A 350-cm-long sediment core sequence from Dahu Swamp situated in the eastern Nanling Mountains was selected for high-resolution paleoclimatic reconstruction since the Late Glacial period. The multi-proxy records of this paper reveal several evidently dry and cold events that may coincide with the Oldest Dryas, the Older Dryas, the Younger Dryas in the late deglacial period. Two relatively wetter and warmer phases occurred in ca. 15,000-14,400 cal yr B.P. and 13,500-12,800 cal yr B.P. respectively may correspond to the Blling and Allerd warming events. The Younger Dryas event (ca. 12,800-11,500 cal yr B.P.) revealed by multi-proxies was characterized by relatively colder and drier climate. A warmer and wetter climate, occurred in ca. 10,000-6000 cal yr B.P., was consistent with the Holocene Optimum, which coincided with the maximum Northern Hemisphere insolation. The "8.2kyr cool event" and even the "8.8kyr cool event" were indicated as well from our sediment core. A dry mid-Holocene period (ca. 6000- 3000 cal yr B.P.) indicated by multi-proxies does not follow the traditional concept of the wet mid-Holocene conditions observed in other regions in China.
XUE Jibin ZHONG Wei ZHENG Yanming MA Qiaohong CAI Ying OUYANG Jun
Although extensive studies have been performed on nitrogen isotopes in lake sediments,understanding the complexity of the δ~15N variation related to past environmental and climatic conditions still remains unclear.Supported by multi-proxy records including litho-units,organic carbon isotopes,ration of total organic carbon and total nitrogen,organic matter content,bulk dry density,the accumulation rate of organic matter,median grain size,magnetic susceptibility,and Rb/Sr and Ca/Mg ratios obtained from a sedimentary sequence in a small lake(i.e.,Dahu Swamp) in the eastern Nanling Mountains in South China,we deduce that variation in the δ15N values results primarily from the sources of organic matter,which are significantly influenced by climatic conditions over the past ~16 000 years.A low(or high) lake level resulting from dry(or wet) conditions would lead to more(or fewer) vascular plant remains in the sediments and stronger(or weaker) denitrification associated with hypolimnetic anoxia,resulting in lower(or higher) δ15N values.In addition,dry(or wet) conditions would favor weakened(or strengthened) biogeochemical activity in the catchment,which could result in less(or more) external input of15N-enriched OM,thus leading to decreased(or increased) δ15N values.Our results indicate that the lake sediment δ15N record in the Nanling Mountains has the potential to provide valuable insight into past East Asian monsoon climatedriven environmental changes.
