Pollen record from red clay sequence in the central Loess Plateau between 8.10 and 2.60 Ma

IEECAS SKLLQG

Helium isotope investigation on magnetic reversal boundaries of loess-paleosol sequence at Luochuan；central Chinese Loess Plateau

IEECAS SKLLQG

Application Of (CS)-C-137 fingerprinting technique to interpreting sediment production records from reservoir deposits in a small catchment of the Hilly Loess Plateau；China

IEECAS SKLLQG

Magnetic properties of Jiaxian red clay sequences from northern Chinese Loess Plateau and its paleoclimatic significance

IEECAS SKLLQG

Distribution of uranium isotopes in the main channel of Yellow river (Huanghe), China

Uranium isotopes were measured in waters and suspended particulate matters (SPM) of the main channel of Yellow River, China that were sampled during four field trips between August 2005 and July 2006. The results show that the concentration of dissolved U (2.04-7.83 mu g/l) and the activity ratio of U-234/U-238 (1.36-1.67) are much higher than the average U concentrations and activity ratios of global major rivers. Mass balance calculations using the results of simulated experiments and measurement data show that the section of the Yellow River between Lanzhou and Sanmenxia has its dissolved U derived from two sources: suspended sediments (68%) and groundwater/runoff from loess deposits (32%). Both sources are related to the heavy erosion of the Chinese Loess Plateau. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Description of loess sections in China

The magnetic susceptibility of loess and paleosols in central China represents a proxy climate index closely related to past changes of precipitation and vegetation, and thus to summer monsoon intensity. Time series of magnetic susceptibility constructed for three loess-paleosol sequences in the southern part of the Chinese Loess Plateau document the history of summer monsoon variation during the last 130,000 yr. They correlate closely with the oxygen isotope record of stages 1 to 5 in deep-sea sediments. Soils were forming during intervals of strong summer monsoon, whereas loess units were deposited at times of reduced monsoon intensity. The Chinese loess-paleosol sequence can thus be viewed as a proxy record of Asian monsoon variability extending over the last 2.5 myr.

三门峡宋家店黄土－古土壤序列的地层学研究及其古环境记录

The Sanmen Gorge area is located in the southernmost margin of the Chinese Loess Plateau with well developed eolian deposit sequence for the past 2.6 Ma, providing a key site for further understanding of the evolution history of the East Asian monsoon since late Pliocene. This study attempted to characterize the stratigraphy and paleoclimate record of the loess-paleosol sequence in the Songjiadian section. The work involved includes systematic field investigation, paleomagnetic and rock magnetic analyses, grain size and major chemical composition analyses, and multiple proxy measurements of magnetic susceptibility, color reflectance and the ratio of CBD-dissolvable iron to the total iron (FeD/FeT). By comparisons of the Songjiadian section with well studied loess sections in the west of the Sanmen Gorge, the spatial variations of the East Asian monsoon was evaluated for some periods during which typical loess or paleosols developed. The following conclusions have been obtained. 1. Stratigraphic correlation and paleomagnetic result demonstrate that the loess-paleosol sequence in the Songjiadian section was accumulated from 2.6Ma, and is generally a complete and continuous loess sequence. However, notable differences from type loess sections have been identified for a few loess and paleosol units, featured by absence or anomalous thickness in the Songjiadian section. 2. Magnetic susceptibility and chromaticity records clearly reveal the loess-paleosol cycles, and indicate that the Sanmen Gorge area has been warmer and more humid than the Lingtai and Jingchuan sections in the western central Loess Plateau since the Early Pleistocene. 3. Grain size distribution patterns are typical of eolian dust, and show a great similarity between various units of loess and paleosols, and between the S32 and the underlying Red Clay through the Songjiadian profile, suggesting the eolian origin for the loess, paleosols and the Red Clay. 4. Comparison of the FeD/FeT curves from different loess sections indicates a stronger chemical weathering in the Songjiadian section and notable enhancement around 1800, 800 and 600 ka BP, implying the strengthening of the East Asian monsoon during these periods. In contrast, it was weakened at 1100 ka BP. Generally, the summer monsoon shows a gradually decreasing trend during the entire Pleostocene, but the spatial pattern typified by an increasing trend in weathering intensity from north to south remained the same. 5. The loess unit L9 in the Songjiadian section displays two geomagnetic field anomalies with the midpoint ages of 0.917 and 0.875 Ma respectively, with a segment of 12 ka. They are demonstrated to be equivalent to the Santa Rosa and Kamikatsura geomagnetic excursions. 6. Magnetite is the main magnetic carrier for both loess and paleosols. Maghemite concentration is higher in paleosols than in loess, and is an important carrier for the enhanced magnetic susceptibility in paleosols. Magnetic fabric analysis suggests a dominant N-S wind direction prevailing in the L9 and L15, while the summer winds were dominantly in NNE-SSW direction during the S8 period, notably differing from previous studies.

黄土高原中部60万年来黄土—古土壤序列有机碳同位素研究

Vegetation is very sensitive to climate change. Carbon isotopes in paleosol have been widely used to contruct the propotion of plants using C3 and C4 photosynthetic pathways. δ13C of Loess organic matter were analyzed on the loess- paleosols samples from Jingchuan sections and Luochuan S4—S5 sequence. This paper presents a long carbon isotope time series, covering the last 600kyr. δ13C record of Loess organic matter in Jingchuan is correlated with marine oxygen isotope records. Basing on former research work, this paper discusses temperature, rainfall and P CO2 effect on δ13Corg value. In the interglacial periods, carbon isotope is more sensitive than other proxies and indicates several climate fluctuations. The main conclusions are as follows: 1. Obtained δ13C composition from paleosols and loess sediments in Jingchuan range of -20.0‰ to -24.6‰, the maximum biomass of C4 is 35%, indicating a C3 and C4 mixed steppe with C3 dominated. C4 plant is not always expansion during paleosols periods. The minimum values of Jingchuan section appeared in S4 soil, and the vegetation was almost pure C3 plant at that time. δ13Corg value in S5-2 is also lower than loess in S5, reaching the minimum valus of S5 soil. 2. PCO2 variation has little impact on δ13Corg value in interglacial periods for the last 600kyr. The correlation between δ13Corg value curve and magnetic susceptibility curve as proxy of summer monsoon in general, means summer monsoon drive C4 plant expansion during glacial and interglacial. 3. The lowerδ13Corg values in S4 and S5-2 appear at Jingchuan and Luochuan, suggest origin from woodland or C3 grassland. Whatever vegetation it is, indicate strengthened East Asian summer monsoon and increase of precipitation. C4 plant percentage is lower in S5-1 and S1 which have stronger summer monsoon, than S0 and S2. And it also indicates increase of precipitation.δ13Corg values has not always non-linearity correlation with summer monsoon. 4. The maximum entroy spectral analysis of δ13C values of the last 600kyr indicates there is 21 kyr cycles in Loess sequence. It means that summer monsoon in the Chinese Loess Plateau also has the precession cycles like its origin low latitude.

最近130ka来黄土物质化学风化强度的空间格局

Chemical weathering intensity of loess deposits is largely determined by three factors: chemical weathering in source regions, grain size and post-depositional weathering. The third factor is influenced by climatic conditions such as precipitation and temperature, and the dust sedimentation rate in the area of deposition. Previous studies have shown that the (CaO+MgO+Na2O)/TiO2 ratio of decarbonated residue from loess is independent of grain size changes and thus is a reliable proxy for chemical weathering. However, the validity of (CaO+MgO+Na2O)/TiO2 to describe changes in monsoon intensity requires further study. In this study, 48 sections over the last glacial-interglacial cycle on the Chinese Loess Plateau were sampled, and the major elemental concentrations of 248 decarbonated residue samples were measured to investigate the utility of the (CaO+MgO+Na2O)/TiO2 ratio as a proxy for changes in monsoon intensity. Results show that the (CaO+MgO+Na2O)/TiO2 ratio, is relatively more sensitive to climate change than other indexes independent of grain size, and is not affected substantially by sedimentation rate. Assuming the weathering regime is relatively stable in the loess source regions, the (CaO+MgO+Na2O)/TiO2 ratio is a reliable proxy for the intensity of summer monsoon. A decreasing (CaO+MgO+Na2O)/TiO2 ratio from northwest to southeast both in loess and paleosols indicates that the Chinese Loess Plateau is in the control of the East Asian summer monsoon during both interglacial and glacial times. In addition, the spatial distributions of (CaO+MgO+Na2O)/TiO2 ratios show a greater north-south gradient during interglacial periods than during glacial periods. This may suggest that the spatial precipitation gradient, controlled by the summer monsoon, is steeper during interglacials than in glacials.

甘肃西峰黄土剖面500 ka以来的蜗牛化石记录及其古气候、古环境变化研究

The loess-paleosol sequences in China are among the best continental records of paleoclimate changes. Although numerous sedimentological and geochemical studies have contributed greatly to the understanding of past climate changes during this period, it is still necessary to decipher more details through investigating these sequences using various approaches including biological analyses. In this study, we analyze the mollusk fossil assemblages preserved in the upper part of the Xifeng section, from the fifth loess layer (L5) to the Holocene soil (S0), with the sampling interval of 10 cm. The main results and conclusions obtained are as follows: 1. A continuous terrestrial mollusk fossil record, covering the past 500 ka, has been obtained from the Xifeng loess-paleosol sequence, which provides important biological data for the study of paleoenvironmental changes in the Loess Plateau and its comparison with marine record during this period. A total of 475 mollusk assemblages were studied, and twenty-one species have been identified among the 210,000 mollusk individuals counted. Among these species, most have modern representatives and are found in previous terrestrial mollusk studies of Chinese loess-paleosol sequences. Thus, they can be grouped into cold-aridiphilous, thermo-humidiphilous, oriental, and cool-humidiphilous ecological groups, as defined by previous studies. 2. Comparison of mollusk assemblages between the last five glacials and four interglacials and Holocene shows very different climate conditions. The warmest period occurred at MIS 11, MIS 5e, and Holocene, respectively. The coldest period is the Last Glacial Maximam, rather than the MIS 12. 3. Our mollusk record provides insight into the climate conditions in the Loess Plateau during the MIS 11, interpreted as the closest analog to the present interglacial. S4 paleosol, equivalent of MIS 11, developed under two major different climate regimes: ranging from the very warm–humid early phase to the mild-cool late interval. Furthermore, a cooling spell has been documented at the interglacial optimum, reflecting unstable climate conditions. The early warm–humid conditions lasted over 30 ka, supporting that MIS 11 is a unique long interglacial in the Quaternary climate history. 4. Comparison of MIS 11 and Holocene climates based on the mollusk species compositions indicates major differences. The climate at the early part of MIS 11 was warmer and more humid than during the Holocene optimum period, but the conditions during the late part of MIS 11 were similar to or cooler than late Holocene. Our study indicates that the extent of warming during the Holocene might be significantly less than the conditions that prevailed during the early part of MIS 11 interglacial period. 5. Two strong summer monsoon events were observed during the MIS 12 and MIS 10. They correspond to the maximam values of insolation gradient between low and high latitudes, suggesting a causal linkage. 6. Our study, combined with the previously investigated Luochuan land snail record, reveals that the climate in the Loess Plateau during MIS 3 experienced three stages: relatively warm, humid climate prevailed during MIS 3c, relatively cold, dry climate during MIS 3b, and relatively warm-humid period during MIS 3a. Climate at this time fluctuated frequently in Luochuan, and changed from warm-cool to cold-dry in Xifeng. Our results reveal that the relatively warm-humid climate during MIS 3c may be resulted from an increasing insolation gradient controlled by obliquity. Our result also reveals that obvious regional difference existed in the Loess Plateau during MIS 3. A greater climate gradient occurred during this time compared with today’s climate pattern in the Loess Plateau.