Pollen-recorded climate changes between 13.0 and 7.0 14C ka BP in southern Ningxia, China

Abstract

A pollen record from Haiyuan section in the southern part of Ningxia revealed a detailed history of vegetation variation and associated climate changes during the period from ∼13.0 to ∼7.0 14C ka BP. A steppe landscape under a moderately dry (and probably cool) condition (∼12.7–∼12.1 14C ka BP) was replaced by a coniferous forest dominating the landscape under a generally wet climate from ∼12.1 to ∼11.0 14C ka BP. This generally wet period, corresponding to the European Bolling/Allerod period, can be divided into three stages: a cool and wet stage between ∼12.1 and ∼11.4 14C ka BP, a mild and relatively dry stage between ∼11.4 and ∼11.2 14C ka BP, and a mild and wet stage between ∼11.2 and ∼11.0 14C ka BP. The coniferous forest-dominated landscape was then deteriorated into steppe landscape (∼11.0–∼10.6 14C ka BP) and further into a desert steppe landscape from ∼10.6 to ∼9.8 14C ka BP, being correspondent to the European Younger Dryas period. After a brief episode of a cool and wet climate (∼9.8–∼9.6 14C ka BP), a relatively mild and dry condition prevailed during the early Holocene (∼9.6–∼7.6 14C ka BP) and then a warm and humid climate started the mid-Holocene (∼7.6–∼7.2 14C ka BP).