Radiocarbon ages of different fractions of peat on coastal lowland of Bohai Bay: marine influence?

Peat in boreholes is the most important ^(14)C dating material used for constructing age framework. 20 bulk peat samples were collected from five boreholes, the ^(14)C ages of two fractions(organic sediment fraction and peat fraction) of the bulk peat samples were investigated by AMS-dating and which fraction is better to help construct an age framework for the boreholes were compared and discussed. The results indicated that the peat fraction give a good dating results sequence in the boreholes, compared with the corresponding organic sediment fraction. And the dating results of organic sediment fraction show 161-6 702 years older than corresponding peat fraction, which was caused by marine influence. Then, we suggest an experience formula as y =0.99 x-466.5 by the correlation analysis for correcting the marine influenced organic sediment ages within the conventional ages between 4 000 to 9 000 yrs BP, and more study should be carried out for the AMS ^(14)C dating of the bulk organic sediments.

Early Holocene environment at a key location of the northwest boundary of the Asian summer monsoon: a synthesis on chronologies of Zhuye Lake, Northwest China

The intensified monsoon increases summer rainfall and creates wet conditions in the Asian summer monsoon region during the early Holocene. Along with millennial-scale changes of the monsoon intensity, it is still unclear whether the boundary of the monsoon region changes according to monsoon variability. Investigations into the early Holocene environment in monsoon marginal zones are crucial for understanding the monsoon boundary changes. Zhuye Lake is located at the northwest edge of the Asian summer monsoon, the northern Qilian Mountains, which are less affected by modern summer monsoon water vapor. Previous studies have reached different conclusions regarding the early Holocene climatic and environmental changes based on different dating methods（^14C and OSL（optically stimulated luminescence）） and materials（shells, carbonate, pollen concentrates and bulk organic carbon）. In this study, we synthesized 102 ^14C dates and 35 OSL dates from ten Holocene sedimentary sections and ten paleo-shorelines in the lake basin. A comparison between ages from different dating methods and materials generally shows that carbon reservoir effects are relatively slight in Zhuye Lake while the disordered chronologies are mainly related to the erosion processes and reworking effects. In addition, proxy data, including lithology, pollen, total organic carbon and carbonate, were collected from different sites of Zhuye Lake. According to the new synthesis, the early Holocene environment was relatively humid, associated with high runoff and lake water levels. The result indicates that the monsoon boundary moves to the north during the period of the intensified monsoon. A typical arid-area lake was formed during the mid-Holocene when carbonate accumulation and high organic matter contents were the main features of this period. The lake retreated strongly during the late Holocene, showing a drought trend. Overall, the lake evolution is generally consistent with the Holocene Asian summer monsoon change, showing the monsoon influence to monsoon marginal zones.

Sedimentary facies and paleoenvironmental interpretation of a Holocene marsh in the Gironde Estuary in France

The Monards Marsh is located on the northeastern bank of the Gironde Estuary in France. Lithological, sedimentolngical and mi- cropalacontological investigations were made on four cores to determine the evolution of Holocene sedimentary environments and processes in this area over the last 6 000 a. Three main lithological facies are distinguished from bottom to top： （ 1 ） grey laminated silty-sandy clay ; （2） homogeneous dark grey silty clay ; and （ 3 ） compact silty clay. About 26 benthic foraminifera species are identified and divided into six groups according to their ecological characteristics. In association with lithology, sedimentary structures and grainuiometry, the distribution of foraminifera group is used to define external slikke, internal slikke, external schorre, internal schorre, and continental marsh facies. Combined with 14C（AMS） dating, these data indicate four successive paleoenvironments in the Monards Marsh： （ 1 ） Holocene transgression resuited in the development of a basal schorre facies overlying fluvial deposits that transformed to slikke facies sedimentation; the transgression maximum occurred around 5 600 to 5 4430 a BP and was inferred to be associated with the last phase of the rapid Holocene sea-level rise; （2） post-trangressive maximum sedimentation resuited in a regressive sequence of deposits prograding towards the estuary, corresponding to the stahilisation of sea level after 5 4430 a BP; （3） a slight positive tendency in the sea level around 2 800 a BP recorded in the central part of the marsh; and （4） the wetland to a continental marsh environment. The sequential pattern for the evolution of wetlands in this estuarine area during the Holocene is fluvial facies - blackish schorre facies - slikke facies - blackish schorre facies - continental marsh facies. Characteristics of sedimentary facies distribution and evolution reveal that the development of Holocene salt marsh in this area was controlled by the sea-level change and tidal range. The sedimentary facies show an obvious surficial and vertical banding distribution in which the texture and structure, authigenie mineral, foraminifera distribution and bioturbation indicate many distinct difference characteristics.

Luminescence Chronology and Radiocarbon Reservoir Age Determination of Lacustrine Sediments from the Heihai Lake,NE Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and Its Paleoclimate Implications

The accurately determining the lake ^14C reservoir age has a crucial significance for climatic reconstruction. In this study, the optically stimulated luminescence （OSL） dating method is employed to date samples from highstand lacustrine sediments, palaeoshoreline, fluvial terrace, and the alluvial fan of the Heihai Lake catchment. Accelerator mass spectrometry （AMS） 14C dating was also used to date fossil plants from highstand lacustrine sediments. Based on the calculations of linear regression with OSL against radiocarbon ages for same layers of two sections, the quantitative ^14C reservoir ages were estimated to lie between 3 353 and 3 464 yr during the 1.8 to 2.4 ka, which showed temporal variation. The sources of old carbon are the dissolution of carbonate bedrocks distributed along the Kunlun Mountain. The OSL ages of the different members of the hydatogen sedimentary system at Heihai Lake catchment indicate that a stronger hydrologic condition occurred from 3.0±0.2 to 1.8±0.2 ka, with a maximum lake level of 9 m higher than present. This humid stage was widely recorded in different sediments on the QTP and Chinese Loess Plateau （CLP）, indicating its broad synchronicity across the Asian Summer Monsoon region. The enhanced East Asian Summer Monsoon （EASM） and the Indian Summer Monsoon （ISM） resulted in the increase of moisture availability for the Heihai Lake area during this stage.