以会宁陈塬剖面全新世段的粒度变化作为主要研究对象,辅以磁化率曲线变化,对该区全新世时期的气候变化进行了初步分析。研究认为,会宁地区全新世时期黄土—古土壤沉积以粗粉砂(16~63μm)为主,占47.99%~55.78%,其次为细粉砂(4~16μm)、砂粒(〉63μm)和黏粒(〈4μm),对粒度参数的计算显示,该时期粒度组成较单一,分选较差,粒度频率分布曲线较宽平且呈微弱正偏。将气候变化分为4个阶段:16~11.3 ka BP,晚更新世向全新世过渡时期;11.3~8.5 ka BP,波动时期;8.5~4.5 ka BP,变暖时期;4.5 ka BP至今,现代气候时期。粒度指标对气候变化尤其是具有显著影响的气候事件反映更加敏感,对全球性气候变化和东亚季风边缘区区域性的气候变化均有良好记录。
Marine Isotope Stage 11(MIS 11; ca. 423-362 ka) is generally considered to be the best analogue for the present interglacial(Holocene), and investigation of it will improve our understanding of current climate variability and assist in predictions of future climate change. However, many recent studies primarily focus on the structure and duration of MIS 11. Little research has focused on climate warmth and stability recorded in the Chinese loess-paleosol sequences(LPS) during the S4 paleosol formation(equivalent to MIS 11). On the basis of previous work, this study presents a high-resolution record(ca. 75 a/cm) that spans from MIS 1 to MIS 15, as preserved in the thickest known Jingyuan loess section on the western Chinese Loess Plateau(CLP). This LPS is almost 165 m thick and was sampled from the upper part of L6 to the modern soil at 2-cm depth intervals. Measurements of magnetic susceptibility, mean grain size and >63 μm particle content, carbonate content, total organic carbon, and soil color of samples were made to reconstruct the paleoclimate variation, and a grain-size age model was used to constrain the chronological framework. The primary results show that a generally warm-humid climate dominated the S4 paleosol development, but the climate condition was extremely unstable during the whole of MIS 11. Two obviously different climate regimes controlled the MIS 11 climate variation: the early part of MIS 11 was extremely warm and stable, but the latter part was relatively cool(non-glacial) and unstable. This climate pattern was consistent with records on the central CLP and wavelet analysis suggested that it was forced by the 65°N insolation variability modulated by a quasi-100-ka cycle. In addition, a multi-proxy comparative study on the climate conditions during S0 to S5 paleosol development indicates that the period of S4 development might be the warmest interglacial of the past 650 ka. However, the climate condition during S4 development was not the most humid episod
Remote sensing is an effective way in monitoring desertification dynamics in arid and semi-arid regions.In this study,we used a decision tree method based on NDVI(normalized difference vegetation index),SAVI(soil adjusted vegetation index),and vegetation cover proportion to quantify and analyze the desertification in Eritrea using Landsat data of the 1970 s,1980 s and 2014.The results demonstrate that the NDVI value and the annual mean precipitation declined while the temperature increased over the past 40 a.Strongly desertified land increased from 4.82×10^4 km^2(38.5%)in the 1970 s to 8.38×10^4 km^2(66.9%)in 2014:approximately 85%of the land of the country was under serious desertification,which significantly occurred in arid and semi-arid lowlands of the country(eastern,northern,and western lowlands)with relatively scarce precipitation and high temperature.The non-desertified area,mostly located in the sub-humid eastern escarpment,also declined from approximately 2.1%to 0.5%.The study concludes that the desertification is a cause of serious land degradation in Eritrea and may link to climate changes,such as low and unpredictable precipitation,and prolonged drought.
Mihretab G GHEBREZGABHERYANG TaibaoYANG XuemeiWANG Congqiang