Holocene environmental change in the marginal area of the Asian monsoon: a record from Zhuye Lake, NW China

Abstract

This article examines Holocene environmental change in Zhuye Lake in the marginal area of the Asian monsoon, NW China. Holocene environment records were obtained for the QTH01 and QTH02 sections in Zhuye Lake. The fluctuations in grain size, pollen, total organic carbon content and C/N ratios record notable environmental variation. The early Holocene (11.0 to 7.4 cal. kyr BP) was relatively arid, while vegetation coverage was sparse and primary productivity low. The optimal environment prevailed during the mid‐Holocene (7.4 to 4.7 cal. kyr BP). Vegetation coverage was the densest and primary productivity the highest during the mid‐Holocene. During the late Holocene (4.7 to 0 cal. kyr BP), the environment became arid, as shown by low lake level and sparse vegetation coverage. After 1.6 cal. kyr BP another strong aridification occurred. In this area, the environment was likely to have been influenced by both the Westerlies and the East Asian monsoon during the Holocene. During the early Holocene, the relatively arid environment lay in the background of the increasing East Asian monsoon and dry westerly wind. During the mid‐Holocene, central Asia was controlled by the humid Westerlies, while a strong East Asian monsoon prevailed in Central China. The mid‐Holocene optimum in this area benefited from an expanded East Asian monsoon and the humid Westerlies. Weakening of the East Asian monsoon caused aridification of the environment during the late Holocene. Intensification of this aridification after 1.6 cal. kyr BP might be correlated with appearance of the arid environments in the Westerly domain after ∼1.5 cal. kyr BP. These arid conditions might be affected by the decreased moisture content of the Westerlies.