Holocene climate change and human impacts implied from the pollen records in Anyang, central China

Abstract

Age-constrained and high-resolution pollen records from 12,000 cal. BP to the late Holocene from Wangjiadian, a site close to the Yinxu and Huanbei archaeological sites, are presented and compared with archaeological data to reconstruct climate change and human impact during the Holocene in the Anyang region, central China. The pollen data demonstrate that the Younger Dryas event occurred between 11,500 and 10,000 cal. BP, and that the time between 8200 and 3400 cal. BP was a period of warm temperature and high precipitation (the Megathermal period). The pollen records also reflect human impact in this region since 3400 cal. BP. A sharp decrease in Pinus pollen percentages, as well as sharp increases in pollen abundance of Ulmus, ruderal species (including planted Poaceae) and Selaginella sinensis, suggest forest clearance and selective felling associated with agriculture. Human impacts are also associated with changes in sedimentation, as the palaeo-soil ground surface was covered by yellow-brown sandy silt at this time. This might reflect anthropogenic soil erosion in Anyang.