A high-resolution climatic change since Holocene inferred from multi-proxy of lake sediment in westerly area of China

Abstract

Multi-proxy data are presented and a discuss is made of paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental changes during Holocene from a 225-cm-long sediment core from Wulungu Lake, located in westerly area of China. The chronology is constructed from six AMS radiocarbon dates on the bulk organic matter. Analyses of pollen, TOC, TN, δ13Corg, ostracod assemblages and the shell stable isotopes, suggest Holocene climate pattern as follows: temperate and dry (10.0–7.6 cal. ka BP)-warm and wet (7.6–5.3 cal. ka BP)-warm and moist (5.3–3.6 cal. ka BP)-temperate and dry (3.6–2.1 cal. ka BP)-temperate and moist (2.1–1.3 cal. ka BP)-cool and dry (1.3 cal. ka BP—present). With the climatic change, Wulungu Lake experienced two large-scale retreat (5.3–3.6 cal. ka BP and 1.3 cal. ka BP—present) and an obvious transgression (7.6–5.3 cal. ka BP). The records of climatic and environmental evolution of Wulungu Lake were in good accordance with those of adjacent areas. It responded to regional environmental change, global abrupt climate events and followed the westerly climate change mode.