Winter and summer monsoonal evolution in Gonghe Basin, northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau since the Last Glacial Maximum

Geochemical and grain size analysis on the DQ （Dongqi） profile from Gonghe Basin, northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, indi- cates that regional climate has experienced several cold-dry and warm-wet cycles since the last glacial maximum （LGM）. The cold and dry climate dominated the region before 15.82 cal. ka B.E due to stronger winter monsoon and weaker summer monsoon, but the climate was relatively cold and wetter prior to 21 cal. ka B.E. In 15.824.5 cal. ka B.E, summer monsoon strength in- creased and winter monsoon tended to be weaker, implying an obvious warm climate. Specifically, the relatively cold and dry condition appeared in 14.7-13.7 cal. ka B.E and 12.14.5 cal. ka B.R, respectively, while relatively warm and wet in 13.~12.1 cal. ka B.E. The winter and summer monsoonal strength presents frequent fluctuations in the Holocene and relatively warm and wet conditions emerged in 9.5~.0 cal. ka B.E due to stronger summer monsoon. From 7.0 to 5.1 cal. ka B.E, the cycle of cold-dry and warm-wet climate corresponds to frequent fluctuations of winter and summer monsoons. The climate becomes warm and wet in 5.1 2.7 cal. ka B.E, accompanying increased summer monsoon, but it tends to be cold and dry since 2.7 cal. ka B.R due to en- hanced winter monsoonal strength. In addition, the evolution of regional winter and summer monsoons is coincident with warm and cold records from the polar ice core. In other words, climatic change in the Gonghe Basin can be considered as a regional re- sponse to global climate change.

Geochemical evidences of dry climate in the Mid-Holocene in Gonghe Basin, northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Previous research on climatic change in the Mid-Holocene in China indicates that it was a warm and humid period, accompanied by stronger summer monsoons, and it is defined as the Megatherrnal in the Holocene, or the Holocene Optimum period. However, this conclusion is mainly dh＇eeted at the monsoonal region in eastem China. In this research, we chose the Gonghe Basin in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau as the study area. Geochemical analysis of the profiles of paleosols and aeolian sand in the Santala area in the middle of the Gonghe Basin, along with OSL （optically stimulated luminescence） dating, indicates that the regional climate has experienced several warm-humid and cold-dry cycles since 11.8 ka. In particular, the Mid-Holocene （8.14.6 ka） was relatively cold and dry as evidenced by drastic fluctuations in chemical weathering degree and humidity, a higher aridity index, and sparse vegetation, accompanying increased winter monsoonal strength. In order to clarify whether this is an individual or local signal, we compared our geochemical analysis results with lake and peat records and aeolian de- posits of the monsoonal boundary region. The results indicate that the climate deteriorated widely, with declines in temperature and moisture, in the Mid-Holocene in the modem monsoonal boundary zone. Furthermore, the duration of climate deteriora- tion （relatively dry period） generally decreased from west to east in the aforementioned regions. Therefore, this dry phase in Gonghe Basin may be representative of dry events in Mid-Holocene in northem China. In addition, we discuss the reasons for this dry climate from several perspectives： （1） it probably can be attributed to a decline in summer monsoonal strength; （2） the regional evaporation loss （forced by high temperature） was not compensated by regional precipitation; （3） the thermal dynamic effect of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Land use and land cover change processes in China's eastern Loess Plateau

Using Landsat remote sensing images, we analyzed changes in each land use type and transitions among different land use types during land use and land cover change （LUCC） in Ningwu County, located in the eastern Loess Plateau of China, from 1990 to 2010. We found that grassland, woodland, and farmland were the main land use types in the study area, and the area of each type changed slightly from 1990 to 2010, whereas the area of water, construction land, and unused land increased greatly. For the whole area, the net change and total change were insignificant due to weak human activity intensity in most of the study area, and the LUCC was dominated by quasi-balanced two-way transitions from 1990 to 2010. The insignificant overall amount of LUCC appears to have resulted from offsetting of rapid increases in population, economic growth, and the im- plementation of a program to return farmland to woodland and grassland in 2000. This program converted more farmland into woodland and grassland from 2000 to 2010 than from 1990 to 2000, but reclamation of woodland and grassland for use as farmland continued from 2000 to 2010, and is a cause for concern to the local government.

The formation age and evolution of Kumtagh Desert

The ancient aeolian sand has been regarded as an indicator for the formation and evolution of a desert in the past.Kumtagh Desert is located at the northern fringe of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.The first integrated scientific investigation to the desert was carried out during the period of 2004-2006.Kumtagh Desert is an ideal natural model for studying the formation and evolution of the desert because the Quaternary strata containing ancient aeolian sands are widely distributed.The integrated field investigation and studies on sedimentary,chronology and palynology of typical profiles named Suosuo gully,Xiaoquan gully and gravel body with ancient aeolian sand layers showed that Kumtagh Desert was probably formed as early as 2,097.7±314.7 ka BP.During the period of 386.9±58.0 ka BP to 285.9±42.9 ka BP,the desert largely expanded and formed its modern distribution pattern.The desert was originally developed in the southwest,subsequently,expanded to the north and northeast.The sedimentary facies of Suosuo gully profile revealed that the desert experienced at least 19 cycles of advance and inverse processes of desertification with an average period of 110 ka in the Quaternary.The neotectonic movements played an important role in the formation,development and geomorphology of the desert.On one hand,the movements caused the formation of intermontane fault basin,which was further developed towards the closed drought basin,and caused the formation of natural environment.On the other hand,under the control of surrounding faults,the unique broom-shaped desert landscape was formed,and the gullies and sand ridges in this region experienced an abrupt directional change from north by west to north by east at the location of 39°45＇-39°55＇N.The unique landscape of gravel body that occurred widely in the northern desert was formed after 285.9±42.9 ka BP.The results in this paper provide the scientific basis for studying the formation age and evolutionary process under the dry climate and environment in the northwestern China,and the uplifting of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as well as its responses to the global climate changes.

Characterizing changes in ecosystem service values in China's eastern Loess Plateau

Human activities such as the implementation of ecological protection projects and expansion of construction land can cause complex land use changes that affect ecosystem service values （ESV）. In this study, we investigated changes in ESV in response to land use changes in Ningwu County, in eastern Loess Plateau of China. Our aim is to provide guidance for sustainable land use planning in this region. We used remote sensing to evaluate land use changes, and applied a fast, proxy-based method for evaluating ESVat three points in time： 1990, 2000, and 2010. More than 89% of the total ESV in Ningwu County was attributable to woodland and grassland. The ESV in western mountain areas show the greatest increase from 1990 to 2010, but ESV decreased the most in the low-elevation northeastern area of flat terrain These tradeoffs led to a slight net decrease （1.0%） in Ningwu County＇s total ESV. Although the decline in ESV was relatively low compared to the rate of economic growth, total ESV was much lower than global and national average levels at the end of the study period.

Discovery of Ordos Cretaceous dune rock and its significance

It has been found that there existed quite a large quantity of dune rocks in the red sandstone of the Zhidan Group of Ordos Cretaceous strata. Their sedimentary structure, grain size and micro-shape of sand grains show an obvious aeolian features. Both the temporal and spatial distribution and sedimentary characteristics of these dune rocks suggest that probably