Potential forcing mechanisms of Holocene lake-level changes at Nam Co, Tibetan Plateau: Inferred from the stable isotopic composition of shells of the gastropod Radix

Abstract

The timing of lake-level fluctuations on the Tibetan Plateau and their relationship with climatic changes is still under debate, and the main reason for this is the lack of suitable archives for reconstructing the paleohydrology and paleoclimatology of the lakes. Here, we present the results of analyses of the shell geochemistry of Radix sp. from an exposed terrace of Nam Co lake on the south-central Tibetan Plateau. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating reveals that deep-water lacustrine sediments formed between ca. 4.4 and 2.2 ka, suggesting a high and stable lake level significantly above the present. The results of Sr/Ca, δ13C and δ18O analyses of the fossil shells of Radix sp. indicate that during the mid- to late-Holocene, lake-level variations in Nam Co were mainly controlled by variations in the Indian Summer Monsoon. A trend of decreasing evaporation also played an important role. Comparison with other results suggests a consistent pattern of mid- to late-Holocene lake-level changes across a large area of the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions to the south, which had a similar causal mechanism. Finally, our results indicate that fossil shells of the gastropod Radix sp. of the lakes on the Tibetan Plateau are a valuable archive for reconstructing the regional paleohydrology and paleoclimatology.