The Shiyang River drainage basin is located in the northwest margin of the Asian monsoon region. Previous studies reached different conclusions about Holocene climatic changes in the basin. Some studies suggested the Holocene climatic changes were mainly controlled by the Asian monsoon and that the climate was relatively humid during the early Holocene (11.6-7.1 cal ka BP). Other studies found the mid-Holocene Climatic Optimum (7.0-5.0 cal ka BP), and this climate condition was similar to the Holocene westerly wind pattern in arid Central Asia. The modern climate is affected by the Asian monsoon and westerly wind in the drainage basin, and the Holocene climatic records showed two different Holocene climatic patterns-a westerly wind pattern and monsoonal pattern. However, it remains unclear what caused the two different Holocene climatic patterns to co-exist in the region. The palynological records are the main evidence for the Holocene climatic changes in the basin. This paper focuses on palynological records for different parts of the drainage basin. Among them, QTH02, QTL-03 and Sanjiaocheng records are located in the terminal lake, and the Hongshuihe record is located in the middle reaches of the basin. In the terminal lake, the palynological records of QTH02 and QTL-03 are similar, but the Sanjiaocheng record differs. The difference is mainly affected by the variable pollen assemblages in the different locations of the lake basin. From comparison and synthesis of the four palynological records, we concluded that the millennial-scale Holocene climatic changes were affected by the combined effects of the Asian monsoon and westerly wind in the drainage basin, which show the complicated Holocene climatic pattern in the northwest margin of the Asian monsoon.
This paper examines the relationship among organic geochemical proxies (TOC, C/N ratio and ~13C) and pollen assemblages in Zhuye Lake sediments since the Late Glacial. Results show that the reaction extent of organic geochemical proxies and pollen as- semblages to environment changes are different. Organic geochemical proxies are sensitive to overall environmental change, while pollen assemblages indicate detailed information of environmental change. For the entire sedimentary section (except the sand layer fi'om the bottom of the section), when values of TOC, C/N ratio and total pollen concentrations are high, 813C values are low, and vice versa. The different responses of organic geochemical proxies and pollen records in Zhuye Lake are mainly due to their different sensitivity and diverse influencing factors in different environmental conditions.
Yu LiXueHua ZhouChengQi ZhangZhuoLun LiYue WangNaiAng Wang
Field investigations including lake shoreline measurement and 14 C chronology have been carried out on the Alxa Plateau to better understand the formation and evolution of the high lake levels in northwest China during the late Pleistocene.Comprehensive field investigations show that there are at least ten shorelines at different elevations at Juyan Lake,at least four on the northwest side of the Jilantai Salt Lake,and nine shorelines and one terrace on the northeast margin of Zhuye Lake.Stratigraphic correlations and chronological evidence indicate that the paleo-lakes have the highest lake levels in Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3.Though the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) results which have been reported by some scholars do not support this view,the fact that the paleo-lakes have the highest lake levels in MIS 3 can not be denied.Differences between OSL and 14 C results from this work might indicate that high lake levels existed on the Alxa Plateau during two different periods.It also suggests that the high lake levels may exist in both MIS 5 and early MIS 3.This paper also provides the basic hydrological information for further water resources research in this arid region.
WANG NaiAng LI ZhuoLun CHENG HongYi LI Yu HUANG YinZhou
湖泊不同位置沉积物重建的古环境变化过程往往具有差异,而这种差异可能揭示了不同的古环境信息.本文以河西走廊石羊河流域终端湖泊猪野泽为例,探讨湖泊不同位置沉积物所代表的古环境意义.位于湖盆边缘的三角城剖面可能反映了石羊河上游地区的降水及其古径流量的变化,这种变化在千年尺度上对应了北大西洋Bond事件,显示该区域通过季风环流系统与全球气候系统的联系.位于湖泊中部的QTH01、QTH02、QTL-03剖面反映了湖泊演化的信息,显示中全新世期间(约7.0-约3.5 cal ka BP)湖泊水位较高的特征,但是这种特征并不能和该流域的古径流相联系,说明该区域湖泊演化除了受千年尺度大气环流特征的影响外,湖泊表面蒸发可能也起了重要作用.该研究为中亚地区普遍存在的中全新世高湖面问题提供了研究思路.