Paleoclimatic Variations Research Articles

A 903-year annual temperature reconstruction for the southeastern tibetan plateau from the tree ring widths of Juniperus saltuaria

Precisely dated paleoclimatic records are essential for understanding natural and anthropogenic climate influences. Here, an annually resolved absolutely dated Juniperus saltuaria tree ring width chronology from the Haizi mountain, southeastern Tibetan Plateau (TP) was developed. The chronology shows the annual- to decadal-scale paleoclimatic variability of the southeastern TP over the past 903 years (1115–2017 CE). The tree ring widths correlate significantly with mean annual temperature (Tmean). A linear regression model between ring width and Tmean, accounting for 57% of the variance in temperature from 1959 to 2017 CE, was used to reconstruct the past 903 years of Tmean variation in the southeastern TP. The chronology aligns with other temperature records from the TP, Asia, and the Northern Hemisphere (NH), indicating a marked temperature increase since the late twentieth century, with 1998–2017 CE identified as the warmest period. The coldest thirty years occurred in 1115–1145 CE. Solar activity and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation exert notable influences on temperature fluctuations in this region. Superposed epoch analysis indicates that volcanic eruptions had significantly impacted southeastern TP temperatures, causing dramatic cooling for 2–4 years. Our study presents the longest width chronology developed by Juniperus saltuaria to date, offering a long-term perspective on recent climatic shifts across the southeastern TP. This work enhances understanding of historical climate variability, providing critical insights to refine projections of future climate variability.

Holocene paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic variability in a high mountain lake in Sierra Nevada (Spain): Insights from diatom analysis

This study examines the Holocene history of Río Seco Lake (3040 m a.s.l; Sierra Nevada, Southern Spain) by analysing diatom remains and other paleoenvironmental data. The aim is to understand the impact of long-term environmental and climatic variability on the aquatic ecosystem over the past 21,000 years. Our results suggest that shifts in diatom assemblages were mainly climate-driven in terms of temperature and water availability. The absence of diatom remains during the Late Pleistocene indicated low temperatures and prolonged lake snow cover. Five distinct periods were identified during the Holocene. The high abundance of epiphytic and bog-inhabiting taxa and tychoplanktonic Tabellaria flocculosa in the period 11,000–6700 cal yr BP were indicative of a humid climate. The onset of the tychoplanktonic Aulacoseira alpigena between 6700 and 5100 cal yr BP indicated a drop in temperature. These changes intensified during the period 5100–3300 cal yr BP, when the most significant changes in diatom assemblages took place with the dominance of A. alpigena and an abrupt increase in the abundance of the epiphytic Fragilaria radians. During the subsequent period (3300–1500 cal yr BP), the significant declines in A. alpigena and in epiphytic taxa were indicative of increased aridity and higher alkalinity values due to increased aridity and Saharan dust input during this period. The last period (1500–256 cal yr BP) was characterized by a rise in the abundance of Staurosirella pinnata, indicative of warmer temperatures and higher alkalinity values coincident with a marked increase in proxies of temperature and aridity. The increase in aridity and temperature during the last period, which has led to changes in diatom assemblages, is a matter of great concern in an ecosystem that is particularly susceptible to global warming.

Geochemical constraints for unravelling the conditions of sedimentation, Paleoclimate variations, and provenance and metallogenic implication of the Cretaceous sequence deposits along the Mayo Louti, Babouri-Figuil Basin (North Cameroon, Africa)

Geochemical constraints for unravelling the conditions of sedimentation, Paleoclimate variations, and provenance and metallogenic implication of the Cretaceous sequence deposits along the Mayo Louti, Babouri-Figuil Basin (North Cameroon, Africa)

Late Triassic (Norian) strontium and oxygen isotopes from the Baoshan block, southwestern China: Possible causes and implications for climate change

The Norian Stage (Late Triassic) has long been regarded as an interval of stable climates, but, in fact, there are only sparse studies of the paleoclimate variations during this longest (>20 Myr) stage of the Phanerozoic. Here, oxygen and strontium isotopes have been measured on conodont apatite from the open-marine shelf succession at the Xiquelin section (Baoshan block, Yunnan Province, China). Magnetostratigraphy linked to conodont biostratigraphy indicates that the succession was deposited during the Sevatian substage, upper Norian. The δ18Oapatite values from conodonts indicate that low-latitude average sea-surface temperatures in eastern Tethys were ∼32 °C during the earliest Sevatian, cooled to ∼25 °C through the middle Sevatian, and then increased again to ∼29 °C by the late Sevatian. The seawater 87Sr/86Sr values maintained a high plateau through the entire Sevatian, with very little variation between inferred warm and cool episodes. The possible explanation for the observed trends in sea-surface temperature and 87Sr/86Sr during Sevatian is an enhanced weathering of silicates exposed during the closure of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean at the zenith of Pangea supercontinent assembly.

A preliminary integrated analysis of regional paleoclimate variations in China over the past ∼ 21 ka

In this study, we employ biological, geochemical and mineral, and physical proxies to quantitatively and semi-quantitatively reconstruct regional paleoclimate variations in China over the past ∼21 thousand years (ka). We have constructed state-of-the-art transfer functions between proxies and climatic variables in East Asia, revealing substantial paleoclimate variability, and demonstrate significant diversity of paleoclimate variations in regions of China over the past ∼21 ka. Compared with observational data between 1961 and 1990, averaged mean annual temperature (MAT) was ∼5 °C (3–8 °C) lower during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, ∼21 ± 3 ka), and ∼ 2 °C (1–3 °C) higher during Holocene Optimum (HO, ±9 ka) in China; while averaged mean annual precipitation (MAP) and averaged summer precipitation varied between 30 and 150%, with enhanced seasonality during the warmer Holocene (8–5 ka). Our quantitative and semi-quantitative paleoclimate reconstructions reveal both similarities and contrasts with previous studies of regional temperature and precipitation variability. The most remarkable paleoclimate variability is recorded in the transitional zone between the humid monsoon and arid desert regions of central and northern China. We conducted a dynamic downscaling paleoclimate simulation with a regional climate model (RegCM4), using the output from the fully-forced transient simulation of the global climate (TraCE-21 K) as the prescribed boundary conditions, to simulate regional climate changes at high spatial resolution in China over the past ∼21 ka. The results improve paleoclimate simulations at regional scales, but reveal differences in comparison with TraCE-21 K, thereby highlighting uncertainties in the simulation modeling. Moreover, we compare proxy-based paleoclimate reconstructions and the output of TraCE-21 K to identify inconsistencies in relation to regional paleoclimate variations, and confirm a generally consistent warming trend in MAT from the LGM to the HO followed by a cooling trend during the late Holocene. An overall increase in both annual and summer precipitation is observed from LGM to Holocene. This general paleoclimate pattern is likely to have been driven by northern hemisphere ice volume and atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations (GHGs) during the last deglaciation, and boreal summer insolation during the Holocene. This study represents the first attempt to use multi sources and large datasets of proxy reconstructions and numerical simulations to evaluate regional paleoclimate variability in China since the LGM. Our research provides a comprehensive overview of climate change over the past 21 ka and underscores the critical importance of conducting high-resolution simulations and quantitative paleoclimate studies. This approach is essential for deciphering patterns of paleoclimate change that are currently poorly defined.

Geochemical constrains for unravelling the condition of sedimentation, provenance, paleoclimate variation, and metallogenic implication of the cretaceous deposits of Mayo Oulo Basin (North Cameroon, Africa)

The sediments from the Mayo Oulo intracontinental Basin, along the N–S cross section between the Gadavou and Lombel localities in central part of the basin, were investigated through major and trace elements geochemistry associated with palynological analysis to determine their condition of sedimentation, paleoclimate evolution and metallogenic implication along the Cretaceous sequence from the N–S cross section of the central part of this basin. From bottom to top of this sequence there are various types of facies with various concentrations of carbonate. Based on their major oxides compositions, the sediments were classified as Shales associated with Fe-shales, Fe-sands, Wacke and Litharenite. The CIX (Chemical Index of Alteration, 62.65 to 98.14) and PIX (Plagioclase Index of Alteration, 65.00 to 99.13) sediments underwent a various chemical weathering; little chemical weathering in the middle to the upper part of the sequence and moderate to high chemical weathering in the lower part. The discriminant function-based multidimensional tectonic diagrams indicate mainly and respectively arc-collisional and Island arc-active continental margin settings which are consistent with the Precambrian geological history of the study area. The SiO2 vs. Al2O3+K2O + Na2O, C-values, associated with trace elements plots such as Sr/Ba, and Rb/Sr, and palynological content (continental or terrestrial species exclusively, dominated by Gymnosperm pollens such as. Inaperturopollenites sp., Araucariacites sp. and Classopollis sp, associated with spores such as Cicatricosisporites sp) indicate mainly arid to semi-arid climate with periodic humid to semi-humid conditions. The Sr/Ba values ranging from 0.084 to 6.408 suggest a fluctuating and sometimes high salinity (Hypersaline milieu). The rare earth elements data show high LREE/HREE ratios (2.86–13.31); high negative and positive Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu∗ = 0.33 to 1.38) and no Ce anomaly (Ce/Ce∗ = 0.94 to 1.02); these features, together with mixed major and trace element ratios and plots such as, Al2O3/TiO2 ratios (14.31–54.26); Th/Co ratios (0.30–14.58); Ce vs La/Yb, Zr vs TiO2 and La/Sc vs Th/Co plots, indicate that the sediments are derived mainly from felsic to intermediate or mafic rock composition. Ni/Co (1.86–3.59) and U/Th (0.03–0.76) ratios are consistent with oxic conditions from bottom to top of the sequence. The Al/Si ratio shows positive correlation with CIA, Th, Zr, Hf, Na, K and negative correlation with Ca and Mg. The positive correlation with K, Hf, Na, Zr, and Th from detrital origin and negative correlation with Ca and Mg from chemical origin could suggest the geochemical composition control of grain size. According to the ternary Al–Fe–Mn diagram metallogenic classification, the studied samples are essentially terrigenous and partially weakly metalliferous, close to those from the Babouri –Figuil and Mamfe Basins (Cameroon) and contrary to those from the Sob area (Polar Urals). No marine or transitional fossil species are recorded. The presence of numerous tetrads to dyads indicate a lacustrine or swampy environment surrounded by vegetation.

The Significance of Ancient Buried Landscapes as Natural Geomorphic Experiments

AbstractThere is considerable interest in developing quantitative methods for analyzing present‐day fluvial landscapes with a view to extracting information about tectonic forcing and drainage evolution, together with the influence of lithologic substrates and of paleoclimatic variations. In view of the multifactorial nature of this complex problem, it has previously been proposed that natural geomorphic experiments could play a significant role in developing a quantitative understanding of landscape growth and decay. Here, we describe and analyze a stacked sequence of five buried transient landscapes that punctuate marine strata along the fringes of the North Atlantic Ocean. We propose that these landscapes constitute a suite of natural experiments, which illuminate significant aspects of quantitative fluvial geomorphology. Our preliminary analysis of four of these buried landscapes suggests that the amplitude of external tectonic forcing plays a significant role in fluvial landscape evolution. In future, we hope that this suite of natural experiments will be further exploited by the fluvial community with a view to identifying the most appropriate analytical techniques.

Applicability of Synthetic Aperture Radar Data for the Study of Snow Dune Complexes and Snow Sheets in Antarctica and their Bearing on Paleo-Climatic Variability

Applicability of Synthetic Aperture Radar Data for the Study of Snow Dune Complexes and Snow Sheets in Antarctica and their Bearing on Paleo-Climatic Variability

Evaluation of the Neogene depositional dynamics in the Malay-Tho Chu Basin based on seismic analysis: effects of local and regional tectonism and paleoclimatic variations

Depositional environments in areas located near sea level are vulnerable to even subtle changes in both tectonism, climate and eustatic sea level. Sorting out mechanisms behind depositional changes in inner shelf-margins and epeiric seas is therefore far from straight forward. The epeiric Malay-Tho Chu Basin, located in the shallow Gulf of Thailand offshore Vietnam, contains a thick uppermost Oligocene to Recent post-rift succession. Based on 18000 km of 2D seismic profiles, the uppermost Oligocene-Recent succession is subdivided into six seismic sequences. Seismic facies mapping of each sequence complemented by information from industry completion reports of 14 wells document a gradual increase in marine influence from latest Oligocene through Middle Miocene time. The increased marine influence reflects the propagation and opening of the southwestern spreading arm of the East Vietnam Sea (South China Sea (East Sea)) combined with rapid subsidence in the Malay-Tho Chu Basin resulting from fast thermal relaxation following Oligocene rifting and amplified by mild fault-controlled subsidence in especially the western part of the area. From the latest Middle Miocene, slowed subsidence and regression occurred in association with uplift in the nearby southwestern East Vietnam Sea. From the latest Miocene, and during the Pliocene and Pleistocene, subsidence rates increased promoting marine conditions towards the East Vietnam Sea in the southeast. Meanwhile, Mekong River avulsion combined with hinterland uplift stimulated fluvial and alluvial deposition in the northern and western parts of the basin. The long-term depositional pattern was controlled primarily by tectonics, drainage evolution and climate. Meanwhile, flood- and delta plain deposits intercalated with stacked fluvial incisions, often filled by estuarine deposits, document short-lived environmental changes most likely controlled by eustatic sea level fluctuations. Such intervals developed during latest Middle Miocene to Pleistocene periods of slow subsidence or fast depositional rates and are interpreted to be the result of substantial eustatic sea level fluctuations.

Orbital and Millennial‐Scale Cycles Through the Hirnantian (Late Ordovician) in Southern China

AbstractThe Hirnantian period, making the end of the Ordovician with significant mass extinctions and large ice‐sheets, is a critical interval for studying paleoclimate variations. This research represents the first cyclostratigraphic study of this period, utilizing high‐resolution (1 mm sampling rate) geochemical data from the ∼7‐m thick SH‐1 drill core, capturing the latest Ordovician glaciation. Our analysis identifies the presence of Milankovitch cycles with periods of 17–21, ∼33, and ∼100‐kyr, suggesting an optimal sedimentation rate of 3.1 m/Myr. Notably, we detected signals of millennial‐scale variability, aligning with the ∼1.5‐kyr Dansgaard‐Oeschger and ∼2.4‐kyr Hallstatt heliomagnetic cycles, even in deposits lacking visible laminae alternation. This finding bolsters the hypothesis of an external origin for these millennial‐scale features. Additionally, our reconstruction of sea‐level variations, using principal component analysis and sedimentary noise modeling, reveals two intervals of sea‐level fall and one sea‐level rise, linked to an astronomical forcing cycle of ∼1.2‐Myr. The obliquity band power‐total power ratios correspond to ∼1.2‐Myr periodicities for s4‐s3 term. The synchronization of ∼1.2‐Myr cycle minimum with a sea‐level drop (low PC1 value) suggests that glacio‐eustatic variations were influenced by ∼1.2‐Myr obliquity modulation cycles. This research enhances our understanding of glacio‐eustasy during the latest Ordovician from an astronomical perspective, offering valuable insights into the interplay between orbital cycles and Earth's paleoclimate.

Response of mangrove development to paleoclimate variation over the past 3,550 years in Phang Nga Province, Thailand

High-resolution reconstruction of the development of mangrove forests in the late Holocene is the basis for scientifically predicting the fate of mangroves. In this paper, we analyze the contribution of mangrove-derived organic matter (CMOM) from sediment core G in Phang Nga Province, Thailand by using a ternary end-member mixing model based on stable organic carbon isotope (δ13C) and the molar ratio of total organic carbon to total nitrogen (C/N (molar)). The variations of the CMOM in Phang Nga Province over the past ∼3,550 cal yr BP indicate that mangrove forests underwent three periods of flourishing: ∼3,550–2,720 cal yr BP, ∼1,960–1,240 cal yr BP and ∼500–0 cal yr BP, and two periods of degradation: ∼2,720–1,960 cal yr BP and ∼1,240–500 cal yr BP. Of the potential factors that affect mangrove development, relative sea level (RSL) changes and regional hydrological conditions did not have notable effects on mangrove flourishing/degradation. However, paleoclimate variations, especially the air temperature and rainfall controlled by the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) were the primary factors. The mangrove development reconstructed by the CMOM in Phang Nga Province, Thailand was extremely synchronized with that in the Yingluo Bay and Qinzhou Bay of Southwest China and on the west coast of India Peninsula. This study provides evidence that mangrove development controlled by the Asian monsoon in tropical Asia has regional synchronism.

Late Neogene terrestrial climate reconstruction of the central Namib Desert derived by the combination of U–Pb silcrete and terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide exposure dating

Abstract. The chronology of the Cenozoic “Namib Group” of the Namib Desert is rather poorly understood and lacks direct radiometric dating. Thus, the paleoclimate and landscape evolution of the central Namib Desert remains imprecise, complicating the detailed search for global and/or local forcing factors for the aridification of the Namib. The widespread occurrence of calcretes and silcretes in the Namib Desert allows us to apply the novel application of the U–Pb laser ablation dating technique on silcretes and calcretes to date important phases of landscape stability and to retrieve critical paleoclimatic and environmental information on desertification and its paleoclimatic variability. Microscale silcrete formation (maximum of 8 mm) due to pressure solution by expanding calcrete cementation provides the opportunity to date multiple phases (multiple generations of silcrete as growing layers or shells) of silcrete formation. Groundwater silcrete and calcrete formation occurred at our study site during the Pliocene, a period of relatively stable climate and landscape conditions under semi-arid to arid conditions. Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide (TCN) exposure ages from flat canyon rim surfaces indicate the cessation of groundwater calcrete formation due to incision during the Late Pliocene–Early Pleistocene and mark a large-scale landscape rejuvenation due to climate shifts towards more arid conditions in the Pleistocene, which can be connected to global climate patterns. This study demonstrates the feasibility of applying U–Pb laser ablation to groundwater silcrete and calcretes, discusses several important issues associated with this technique, and opens up the possibility of dating numerous sedimentary sequences containing silcretes and calcretes in arid environments. In particular, the use of silcretes (as described above) reduces potential effects of detrital components and bulk signal measurements by using massive calcretes. Our study redefines and improves the generally accepted Late Cenozoic chronostratigraphy of the Namib Desert (Miller, 2008).

Quaternary pollen record and paleoenvironmental evolution of the Bohai Sea strait

Based on the sedimentary features and pollen found in borehole BHS01, the Quaternary transgression and paleoenvironment of the Bohai Sea were reconstructed by divide the core into 13 spore-pollen assemblage zones that reflect environmental changes that have occurred since the late early Pleistocene. The results show paleovegetation zonation and paleogeographic changes, with paleoclimatic variations indicating significant fluctuations between cold and warm periods. Cold periods including Zones 1, 3, and 5 which correspond to terrestrial deposits, whereas warm periods in Zones 2, 4, and 6, and the paleoclimate warms between Zones 7 and 13 accompanied by an increase in the vegetation and number of plant species. In general, the Bohai Strait has stable sedimentary land development from 2.25 to 0.89 Ma when transgression began which may correspond to the development of the Bohai paleolake, and the strait began marine sedimentation later. The most recent transgression occurred during the Holocene (10.65 ka), the T-2 (MIS 3) transgression does not appear to have been recorded in the Bohai Strait, and the third marine phase was deposited no earlier than 0.24 Ma.

The late Quaternary palynological record of the northern Yangtze Delta: Implication for palaeoclimate change in East Asia

Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 is the latest interstadial period with unstable climate regimes that provides an indispensable key to better predict future climate change. However, paleoclimate reconstruction in the Yangtze Delta covering MIS 3 remains elusive due to limited archives with reliable age. Here, we derived a 53,000–year–long paleoclimate record from the northern Yangtze Delta, using luminescence age–based palynological data of a coastal sediment core (YZ07). The results show that the climate was relatively warm and wet during ∼53.0–37.5 ka, followed by a slightly cool but wetter condition between ∼37.5 ka and ∼33.2 ka. Afterwards, a cool and dry climate prevailed from ∼33.2 ka to ∼30.7 ka. Three cold events were identified around 48.0 ka, 39.0 ka and 31.0 ka, corresponding to the timings of Heinrich Event (HE 5), HE 4 and HE 3, respectively. From ∼30.7 ka to ∼11.5 ka, broadleaved forests and wetland herbs obviously contracted in the Yangtze Delta region, indicating cold and dry climate conditions. From the late Pleistocene to Holocene, the pollen variations in this core site were linked to coastal geomorphology under climate–induced sea–level changes. Besides, our findings suggest that the percentages of emergent vegetation in this work were negatively correlated with El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)–linked flood events during the Holocene. Overall, from mid–MIS 3 to MIS 2, the climate exhibits a ‘warm–cool–cold’ pattern in the Yangtze Delta, broadly concordant with other climate proxies in East Asian monsoon domain and beyond on suborbital or millennial timescales. We argue that the northern hemisphere summer insolation may be responsible for the paleoclimate variability and paleovegetation successions in the Yangtze Delta. However, the variability of precipitation in MIS 3 might be governed by interhemispheric insolation forcing, which accounts for a wetter climate phase occurring during late MIS 3 rather than mid–MIS 3.

Paleobiogeoclimatic reconstruction of the Monte Cristo cave, Minas Gerais, Brazil, through phytolith analysis

This study aims to contribute to the understanding of possible paleoclimatic variations during the Quaternary in the Serra do Espinhaço Mountain Range, Minas Gerais, Brazil, based on phytolith analysis. Two soil profiles were collected from the Monte Cristo cave, which is formed in quartzite, the first being an Organosol outside the cave and the second consisting of mostly sandy material from inside the cave, in layers varying between light and dark tones. The results showed that both profiles present a high stock of phytoliths. The phytoliths are well preserved, with a predominance of Spheroid echinate and Spheroid ornate morphotypes, in addition to the presence of Bulliform flabellate, Cross, Bilobate, Rondel, and Trapezoid. The tree density index (D/P) is between 0.19 and 0.36, indicating open vegetation. The values of the Bi% index (32.8–53%) indicate moderate water stress, which is similar to previous studies in nearby regions. The Ic (climatic) index showed variations in plant adaptation at lower temperatures, with a predominance of C3 grasses, while the Pa/P index (palm tree density) indicated the presence of palm trees along both profiles. The ages obtained using 14C-AMS in the Organosol were from 4440/4230 to 2740/2430 years cal BP, and the ages of the sandy material inside the cave were from 1000/920 to 660/550 years cal BP. The phytoliths found inside the cave may be an indication that this material has an allochthonous origin, probably transported by flooding in periods under different hydrogeomorphological conditions, which is one of the hypotheses that will continue to be investigated. The vegetation type remained stable during the analyzed period, being characteristic of rupestrian fields with the presence of trees in more humid environments.

Fingerprinting Low-Frequency Last Millennium Temperature Variability in Forced and Unforced Climate Models

Abstract Constraining unforced and forced climate variability impacts interpretations of past climate variations and predictions of future warming. However, comparing general circulation models (GCMs) and last millennium Holocene hydroclimate proxies reveals significant mismatches between simulated and reconstructed low-frequency variability at multidecadal and longer time scales. This mismatch suggests that existing simulations underestimate either external or internal drivers of climate variability. In addition, large differences arise across GCMs in both the magnitude and spatial pattern of low-frequency climate variability. Dynamical understanding of forced and unforced variability is expected to contribute to improved interpretations of paleoclimate variability. To that end, we develop a framework for fingerprinting spatiotemporal patterns of temperature variability in forced and unforced simulations. This framework relies on two frequency-dependent metrics: 1) degrees of freedom (≡N) and 2) spatial coherence. First, we use N and spatial coherence to characterize variability across a suite of both preindustrial control (unforced) and last-millennium (forced) GCM simulations. Overall, we find that, at low frequencies and when forcings are added, regional independence in the climate system decreases, reflected in fewer N and higher coherence between local and global mean surface temperature. We then present a simple three-box moist-static-energy-balance model for temperature variability, which is able to emulate key frequency-dependent behavior in the GCMs. This suggests that temperature variability in the GCM ensemble can be understood through Earth’s energy budget and downgradient energy transport, and allows us to identify sources of polar-amplified variability. Finally, we discuss insights the three-box model can provide into model-to-model GCM differences. Significance Statement Forced and unforced temperature variability are poorly constrained and understood, particularly that at time scales longer than a decade. Here, we identify key differences in the time scale–dependent behavior of forced and unforced temperature variability using a combination of numerical climate models and principles of downgradient energy transport. This work, and the spatiotemporal characterizations of forced and unforced temperature variability that we generate, will aid in interpretations of proxy-based paleoclimate reconstructions and improve mechanistic understanding of variability.

Holocene sediment source analysis and paleoclimatic significance of core KZK01 from the eastern part of the Beibu Gulf

Identifying the sources of sediments is of great significance in reconstructing Holocene paleoclimate evolution in the Beibu Gulf and in understanding the characteristics of regional responses to changes in global climate. The Holocene paleoclimatic evolutionary history of the Beibu Gulf was investigated by chronological, geochemical, and mineralogical means using the sediments of Core KZK01 from the eastern part of the Beibu Gulf. The rare earth element (REE) distribution curves, (Gd/Yb)N and (La/Yb)N discriminant diagram, and (Gd/Lu)N and ∑LREE/∑HREE discriminant diagram indicated that the detrital materials in the eastern part of the Beibu Gulf primarily originated from Hainan Island and its proximal sources, with considerable contributions from Taiwan and Pearl River materials. Source analysis of clay minerals showed that Luzon Island was the main source of smectite, followed by Hainan Island. Rivers in Taiwan were the main sources of illite in the study area, followed by the Red River. The Red River was the main contributor of chlorite, followed by the Pearl River. Kaolinite mainly originated from Hainan Island and Guangxi. Coastal currents, surface currents, and warm currents were the main drivers of material transport. Paleoclimatic variations since the Holocene in the Beibu Gulf were divided into three stages: 12–9 cal kyr BP, 9–1.3 cal kyr BP, and 1.3 cal kyr BP to the present. During different stages of climatic evolution, drought was often accompanied by cold and humidity coexisted with warmth, and cold-dry-warm-humid alternation is characterized by significant phases. The illite crystallinity clearly recorded the extreme cold events, such as Bond Events (except Bond6) and the Younger Dryas, and the change trend was essentially consistent with the regional climate record, reflecting the control of global climate change on the process of land–sea interaction in the tropical region. Furthermore, it highlights the great potential of illite crystallinity as a proxy indicator for reconstructing the surface chemical weathering processes of the region.

Solubility models of CH4, CO2, and noble gases and their geological applications

Solubility models for CH4, CO2, and noble gases are widely used in Earth Sciences, playing pivotal roles in the study of homogenization pressure of inclusions, paleoclimate variation, gas migration and accumulation, formation of helium-rich gas plays, and the volumetric ratio of gas to water in reservoirs. This paper reviews solubility models of CH4, CO2, and noble gases in pure water and aqueous NaCl solutions. Specifically, the models with high accuracy and wide applicability are introduced in detail: (1) CH4 solubility model in aqueous solutions within the range of 0–250 °C, 0.1–200 MPa, and 0–6.0 mol/kg NaCl; (2) CO2 solubility model in aqueous solutions within the range of 0–450 °C, 0.1–150 MPa, and 0–4.5 mol/kg NaCl; (3) Models for calculating the solubility and Henry's constant of atmospheric noble gases within 0–80 °C range; (4) Models for calculating the Henry's constant of noble gases in pure water; (5) Solubility models of noble gases in aqueous solutions within the range of 0–65 °C, 0.1 MPa, and 0–5.8 mol/kg NaCl. The paper also presents some calculated results obtained using these models. The solubility models of CH4 and CO2 are complex yet highly accurate, with a broad range of applications. In contrast, the solubility models of noble gases exhibit relatively lower accuracy and a narrower application range, necessitating corrections. In the noble gases-CO2-H2O system, low-density CO2 has little effect on the solubility of noble gases, whereas high-density CO2 significantly influences their solubilities. Currently, accurately evaluating the solubility of CH4, CO2, and noble gases in their mixtures proves challenging, warranting further research into solubility models for gas mixtures.

Palynological implications for the paleoclimate and paleoceanographic reconstruction of the East Sea since the early Pleistocene at IODP site U1430

Palynomorphs, including pollen and dinoflagellate cysts from marine sediments, can provide a history of paleoclimate and paleoceanography. We present new palynological profiles based on a core from the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Site U1430, which was drilled in the Ulleung Plateau East Sea. This core covers the past 2 Ma and spans the Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT, 1.2–0.8 Ma) and Mid-Brunhes Event (MBE, ∼0.43 Ma). Terrestrial and marine palynomorph records indicate orbital-scale variations in paleoclimate and paleoceanography, reflecting changes in the interconnections between vegetation, climate, and the ocean. Before the MPT, the high pollen taxa ratio and abundant temperate pollen suggest a relatively warm temperature associated with astronomical forcing-induced insolation changes. At ca. 1.3 Ma, boreal coniferous pollen increased, suggesting intensification of the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM). The long-term trend of boreal coniferous pollen concentration was similar to that of benthic δ18O. This orbital scale boreal conifer pollen assemblage variation indicates Quaternary EAWM evolution controlled by changes in global ice volume and climatic cooling. The marine palynological data reflect the ocean circulation history of the study area, where sea level fluctuations and tectonic activity played important roles around the marginal sea. The abundance of warm-water dinoflagellate species after ca. 1.9 Ma, including Tuberculodinium vancampoae, indicates Tsushima Warm Current intrusion related to the expansion of the Korea (Tsushima) Strait. Nematosphaeropsis labyrinthus and other cold-water species increased markedly during the MPT, suggesting a low sea surface temperature and weakened vertical mixing of the East Sea due to the cooled climate and sea ice during the MPT. The marked sea level fluctuation associated with the glacial–interglacial cycling after the MBE resulted in an assemblage composition shift from cold to warm water species. Tsuga and Betula thrived during mild winters, primarily influenced by winter insolation. These genera were particularly prosperous in the early Pleistocene, coinciding with a strong intrusion of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC). Our findings should be considered in developing a comprehensive understanding of the paleoclimate and paleoceanographic history of northern East Asia across the major climate transitions of the Pleistocene.

Latest Neogene Paleoclimate Variation in Yunnan, Southwest China, Revealed by Fossil Leaf Physiognomy

AbstractYunnan Province, located in the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, can provide important information on how climate change was influenced by global cooling. However, its variation patterns in temperature and precipitation during the latest Neogene are not well‐understood. Based on the 357 specimens assigned to 31 morphotypes of plant fossils from the upper Pliocene Ciying Formation in Yiliang County, Yunnan Province, Southwest China, paleoclimate was estimated by Leaf Margin Analysis and Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program. Compared to the present climate, the mean annual temperature and coldest month temperature have not changed significantly since the late Pliocene, whereas the warmest month temperature has decreased significantly. All precipitation‐related parameters have decreased, particularly winter precipitation. Combined with the climatic data of the same period in other areas of Yunnan, the western and eastern Yunnan has shown a similar pattern in temperature variation since the late Pliocene except for central Yunnan; whereas the variation in precipitation does not follow a common law except for a consistent decrease in winter precipitation. Our study reinforced the fact that under the background of global cooling and intensified monsoon systems, different areas of Yunnan exhibit different climatic responses to these changes because of their topographic heterogeneities.