Holocene climate changes inferred from peat humification: A case study from the Daiyun Mountains, Southeast China

Abstract

The investigation of two profiles (DYS1 and DYS5) from the Daiyun Mountains in southeastern China sheds new light on the history of regional climate changes and the variability of the intensity of the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) over the past 10350 years based on the degree of peat humification, loss on ignition (LOI), magnetic susceptibility (MS) and geochemical (Rb, Zr and Zr/Rb) data. The records indicate that three main climatic regimes have occurred over the past 10350 years: 1. relatively warm and wet conditions from ~10350 to 8800 cal BP; 2. a warmer and wetter climate from 8800 to 3000 cal BP that was interrupted by four cold episodes at 7500, 6400, 5400, and 4400 cal BP; and 3. a dry and cool climate after ~3000 cal BP. These climatic changes were probably associated with a weak EASM, which was related to the latitudinal movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Other important influences include solar radiation, etc.