Cover photo: Surface landscape and Miocene lacustrine stratigraphy in the Lushi Basin of the East Qinling Mountains. Lushi Basin (33°57′~34°10′N, 110°50′~111°14′E) is located in Lushi County, Henan Province, and belongs to the northern edge of the subtropics-warm temperate monsoon climate zone. The white stratigraphic section in the figure is the Middle Eocene Lushi Formation, which is a thick-bedded lacustrine carbonate sedimentary sequence, containing a large amount of dolomite and some calcite, with a silt-microcrystalline structure, distinct bedding, and significant multi-cyclic changes. The Cenozoic sedimentary sequence in the Qinling Mountains and its surroundings is an important material for revealing the evolution of climate, environment and life.
Photo credit: Lu Huayu
Editor in charge: Yang Meifang, Zhao Shujun
Quaternary Studies, formerly known as Quaternary Studies in China, was an irregular publication, renamed Quaternary Studies in 1989 and changed to a quarterly, bimonthly in 1999, and expanded to a large 16-page edition in 2004.
Over the past half century, under the guidance of successive editors-in-chief and editorial boards, Quaternary Studies has grown along with the development of Quaternary scientific research, and recorded the glorious course of the development of Quaternary science. The academic direction of the journal is clear, and the articles published focus on scientific, innovative, academic and forward-looking, especially the academic and innovative nature of the articles. It has become a window for displaying Quaternary scientific research, a platform for exchanging Quaternary research results, and a position for promoting and disseminating the scientific spirit and Quaternary scientific knowledge, and has made significant contributions to the popularization of Quaternary science and the improvement of theory.
Journal Catalog
What to see
01
Shao Kehan et al.: Eocene sedimentary sequence and climate and environmental change in the Lushi Basin in the eastern member of the Qinling Mountains
Highlights:
The Eocene is an important warm period of the Cenozoic, and the characteristics and evolution of its climate and environment have attracted much attention from the academic community. The Lushi Basin, located in the eastern part of the Qinling Mountains, preserves continuous Eocene fluvial-lacid sediments with a thickness of > 1000 m, which is a valuable sedimentary record for revealing the law of paleoclimatic and environmental changes. On the basis of previous work, this study used sedimentology, paleontology, and detrital chronology to analyze the sedimentary characteristics, age, and environment of the Eocene strata in the Lushi Basin. The results show that: 1) The fission track of clastic apatite and the age of the detrital zircon U-Pb indicate that the sedimentary sequence is about 60 Ma later, which is basically consistent with the previous conclusion that the fossil assemblage of the Zhangjiacun Formation-Lushi Formation was compared to the Middle Eocene. 2) The sedimentary facies evolution of the Eocene Zhangjiacun Formation is as an alluvial fan→ a floodplain or lakeside as a river→ reflecting the process of basin extensional and initial lake formation, the Lushi Formation is a shallow lake→ a deep lake/semi-deep lake→ shallow lake or a shallow lake/semi-deep lake in the shallow lake or flood →plain, reflecting the expansion, contraction and resurrection process after the lake began to appear steadily, and the Dayu Formation is an alluvial fan → a floodplain → a river, reflecting the history of river and alluvial deposits after the lake silted up and disappeared. 3) Sedimentary facies, fossil assemblages, and salt mineral species reveal that the Paleoclimate of the Middle Eocene Lushi Basin is semi-humid and semi-arid, and the surface landscape is characterized by active runoff, diverse animal species, lush trees, and the development of freshwater to brackish water lakes, which may have a certain seasonality. The sedimentary sequence of the Lushi Basin provides important evidence of climate and environmental changes in central China during the Eocene warm period.
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02
Lv Fan et al.: Middle Eocene sedimentary-filling process and its driving mechanism in the Lushi Basin of the East Qinling Mountains
Highlights:
The thick Cenozoic sediments developed in the Qinling intermountain basin are of great significance for understanding the Cenozoic geomorphological evolution of the Qinling Mountains and the environmental changes in East Asia. However, there is not enough research on the sedimentary-filling process and the tectonic and climatic information recorded in many Mesozoic and Cenozoic intermountain fault basins in the East Qinling Mountains. In this study, sedimentological and provenance analysis of Middle Eocene fluvial-lactomatic sediments in the Lushi Basin of the East Qinling Mountains was carried out, and the clastic zircon U-Pb age of 27 layers was tested. The Middle Eocene strata in the basin can be divided into Zhangjiacun Formation, Lushi Formation and Dayu Formation from bottom to top. The Zhangjiacun Formation is alluvial fan-fluvial facies sedimentation, the Lushi Formation is shallow lacustrine-semi-deep lacustrine sedimentation, and the Dayu Formation is fluvial-alluvial fan facies sedimentation. The zircon U-Pb ages of the Zhangjiacun Formation and the Lushi Formation were 200~250 Ma (T-J) and 400~500 Ma (D-S-O-Э) as the main characteristic peaks, 700~1000 Ma (Pt3) as the secondary peaks, and some samples had age peaks of 1800 Ma (Pt1) and 2500 Ma (Ar3). The zircon U-Pb age in the lower part of the Dayu Formation is characterized by 1000~1100 Ma (Pt2), 1800 Ma (Pt1) and 2300 Ma (Pt1), and the provenance is mainly composed of two tectonic units, the near-source North Qinling Orogenic Belt and the southern margin of the North China Craton. The material contribution of the near source first increased and then decreased, which may be related to the erosion of the river source. The sedimentary environment of the upper part of the Dayu Formation changed to an alluvial fan, and the proportion of zircon at 130 Ma(K) increased, which may be related to the uplift-denuding of Late Mesozoic granite in the Luanchuan area in the southeast. The Middle Eocene fluvial-lacustrine sedimentary sequence in the Lushi Basin reveals the process from formation to extinction of the Lushi paleolake and the history of mountain-basin erosion, transport and accumulation, and records the regional uplift events in the Qinling Mountains in two phases.
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03
Gao Xin et al.: Middle Eocene sedimentary sequence of authigenic carbonates in the Lushi Basin and their paleoclimatic significance
Highlights:
The Eocene warm period can be used as a historical similarity of contemporary global warming, and it is of great significance to study Eocene climate change and its mechanism to understand the magnitude and rate of modern climate warming. The Lushi Basin, located in the eastern part of the Qinling Mountains in central China, has developed continuous, carbonate-rich Eocene lacustrine sediments, which are good materials for reconstructing the Eocene warm terrestrial climate. In this study, samples from the middle and upper part of the Zhangjiacun Formation and the Lushi Formation were collected in the Zhengjiashan-Trianglegou area of the Lushi Basin (34°04′N, 111°10′E), with a thickness of about 288 m and a total of 505 samples. According to the microscopic identification of rock lamellae, carbonate, clay and silt are the main material composition of Eocene laclinar sediments in the Lushi Basin, and carbonate deposits are the spontaneous causes of chemical processes in closed or semi-closed freshwater lakes or brackish lakes under superficial conditions. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) diffuse reflectance was used to determine the carbonate content of sediments, and it was found that there was a certain negative correlation between the carbonate content and the magnetic susceptibility, which indicated the contribution of endogenous chemical deposition and exogenous detrital input, respectively, and was controlled by the combined effect of evaporation and precipitation in the basin, revealing the dry and wet changes in the Miocene Lushi Basin. When the watershed is wetter, i.e., precipitation increases (evaporation decreases), runoff increases correspondingly, which is not conducive to carbonate precipitation and is conducive to exogenous detrital input, which is manifested by a decrease in sediment carbonate content and an increase in magnetic susceptibility values, and vice versa. On the basis of the existing chronological framework, a time series of carbonate content in lacustrine sediments in the Lushi Basin is established, which records the relatively humid climate environment in the Lushi Basin during the Meocene Climatological Suitable Period (MECO), and has multiple cyclic changes, which are related to the periodic changes of the Earth's orbit.
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04
Hu Shaolei et al.: Sr and Nd isotopic evidence of source changes in Eocene-Oligocene sediments in the Weihe Basin
Highlights:
The Eocene Warming Period and the Eocene-Oligocene Cooling Period (EOT) are representative of the evolution of the Earth's climate system, and have reference value for understanding the processes and mechanisms of modern global warming. The sediment source tracing study of the continuous fluvial-lacustrine sedimentary sequences since the Eocene is helpful to reconstruct the geomorphological evolution, sedimentary process and climatic and environmental changes of the Weihe River Basin. In this study, Sr and Nd isotope analyses were carried out on samples from the Eocene Honghe Formation (6527~5529 m) and the Oligocene Bailuyuan Formation (5315~4759 m) in the lower part of Well Lishen 1 (drilling well depth 6535 m) in Gushi Sag, the Cenozoic sedimentary center of the Weihe Basin, to explore the provenance change process of the Paleogene Weihe Basin. The results showed that the average isotopes of Sr and Nd in the Honghe group were 87Sr/86Sr=0.716127 and εNd=-13.5, respectively, and the average Sr and Nd isotopes in the Bailuyuan group were 87Sr/86Sr=0.720461 and εNd=-12.4, respectively. The results of Sr and Nd isotope tests at the grain size (<2 μm, 2~64 μm and >64 μm) showed that the grain size effect had a greater influence on the Sr isotope value of the Silicate minerals in the Eocene-Oligocene sediments of the Weihe Basin, but had little effect on the Nd isotopes, indicating that the Nd isotope values of the silicate minerals could be used as an indication of the sediment source in the Weihe Basin. Combined with the distribution characteristics of Sr and Nd isotopes in the potential source area, it is found that the Eocene and Oligocene sediments in the Weihe Basin are mainly from the contribution of the Qinling Orogenic Belt and the Ordos massif, and their provenance changes are closely related to tectonic uplift and climate evolution. The Eocene and Oligocene sediment transport and accumulation processes in the Weihe Basin are similar to those of the Late Cenozoic, and have relatively stable two-terminal metaphysical provenances, which lays a good foundation for reconstructing the paleoclimate and paleoenvironment by using the sedimentary sequences of the Honghe Formation and the Bailuyuan Formation.
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05
Chen Xuanxuan et al.: Carbonate records of paleoclimate change in the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene Weihe Basin
Highlights:
The temperature decrease during the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene transition period (about 34 Ma, EOT) is one of the significant climate events of the Cenozoic, which has a profound impact on the environmental evolution of Asia. Based on the fluvial-lacustrine sediments in the 34.89~31.51 Ma period of the Zhijiagou section with a thickness of 413.95 m, this study obtained a high-resolution series of total carbonate and calcite contents, combined with thin section and scanning electron microscopy analysis, to establish a time series of climate and environmental evolution in the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene of the Weihe Basin, and to explore the response of paleoclimate to global temperature change in the Weihe Basin during the EOT period. Microscopic identification of rock lamellae showed that the change of sediment grain size corresponded to the change of lithofacies. During the period of 34.89~33.89 Ma, the high content of total carbonate and calcite indicates that the climate is relatively warm and arid, and the sedimentary sequence indicates the transition from lakeside facies to lacustrine delta facies;During the period of 33.89~33.09 Ma, the low content of total carbonate and calcite indicates that the climate is cool and relatively humid, and the sedimentary environment is the transition from lake delta to shallow lake, and the water level gradually rises;33.09~31.51 Ma, total carbonate, The change of calcite content is consistent with the change of stratigraphic lithology, and the sedimentary facies is a lakeside facies, and the lake water level may be higher than 34.89~33.89 Ma, but lower than 33.89~33.09 Ma. Combined with the global temperature change series, this study suggests that the humidity change in the late Eocene-early Oligocene in the Weihe Basin may be controlled by global temperature-driven evaporation, but the clear driving mechanism needs to be further studied.
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06
Yu Xiaochun et al.: Magnetic susceptibility record of the Honghe Formation during paleoclimate change in the Weihe Basin in the Middle and Late Eocene
Highlights:
The Eocene warm period provides historical similarities for understanding modern warming processes and mechanisms. The Honghe Formation, which is widely distributed in the Weihe Basin, is a shallow lacustrine facies-alluvial fan accumulation from the Middle Eocene to the Late Eocene, with a profile outcropping thickness of more than 330 m and a drilling thickness of more than 1000 m in the basin sedimentary center, which is a set of red clastic intersedimentary chemical sedimentary sequences. The sediments of the Honghe Formation at the edge of the basin contain carbonate rocks, mudstones, sandstones and a small amount of conglomerates, and the sedimentary centers are dominated by argillaceous limestone, mudstone and siltstone. The magnetic susceptibility test of 2910 samples from the Honghe Formation (46~33 Ma) in the Zhijiagou Honghe Formation of Lantian shows that the magnetic susceptibility value of the sediments of the Honghe Formation is between 0~20×10-8 m3/kg, which is low overall, and the frequency magnetic susceptibility value is also relatively low (0~11%), which is similar to the overall low magnetic susceptibility of the Cenozoic red bed in northwest China. The high-resolution magnetic susceptibility test confirmed that the dry and wet changes during the accumulation period of the Honghe Formation were multi-cyclic and phased, which were affected by the changes of solar radiation and driven by the feedback of the underlying surface. The magnetic susceptibility values of mudstone and siltstone of the Honghe Formation are high, while the magnetic susceptibility values of sandstone are low, and the magnetic-carrying minerals are mainly hematite. The rapid input of weak magnetic materials from the rock mass around the basin reduces the magnetic susceptibility value of the coarse-grained sediments of the Honghe Formation. On the orbital-tectonic time scales of the Middle and Late Eocene, the grain size variation of the sedimentary sequence of the Honghe Formation was controlled by lake surface fluctuations. When the lake level rises, the sediment particles in the lakeside area are fine and the magnetic susceptibility value is high, and vice versa, the magnetic susceptibility value is low. Therefore, the change in magnetic susceptibility indicates the fluctuation of the lake level, which in turn indicates the change of the climate in terms of dryness and wetness. The analysis also shows that the cyclic changes and phased drying of the lake surface in the Weihe Basin in the Middle and Late Eocene can be well compared with the global temperature change and cooling process, indicating that the global temperature decrease may inhibit the water vapor cycle, and then drive the development of Eocene inland drought in East Asia.
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07
Su Xiaoqian et al.: Uplift history of the North Qilian Mountains since the Late Miocene: Constraints from the channel elevation profile
Highlights:
As the leading edge of the uplift and expansion of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the North Qilian Mountains have always been a hot spot in research. In order to make up for the lack of active tectonic and thermochronological methods on the time scale, and to provide evidence on the extension and uplift mechanism of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the river steepness index and the geological uplift history of some rivers in the North Qilian Mountains were simulated by using the river hydraulic erosion model. The results show that there is a significant relationship between the steepness index of the channel and the distance from the fault in the North Qilian Mountains, and it has the characteristics of decreasing from the middle to the east and west, indicating that the uplift rate of the North Qilian Mountains also slows down from the middle to both sides, and by analyzing the geological uplift history of the six river basins in the non-sedimentary area of the North Qilian Mountains, namely the Baiyang River, the Honghongba River, the Fengle River, the Maying River, the Dazhuma River and the Hongshuihe River, it is found that the uplift rate of the North Qilian Mountains increases gradually at about 4 Ma, and the uplift rate is about 0.20~0.38 mm/a. Until 0.6~1.0 Ma, the uplift rate accelerated rapidly, showing a steep increase trend. Therefore, the tectonic uplift of the North Qilian Mountains is not uniform, but changes over time.
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08
Xu Zheng et al.: Simulation and inversion of fault motion in the MS6.8 earthquake in Luding, Sichuan
Highlights:
The south-eastern section of the Xianshuihe fault, the south-western section of the Longmenshan Houshan fault and the Anninghe fault constitute a typical Y-shaped fault structure system in the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the strong tectonic activity makes the seismic activity of the tectonic system occur frequently, especially in the vicinity of Moxi Town, Luding County, which is located at the intersection of the "Y" shape, and there have been many moderate to strong earthquakes above MS6.0. The Luding MS6.8 earthquake that occurred on September 5, 2022, with its epicenter in Moxi Town, in the southeastern section of the Xianshuihe fault, is the latest manifestation of strong seismic activity, which caused more than 100 casualties and was the most concerned earthquake on the southeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in recent years. However, the geological structure of this region is extremely complex, and it is difficult for traditional geological research methods to quickly and effectively analyze the problems of seismic fault movement and stress changes. In this study, the finite element interface method is used to numerically simulate the motion characteristics of the main fault during the earthquake, and the changes of the displacement vector field and the Coulomb stress field before and after the earthquake are inversely analyzed. The numerical simulation results show that when the south-east lateral force is applied to the left boundary of the model, and the south-oriented lateral force is applied to the north-west corner of the upper boundary, and the Yangtze block is fixed, the left-handed action is applied to the bottom of the Sichuan-Yunnan block and the right-handed effect is applied to the bottom of the Sichuan-Qingdao block, and the numerical fitting degree is high. Before the earthquake, there were both tensile and compressive stresses in Moxi Town, among which Yanzigou, Moxi Town and Xinmin Township were located in the south-east section of the Xianshuihe fault, and the main shock occurred at a depth of about 13 km below the ground surface, and the maximum sliding displacement was in the Yanzigou-Moxi Town section, with a coseismic shear left-running slip of 1.5~2.0 m. After the earthquake, the shear strain increment of the Sichuan-Yunnan block (average 10×10-5) was higher than that of the Yangtze block (average 5×10-5), indicating that the Sichuan-Yunnan block still plays a leading role in the regional block movement, and the shear stress on the main fault zone has an obvious south-east transmission trend. This study provides new materials for understanding the crustal deformation characteristics of the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and provides a certain scientific basis and practical value for the occurrence mechanism of strong earthquakes, seismic risk analysis and economic construction in this region.
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09
Wu Junfeng et al.: Grain size endmember characteristics and paleoenvironmental evolution of sandy sediments in the last interglacial period of the Liaodong Peninsula
Highlights:
As an important part of the East Asian aeolian sedimentary system, the Liaodong Peninsula is strongly sensitive to climate change due to the influence of sea-land interaction, and contains the history of monsoon evolution and paleoenvironmental change in the eastern coastal areas of China. In this study, the grain size data of the 362 cm thick sandy sediment in the Ganghua section of Changxing Island, Dalian were analyzed by parametric end member analysis, and the transport mode, transport dynamics and sedimentary environment of the sediments in the section were discussed, and the paleoclimatic evolution characteristics of the last interglacial period (MIS 5a~5c) in this area were revealed. The results showed that: 1) The grain size components of the Ganghua section could be decomposed into four end members: EM1 represented the fine sand component transported by long-distance suspension under the action of high-altitude westerly winds, EM2 represented the extremely fine sand component transported at low altitude and short-distance transportation under the action of local winds, which may be transported twice when the winter monsoon force increased, EM3 and EM4 represented the sand components transported by near-ground hopping in the form of dust storms, and the changes in the contents of coarse-grained components EM3 and EM4 had a good indication significance for the change of winter monsoon intensity. 2) The content of each terminal component, median particle size (Md) and Fe2O3 content were compared with the oxygen isotope curves of the deep sea, indicating that during the period of MIS 5c~5a, the Ganghua profile experienced a climate cyclic change of relatively warm and humid → dry and cold→ tending to warm and humid. 3) According to the results of photoluminescence dating, the Ganghua section is a sediment of the last interglacial period, and the environmental evolution information of the Ganghua section has a good correspondence with global climate change events by comparing the results of the same period with other regions, indicating that the aeolian sand sediments in the Liaodong Peninsula have important value in revealing the environmental evolution of the eastern coastal areas of China.
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10
Liu Liang et al.: Late Pleistocene aeolian sedimentary sequence and paleoclimatic significance in southern Liaoning
Highlights:
As an important Quaternary aeolian sedimentary strata in eastern China, the climate oscillation record reflected by the anolian sedimentary deposits in southern Liaoning is of self-evident importance for revealing regional paleoclimatic change and East Asian monsoon change. In this study, the 5.44 m thick aeolian sedimentary profile of Laohu Village in southern Liaoning Province was used as the research object, and the chronological framework of the sedimentary strata in the study area was established by optical luminescence (OSL) dating technology, and the aeolian sedimentary history during the Late Pleistocene was reconstructed through petrology and proxy indicators. The results show that the aeolian activity occurs at 71.7~61.7 ka, 49.4~42.4 ka and about 23.0 ka, corresponding to the deep-sea oxygen isotope stage (MIS) 5a~4, 3b and 2, respectively. The particle size data in the study area indicate that there was a brief winter monsoon fluctuation during the MIS 5/4 transition period, and the median particle size increase may be related to Heinrich events (H6, H5, H2), and more regional climate records are needed to support this view in the future.
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11
Liu Liyun et al.: A comprehensive study of geological records and simulation data of aeolian sand activity in the Tengger Desert since the Holocene
Highlights:
Since the Late Pleistocene, the Tengger Desert, located in the transition zone between arid and semi-arid areas, has experienced several degrees of desert alternating processes of desert positive and negative alternation under the action of the Asian monsoon. The intensity of the East Asian monsoon on a temporal and spatial scale is usually explained as the main driving force for environmental changes in the Tengger Desert. The changes in paleoenvironment and aeolian sand activity used to reconstruct the paleoenvironment mostly depend on the loess, lakes, pollen and alluvial deposits in the edge of the Tengger Desert, but there are few paleoenvironmental records involving the desert hinterland, and the geological information recorded in the sedimentary profiles of different sites has regional limitations. In this study, we collected 97 sedimentary samples and 11 photoluminescence age data of aeolian sediments from the southwestern edge of the Tengger Desert to the hinterland of the Tengger Desert, and collected 69 photoluminescence age data of aeolian sand sediments and 14C age data of 137 paleosoils, lacustrine sediments and calcareous root canals published in about 14 ka The KA paleoclimate simulation data calculated the trends of surface effective humidity and dune activation index in the Tengger Desert area since 14 ka, and the contribution of sand dune activation index to the annual average value in spring, winter, summer and autumn, respectively, and comprehensively discussed the history and driving factors of near-surface aeolian sand activity in the Tengger Desert since the Holocene. The results show that: 1) Coarse average particle size and more aeolian sand age data show that the aeolian sand activity is strong in the Early Holocene period (11.7~8.0 ka), the simulation data show that the aeolian sand activity in this period shows a weakening trend, which is mainly caused by the decrease in near-surface wind speed caused by the weakened East Asian winter monsoon, resulting in a large amount of aeolian sand accumulation, and 2) the Middle Holocene period (8~3). ka), the higher low-frequency magnetic susceptibility and more 14C dating data indicate the development of paleosoils, the improvement of surface humid conditions, and the weak wind-sand activity. The simulation data show that the surface effective humidity is high and the aeolian sand activity is at a low level during this period, which is mainly due to the large amount of precipitation brought by the enhanced East Asian summer monsoon, which promotes the high surface effective humidity and the sand dunes are gradually fixed by vegetation. The simulation data showed that the wind-sand activity showed an increasing trend during this period, indicating that the weakening of the East Asian summer monsoon and the drought of the Tengger Desert led to the gradual decrease of the effective humidity of the desert surface, the degradation of vegetation, and the reactivation of fixed sand dunes.
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12
Wang Yutang et al.: Geochemical distribution and environmental evolution of Zhegucuo sediments in southern Tibet in the past 4400 years based on continuous scanning of XRF cores
Highlights:
In the past 30 years, continuous scanning of XRF cores has been widely used to obtain the distribution of elements in lake sedimentary sequences and their indicative environmental significance in different geographical settings, especially the Tibetan Plateau, the "water tower of Asia", where lakes are dense. However, the accuracy of XRF scan data is significantly affected by the physical properties of the sedimentary core, which can lead to over-recording or misinterpretation of the recorded information. Based on the 2.16 m complete core (ZGC21) formed by the mixed sedimentation of plants and sediment in the southern Tibetan Plateau (ZGC) in the past 4400 years, the elemental signal value and color distribution of the ZGC core were obtained by continuous scanning of the XRF core, combined with the analysis of physical characteristics such as water content, grain size, and loss on ignition, it shows that the ZGC core has clear bedding, accurate dating, and comprehensive climate information records, and is one of the best carriers for reconstructing the Indian summer monsoon and climate change in the southern Tibetan Plateau. The distribution of stable elements (Al, K, Fe, Mn, Rb, Si, Ti, Zr) signals cannot be used to indicate the proportion of detrital material input in different bedding of ZGC core, but the Zr/Rb ratio can reflect the true characteristics of material input in the basin, and the distribution of Ca and Br element signal values indicates the changes of carbonate and organic matter content in ZGC21 core, respectively. Based on reliable elemental signal distribution and accurate dating of AMS-14C, the southern part of the Tibetan Plateau was in a cold climate during the years 4400~3500 a B.P. and 850~80 a B.P., driven by the change of solar radiation intensity, and the low temperature was not enough to support the survival of vegetation in the lake, while the opposite was true during the years 2750~1830 a B.P. and 1320~850 a B.P. These results provide a scientific demonstration for the correct application and accurate interpretation of continuous scan data from XRF cores, and also provide a framework for the evolution of the environment on a decadal scale for reconstructing the human-environment relationship in the region over the past 4400 years.
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13
Li Kaiqing et al.: Early Pleistocene animal fossils and paleolithic tools were found in the deer antler beam of the Nihewan Basin
Highlights:
The Nihewan Basin, which has been a century of fruitful scientific development, is known worldwide for its Early Pleistocene fossil mammals, and is now attracting attention for its abundance of Early Pleistocene Paleolithic sites. A growing number of archaeological discoveries in the Nihewan Basin suggest that humans could not have left Africa later than 2 million years ago. Lujiaoliang is a newly discovered early Pleistocene paleolithic site in the Nihewan Basin, with 34 stone artifacts unearthed, including 2 repairs, 18 stone chips, 5 stone cores and 9 broken blocks, as well as a large number of mammalian bones and tooth fossils, among which the steppe mammoth (Mammuthus trogontherii) and the Pee's plate-toothed rhinoceros (Elasmotherium peii) are particularly noteworthy. The strata of the Staglers site are slightly higher than those of the Xiaochangliang site, and its age is estimated to be close to 1.5 Ma. The discovery of the Staghorn Liang site not only fills a missing link in the sequence of early Pleistocene human sites in the Nihewan Basin, but also adds some rare fossil materials of the Nihewan fauna, which provides physical evidence for the study of the occurrence and evolution of steppe mammoths and Peggy's plate-toothed rhinoceros in China and even East Asia.
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14
Gao Feng et al.: Brief report on paleolithic investigation on the western plateau of Xiaozhongdian, Shangri-La, Yunnan
Highlights:
Located on the southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, with an average altitude of more than 3000 m, the Diqing Shangri-La area of Yunnan Province is one of the key areas for studying the relationship between ancient humans and the Tibetan Plateau. The material for this report comes from stone artifacts collected in Xiaozhongdian and surrounding areas in 1998, 1999 and 2022 by a joint expedition team composed of the Yunnan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Cultural Relics Administration (Diqing Prefecture Cultural Relics Administration), the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the School of Archaeology, Culture and Museums of Sichuan University. Most of the collection areas are distributed on the plateau surface of the western margin of the basin and the highest ground of Xiaozhongdian Lake, and the survey found more than 20 collection points and more than 100 pieces of stone products, some of which are more seriously weathered. This study provides a brief overview of the 31 representative stone artefacts. Most of the stone products are made from local materials, using metamorphic rocks that can be found everywhere in the local area. The types of stone tools made include stone cores, stone chips, and tools. Among them, large cutting tools such as hand axes, thin-bladed axes, and pickaxes are the main types of tools, and collar trimmers, chopping and smashing tools, large scrapers and a small number of light tools made of quartz are also found. According to the field stratigraphic observation and related dating work, as well as the technical characteristics of stone tool making, it is speculated that the age of this batch of stone tools can be traced back to the Middle Pleistocene at the earliest. This discovery provides an important clue for further in-depth study of paleohuman activities on the edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and is of great significance for studying the behavior patterns of paleohumans during the Pleistocene in northwestern Yunnan.
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15
Wen Zaizhong et al.: Luminescence age and paleoenvironment of loess strata at Sujialing and Qingshuichuankou paleolithic sites in Shanxi-Shaanxi Gorge
Highlights:
A number of paleolithic remains have been found in the Jin-Shaanxi Gorge area in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, but most of these important sites lack dating constraints. The newly discovered paleolithic sites of Sujialing and Qingshuichuankou are located on the second and third terraces of the Yellow River on the Shaanxi side, and the stone tool types unearthed in the loess accumulation are mainly characterized by the combination of "stone core-stone flake technology". In this study, a total of 14 photoluminescence samples were collected from Sujialing (loess accumulation thickness of 17.1 m) and Qingshui Chuankou (loess accumulation thickness of 4.7 m), and the age of the loess sequences of the two sites was determined by quartz monolithic regeneration dosimetry (SAR-OSL) and potassium feldspar infrared postluminescence method (pIR200IR290), and the particle size and magnetic susceptibility of the sediment samples were measured. The results show that the main body of the sediments in both sites is typical aeolian loess. There is a good correspondence between the SAR-OSL age of quartz and the pIR200IR290 age of potassium feldspar in 25~50 ka, and the age of potassium feldspar is consistent with the expected age of S1 paleosoil (MIS 5). The stratigraphic age range of the stone tools excavated from Sujialing is 25~76 ka, the stone core age of the alluvial layer is between 76~95 ka, and the age range of the stone tools unearthed at Qingshui Chuankou is 31~42 ka. Stratigraphic characteristics, magnetic susceptibility and particle size evidence indicate that the relatively warm and humid climatic conditions in the Jin-Shaanxi Gorge were conducive to the survival of ancient humans during the Late Pleistocene glacial and the last interglacial period, and that there were regional differences in the paleoenvironment between Sujialing in the south of the Loess Plateau and Qingshui Chuankou in the north. The combination of "stone core-stone flake technology" excavated at the Sujialing and Qingshui Chuankou sites indicates that Late Pleistocene ancient humans were active in a vast area of northern China, and central China was a good place for Late Pleistocene humans to inhabit.
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16
Zhi Yuan et al.: A study on the age of death of the woolly rhinoceros excavated in 2012 at the Louwu site in Huanxian County, Gansu Province
Highlights:
The study of the livelihood behavior of humans in different climatic environments during this period of MIS 3 can help to understand the reasons for their successful colonization. At present, a number of fossil sites have been found in the Loess Plateau region of northwest China, but most of them are poorly preserved and lack scientific excavations and absolute dating. Located in the hinterland of the Loess Plateau, the site of Lou House in Huanxian County, Gansu Province, unearthed a large number of animal remains during archaeological excavations in 2012. The results of the study of the woolly rhinoceros teeth obtained from the 2012 excavation of the Louwu site, combined with the published analysis of the interaction between ancient humans and rhinoceros in other regions, to explore the livelihood strategies of hunter-gatherers in the Late Pleistocene Loess Plateau area, the results show that the woolly rhinoceros was an important source of meat for the ancestors of the Louwu site, and they have maintained a stable and rational development strategy, focusing on adult individuals, and this preference for woolly rhinoceros continued until the site was abandoned. Combined with the surrounding findings, it is likely that ancient humans living in the Loess Plateau developed special adaptation patterns to the local environment at this stage, and the woolly rhinoceros played an important role in their livelihood strategies.
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17
Pei Xiaochen et al.: Research on the Late Neolithic Biological Economy in the Shayinghe Plain: A Case Study of Animal Remains Unearthed from the Tuchengwang Site in Luohe, Henan Province
Highlights:
In order to better understand the development of the industrial economy in the Central Plains, this study systematically sorted out and analyzed a number of animal remains of the late Neolithic period (5600~4300 years ago) unearthed from the Tuchengwang site (33°40′08.86"N, 114°04′50.19"E) in Luohe City, Henan Province. The results showed that raising domestic pigs (26.37% and 32.1% of NISP and MNI, respectively, and 57.1% of meat contribution) and hunting deer (62.66% and 40.8% of the total NISP and MNI of large, medium and small deer, and 31.8% of meat contribution) were the main ways for the ancestors of Tuchengwang site to obtain meat resources, and cervids were also the main raw materials for making tools. Compared with other regions in the Central Plains, the late Neolithic period (5600~4300 years ago) in the Shayinghe Plain showed obvious mixed characteristics. On the one hand, the mode of acquisition and utilization of animal resources is close to the middle reaches of the Huaihe River, where the environmental background is more similar, and the difference is obvious from other regions in the Central Plains, which is manifested in the fact that fishing and hunting activities occupy a very important position. On the other hand, the agricultural model is rice-dry mixed cropping, which is consistent with other regions in the Central Plains, and may be influenced by the Yangshao cultural circle. This study makes up for the lack of materials for the study of the acquisition and utilization of animal resources in the late Neolithic in the Shaying River Plain, highlights the particularity of the local livelihood economy and the diversity of the livelihood economy in the Central Plains, and provides a new and important example for deepening the understanding of the complex relationship between human society, culture, and environment.
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18
Zhang Chunchao et al.: Biological economy in the lower reaches of the Huaihe River in the late Neolithic period: A case study of stable isotope analysis of human and animal bones at Zhaozhuang site in Sihong County, Jiangsu Province
Highlights:
Located at the junction of the north and south of China, the lower reaches of the Huaihe River are key areas for the study of prehistoric agricultural evolution and cultural exchanges. In this study, the stable isotope analysis of 23 human bones and 45 animal bones unearthed from the Zhaozhuang site in Sihong, Jiangsu Province (33°34′13"N, 118°9′53"E) revealed the food structure and livelihood economy of the ancestors of Zhaozhuang in the late Dawenkou culture. The results of effective isotope data showed that the main food source of deer (δ13Cco: -19.5‰, δ15N: 6.4‰, n=1; δ13Cap: -8.3‰±1.2‰, n=4) was C3 plants, indicating that the local wild vegetation was mainly C3 plants. Pig (δ13Cco: -14.5‰, δ15N: 7.7‰, n=1; δ13Cap: -10.4‰±1.6‰, n=10), dog (δ13Cco: -14.3‰±0.2‰, δ15N: 8.2‰±0.9‰, n=2; δ13Cap: -11.9‰±1.7‰, n=3) and cattle (δ13Cco: -13.3‰, δ15N: 5.3‰, n=1; δ13Cap: -8.6‰±1.0‰ , n=5) and other domestic animals showed the characteristics of C3/C4 mixture, and a certain amount of millet, millet and their by-products should be consumed. The δ13Cco value (-19.2‰±0.5‰, n=4) of the ancestors was low, indicating that their protein intake was dominated by C3 foods, and the δ13Cap value (-9.7‰±1.5‰, n=17) showed the energy source of C3/C4 mixture, indicating that the ancestors also consumed a considerable amount of C4 foods, which may be derived from millet agriculture and livestock breeding at that time. The trophic level of the ancestors (δ15N: 11.9‰±1.8‰, n=4) was high, and a large amount of animal protein resources should be consumed, and domestic pigs should be an important source of meat, and the ancestors may also be engaged in fishing and hunting. There were differences in the δ18O values of the ancestors, and the δ18O values of NKU777 and NKU784 (-11.8‰, -11.4‰) were significantly lower than those of other ancestors (δ18O: -8.5‰±1.2‰, n=15). Through a comparative analysis of the food structure and livelihood economy of Zhaozhuang and its surrounding sites, it is concluded that both millet agriculture and rice farming had an important impact on the livelihood of the ancestors of Zhaozhuang, and that a rice-millet mixed farming system may have been formed in the lower reaches of the Huaihe River in the late Neolithic period. This study comprehensively analyzes the dietary structure of ancient people in the lower reaches of the Huaihe River, which has reference significance for in-depth exploration of the livelihood patterns of prehistoric humans in this region.
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19
Zhou Yawei et al.: Craniotomy of Yangshao culture residents in Zhengzhou area
Highlights:
Craniotomy is one of the oldest known surgical procedures. Most of the craniotomy perforated skulls unearthed in China are concentrated in the upper reaches of the Yellow River and Xinjiang, but they are rarely found in Zhengzhou, and the research is relatively weak. In this study, craniotomy perforation was distinguished from other cranial perforations and healing was classified. Through the study of 540 individuals excavated from the Gongyi Shuanghuaishu site, Wanggou site and Shanggangyang site in the late Yangshao culture period in Zhengzhou area, 5 cases of craniotomy skulls that met the definition criteria were found, and 2 cases of craniotomy skulls showed signs of healing. In order to compare and analyze the craniotomy in Zhengzhou, this paper sorted out the craniotomy materials unearthed in China, summarized the characteristics of craniotomy skulls in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, Xinjiang, the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, the Northeast region, and the south of the Yellow River, and discussed the morphological characteristics of craniotomy perforation in Yangshao culture in Zhengzhou area, and analyzed the craniotomy methods and objectives in this area. According to the results, the late residents of Yangshao culture in Zhengzhou area have mastered the craniotomy technique, and the craniotomy perforation in this area has its unique complexity and regional characteristics, which are manifested as small perforation, regular shape, few perforation methods, diverse but special distribution locations, poor healing, and complex purpose of perforation.
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20
Li Feng et al.: Analysis and utilization of animal bone micro-traces at Wushan Da Paddy Field Site
Highlights:
In 2014, a large number of animal bones of this period were excavated and unearthed, and 38 species of animals of 20 families were identified, and the degree of fragmentation of the bones was found to be very high, indicating that the ancients had a high degree of development and utilization of bones. After the analysis of micro-marks on the bone surface, the traces on the bone surface were divided into peeling and flesh-removing cutting marks, as well as one-way, Analysis of the use of bonesThe size statistics of all the broken bones and living utensils unearthed in the site show that there is a certain correlation between the fragmentation of living utensils and bones, and it is speculated that the ancients may have used the utensils to cook the bones for bone oil development; at the same time, from the analysis of the fragments of aggregates and the type of bone tools, the material sources of different bone tools are inferred, and the production process of the bone tools is preliminarily restored into four steps: material selection, material cutting, material modification, and grinding into tools.
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21
Fu Yu et al.: Research report on Cerithidae sinensis unearthed in Deshou Palace in the Southern Song Dynasty
Highlights:
In 2020, during the archaeological excavation of the Deshou Palace site by the Hangzhou Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, a rich specimen of Cerithidae sinensis was cleaned up from the early and middle Southern Song Dynasty cultural layer accumulations (more than 700 years ago) in the GJCT2111 exploration square. The minimum number of snails (MNI) was 8728. The overall morphology of most of the specimens is well preserved, with only slight damage at the top of the shell, the mouth of the shell or the part of the spiral. This type of specimen belongs to the smaller type of Mesogastropoda, with 6~9 spiral layers. About 21% of the shell height is greater than 25 mm, about 55% of the shell height is between 20~25 mm, and about 24% of the shell height is less than 20 mm. The snail mainly lives in the intertidal waters of offshore mangrove forests with fresh water inflow, and the vicinity of Hangzhou is not the origin of this animal. The distribution of Chinese crab snails in the coastal coastline of Hangzhou is about 100 km away from Hangzhou, and it only appeared after the introduction of mangrove forests in modern times. The Chinese crab snail specimen in the site of Deshou Palace was unearthed in the Southern Song Dynasty culture layer more than 700 years ago. Its excavation location is the remains of the palace kitchen, and the land stratum has the characteristics of kitchen waste. Combined with the historical data of shellfish and seafood products eaten in the imperial palace during the Southern Song Dynasty, this batch of specimens should be harvested in the coastal area and transported to the seafood products in the imperial palace of the Southern Song Dynasty. This batch of Chinese crab snail specimens is the first discovery of ancient Chinese royal food of Cerithidae seafood. It is of certain significance to the study of the dietary customs of the imperial palace of the Southern Song Dynasty in China, and at the same time, it also reflects the preference of the Southern Song Dynasty royal family for seafood products and the extravagance of life.
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22
Tang Jiabing et al.: Differentiation of sediments in the Yangtze River and the Yellow River based on magnetic mineral inclusions in silicates
Highlights:
Environmental magnetics has been used to distinguish the sources of Yangtze and Yellow River materials in China's offshore sediments, but this method is affected by potential diagenesis. Magnetic mineral inclusions in silicates are not affected by diagenesis and have the potential to reliably distinguish the source. In this study, the magnetic characteristics of the samples treated with hydrochloric acid (10 mol/L) were considered as the contribution of magnetic mineral inclusions in the silicate, so as to provide a new index to distinguish the sediments of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. The results showed that the parameters related to the content of magnetic minerals (χ, SIRM, χARM, HIRM) in the samples treated with hydrochloric acid were less than 10% of the parameters before treatment, the magnetic mineral inclusions in the silicate were dominated by ferromagnetic minerals with low coercivity, which were finer than those in the original sample, and the sediments of the Yangtze River after hydrochloric acid treatment had higher SIRM, χARM and HIRM values than those in the Yellow River, indicating that the contents of ferromagnetic minerals and incomplete antiferromagnetic minerals in the inclusions of the former were higher. The magnetic parameters of the fraction showed that the SIRM and HIRM values of the magnetic mineral inclusions of the two river sediments increased with the increase of grain size. Due to the large number of tributaries of the Yangtze River and the complex rock types, the magnetic parameters of the inclusions vary greatly, while the materials of the Yellow River mainly come from the loess of the Loess Plateau, and the sorting and mixing of the loess during the wind transport process from the source area to the plateau make the magnetic mineral content of the inclusions low, but the magnetic parameters are relatively uniform. This study shows that the sediments of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River can be effectively distinguished by using the SIRM and S-100 scatter plots, principal component analysis of magnetic parameters and thermomagnetic curves of magnetic mineral inclusions in silicate.
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23
Chen Tianyuan et al.: Applicability of chemical alteration index (CIA) to reflect the weathering intensity of humid subtropical weathered crustal soils
Highlights:
The weathered crust soil profile is an important carrier for recording the long-term information of the "critical zone of the earth". However, there are few studies on the in-situ weathering process of large-scale weathering crust and soil, and whether chemical weathering indicators can indicate its weathering intensity is controversial. In this study, six granite weathered crust soil profiles in the humid subtropical climate dominant area of Guangdong Province were taken as the research object, and the chemical weathering and physical changes of the profiles were described by combining the soil macroelement geochemical and particle size data, and the applicability of CIA to reflect the weathering intensity of humid subtropical weathered crustal soils was discussed. The results showed that the inert elements Fe, Al, With the increase of precipitation in the region, the CIA value from the top to the bottom of the profile showed an increasing trend, which was contrary to the ideal weathering trend of the weathering intensity of the weathering crust profile from top to bottom, and it was found that there was a good inverse correlation between CIA and climatic parameters, especially precipitation (R2=0.77, P<0.01, y=-0.0065x+104.01). Through the discussion of this anomaly, the following understanding is obtained: in humid subtropical areas, the surface soil of the weathered crust has complex physical and chemical changes, especially the physical erosion caused by high precipitation makes the chemically weak Fe, Al, Ti oxides and clay particles carried away by surface runoff or infiltrated into the deeper soil, so that the CIA value of the surface soil is low, which cannot truly reflect its chemical weathering intensity. Therefore, caution should be exercised when applying CIA indicators to reflect the weathering intensity of the weathered crust soil profile in humid subtropical areas with high precipitation.
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24
Liu Hengyu et al.: Phytolith assemblage and preservation characteristics of topsoil in typical plant communities in the central subtropics
Highlights:
In this study, we systematically analyzed the plant communities belonging to forests (evergreen broad-leaved forest, evergreen/deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest, and deciduous broad-leaved forest), shrub and herbaceous communities in the central subtropical region, and the assemblage characteristics and preservation characteristics of the corresponding topsoil phytoliths, and identified a total of 32 phytolith types. The results showed that there were significant differences in phytolith assemblage characteristics among forests, shrubs, herbaceous communities and their corresponding topsoils. Among them, the forest community was dominated by short-celled phytoliths, flattened and silicified stomata, while the shrub community was dominated by short-celled phytoliths, flattened and rod-shaped, while the herbaceous community was dominated by short-cell phytoliths, rod-shaped and pointed types. At the same time, the topsoil phytolith assemblage of different plant communities showed similar characteristics to those of aboveground plant communities, and different plant communities could be quantitatively distinguished according to the topsoil phytolith assemblage to a certain extent. In addition, based on the preservation index (R-value), it was found that the preservation of phytoliths in topsoil under different plant communities was significantly different, among which the forest community was the best preserved, followed by the shrub community, and the herbaceous community was the worst. There were also obvious differences in the preservation of different types of phytoliths in topsoil, with fan-shaped, block-shaped and pointed types being better preserved in soil, short-celled phytoliths, rod-shaped and flat-shaped ones being moderately preserved, and silicified pores, epidermal phytoliths and hair-like being poorly preserved. Therefore, this study is not only helpful to understand the burial mechanism of phytoliths in topsoil, but also provides an important basis for improving the accuracy of phytolith-based paleovegetation reconstruction in the central subtropical region.
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25
Liu Yawen et al.: Simulation of temperature synchronization changes between East Asia and the world over the past millennium
Highlights:
Based on the data of the past millennium (850~2005) ensemble simulation experiment (CESM-LME) provided by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) of the United States, and on the basis of comparison and verification with the reconstruction data and modern observation/reanalysis data, the synchronicity of land surface temperature changes between East Asia and the world in different centuries in the past millennium was analyzed, and the reasons for the differences in the synchronization and change amplitude of land surface temperature between East Asia and the world in different centuries were analyzed based on the results of single factor sensitivity experiments. The results show that in the past millennium, before the 20th century, East Asia and the world experienced the medieval warm period and the Xiaoice period, and the temperature change was consistent on a centennial scale, and the synchronization between East Asia and the global temperature change in the 10th, 11th, 13th, 18th and 19th centuries was high and the difference was small; In the 14th ~ 17th century, there was a significant difference in the amplitude of the change, the temperature change amplitude in East Asia was generally smaller than that of the world, and the natural external forcing and internal variability such as solar radiation and volcanic activity may have played a leading role in the formation of the difference, while since the 20th century, the change of the two shows a large asynchronicity, the temperature growth in East Asia is not as drastic as the global temperature growth, and even cooling, and the artificial external forcing plays a leading role in this period. The effect of greenhouse gas concentration change on temperature has a significant amplification effect at the poles, which is the main reason for the formation of the difference between East Asia and the global temperature change, and the temperature decrease caused by anthropogenic aerosol emissions is also one of the reasons why the temperature change in East Asia and the world is not synchronized.
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26
Cheng Xi et al.: Simulation of the transtemporality of East Asian summer monsoon precipitation in the Holocene
Highlights:
During the Holocene, the East Asian summer monsoon underwent a complex evolutionary process, and the temporal and spatial variation of precipitation is still controversial. In this study, we analyzed the occurrence time of precipitation maximums in different regions of East Asia in the Holocene, i.e., the "transtemporality" of East Asian monsoon precipitation, and analyzed the evolution trend and main influencing factors of precipitation by using the total forcing and sensitivity test data of TraCE-21 ka climate transient simulation. The results show that the total precipitation and net precipitation maximums of the East Asian summer monsoon during the Holocene first appeared in the north and then gradually moved southward until the southern and coastal areas in modern times, which is consistent with the gradual weakening of the intensity of the East Asian summer monsoon during the HoloceneThe "time-wearing" of East Asian monsoon precipitation in the total forcing experiment is mainly regulated by the change of sea and land thermal differences caused by the change of the earth's orbit.
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THE
END
Typesetting: Shan Liyu (Institute of Geology and Geosciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
Proofreader: Qiu Zihui (School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China)
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