湖泊沉积物DNA在气候环境变化和生态系统响应研究中的应用

随着气候与生态问题的不断涌现,气候环境变化与生态系统响应研究的重要性日益凸显,而传统方法逐渐难以满足深入研究的需要.现代分子生物技术的快速发展使针对湖泊沉积物的DNA分析逐渐被引入相关研究中,有效弥补了传统研究方法的不足,为研究者提供了理解过去气候和环境变化、生态系统响应的新视角.湖泊沉积物中的DNA蕴藏着丰富的生物群落演变信息,不仅是重建古气候、古环境变化历史的有力工具,更有助于研究生态系统的长期演化过程及内部机制,探讨气候环境变化及人类活动对生态系统的影响.本文分析了保存在湖泊沉积物中DNA的特点,着重介绍湖泊沉积物DNA分析在气候环境变化及生态系统响应研究中的应用,并对该技术目前存在的挑战、可能的解决方案及未来发展潜力进行了总结与展望.

不同时间尺度青海湖沉积物总有机碳对气候变化的敏感性

湖泊沉积物总有机碳(TOC)含量通常作为表征流域和湖泊生产力的指标,在亚洲季风区也常常被当作夏季风的代用指标,被广泛应用于气候与环境变化研究.本文梳理了过去千年、全新世以及冰期-间冰期时间尺度上青海湖沉积物TOC的变化特征,并探讨了其指示气候变化的敏感性与有效性.结果表明,过去千年青海湖沉积物TOC含量与区域暖季温度和降水表现出较为一致的周期性波动.通过对比全新世区域夏季温度、基于孢粉的降水定量重建结果,以及湖泊水位、风沙活动反映的湿度状况等,发现不能简单地将青海湖沉积物TOC含量或沉积通量作为夏季风强度或者季风降水强度的代用指标.青海湖沉积物TOC含量在冰期和间冰期表现出巨大的差异,指示了冰期-间冰期时间尺度上较大的温度与降水变幅.因此,不同地域条件及不同时间尺度下,湖泊沉积物TOC对气候变化的敏感性不同,将湖泊沉积物TOC含量作为亚洲夏季风的代用指标需要特别谨慎,特别是在高寒气候区.

Effects of climate change and human activity on lake shrinkage in Gonghe Basin of northeastern Tibetan Plateau during the past 60 years

Changes in the status of freshwater resources are a topic of major global, regional and local concern. This is especially so in the arid and semi-arid regions of China, where shortage of water resources plays a crucial role in limiting sustainable socioeconomic development, as well as in sustaining natural ecosystems. Recent climate change, as well as the effects of localized human activity, such as the use of water for irrigation agriculture, may have significant effects on the status of the water resources in the region. Here, we report the results of a study of changes in the areas of lakes in Gonghe Basin, northeastern Tibetan Plateau of China, over the last 60 years. The data were acquired from optical satellite images and demonstrate that the total water area of lakes in Gonghe Basin decreased significantly from the 1950s to 1980s. The cause is ascribed mainly to human activity including exploitation of farmland, against a background of increasing population; in addition, climatic data for the region demonstrate a minor drying trend during this period as the temperature increased slightly. After the construction of several reservoirs, significant amounts of water were redistributed to promote irrigation agriculture and we conclude that this caused a significant shrinkage of the natural lakes. However, both the area of farmland and the population size remained approximately constant after 1990. We conclude that the variation of the total area of lakes during the second period was mainly controlled by climatic factors （precipitation and temperature）. As the regional temperature reached a new high, the area of some of the lakes decreased sharply before finally maintaining a relatively steady state. We emphasize that anthropogenic climate change and human activity have both significantly influenced the status of water resources in the arid and semi-arid regions of China.

Vegetation and climate history of Anggertu Lake in the Tengger Desert over the last millennium

Reconstructing climate change of the last millennium is important to understand the current relationship between human-social activities and natural environmental changes. Pollen assemblages, losson-ignition(LOIo rg at 550°C), and grain size data collected from sediment core AGE15 A from the center of Anggertu lake(eastern Tengger Desert, Inner Mongolia) were used to reconstruct the regional vegetation and climate history of the last millennium. Desert or steppe desert, dominated by A rtemisia and Amaranthaceae, expanded around this region during the period of 988–1437 AD indicating a generally dry climate condition with two short humid periods(1003–1082 AD and 1388–1437 AD). These two wet periods were characterized by relatively high vegetation cover and bioproductivity, as reflected by high pollen concentrations and LOIo rg values. Increases in steppe and meadow vegetation communities(Poaceae, Cyperaceae) and vegetation cover during 1437–2015 AD suggest a wetting trend, which was also deduced from a gradual trend towards fine grains and higher lake biological productivity as reflected by LOIo rg values. An unstable lacustrine environment was identified via frequent fluctuations in pollen concentration and grain size after 1842 AD. This study also recorded a relatively dry Medieval Warm Period(MWP, 1082–1388 AD) and a wet Little Ice Age(LIA, 1437–1842 AD). Increased Amaranthaceae and high abundance of Poaceae may be related to overgrazing and agricultural activities that took place during those time periods. The evolution of vegetation in the lake region was influenced by climate change and human activities. These results could provide more fundamental support for studies of the environmental evolution of the Tengger Desert.

Spatial and temporal variation in magnetic properties of street dust in Lanzhou City,China

Urban environmental problems are of increasing concern. Lanzhou is a large industrial city in North-west China. Street dust samples representing different temporal and spatial scales were collected for magnetic properties study. Magnetic measurements indicate a high concentration of magnetic minerals in Lanzhou street dust, dominated by pseudo-single domain (PSD) magnetite. The concentration of magnetic materials is distinctly high in winter and spring, low in autumn. Similarly, higher concentra-tions associated with heavy industry, concentrated residential development, and vehicular traffic sug-gest mixed contributions of magnetic material from both anthropogenic and natural sources. χ_lf and SOFT% are effective magnetic parameters that denote seasonal differences among magnetic proper-ties in street dust, convenient and economical methods for monitoring street dust pollution.

我国季风边缘区湖泊沉积记录的全新世亚洲夏季风衰退事件

亚洲夏季风是全球季风系统的重要组成部分,亚洲夏季风的变化对其控制区域自然生态系统的多样性和生态平衡,以及社会经济发展有重要的影响。本文选择位于现代亚洲夏季风边缘区对季风变化响应敏感的湖泊达连海为研究对象,基于陆生植物残体和全有机质的AMS14C定年建立了钻孔顶部24.6 m沉积物的年代框架,利用粒度指标重建了全新世研究区水文变化过程以及亚洲夏季风衰退事件序列。结果显示,沉积物中存在数层砂层,代表了湖泊低水位时期,进而指示了亚洲夏季风衰退事件。这些事件处在11.6~11.3 cal.ka B.P.、10.4~9.5 cal.ka B.P.、6.4~6.0 cal.ka B.P.、4.6~4.4 cal.ka B.P.、3.7~3.4 cal.ka B.P.、3.1~2.9 cal.ka B.P.以及2.0~0.9 cal.ka B.P.,可以发现中晚全新世以来亚洲夏季风衰退事件发生的频率显著增加。进一步与北半球高纬地区与低纬地区的气候突变事件记录对比显示,全新世百年-千年时间尺度上亚洲夏季风强度的变化与低纬ENSO活动存在密切的联系。

新疆湖泊岩芯记录的未次间冰期以来气候变化初步研究

针对目前中亚西风影响区湖泊记录研究中的难点和关键科学问题，我们选择新疆的乌伦古湖、博斯腾湖、巴里坤湖钻取了湖泊岩芯，报道它们初步的研究成果。年代测定采用了AMS 14C、光释光技术，并结合古地磁的研究，初步建立了湖泊岩芯的年代框架。巴里坤湖具有末次间冰期以来连续的沉积，是研究气候环境变化的理想载体；博斯腾湖和乌伦古湖都曾经出现过沉积间断，不利于进行高分辨率的气候环境变化重建。从现有的结果来看，末次间冰期气候较为湿润，MIS 3阶段气候的湿润程度降低，LGM时期气候干旱，全新世时期湖泊普遍发育。

A 1000-year chironomid-based salinity reconstruction from varved sediments of Sugan Lake,Qaidam Basin,arid Northwest China,and its palaeoclimatic significance

A 1000-year high-resolution(～10 years) chironomid record from varved sediments of Sugan Lake,Qaidam Basin on the northern Tibetan Plateau,is presented.The chironomid assemblages are mainly composed of the relatively high-saline-water taxa Psectrocladius barbimanus-type and Orthocladius/Cricotopus,and the relatively low-saline-water taxa Procladius and Psectrocladius sordidellus-type.Variations in the chironomid fauna and inferred salinities suggest that over the last millennium,the Sugan Lake catchment has alternated between contrasting climatic conditions,having a dry climate during the period 990―1550 AD,a relatively humid climate during the Little Ice Age(LIA)(1550―1840 AD),and a dry climate again from 1840 AD onwards.At the decadal to centennial scale,a wet event around 1200―1230 AD,interrupting the generally arid period(990―1550 AD),and a dry event around 1590―1700 AD,punctuating the generally humid period(1550―1840 AD),are clearly documented.Trends in the chironomid-based salinity time series indicate a highly unstable climate during the LIA when salinity fluctuations were of greater magnitude and higher frequency.The effective moisture evolution in the Sugan Lake catchment during the last millennium reconstructed by chironomid analysis is in broad agreement with previous palaeo-moisture data derived from other sites in arid Northwest China(ANC).The LIA,characterized by generally humid conditions over the west-erly-dominated ANC was distinctly different from that in monsoonal China,implying an "out-of-phase" relationship between moisture evolution in these two regions during the past 1000 years.

Climatic changes documented by stable isotopes of sedimentary carbonate in Lake Sugan,northeastern Tibetan Plateau of China,since 2 kaBP

Lake Sugan at the northern edge of the Qaidam Basin was selected as the research object. The temporal se-quence of sedimentary cores retrieved from Lake Sugan since 2 kaBP was reconstructed using the 210Pb, AMS 14C and conventional 14C dating methods. Carbon and oxygen iso-topes of carbonate in the fine-grained lake sediments were analysed. Combined with the changes of δ 18O values of sur-face water and air temperature observation data in the study area, it might be thought that the δ 18O value of the carbon-ate indicates effective moisture, and the changes in δ 13C val-ues are related to annual freeze-up duration of the lake and indirectly indicate air temperature changes in winter half year. From the above, the sequence of climatic changes in the region since 2 kaBP was established. The climatic changes experienced five stages: Warm-dry climate during 0-190 AD; cold-dry climate during 190-580 AD; warm-dry cli-mate during 580-1200 AD (MWP); cold-wet climate during 1200-1880 AD (LIA); cold-dry climate during 1880-1950 AD; and climate warming since 1950s. The air temperature changes in winter half year reflected by carbon isotope since 2 kaBP are in good agreement with the historical literature records and other geologic records, which shows that the climate changes recorded by the stable isotopes from Lake Sugan since 2 kaBP are of universal significance.

The discovery of annually laminated sediments (varves) from shallow Sugan Lake in inland arid China and their paleoclimatic significance

Detailed examination of sedimentary cores retrieved from Sugan Lake in the northern Qaidam Basin of northwest China’s Tibetan Plateau reveal that fine laminated beddings form in the sediments where water depth exceeds 3 m. Seasonal surface sediments trapped at the bottom of the lake suggest that sediments deposited during summer and autumn are mainly light colored monohydrocalcites, while those deposited in winter are dark organic matter, indicating that varve layers form under modern limnological conditions. Continuous varve sediments comprising four types have accumulated in the upper 5.5 m of Core SG03I from the center of the lake. All types exhibit clear seasonality indicative of annual deposition. Varve counts correspondence with 210Pb dates on recent sediments in the upper core suggest the continuous varves of the upper 5.5 m of the core formed in the late Holocene (2670 a BP). The Sugan Lake varve sequence is the first demonstration of annually laminated sediments re-ported in arid western China.

A novel procedure for pollen-based quantitative paleoclimate reconstructions and its application in China

Traditionally, the evaluation of pollen-based quantitative paleoclimate reconstructions focuses on the ability of calibration sets to infer present climatic conditions and/or the similarity between fossil and modem assemblages. Objective criteria for choosing the most appropriate climate parameter（s） to be reconstructed at a specific site are thus lacking. Using a novel approach for testing the statistical significance of a quantitative reconstruction using random environmental data, in combination with the advantageous large environmental gradients, abundant vegetation types and comprehensive modem pollen databases in China, we describe a new procedure for pollen-based quantitative paleoclimatic reconstructions. First, the most significant environmental variable controlling the fossil pollen assemblage changes is identified. Second, a calibration set to infer changes in this targeted variable is built up, by limiting the modem ranges of other environmental variables. Finally, the pollen-based quantitative reconstruction is obtained and its statistical significance assessed. This novel procedure was used to reconstruct the mean annual precipitation （Pann） from Gonghai Lake in the Lvliang Mountains, and Tianchi Lake in the Liupan Mountains, on the eastern and western fringe of the Chinese Loess Plateau, respectively. Both Pann. reconstructions are statistically significant （p〈0.001）, and a sound and stable correlation relationship exists in their common period, showing a rapid precipitation decrease since 3300 cal yr BP. Thus, we propose that this procedure has great potential for reducing the uncertainties associated with pollen-based quantitative paleoclimatic reconstructions in China.

Anthropogenic origin of a change in the fire-climate relationship in northern China after~2000 yr BP:Evidence from a 15,500-year black carbon record from Dali Lake

There are debates regarding whether a wet and warm climate or a dry and cold climate dominated Holocene fire activity in northern China on the millennial timescale,and when human activities overtook climate change as the dominant control on fire occurrence in the region.Here we present a high-resolution fire history for the past~15,500 years from a sediment core in Dali Lake,located in the foothills of the Greater Hinggan Mountains,one of the areas of highest fire risk in China.The results demonstrate that fire activity was rare during the last deglaciation(~15,500–11,700 yr BP),gradually increased at the beginning of the Holocene,and reached its highest level during~9000–5000 yr BP,after which there was a decreasing trend.However,after~2000 yr BP this decreasing trend ended,and the most prominent feature is a peak in fire activity during the Medieval Warm Period(MWP).Overall,fire activity corresponded well to changes in the East Asian summer monsoon(EASM)precipitation on the millennial timescale during~15,500–2000 yr BP,but this relationship changed after~2000 yr BP.We propose that fire activity in northern China on the millennial timescale during~15,500–2000 yr BP was dominated by the biofuels reserve under the control of the EASM precipitation.In contrast,with the intensification of human activities after~2000 yr BP,human activity caused a~62%–73%increase in fire activity,which altered the fire-climate relationship that had previously prevailed in northern China.Our results indicate that a wet-warm climate(increased EASM intensity),rather than a dry-cold climate,was the dominant control on fire activity in northern China during 15,500–2000 yr BP on the millennial timescale,but that human activities played an important role in fire occurrence after~2000 yr BP.

Multiple evidences indicate no relationship between prehistoric disasters in Lajia site and outburst flood in upper Yellow River valley, China

All around the world, ancient legends exist about the Great Flood, and the influence of the Great Flood in human evolutionary history is a hotly debated topic. In China, the legend of the prehistoric Great Flood and Yu the Great's flood control has a long history and is considered to be closely linked to the establishment of the Xia Dynasty. However, there is a lack of solid scientific evidence. Against this issue, some scholars have proposed that an earthquake around 1920 BCE in the Guanting Basin along the upper reaches of the Yellow River led to the creation of a lake by damming in the Jishi Gorge and that the outburst of water from that lake led to the massive flood in the Yellow River region. These studies provided new scientific evidence for the Chinese legend. In this paper, we date skeletal samples embedded in earthquake sand blasting from the Lajia site, analyze remains from natural disasters(such as earthquakes and floods) and also archaeological remains. In addition, we compared the skeletal samples dating with that of sediments from the dammed-up lake. Our results are inconsistent with those of previous scholars. The earthquake at the Lajia site occurred no earlier than 1800 BCE, and the dammed-up lake in Jishi Gorge had disappeared by 3600 BCE. Thus, the formation and outburst of the dammed lake, the sudden death of ancient humans at the Lajia site and the ancient earthquake were independent events occurring at different times. In addition, the massive flood in the upper reaches of the Yellow River did not actually happen. Thus, we argue against and invalidate the hypothesis that the massive flood was related to Yu the Great's flood control and the establishment of the Xia Dynasty.