Holocene Paleoclimate Changes around Qinghai Lake in the Northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Insights from Isotope Geochemistry of Aeolian Sediment
Qiang Peng,
Chongyi E,
Xiangzhong Li,
Yongjuan Sun,
Jing Zhang,
Shuaiqi Zhang,
Yunkun Shi,
Xianba Ji,
Zhaokang Zhang
Affiliations
Qiang Peng
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Physical Geography and Environmental Process, College of Geographical Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
Chongyi E
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Physical Geography and Environmental Process, College of Geographical Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
Xiangzhong Li
Academy of Plateau Science and Sustainability, People’s Government of Qinghai Province and Beijing Normal University, Xining 810008, China
Yongjuan Sun
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Physical Geography and Environmental Process, College of Geographical Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
Jing Zhang
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Physical Geography and Environmental Process, College of Geographical Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
Shuaiqi Zhang
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Physical Geography and Environmental Process, College of Geographical Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
Yunkun Shi
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Physical Geography and Environmental Process, College of Geographical Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
Xianba Ji
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Physical Geography and Environmental Process, College of Geographical Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
Zhaokang Zhang
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Physical Geography and Environmental Process, College of Geographical Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810008, China
The stable carbon isotope composition of total organic matter (δ13Corg) has been utilized in aeolian sediments, serving as an indicator for reconstructing terrestrial paleoenvironments. The Qinghai Lake (QHL) Basin is a climate-sensitive region of significant importance in paleoclimatic reconstruction. However, the reconstructed climatic variations based on δ13Corg in aeolian sediments in the QHL Basin in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) are lacking, and their paleoclimatic significance remains poorly understood. By conducting δ13Corg measurements on the Niaodao (ND) aeolian profile near QHL, we reconstructed the paleoclimate changes of 11 ka–present. The variation range of the δ13Corg values in the ND profile indicated the terrestrial ecosystems were not the sole contributor to lacustrine organic matter. The δ13Corg values are an indicator of historical temperature changes in the study area, exhibiting similar trends with the reconstruction of Chinese summer temperatures, East Asian air temperature, global temperature, and Northern Hemisphere summer insolation at 37° N. The temperature increased with high frequency and amplitude oscillations, with strong aeolian activity and low total organic carbon accumulation during the Early Holocene. The temperature was maintained at a high and stable level, with the weakest aeolian activity and intensified pedogenesis during the Middle Holocene. The temperature decreased at a high rate, with renewed aeolian activity and weak pedogenesis during the Late Holocene.
