish the corresponding relationship between the glacier, loess, stream sediment series, and MIS in the Mengshan Mountain area, a large number of chronological studies have been carried out regarding the various types of sediments in the area, and 24 dating datahave been obtained using OSL, CRN, and 14 Cmethods.On this basis, the corresponding relationship between the sedimentary sequences and the MIS was established for the first time in eastern China, which in dicates the environmental changes which had occurred in eastern China since 80 ka. These discoveries s and chronological study results confirm the existence of the Last Ice Age, as well as Holocene glacial relics at Mengshan Mountain, there by confirming that Quaternary glaciation had occurred in the middle-low mountain areas of eastern China.展开更多
The components of the primary elements in the dune sands for the MGS1 subsection of the Milanggouwan section in the Salawusu River valley, compared with those of modern dune sands, show that they were caused by East A...The components of the primary elements in the dune sands for the MGS1 subsection of the Milanggouwan section in the Salawusu River valley, compared with those of modern dune sands, show that they were caused by East Asian winter monsoon in the Mu Us desert during Holocene. The examined ages for the 11 layers of dune sands, based on the average sedimentary rate, are： 0 to 960, 1350-2240, 2470 to 3530, 4000 to 4180, 4290 to 4350, 4380 to 4760, 5040 to 5920, 6570 to 8270, 9020 to 9700, 9880 to 10160 and 10580 to 11080 a BP, respectively. The climatic events indicated by these dune sands are consistent with those records in the Huguangyan volcanic lake, Zoige peat bog, Hulu cave and Dunde ice core, particularly with the climatic fluctuations of the North Atlantic since 11 000 a BP. Among them, patterns from B0 to B8 correspond to the peak values of 0MD, 2D, 4D, 6D＋8D＋10D, 12D, 14D, 16D, 18D and 20D respectively. It might be caused by the North Atlantic ice age induced by the heat circulation, which strengthened the polar high pressure and Siberian-Mongolian high pressure and further led to the dominance of the winter monsoon over China＇s desert area.展开更多
The upmost segment （Holocene series） of the Milanggouwan stratigraphic section （MGS 1） in the Salawusu River valley shows 11 sedimentary cycles of dune sands and fluvio-lacustrine facies, or dune sands and paleoso...The upmost segment （Holocene series） of the Milanggouwan stratigraphic section （MGS 1） in the Salawusu River valley shows 11 sedimentary cycles of dune sands and fluvio-lacustrine facies, or dune sands and paleosols. The analysis of the magnetic susceptibility of this segment suggests that there are 11 magnetic susceptibility cycles with the value alternating from low to high, in which the layers of the dune sands correspond to the lower value of the magnetic susceptibility and the layers of fluvio-lacustrine facies and paleosols correspond to the higher peaks. The study reveals that the low and high magnetic susceptibility values indicate the climate dominated by cold-arid winter monsoon and warm-humid summer monsoon of East Asia, respectively, and the study area has experienced at least 22 times of milleunial-centennial scales climate alternation from the cold-arid to the warm-humid during the Holocene. In terms of the time and the climate nature, the variations basically correspond to those of the North Atlantic and some records of cold-warm changes in China as well. They might be caused by the alternation of winter and summer monsoons in the Mu Us Desert induced by global climate fluctuations in the Holocene.展开更多
There is a wide diversity of landforms in China. The topography of three major ter- races, decreasing in height stepwise from west to east, was formed by the early Miocene. With the commencement of the Great Northern ...There is a wide diversity of landforms in China. The topography of three major ter- races, decreasing in height stepwise from west to east, was formed by the early Miocene. With the commencement of the Great Northern Hemisphere Glaciations （GHGs） and the glacial-interglacial cycles in the Pleistocene, thick loess deposits accumulated in north China, and fluvial terraces were formed and lakes expanded and contracted in eastern and central China. The earliest evidence of hominins in China is dated to ~1.7 Ma; they occupied the monsoon-dominated region for a long interval, until the late Pleistocene, ~50 ka. In this study, we investigated a large area rich in the relics and artifacts of early man. The results indicate that the early humans occupied riverine areas, especially medium-sized fluvial basins, and lake shores. Even in the relatively recent geological past, the occupation and abandonment of settlements were directly forced by the shifting of sand dune fields in the desert-loess transi- tional zone, which in turn was closely associated with variations in the monsoon climate and vegetation patterns. Our observations indicate that landforms were one of the main determi- nants of early human behavior, in that loess tableland, large alluvial plains, desert-Gobi areas, and the Tibetan Plateau, were not suitable environments for early human settlement. We infer that the early humans in China adapted their behavior to specific landforms and landform processes. The monsoon climate, which shapes the large-scale step-like pattern of fluvial landforms, promotes vegetation coverage and dominates soil formation, provides a crucial context for early human adaptation. The adaptation of early humans to earth surface proc- esses in East Asia is investigated for the first time in this study. Future investigations will provide further information that will increase our understanding of the linkage between early human behavior and landform processes in East Asia.展开更多
Many yellow silt layers have been identified in the Holocene sediments in the last lake of Lop Nur (playa), Xinjiang, northwestern China. Statistics of drill-hole cores have revealed more than one hundred layers, whic...Many yellow silt layers have been identified in the Holocene sediments in the last lake of Lop Nur (playa), Xinjiang, northwestern China. Statistics of drill-hole cores have revealed more than one hundred layers, which exhibit regularity in time sequence. Study has further verified that these yellow silt layers were deposited through eolian processes. The time-frequency distribution diagram shows an obvious peak occurring at about 8200 a B.P., which is consistent with the dry, windy and cold climate event occurring at 8200 a in other places around the world. Therefore, this event is regarded as a response to the global climate change.展开更多
The fate of the terrestrial sediment supplied by rivers is a critical issue for understanding the patterns of Holocene environmental change on continental shelves. The East China Sea is a typical broad continental she...The fate of the terrestrial sediment supplied by rivers is a critical issue for understanding the patterns of Holocene environmental change on continental shelves. The East China Sea is a typical broad continental shelf with abundant sediment supply from large rivers. Here, a variety of sedimentary records were formed during the Holocene period. The sedimentary systems associated with these records have unique charac- teristics in terms of spatial distribution, material composition, deposition rate and the timing of deposition, which are related to active sediment transport processes induced by tides and waves, shelf circulations and sediment gravity flows. The sedimentary records thus formed are high resolution slices, i.e., each record has a temporal resolution of up to 10^-10-1 a, but only covers a limited part of the Holocene time. In terms of the spatial distribution, these records are scattered over a large area on the shelf. Further studies of these systems are required to understand the underlying process-product relationships. In particular, the mid- Holocene coastal deposits on the Jiangsu coast, the early to middle Holocene sequences of the Hangzhou Bay, as well as the Holocene mud deposits off the Zhejiang-Fujian coasts, should be investigated in terms of the material supply （from both seabed reworking during the sea level rise event and river discharges）, transport-accumulation processes, the sediment sequences and the future evolution of the sedimentary systems. Advanced numerical modeling techniques should be developed to meet the needs of these studies.展开更多
The temporal-spatial distribution features of prehistoric cultures since the Holocene in Zhejiang region were comparatively analyzed based on GIS spatial analysis. Results show that the prehistoric cultures expanded g...The temporal-spatial distribution features of prehistoric cultures since the Holocene in Zhejiang region were comparatively analyzed based on GIS spatial analysis. Results show that the prehistoric cultures expanded gradually in this region before 4000 cal. a BP. The notable expansions occurred twice, one in the Majiabang-Hemudu cultural period, the other in the Liangzhu cultural period. Meanwhile, the prehistoric cultures were disseminated from west to east coast along river valleys. After 4000 cal. a BP, as represented by the Maqiao Culture, the distributed area of each prehistoric culture contracted. This is obviously due to the termination of spreading trends to east coast, which was simultaneously accompanied by two different modes of production and economic transitions in the north and south Zhejiang region respectively. The distribution of prehistoric cultures was closely related with Holocene sea-level fluctuations, especially on the banks of Hangzhou Bay, where the distribution changes of prehistoric cultural sites were greatly affected by sea-level changes, with the closest relationships between them. After 7000 cal. a BP, the process of lowered sea-level and regression-epeirogenesis provided wider terrestrial living spaces for prehistoric inhabi- tants. Based on the comparative analyses of the changes of prehistoric cultures and the en- vironmental evolution information recorded in the Qianmutian subalpine peat of Mt. Tianmu and muddy area on the inner shelf of the East China Sea, it is indicated that the changes of prehistoric cultures were synchronized with environmental changes in Zhejiang region. Before 4000 cal. a BP, the eastward expansion of prehistoric cultures in Zhejiang occurred under the background of the Holocene Optimum, and was the expansion and extension under the joint influences of agricultural civilization and maritime civilization. However, after 4000 cal. a BP, the qeographical contraction of prehistoric cultures in ZheiianQ occurred under the back-ground of dry-cold climate trend and deterioration of coastal marine environment. It is evidenced from the above fact that the development, expansion and contraction of prehistoric cultures are positively correlated to environmental change. The change of the climatic environment is just the underlying reason for these changes and transitions of production modes and economic forms. Therefore, the climatic environment is the dominant factor of prehistoric culture vicissitudes in Zhejiang region, which has exerted great influence on distribution, dissemination, expansion and transmutation of the culture.展开更多
This paper is a review of studies of abrupt climate changes(ACCs) during the Holocene published during the past ten years.North Atlantic cold events are indicators of ACCs.As indicated by North Atlantic ice-rafted deb...This paper is a review of studies of abrupt climate changes(ACCs) during the Holocene published during the past ten years.North Atlantic cold events are indicators of ACCs.As indicated by North Atlantic ice-rafted debris(IRD),there were nine confirmed cold events during the Holocene,occurring at 11.1 kyr,10.3 kyr,9.4 kyr,8.1 kyr,5.9 kyr,4.2 kyr,2.8 kyr,1.4 kyr,and 0.4 kyr respectively according to most representative results from Bond et al.(1997).However,the identification of chronology has been made with some uncertainties.Considerable climatic proxy data have shown that,during the cold events,substantial climate abnormalities have occurred widely across the globe,particularly in the areas surrounding the North Atlantic.These abnormalities were in the form of high-latitude cold in the both hemispheres,expansion of the Westerlies to low latitudes,drought in the monsoon regions,recession of summer monsoons,and intensification of the winter monsoons.Studies have indicated that the four ACCs occurring in the early Holocene may be related to freshwater pulses from ice melting in the northern part of the North Atlantic,and the other five ACCs that occurred during the middle and late Holocene may be related to the decreased solar activity.展开更多
The Xiaohe Cemetery archaeological site （Cal. 4-3.5 ka BP） is one of the most important Bronze Age sites in Xinjiang, China. Although the surrounding environment is an extremely arid desert now, abundant archaeologi...The Xiaohe Cemetery archaeological site （Cal. 4-3.5 ka BP） is one of the most important Bronze Age sites in Xinjiang, China. Although the surrounding environment is an extremely arid desert now, abundant archaeological remains indicate that human occupation was common during certain periods in the Holocene. Field investigations and laboratory analyses of a sediment profile near the Xiaohe Cemetery indicate that while the regional environment was arid desert throughout the Holocene there were three episodes of lake forma- tion near the site in the periods 4.8-3.5 ka BP, 2.6-2.1 ka BP and 1.2-0.9 ka BP. Geomorphic and hydrological investigations reveal that a lake or lakes formed in a low-lying area when water was derived initially from the Kongque River and then shunted into the Xiaohe River basin. Low amounts of active chemical elements in lacustrine sediment between 4.8-3.5 ka BP indicate abundant and continuous water volume in the lake; the content of active chemical elements increased between 2.6-2.1 ka BP but was still at a relatively low level, suggesting a declining amount of water and diminished inflow. Between 1.2-0.9 ka BP there was a very high content of active elements, suggesting decreased water volume and indicating that the lake was stagnate. In contrast, the general climate condition shows that there had a warm-humid stage at 8-6 ka BP, a cool-humid stage at 6-2.9 ka BP and a warm-dry stage at 2.9-0.9 ka BP in this region. The hydrological evolutions around Xiaohe Cemetery did not have one-to-one correspondence with climate changes. Regional comparison indicates that broad-scale climatic conditions played an important role through its influences on the water volume of the Tarim River and Kongque River. But, the formation of the lakes and their level were controlled by geomorphic conditions that influenced how much water volume could be shunted to Xiaohe River from Kongque River. Human occupation of the Xiaohe Cemetery and nearby regions during the Bronze Age and Han-Jin period （202 BC-420 AD） corresponded to the two earlier lake periods, while no human activities existed in the third lake period because of the decreased water volume.展开更多
Mangroves,widely distributed along the coasts of tropical China,are influenced by Asia monsoon,relative sea level change and enhanced human activity.To predict the impacts of future climate change on mangrove ecosyste...Mangroves,widely distributed along the coasts of tropical China,are influenced by Asia monsoon,relative sea level change and enhanced human activity.To predict the impacts of future climate change on mangrove ecosystems,it can be understood by reconstructing past mangrove dynamics using proxies preserved in coastal sediments.In this study,we quantitatively partitioned buried organic matter(OM)sources,collected from a vulnerable mangrove swamp in the Qinzhou Bay of northwestern South China Sea,using a ternary end-member mixing model of δ^13C and C:N values.Mangrove-derived OM(MOM)contribution was used as a tracer for mangrove development since 2.34 cal ka BP.This information,together with paleoclimate records(i.e.,speleothem δ^18O values,sea level change,grain size parameters)and human activity,was used to divide mangrove development into three stages during the late Holocene:relative flourish(2.34-1.13 cal ka BP),relative degradation(1.13-0.15 cal ka BP)and further degradation(0.15-0 cal ka BP).Before 1.13 cal ka BP,mangroves flourished with a high MOM contribution((88.9±10.6)%),corresponding to stable and high sea level under a warm and humid climate.After 1.13 cal ka BP,rapid fall in relative sea level coupled with the strengthening of the Asian winter monsoon,resulted in mangrove degradation and MOM reduction((62.4±18.9)%).Compared with air temperature and precipitation,the relative sea level fall was the main controlling factor in mangrove development before entering the Anthropocene(the time of the Industrial Revolution).After^150 cal a BP,reclamation of mangrove swamps to shrimp ponds is the main factor causing mangrove degradation and MOM reduction.展开更多
文摘A new cranium and two mandibles of Ailuropoda melanoleuca from Xiangxi,Hunan Province are described here.The materials were discovered in a karst cave on the Bamian Mountain at an altitude of 1200 m,with AMC carbon-fourteen isotope dating indicating an age of 2800±30 BP.Historically,the giant panda was widely distributed in southern China and parts of Southeast Asia during the Pleistocene epoch,but it is now confined and isolated to six mountain ranges in southwest China’s Sichuan,Shaanxi,and Gansu provinces.The subfossil materials reported here represent the first discovery of the living species of giant panda in Xiangxi,Hunan.This extends their geographical distribution in southern China during the Holocene epoch eastward to the eastern edge of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and their recent altitude range down to 1200 m.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.42201170Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST,No.2022QNRC001。
文摘Arid West Asia(AWA)is a critical hub of the Silk Road and one of the primary dust source regions in the Northern Hemisphere.Dust storms in AWA emitting substantial dust particles into the atmosphere,significantly influencing air quality,climate change and marine productivity.However,the variability of dust storm activity in this region during the Holocene,particularly its links to vegetation and hydroclimatic changes,remains debated,hindering our understanding of the interconnected dynamics between climate change and surface environments.This study reconstructs dust storm variations in AWA over the past 9000 years using geochemical analyses(trace elements,Sr-Nd isotopes)from a well-dated,high-resolution sediment core from the Almalou Peatland,located on the western Iranian Plateau.Our results reveal a decline in dust storm frequency from the early to mid-Holocene,a minimum occurrence during the mid-Holocene,and a significant increase in the late Holocene.Provenance analysis indicates that the primary dust sources were the arid regions of Mesopotamia,located upwind of the study area.A comparison with proxy records and paleoclimate models suggests an inverse relationship between dust storm activity and regional hydroclimatic and vegetation changes,along with a positive correlation with wind speeds.The concentration of dust storms during the wetter month of May highlights wind speed as a more critical driving factor.Moreover,given the dominant influence of the subtropical high on hydroclimatic conditions and wind speeds in AWA,we propose that this system is the key regulator of regional dust storm dynamics.Our findings provide new insights into the drivers of dust storm activity in AWA and hold implications for developing targeted dust storm management strategies.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42261144670,423B2103)。
文摘0 INTRODUCTION.The Asian drylands,encompassing the northern East Asian monsoon region(NMA),the westerlies-dominated arid central Asia(ACA)and arid west Asia(AWA),are ecologically fragile areas and among the most sensitive regions to global change.These regions are significant dust sources of the Northern Hemisphere(e.g.,Uno et al.,2009),playing a vital role in global climate change and marine biogeochemical cycles.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41401059)Science and Technology Plan Project of Qinghai Province(2022-ZJ-732)West Light Foundation of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.Y510091019)。
文摘High-resolution,continuous Late Holocene lacustrine records are scarce in the Qaidam Basin,but is of especially important for our understanding the future climate variability in the western China.Here,we use grain size,element content and XRD-identified data from the Lake Hurleg in the eastern Qaidam Basin to present the Late Holocene climate variability,which have been temporally constrained using 210Pb-,137Cs-and AMS 14C dating.Our records demonstrate that decreased precipitation climate occurred at~800–1000 yr and~1300–1800 yr intervals,and increased precipitation occurred at~354–800 yr,~1000–1300 yr and~1800 yr to the present.The results show that the Qaidam Basin has undergone a process of warming and humidification since the Industrial Revolution,which is consistent with the meteorological records.The climate in the northeastern Qaidam Basin is dominated by the Asian Monsoon.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant NO.2022YFF0801501)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant NOs.42171157,41907379,and 42101146)+2 种基金Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (SJCX25_2041)Large Instruments Open Foundation of Nantong University (KFJN2474)Jiangsu Province College Students Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program (Grant NOs.S202510304190 and S202510304188)。
文摘Investigating the timing and features of climate transitions in East Asia during the Holocene, via the sensitive response of ecosystems on the East Asian Summer Monsoon(EASM) boundary, is crucial for understanding the underlying mechanisms that drive these transitions. This study presents highresolution palynological sequences for the period 6800–900 cal a B.P. from peat cores retrieved from the Arxan region in the Greater Khingan Range, northeast China. The lithological changes in the cores show that peat deposition began at 6430 cal a B.P. Regional vegetation was dominated by forest steppes, with Artemisia prevailing the vegetation landscape. Variations in Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae(A/C) pollen ratios, Principal Component Analysis(PCA) results, and charcoal concentration derived from the pollen data suggest that regional moisture availability increased from 6800 to 4200 cal a B.P., thereafter experiencing a marked decline. These changes in moisture availability causes fluctuations in the water table of the Arxan marshes, resulting in the expansion and reduction of the marshland, as demonstrated by swamp and aquatic palynomorphs, however did not disrupt subsequent peat deposition. In addition to the forcing of low-latitude summer insolation, the climate transition in northeast China around 4200 cal a B.P. aligns with a notable increase in sea ice in the western Okhotsk Sea during the late Holocene, which probably resulted in a reduction of EASM precipitation over the region. Our study offers new insights into the vegetation response observed in montane marshlands on the EASM boundary to climate transitions during the mid-late Holocene period.
基金supported by the Opening Foundation of the Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences and Pro-specting Techniques,MOE,Ocean University of China(No.SGPT-2023OF-04)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Nos.202172002,202172003)the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Pro-vince(No.ZR2023MD029)。
文摘Palaeoceanographic and palaeoclimatic reconstructions,particularly on the spatial and temporal evolution across different regions,can offer valuable insights into global changes.At present,abundant data recorded in sediments indicate a phase asynchrony from land to sea during the Holocene.This has raised great debate about the forcing mechanisms of paleoclimatic evolution.In this study,we reconstructed sea surface temperature and salinity during the Holocene from the northern South China Sea(SCS)by the Mg/Ca ratios andδ^(18)O values of Globigerinoides ruber sensu stricto(s.s.)in the core SH-CL38.By comparing the results with records from other cores in the SCS,it indicates that during the Holocene,the climatic changes in the SCS are mainly influenced by the East Asian summer monsoon driven by Northern Hemisphere summer insolation.The lower salinity in the early Holocene com-pared to the mid-late Holocene is mainly controlled by palaeogeographic changes in the SCS Basin related to sea level.The fitted sea surface temperature anomaly results from the northern and southern SCS show that the climate evolution in the entire SCS during the early Holocene was asynchronous.The multi-year mean air mass backward trajectory results indicate that the northern SCS is signifi-cantly influenced by moisture originating from the tropical western Pacific,while the southern SCS exhibits notable local or regional contributions.Therefore,the differences in the composition of moisture contributions caused by changes in the strength and path of the summer monsoon may be a factor driving the different spatial climate patterns in the SCS.
基金We gratefully acknowledge the financial supports from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.49976015).
文摘According to the field survey and ^14C dating at Luhuitou, southern Hainan Island, a subsiding area, the authors conclude the high sea level history recorded by coral reef in the Holocene. At least 4 sea level high-stands can be identified from the distribution of coral reef ages： 7300 - 6000 cal.aBP, 4800 - 4700 cal.aBP, 4300 - 4200 cal.aBP and 3100 - 2900 cal.aBP. The highest sea level occurred around 7300 - 6700 cal.aBP, and biological-morphological zones took their shape during the stage. The later coral reefs developed in ponds, depressions, and developed outwards on both sides of Luhuitou peninsula. The modern coral reefs are developing in out reef flat and reef-front slope. Moreover, the time of high sea levels in the northern South China Sea recorded by coral reefs in the Luhuitou peninsula can link up with that in other parts of South China Sea. That means the high sea levels in the South China Sea during the Holocene, which are relative to the warming climate, have the global background.
文摘Through the Pearl River Estuary Wan Qing-sha W2 core AMS 14^C dating of sediments, combining with paleomagnetic test, pollen analysis, and comprehensive comparison with other relevant records, the regional framework of Holocene age was established. Using the combined feature grain size and magnetic susceptibility proxies for the environment, climate change information in the area since about 6 000 cal yr BP was obtained. The result showed the area since the middle Holocene had experienced three stages climate changes of warm and dry - cool and wet temperature and humidity South area of China in the late Holocene climate （especially rainfall） had important changes, corresponding to the Northern Hemisphere solar radiation reducing, air temperature decreasing, Asian monsoon weakening, and it had close ties with activities to strengthen El Nino - Southern Oscillation events.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40871020 Guangdong Natural Science Foundation, No.7005836
文摘Coastal dune rocks in China are eolian sands cemented by calcium carbonate under subaerial conditions, widely distributing on the tropical and subtropical coasts of South China. Particular temperature and precipitation as well as local wave and landform conditions are required for the formation of the dune rocks. A correspondence was found between Holocene environmental changes and coastal dune rock development by comparing the features of the sea-level and climate changes in the Holocene period with the ages, scales, and cementation of the dune rocks on the South China coasts. The findings provide well grounded explanation for some problems unresolved in the past researches on the coastal dune rock in South China： （1） There were no dune rocks with ages older than 6000 years in South China because the dune rocks formed before 6000 a BP were covered by the sea water that rose in the later period; （2） the dune rocks with ages of around 3000 a BP were widely found in South China today because the coastal dunes were cumulated on a large scale at that time as a result of temperature falling after the end of Megathermal; （3） Medieval Warm Period was the main period for the eolian dunes to be cemented into the coastal dune rocks in South China; （4） lack of dune rocks of younger than 1000 a BP was accounted for by that the climate conditions in recent one thousand years were not suitable for the cementation.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41306063 and 41330964)by the China Geological Survey (Nos. GZH200900501 and GZH201100203)
文摘Based on the stratigraphic sequence formed since the last glaciation and revealed by 3000 km long high-resolution shallow seismic profiles and the core QDZ03 acquired recently off the southern Shandong Peninsula, we addressed the sedimentary characteristics of a Holocene subaqueous clinoform in this paper. Integrated analyses were made on the core QDZ03, including sedimentary facies, sediment grain sizes, clay minerals, geochemistry, micro paleontology, and AMS 14 C dating. The result indicates that there exists a Holocene subaqueous clinoform, whose bottom boundary generally lies at 15–40 m below the present sea level with its depth contours roughly parallel to the coast and getting deeper seawards. The maximum thickness of the clinoform is up to 22.5 m on the coast side, and the thickness contours generally spread in a banded way along the coastline and becomes thinner towards the sea. At the mouths of some bays along the coast, the clinoform stretches in the shape of a fan and its thickness is evidently larger than that of the surrounding sediments. This clinoform came into being in the early Holocene(about 11.2 cal kyr BP) and can be divided into the lower and upper depositional units(DU 2 and DU 1, respectively). The unit DU 2, being usually less than 3 m in thickness and formed under a low sedimentation rate, is located between the bottom boundary and the Holocene maximum flooding surface(MFS), and represents the sediment of a post-glacial transgressive systems tract; whereas the unit DU 1, the main body of the clinoform, sits on the MFS, belonging to the sediment of a highstand systems tract from middle Holocene(about 7–6 cal kyr BP) to the present. The provenance of the clinoform differs from that of the typical sediments of the Yellow River and can be considered as the results of the joint contribution from both the Yellow River and the proximal coastal sediments of the Shandong Peninsula, as evidenced by the sediment geochemistry of the core. As is controlled mainly by coactions of multiple factors such as the Holocene sea-level changes, sediment supplies and coastal dynamic conditions, the development of the clinoform is genetically related with the synchronous clinoform or subaqueous deltas around the northeastern Shandong Peninsula and in the northern South Yellow Sea in the spatial distribution and sediment provenance, as previously reported, with all of them being formed from the initial stage of the Holocene up to the present.
文摘The goal of this research study is to describe academic issues which have been debated in the field of Chinese geosciences for a century. In 1922, Jonquei S. Lee(Li Siguang) discovered Quaternary glacial relics at Taihang Mountainin eastern China. In 1947, he published his research findings in the magazine Mount Lushan in Glacial Age. The research results had established three Ice Ages: Poyang(Gonzi), Dagu(Minde), and Lushan(Lisi). However, at that time, no Wurm glacial relics of the last Ice Age had been found in Lushan Mountain. Since then, the research team represented by Shi Yafeng, who is considered to be "the father of glaciers in China", questioned Jonquei S. Lee’s research results and concluded that "Professor Jonquei S. Lee’s Quaternary glacier research in Lushan Mountain having misread the debris flow". In 2005, the "middle-low mountains" in eastern China were finally defined as follows: "We clearly and unambiguously believe that there were no glacial activities in the middle-low mountainous areas of eastern China(east of 102° to 104°E;below 3,000 and 2,500 m) during the Quaternary Period". Currently, the long-standing academic debate appears to have come to a conclusion. As of 2015, the author and others began to investigate and study the Quaternary glacial relics in Mengshan Mountain(1,156 m above sea level), Shandong Province, one of the "middle-low mountains" of eastern China. The relics have been observed to posses the systematic features of glacial erosion, trough and valley striations, and moraine deposits. The applied dating method shave confirmed that there were not only glacial relics of the last Ice Age(Wurm), but also Holocene glacial relics in the Mengshan Mountain area. Therefore, in order to further establish the corresponding relationship between the glacier, loess, stream sediment series, and MIS in the Mengshan Mountain area, a large number of chronological studies have been carried out regarding the various types of sediments in the area, and 24 dating datahave been obtained using OSL, CRN, and 14 Cmethods.On this basis, the corresponding relationship between the sedimentary sequences and the MIS was established for the first time in eastern China, which in dicates the environmental changes which had occurred in eastern China since 80 ka. These discoveries s and chronological study results confirm the existence of the Last Ice Age, as well as Holocene glacial relics at Mengshan Mountain, there by confirming that Quaternary glaciation had occurred in the middle-low mountain areas of eastern China.
基金National Basic Research Program of China, No.2004CB720206 National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40772118+1 种基金 No.49971009 Knowledge Innovation Project of CAS, No.KZCX2-SW-118
文摘The components of the primary elements in the dune sands for the MGS1 subsection of the Milanggouwan section in the Salawusu River valley, compared with those of modern dune sands, show that they were caused by East Asian winter monsoon in the Mu Us desert during Holocene. The examined ages for the 11 layers of dune sands, based on the average sedimentary rate, are： 0 to 960, 1350-2240, 2470 to 3530, 4000 to 4180, 4290 to 4350, 4380 to 4760, 5040 to 5920, 6570 to 8270, 9020 to 9700, 9880 to 10160 and 10580 to 11080 a BP, respectively. The climatic events indicated by these dune sands are consistent with those records in the Huguangyan volcanic lake, Zoige peat bog, Hulu cave and Dunde ice core, particularly with the climatic fluctuations of the North Atlantic since 11 000 a BP. Among them, patterns from B0 to B8 correspond to the peak values of 0MD, 2D, 4D, 6D＋8D＋10D, 12D, 14D, 16D, 18D and 20D respectively. It might be caused by the North Atlantic ice age induced by the heat circulation, which strengthened the polar high pressure and Siberian-Mongolian high pressure and further led to the dominance of the winter monsoon over China＇s desert area.
基金Under the auspices of National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2010CB833405)National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40772118, 49971009)
文摘The upmost segment （Holocene series） of the Milanggouwan stratigraphic section （MGS 1） in the Salawusu River valley shows 11 sedimentary cycles of dune sands and fluvio-lacustrine facies, or dune sands and paleosols. The analysis of the magnetic susceptibility of this segment suggests that there are 11 magnetic susceptibility cycles with the value alternating from low to high, in which the layers of the dune sands correspond to the lower value of the magnetic susceptibility and the layers of fluvio-lacustrine facies and paleosols correspond to the higher peaks. The study reveals that the low and high magnetic susceptibility values indicate the climate dominated by cold-arid winter monsoon and warm-humid summer monsoon of East Asia, respectively, and the study area has experienced at least 22 times of milleunial-centennial scales climate alternation from the cold-arid to the warm-humid during the Holocene. In terms of the time and the climate nature, the variations basically correspond to those of the North Atlantic and some records of cold-warm changes in China as well. They might be caused by the alternation of winter and summer monsoons in the Mu Us Desert induced by global climate fluctuations in the Holocene.
基金Foundation： National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41472138, No.41401220, No.41472026 The CAS Strate- gic Priority Research Program Grant B, No.XDPB05 The Ministry of Science and Technology of China, No.2016YFA0600503
文摘There is a wide diversity of landforms in China. The topography of three major ter- races, decreasing in height stepwise from west to east, was formed by the early Miocene. With the commencement of the Great Northern Hemisphere Glaciations （GHGs） and the glacial-interglacial cycles in the Pleistocene, thick loess deposits accumulated in north China, and fluvial terraces were formed and lakes expanded and contracted in eastern and central China. The earliest evidence of hominins in China is dated to ~1.7 Ma; they occupied the monsoon-dominated region for a long interval, until the late Pleistocene, ~50 ka. In this study, we investigated a large area rich in the relics and artifacts of early man. The results indicate that the early humans occupied riverine areas, especially medium-sized fluvial basins, and lake shores. Even in the relatively recent geological past, the occupation and abandonment of settlements were directly forced by the shifting of sand dune fields in the desert-loess transi- tional zone, which in turn was closely associated with variations in the monsoon climate and vegetation patterns. Our observations indicate that landforms were one of the main determi- nants of early human behavior, in that loess tableland, large alluvial plains, desert-Gobi areas, and the Tibetan Plateau, were not suitable environments for early human settlement. We infer that the early humans in China adapted their behavior to specific landforms and landform processes. The monsoon climate, which shapes the large-scale step-like pattern of fluvial landforms, promotes vegetation coverage and dominates soil formation, provides a crucial context for early human adaptation. The adaptation of early humans to earth surface proc- esses in East Asia is investigated for the first time in this study. Future investigations will provide further information that will increase our understanding of the linkage between early human behavior and landform processes in East Asia.
基金supported by the Orientated Fund Project (DKD95-22)of the former Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources of Chinathe"305"Project(96-916-08-05)of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China
文摘Many yellow silt layers have been identified in the Holocene sediments in the last lake of Lop Nur (playa), Xinjiang, northwestern China. Statistics of drill-hole cores have revealed more than one hundred layers, which exhibit regularity in time sequence. Study has further verified that these yellow silt layers were deposited through eolian processes. The time-frequency distribution diagram shows an obvious peak occurring at about 8200 a B.P., which is consistent with the dry, windy and cold climate event occurring at 8200 a in other places around the world. Therefore, this event is regarded as a response to the global climate change.
基金a project of the Mega-Science Program supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China:"Land-ocean boundary processes and their impacts on the formation of the Yangtze deposition system" under contract No.2013CB956500
文摘The fate of the terrestrial sediment supplied by rivers is a critical issue for understanding the patterns of Holocene environmental change on continental shelves. The East China Sea is a typical broad continental shelf with abundant sediment supply from large rivers. Here, a variety of sedimentary records were formed during the Holocene period. The sedimentary systems associated with these records have unique charac- teristics in terms of spatial distribution, material composition, deposition rate and the timing of deposition, which are related to active sediment transport processes induced by tides and waves, shelf circulations and sediment gravity flows. The sedimentary records thus formed are high resolution slices, i.e., each record has a temporal resolution of up to 10^-10-1 a, but only covers a limited part of the Holocene time. In terms of the spatial distribution, these records are scattered over a large area on the shelf. Further studies of these systems are required to understand the underlying process-product relationships. In particular, the mid- Holocene coastal deposits on the Jiangsu coast, the early to middle Holocene sequences of the Hangzhou Bay, as well as the Holocene mud deposits off the Zhejiang-Fujian coasts, should be investigated in terms of the material supply （from both seabed reworking during the sea level rise event and river discharges）, transport-accumulation processes, the sediment sequences and the future evolution of the sedimentary systems. Advanced numerical modeling techniques should be developed to meet the needs of these studies.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41171163 No.41271516+4 种基金 Major Program of National Social Science Foundation of China, No.ll＆ZD183 National Key Technology R＆D Program of China, No.2013BAK08B02 Open Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography ＆ Limnology, CAS, No.2012SKL003 Open Foundation of State Key Laboratory ofLoess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, CAS, No.SKLLQG1206 Doctoral Scientific Research Foundation of Anhui Normal University, No. 161-070143
文摘The temporal-spatial distribution features of prehistoric cultures since the Holocene in Zhejiang region were comparatively analyzed based on GIS spatial analysis. Results show that the prehistoric cultures expanded gradually in this region before 4000 cal. a BP. The notable expansions occurred twice, one in the Majiabang-Hemudu cultural period, the other in the Liangzhu cultural period. Meanwhile, the prehistoric cultures were disseminated from west to east coast along river valleys. After 4000 cal. a BP, as represented by the Maqiao Culture, the distributed area of each prehistoric culture contracted. This is obviously due to the termination of spreading trends to east coast, which was simultaneously accompanied by two different modes of production and economic transitions in the north and south Zhejiang region respectively. The distribution of prehistoric cultures was closely related with Holocene sea-level fluctuations, especially on the banks of Hangzhou Bay, where the distribution changes of prehistoric cultural sites were greatly affected by sea-level changes, with the closest relationships between them. After 7000 cal. a BP, the process of lowered sea-level and regression-epeirogenesis provided wider terrestrial living spaces for prehistoric inhabi- tants. Based on the comparative analyses of the changes of prehistoric cultures and the en- vironmental evolution information recorded in the Qianmutian subalpine peat of Mt. Tianmu and muddy area on the inner shelf of the East China Sea, it is indicated that the changes of prehistoric cultures were synchronized with environmental changes in Zhejiang region. Before 4000 cal. a BP, the eastward expansion of prehistoric cultures in Zhejiang occurred under the background of the Holocene Optimum, and was the expansion and extension under the joint influences of agricultural civilization and maritime civilization. However, after 4000 cal. a BP, the qeographical contraction of prehistoric cultures in ZheiianQ occurred under the back-ground of dry-cold climate trend and deterioration of coastal marine environment. It is evidenced from the above fact that the development, expansion and contraction of prehistoric cultures are positively correlated to environmental change. The change of the climatic environment is just the underlying reason for these changes and transitions of production modes and economic forms. Therefore, the climatic environment is the dominant factor of prehistoric culture vicissitudes in Zhejiang region, which has exerted great influence on distribution, dissemination, expansion and transmutation of the culture.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41101083,41130105)Strategic Project of Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. 2012ZD001)Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (No. 2010CB950104)
文摘This paper is a review of studies of abrupt climate changes(ACCs) during the Holocene published during the past ten years.North Atlantic cold events are indicators of ACCs.As indicated by North Atlantic ice-rafted debris(IRD),there were nine confirmed cold events during the Holocene,occurring at 11.1 kyr,10.3 kyr,9.4 kyr,8.1 kyr,5.9 kyr,4.2 kyr,2.8 kyr,1.4 kyr,and 0.4 kyr respectively according to most representative results from Bond et al.(1997).However,the identification of chronology has been made with some uncertainties.Considerable climatic proxy data have shown that,during the cold events,substantial climate abnormalities have occurred widely across the globe,particularly in the areas surrounding the North Atlantic.These abnormalities were in the form of high-latitude cold in the both hemispheres,expansion of the Westerlies to low latitudes,drought in the monsoon regions,recession of summer monsoons,and intensification of the winter monsoons.Studies have indicated that the four ACCs occurring in the early Holocene may be related to freshwater pulses from ice melting in the northern part of the North Atlantic,and the other five ACCs that occurred during the middle and late Holocene may be related to the decreased solar activity.
基金Major Program of National Social Science Foundation of China, No.11＆ZD183 National Key Project of Scientific and Technical Supporting Program of China, No.2013BAK08B02 National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41171006
文摘The Xiaohe Cemetery archaeological site （Cal. 4-3.5 ka BP） is one of the most important Bronze Age sites in Xinjiang, China. Although the surrounding environment is an extremely arid desert now, abundant archaeological remains indicate that human occupation was common during certain periods in the Holocene. Field investigations and laboratory analyses of a sediment profile near the Xiaohe Cemetery indicate that while the regional environment was arid desert throughout the Holocene there were three episodes of lake forma- tion near the site in the periods 4.8-3.5 ka BP, 2.6-2.1 ka BP and 1.2-0.9 ka BP. Geomorphic and hydrological investigations reveal that a lake or lakes formed in a low-lying area when water was derived initially from the Kongque River and then shunted into the Xiaohe River basin. Low amounts of active chemical elements in lacustrine sediment between 4.8-3.5 ka BP indicate abundant and continuous water volume in the lake; the content of active chemical elements increased between 2.6-2.1 ka BP but was still at a relatively low level, suggesting a declining amount of water and diminished inflow. Between 1.2-0.9 ka BP there was a very high content of active elements, suggesting decreased water volume and indicating that the lake was stagnate. In contrast, the general climate condition shows that there had a warm-humid stage at 8-6 ka BP, a cool-humid stage at 6-2.9 ka BP and a warm-dry stage at 2.9-0.9 ka BP in this region. The hydrological evolutions around Xiaohe Cemetery did not have one-to-one correspondence with climate changes. Regional comparison indicates that broad-scale climatic conditions played an important role through its influences on the water volume of the Tarim River and Kongque River. But, the formation of the lakes and their level were controlled by geomorphic conditions that influenced how much water volume could be shunted to Xiaohe River from Kongque River. Human occupation of the Xiaohe Cemetery and nearby regions during the Bronze Age and Han-Jin period （202 BC-420 AD） corresponded to the two earlier lake periods, while no human activities existed in the third lake period because of the decreased water volume.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 41576067 and 41576061the Basic Scientific Fund for National Public Research Institutes of China under contract No.2017Q03the National Basic Research Program(973Program)of China under contract No.2010CB951203
文摘Mangroves,widely distributed along the coasts of tropical China,are influenced by Asia monsoon,relative sea level change and enhanced human activity.To predict the impacts of future climate change on mangrove ecosystems,it can be understood by reconstructing past mangrove dynamics using proxies preserved in coastal sediments.In this study,we quantitatively partitioned buried organic matter(OM)sources,collected from a vulnerable mangrove swamp in the Qinzhou Bay of northwestern South China Sea,using a ternary end-member mixing model of δ^13C and C:N values.Mangrove-derived OM(MOM)contribution was used as a tracer for mangrove development since 2.34 cal ka BP.This information,together with paleoclimate records(i.e.,speleothem δ^18O values,sea level change,grain size parameters)and human activity,was used to divide mangrove development into three stages during the late Holocene:relative flourish(2.34-1.13 cal ka BP),relative degradation(1.13-0.15 cal ka BP)and further degradation(0.15-0 cal ka BP).Before 1.13 cal ka BP,mangroves flourished with a high MOM contribution((88.9±10.6)%),corresponding to stable and high sea level under a warm and humid climate.After 1.13 cal ka BP,rapid fall in relative sea level coupled with the strengthening of the Asian winter monsoon,resulted in mangrove degradation and MOM reduction((62.4±18.9)%).Compared with air temperature and precipitation,the relative sea level fall was the main controlling factor in mangrove development before entering the Anthropocene(the time of the Industrial Revolution).After^150 cal a BP,reclamation of mangrove swamps to shrimp ponds is the main factor causing mangrove degradation and MOM reduction.
