Biogeochemistry of sedimentary organic matter in the Yongjiang River estuary in the southern part of Hangzhou Bay,China,since the Late Pleistocene

A sediment core(YJK19-02)collected from the southern outlet of Hangzhou Bay near the Yongjiang River estuary in East China was analyzed for grain size,lignin,bulk elemental composition,stable carbon isotope,and rare earth elements(REEs)to determine the sources and diagenesis of sedimentary organic matter(OM)of the estuary and adjacent areas since the Late Pleistocene.δ^(13)C values(-24.80‰–-23.60‰),total organic carbon/total nitrogen(TOC/TN)molar ratios(8.00–12.14),and light rare earth element/heavy rare earth element ratios(LREE/HREE=8.34–8.91)revealed the predominance of terrestrial sources of OM,mainly from the Changjiang(Yangtze)River.The lignin parameters of syringyl/vanillyl(S/V=0.20–0.73)and cinnamyl/vanillyl(C/V=0.03–0.19)ratios indicate the predominance of nonwoody angiosperms,and the vanillic acid/vanillin ratios[(Ad/Al)_(V)=0.32–1.57]indicate medium to high degrees of lignin degradation.An increasing trend ofΛ(total lignin in mg/100-mg OC)values from ca.14500 a BP to ca.11000 a BP reflected the increase in temperature during the Late Pleistocene.However,a time lag effect of temperature on vegetation abundance was also revealed.The relatively higher and stableΛvalues correspond to the higher temperature during the mid-Holocene from ca.8500 a BP to ca.4500 a BP.Λvalues decreased from ca.4000 a BP to the present,corresponding to historical temperature fluctuations during this time.Our results show that the vegetation abundance in the Yongjiang River Basin since the Late Pleistocene was related to the temperature fluctuation duo to climate change.

Palynological Evidence of Late Pleistocene Soft-sediment Deformation Event in the Northeastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau

The northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau is the youngest part of the Tibetan Plateau where tectonic activity is intense and climate change is complex.In this study,combined with field investigations,we explored accelerator mass spectrometry 14C and optically stimulated luminescence dating and palynological analysis of the sedimentary sequence in the Qingshuihe Basin to explain the origin of soft-sediment deformation layer.Dating and palynological results from the Sanchahe section in the basin revealed a detailed history of vegetation variation and associated climate change from~18 to~5 ka BP.The results indicate that the permafrost developed at~18–11.7 ka BP,and the soft-sediment deformation structures formed at~11.7–5 ka BP.Together with the characteristics of the deformation(meter-scale,continuous symmetrical wave)and paleoclimate,we suggest that the soft-sediment deformation layer in the late Pleistocene was cryoturbated under climatic conditions.The discovery of a series of cryoturbations in the Qingshuihe Basin has further enriched the regional distribution of periglacial phenomena in the west of the Ordos Plateau,expanded the distribution range of periglacial phenomena,and provided evidence for exploring the temporal and spatial changes in permafrost in northern China at the end of the late Pleistocene.

Late Pleistocene glaciation of the Hulifang Massif of Gongwang mountains in Yunnan Province

Late Pleistocene glaciation was restricted to only a few high mountains in eastern China. The Gongwang mountains constitute one of the typical places once glaciated. Geomorphic mapping of the area and the TL dating provides evidence for at least four distinct glaciations. YJT-Ⅰ glacial advance occurred about 100 ka BP and two TL absolute ages （101,100 ± 7780 a BP; 104,000± 8300 a BP） indicate this advance happened during the Penultimale Glaciation. The early stage glacial advance （YJT-Ⅱ advance） during the last glaciation occurred about 40,920 ± 3400 a BP. The last glacial maximum advance （YJT-Ⅲ advance） about 18-25 ka BP, which sustained by two TL ages （18,230 ±1420 a BP; 25,420 ± 2110 a BP）. The Penultimale and the early stage glaciations were more extensive and the last glacial maximum （LGM） and the late-glacial period （YJT-Ⅳ advance, 10 ka BP） were progressively less extensive. Correlated with the other mountains in eastern China, these glacial advances in the Gongwang mountains just like the advances in the western part such as Diancang mountains, Yulong mountains of Yunnan Province and the glacier series are more complete than the adjacent mid-latitude regions such as Taibai mountain and Taiwan mountains and are roughly representative of climate changes during the last glacial cycle in Yunnan Province.

Late Pleistocene aeolian activity in Haitan Island, Southeast China: Insights from optically stimulated luminescence dating of coastal dunes on marine terraces

The 'Old Red Sand' is a type of semicemented medium-fine sandy sediment that is red(10R_4/8) or brown red(2.5YR_4/8) in colour and is found in late Quaternary deposits. The sediments have distinctive characteristics and are a critical archive for understanding climatic changes in the coastal areas of East Asia. The ages of the late Quaternary aeolian sand dunes from Haitan Island in the coastal area of South China are still in debate. In this study, three sets of marine terraces were identified in the northern region of Haitan Island. Aeolian dune sands are well preserved on the top of these terraces. Quartz Optically Stimulated Luminescence dating and the distribution of the formation ages demonstrated that the palaeo-dunes are deposits from the middle-late period of the Late Pleistocene(Q_3^(2-3)). The period may be divided into three stages, 100-90 ka, 70-60 ka, and 40-20 ka, in which the palaeo-dunes of the first two stages are more widespread and were formed separately during a low-sea level period of the Marine Isotope Stages 5 b and 4. Several depositional palaeo-flood event records were preserved during the last stage due to the increasing gradient of mountain gullies formed during the Last Glacial Maximum.

Environmental evolution in the salt-water intrusion area south of Laizhou Bay since late Pleistocene

The south coastal plain of Laizhou Bay is one of the typical salt-water intrusion areas in China, the occurrence and development of which was closely related with the palaeoenvironment evolution. Systematic analyses of pollen, foraminifera and grain size composition based on ^14C and luminescence dating from two sediment cores were performed for the purpose of understanding the salt-water intrusion in the coastal plain of Laizhou Bay from the perspective of environmental evolution since late Pleistocene. It could be classified into seven evolution stages since 120 kaBP： 120-85 kaBP was a transition period from cold to warm; 85-76 kaBP was a period with warm and wet climate having swamp lakes developed in the lower reaches of the Weihe River, south coastal plain of Laizhou Bay; 76-50 kaBP was characterized by grassland vegetation and coarse sediments in terrestrial environment, which was the early stage of Dali Ice-Age; 50-24 kaBP was a period with alternate sea deposition in the south coastal plain of Laizhou Bay; 24-10 kaBP was the late stage of Dali Ice-Age with coldest period of Quaternary, the south coastal plain of Laizhou Bay was dry grassland and loess deposition environment; 10-4 kaBP was another warm and wet climate period, sea level was high and regressed at 4 kaBP; and has been the modern sedimentary environment since 4 kaBP. Among the three warm stages, including 85-76 kaBP, 50-24 kaBP and 10-4 kaBP, corresponded to late Yangkou, Guangrao and Kenli seawater transgression respectively. The duration of the latter one in south coastal plain of Laizhou Bay was longer than that in west coast of Bohai Sea and east coast of Laizhou Bay. The three periods of seawater transgression formed the foundation of salt-water intrusion in this area.

Uranium Series Chronology of the Late Pleistocene Basalt from the Longgang Volcanoes, Jilin Province

The Longgang volcanic cluster located in Jilin Province belongs to one of the active volcanic regions in northeast China, and has been active in modern times. In view of the multiple eruptions in history, it is very important to determine the age of each eruption for evaluating the volcanic hazards. Two alkaline basalt samples taken from Dayizishan and Diaoshuihu were analyzed with the U-series component dating after magnetic separation. The ages of the two samples are (71±9) ka and (106±13) ka B.P., respectively. These data indicate that there existed intensive eruption activities during the late Pleistocene.

Late Pleistocene environmental information on the Diexi paleo-dammed lake of the upper Minjiang River in the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, China

In 1999, Diexi paleo-dammed lake(2349 m a.s.l.) was discovered around Diexi town along the Minjiang River in Sichuan province. Diexi is located where the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and the Sichuan Basin meet. The dammed lake was formed during the Last Glacial Maximum of the Late Pleistocene(~30,000 years ago) and began to empty about 15,000 years ago. The lacustrine sediments(up to 240 m thick) preserve abundant paleoenvironment information. In this paper, a mass of oxygen isotopes and 14 C dating from drilled cores are analyzed and discussed. The δ18 O curve on the paleo climate from this section is comparable with the coeval paleo climatic curves of ice cores and karsts in China and others. Furthermore, the physical model testing has confirmed that the disturbed zones in the core are caused by strong earthquakes occurred at least 10 times, which implies strong crustal deformation, as an important driving force, affecting climate change. This study provides a new window to observe East Asian monsoon formation, paleoenvironmental evolution and the global climate change.

Paleomagnetism and paleoclimate change in the South China Sea since the late Pleistocene

Signal processing techniques of cross-correlation, power spectral analysis and cross-power spectral analysis are used to determine the relationships between paleomagnetic properties and the oxygen isotope record of the South China Sea during the late Pleistocene. On the basis of correlation tests between the δ18O time series of cores V3 and A15 with the paleomagnetic properties of core SCS01, five events of susceptibility and intensity of natural remanent magnetization are identified as glacial events corresponding to δ18O positive events. The magnetic properties of the sediments which are independent of the geomagnetic field are sensitive climatic indicators which have frequencies corresponding to the Milankovitch orbital parameters.

Transgressive Events since the Late Pleistocene in the Yellow River Delta: Grain-size Distribution and Palynological Results

This study deals with the relationship between sea-level changes and paleoclimatic fluctuations based on the analysis of stratigraphy, grain sizes, palynology, and radiometric dating of the Yellow River delta since the Late Pleistocene. Evidence from the sedimentary record, grain sizes, and pollen provides a paleoenvironmental history of the Late Pleistocene from the boreholes of the delta. Based on a combination of grain-size analysis with lithological studies, marine deposit units contain the intervals of 13.85–16.9, 18.5–19.69, 27.9–34.8, 36.4–37.2, 48.4–51.6, and 54.1–55.9 m, and transitional facies units contain the intervals of 10.25–13.85, 16.9–18.5, 19.69–27.9, 34.8–36.4, 37.2–48.4, 51.6–54.1, and 55.9–60 m, compared with fluvial(terrestrial facies) deposit units(3.36–10.25 m). Based on pollen analysis and pollen assemblages, there were three warm-wet periods from 9.1–0.16 ka BP, 16.1–60 ka BP, and 90.1–94.6 ka BP From the top to the bottom of the borehole, the paleoclimate has an evident fluctuation: warm and moist(Holocene Optimum) —cool and dry(Younger Dryas Event)—mild semi cool—cool and dry—warm and moist. There were three warm-wet periods from 9.1–0.16 ka BP, 16.1–60 ka BP, and 90.1–94.6 ka BP, corresponding to the Holocene Optimum stage, MIS 3, and MIS 5, respectively. The warm period allowed monsoonal evergreen and broadleaved deciduous forests that corresponded to Holocene hypsithermal climatic conditions and the Late Pleistocene climatic Optimum. Three warm-wet periods occurred in marine deposit units from 9.1–0.16 ka BP, 60.1–16.1 ka BP, and 94.6–90.1 ka BP. These periods correspond to the Cangzhou transgression, Xianxian transgression, and Huanghua transgression, respectively. From 90.1–60.1 ka BP, 17.5–9.1 ka BP, and 0. 16 ka BP–1855 AD, three dry and cold phases are recognized. The phases indicate the fluvial(flood plain) sedimentary environment, corresponding to cooler and mild dry periods based on palynological results and grain-size distribution.

East Asian summer monsoon changes in subtropical China since late Pleistocene:Evidence from the Ailuropoda-Stegodon fauna

Previous studies on the amplitude of East Asian summer monsoon(EASM)changes mainly focused on northern China(represented by the Loess Plateau).However,a rare investigation centered on the subtropical zone of southern China,where the important route for EASM moved northward or southward,especially addressing a lack of the research on mammals.The Ailuropoda-Stegodon fauna is a representative mammal fauna in southern China since the late Pleistocene.It indicates the southern mid-subtropicaltropical forest environment with tropical climate characteristics,and its southward or northward movements in the subtropical zone imply the changes of EASM intensity.Based on previous research,combined with the species characteristics and distribution range of the Ailuropoda-Stegodon fauna with tropical animals during the marine isotope stage 5(MIS5),MIS3,MIS2,and MIS1 Megathermal periods,this paper mainly investigates its evolution and the fluctuations of EASM.The conclusions include:(1)The distribution geometric centers in the MIS5,MIS3,MIS2,and MIS1 Megathermal periods are(26°14′N,111°22′E),(24°35′N,107°30′E),(22°48′N,112°01′E),and(26°19′N,112°25′E),respectively.(2)Compared with the MIS5 period,the EASM of the MIS3 and MIS2 moved 180 km and 380 km southwards,and that of the MIS1 Megathermal period moved about 10 km northwards.The EASM movement indicated by the fauna migration happened synchronous with the climate records of stalagmites in subtropical China,the sporopollen from eastern China,and oxygen isotopes from Sulu Sea.They also correspond to the peaks and valleys of the total solar radiation at 35°N in the winter half-year.This suggests that the migrations of the Ailuropoda-Stegodon fauna are consistent with the changes of the global climate,and the driving force is mainly from the changes of total solar radiation at 35°N in the winter half-year.

Fossil Human Humerus of Late Pleistocene from the Taiwan Straits

A highly petrified human right humerus was salvaged from the Taiwan Straits. The large and robust humerus has a well developed deltoid tuberosity that causes the obvious flexion at mid shaft. The axes of the upper and lower parts of the shaft are not on the same line and make an angle of 6 5°. This is considered a primitive trait different from that of Neolithic and modern humans, suggesting that the humerus is at the same evolutionary stage as "Minatogawa Man" from Japan and "Obercassel Man" from Germany. Coexistent fossil mammals indicate that the fossil humerus is late Late Pleistocene.

The Discovery of Late Pleistocene Daliuchong Volcanic Conduit in th Tengchong Volcanic Field

Objective The Tengchong volcanic field is situated along the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent to the border area of western Yunnan Province of China and Myanmar.Affected by the intense tectonic stress of subduction of the Indian plate to Eurasian plate,this volcanic field has experienced strong volcanism.

Late Pleistocene Climatic Changes in Central Brazil Indicated by Freshwater Sponges

The Cemitério Palaeolake deposit in Catalao, Goiás State, Brazil, comprises a single, complete lacustrine sequence, dated from less than 27,500 ± 4000 yr B.P. to more than 51,780 ± 400 14C yr B.P. The unprecedented presence of spongillite and diatomite layers in this deposit was investigated using spicules of continental sponges as proxy data for environmental and climate reconstruction, which was relatively extensive for the ages examined. From the analysis of the sedimentary features and the associations of spicules preserved in the deposit, it was possible to reconstruct the evolution of the limnic system. Five developmental stages were thus identified, corresponding to the installation (lotic and erosion phase), establishment and development of the lake and its colmatation, the latter correlating to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Moreover, based on the ecological requirements of the sponge species identified in the deposit, it was possible to infer the likely weather patterns related to respective phases of the lake. The presence of the sponge species Corvoheteromeyenia australis, presently recorded only from southern South America, indicated that polar incursions originating from the Antarctic were frequent during the last glacial period and might have played a notable role in what is now central Brazil. However, for a short time, drier and hotter weather conditions might have predominated, as suggested by the presence of the species Corvomeyenia thumi.

Late Pleistocene spore-pollen record and climatic change at the Chongphadae Cave Site,Democratic People's Republic of Korea

We present a detailed pollen record and interpretations of late Pleistocene climatic change at the Chongphadae Cave Site, Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The mean annual paleotemperature and mean annual paleoprecipitation of the site were calculated using the temperature index and precipitation index based on ecological features and geographical distribution of each taxon. Temperature index and precipitation index range from 8.8℃ to 10.4℃ and from 805.0 mm to 963.1 mm, respectively. Four dates(radiocarbon, uranium series, fission track, and paleomagnetic excursion dating) of the deposit profile investigated yield a range of ~21.3 ka BP to ~117 ka BP, geochronologically corresponding to the late Pleistocene, and extend from the last interglacial highstand through the Last Glacial Maximum. Our results are thus consistent with the climatic shift from interglacial to glacial conditions, provide evidence that the environments of the region, which was reconstructed from the paleoclimatic index, changed from a mild and humid to a cool and dry climate during the late Pleistocene, and suggest trends similar to those of several parts of the Northern Hemisphere which lie in the same latitudinal zone as our study area.

Technology diffusion and population migration reflected in blade technologies in northern China in the Late Pleistocene

In recent years, the origin and evolution of modern human behaviors have become a common topic of research in Paleolithic archaeology. One important part of modern human behavior, blade technology, was once thought to be unique to modern humans. Recent studies have suggested that variations in blade technology do not fully correspond to modern populations. However, the standardization, diversity, discontinuity in terms of time distribution, and differences in spatial distribution of blade technology give it an important role in discussions of modes of adaptation, diffusion of technology, and population migration of hominins. By categorizing the major blade assemblages in China, we show that there were two blade reduction methods in northern China: the Levallois method and the prismatic method. Dating back 40000–30000 years, the Levallois and prismatic blade method combined to form the characteristics of the early stage of the Upper Paleolithic. Artifacts bearing such characteristics are located in Northwest China, Northeast China, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The unearthed blades are similar in technological organization and are connected geographically with those discovered in Siberia and Mongolia, which also indicates a distinct border from those discovered in northern China. This fact is suggestive of population immigration. About 29000–25000 years ago, a combination of prismatic blades and microblades was developed in the hinterland of China; however whether it can be regarded as the representative of population migration or only a technological adaption remains undetermined. We suggest that the system of production of different blades should be distinguished in the study of blade assemblages and that different blade methods should not be integrated into a single technical system to discuss technology diffusion and population dispersal.

The broad-spectrum adaptations of hominins in the later period of Late Pleistocene of China—Perspectives from the zooarchaeological studies

During the climatic fluctuations in the late Late Pleistocene, hominins in China had experienced some significant changes and adaptations in terms of subsistence strategies. Based on the zooarchaeological analyses of the faunal remains from the Shuidougou site of North China and the Ma'anshan site of South China, the present study demonstratively indicates that the broad-spectrum diet and its closely-related resource intensification for hominins were already at their places roughly at 33–35 cal ka BP. Compared to hominins of earlier period, who would have preferentially exploited large and medium-sized ungulates, hunter-gathers at later period had otherwise incorporated more small-sized animals(especially the quick ones, such as birds and hares) into their diet. Meanwhile, hominins of the later time had also greatly accelerated extractions and exploitations of the nutritional yields from the large and medium-sized animals. However, it seems clear from the current study that there was significant difference regarding the potential mechanisms for the broad-spectrum adaptations of hominins in the late Late Pleistocene of China.

Late Pleistocene sedimentary sequences and paleoclimate changes in Xunhua basin in the upper reach of Yellow River in China

The third terrace of the Yellow River was well developed in Xunhua basin in the north-east margin of the Tibetan Plateau. The terrace was formed at ca 75 ka as dated by the optically stimulated luminescence （OSL） method. On the basis of grain size, magnetic susceptibility and palynological data, six episodes of the climatic change were identified in Xunhua basin; they include very warm and humid period during 120-114 ka, cool and dry period during 114-105 ka, warm and humid period during 105- 98 ka, gradually cooling period during 98-85 ka, warm and humid period during 85-75 ka, very cold and dry period during 75-63 ka. The six stages of climatic change recorded in Xunhua basin correspond to the marine oxygen isotope stages （MIS） of 5e, 5d, 5c, 5b, 5a and 4, respectively.

Three abrupt climatic events since the Late Pleistocene in the North China Plain

Based on the data from 121 boreholes(9552 samples) and the distribution pattern analysis of foraminifera,ostracods,pollen,spores,wooly rhinoceros,elephants,water buffalo and beachrocks in time and space,three abrupt climate change events since the Late Pleistocene are recognized in the North China Plain.These climatic events caused three very warm periods and two severely cold periods.During the two warmest periods,the mean temperature was about 7℃ higher than at present,and during the two extreme cold periods,the mean temperature was some 6℃ lower than today.Moreover,the last warm period was in the Middle Holocene;its mean temperature was 3℃ higher than now in the region.

Evolution of an Ancient Large Lake in the Southeast of the Northern Tibetan Plateau

Nam Co is the largest (1920 km2 in area) and highest (4718 m above sea level) lake in Tibet. According to the discovery of lake terraces and highstand lacustrine deposits at several places in Nam Co and its adjacent areas, the authors confirm the existence of an ancient large lake in the southeastern part of the northern Tibetan Plateau. On the basis of the U-series, 14C and ESR dating, coupled with the levelling survey of lake deposits and geomorphology, the evolutionary process of the ancient large lake in the southeastern part of the northern Tibetan Plateau may fall into three stages: (1) the ancient large lake stage at 115-40 ka BP, when the ancient lake level was 140-26 m above the level of present Nam Co; (2) the outflow lake stage at 40-30 ka BP, when the ancient level was 26-19 m above the present lake level; and (3) the Nam Co stage since 30 ka BP, when the ancient lake level was < 19 m above the present lake level. During the ancient large lake stage, a large number of modern large, medium-sized and small lakes, including Nam Co, Siling Co and Zhari Namco, in the southeastern part of the northern Tibetan Plateau, were connected into a single large ancient lake, rather than several separate lakes connected by river channels. Its areal extent may have gone beyond the watersheds of the modern endorheic and exorheic drainage systems; so it may be called the 'ancient east lake', 'ancient south lake' and 'ancient west lake'. It might also be connected with other ancient lakes in the southern and western parts of the northern Tibetan Plateau to form a unified 'ancient large lake' on the northern Tibetan Plateau.