Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T01:46:48.654Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Climatic Implications of the S5 Paleosol Complex on the Southernmost Chinese Loess Plateau

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Jingtai Han ,
William S. Fyfe  and
Fred J. Longstaffe
Jingtai Han
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B7
William S. Fyfe
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B7
Fred J. Longstaffe
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B7
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The S5 is the most prominent paleosol unit in the Chinese Loess Plateau, and is distinguished by its great thickness, dark color, and well-developed clay coatings. Previous studies led to the proposal that the S5 developed under much warmer and wetter conditions than at present, implying a “climatic optimum.” However, the S5 is a paleosol complex corresponding in time to a period of weak glacial–interglacial oscillations, as recorded by marine oxygen-isotope stages 15 through 13. To understand the character of this climatic interval, two profiles of the paleosol S5 in the Guanzhong basin were studied, with most of the emphasis being placed on the uppermost and best-developed pedon, S5-I. Grain-size, mineralogical, and chemical data indicate that the major pedogenic processes experienced by the S5-I included complete decalcification and mechanical translocation of fine particles. Chemical alteration of silicate minerals has been weak. Stable carbon-isotope analyses of organic matter showed that C4 plant remains are abundant throughout the profiles. These results suggest that grasslands dominated the paleovegetation during S5-I development. The prominent development of the S5 paleosol complex may reflect a prolonged period of pedogenesis. In contrast to previous reports, paleoclimatic conditions perhaps even drier than at present are implied by the data for the S5 profiles. The relative strength of the glacial–interglacial oscillation in this region (related to the East Asian monsoon) was similar to that indicated for global climate during S5 time.

Keywords

ChinaLoess Plateaupaleosolglacial-interglacial oscillation
Type
Original Articles
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 50 , Issue 1 , July 1998 , pp. 21 - 33
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ambrose, S.H., and Sikes, N.E. (1991). Soil carbon isotope evidence for Holocene habitat change in the Kenya Rift Valley. Science 253, 1402–1405.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
An, Z.S., and Wei, L.Y. (1980). The fifth layer paleosol in the Lishi loess and its paleoclimatic significance. Acta Pedologica Sinica 17, 1–12.Google Scholar
An, Z.S., Liu, T.S., Zhu, Y.Z., Sun, F.Q., and Ding, Z.L. (1987). The paleosol complex S5 in the China Loess Plateau—A record of climatic optimum during the last 1.2 Ma. Geojournal 15, 141–143.Google Scholar
An, Z.S., and Porter, S.C. (1997). Millennial-scale climatic oscillations during the last interglaciation in central China. Geology 25, 603–606.Google Scholar
Avery, B.W. (1985). Argillic horizons and their significance in England and Wales. Soils and Quaternary Landscape Evolution Wiley, Chichester.p. 69–86Google Scholar
Billard, A. (1993). Is a Middle Pleistocene climatic optimum recorded in the loess paleosol sequences of Eurasia. Quaternary International 17 87–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Birkeland, P.W. (1974). Pedology, Weathering, and Geomorphological Research. Oxford University Press, Oxford.p. 103–124Google Scholar
Broecker, W.S., and Denton, G.H. (1990). The role of ocean-atmosphere reorganizations in glacial cycles. Quaternary Science Reviews 9, 305–341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Broecker, W.S., and van Donk, J. (1970). Insolation changes, ice volumes and the O18 . Reviews of Geophysics and Space Physics 8, 169–197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Catt, J.A. (1990). Paleopedology manual, chapter 1. Quaternary International 6, 2–20.Google Scholar
Cerling, T.E., Harris, J.M., MacFadden, B.J., Leakey, M.G., Quade, J., Eisenmann, V., and Ehleringer, J. (1997). Global vegetation change through the Miocene/Pliocene boundary. Nature 389, 153–158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deines, P. (1980). The isotopic composition of reduced organic carbon.Fritz, A.P., Fontes, J.Ch. Handbook of Environmental Isotope Geochemistry: 1. The Terrestrial Environment Elsevier, Amsterdam.329–406.Google Scholar
Ding, Z.L. (1988). Investigation and Division of Pedostratigraphy and Climatostratigraphy on the China Loess. Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Geology, Google Scholar
Ding, Z., Yu, Z., Rutter, N.W., and Liu, T. (1994). Towards an orbital time scale for Chinese loess deposits. Quaternary Science Reviews 13, 39–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ding, Z.L., Liu, T.S., Rutter, N.W., Yu, Z.W., Guo, Z.T., and Zhu, R.X. (1995). Ice-volume forcing of east Asian winter monsoon variations in the past 800,000 years. Quaternary Research 44, 149–159.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dreimanis, A. (1962). Quantitative gasometric determination of calcite and dolomite by using Chittick apparatus. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 32, 520–529.Google Scholar
Ellis, S., and Mellor, A. (1995). Soil and Environment. Routledge, London.p. 57–95Google Scholar
Evans, L.J. (1992). Alteration products at the Earth's surface—the clay minerals.Martini, I.P., Chesworth, W. Weathering, Soils & Paleosols Elsevier Science Publishers B. V, Amterdam.107–125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guo, Z.T., Fedoroff, N., and An, Z.S. (1991). Genetic types of the Holocene soil and the Pleistocene paleosols in the Xifeng loess section in central China.Liu, T.S. Loess, Environment and Global Change Science Press, Beijing.93–111.Google Scholar
Guo, Z.T., Liu, T.S., and An, Z.S. (1994). Paleosols of the last 0.15 Ma in the Weinan loess section and their paleoclimatic significance. Quaternary Sciences 1994, 256–269.Google Scholar
Han, J. (1995). Climate Forcing: Observations from Chinese Loess Plateau and a Perspective of the Influence of Ocean Ridge Processes. the University of Western Ontario, Google Scholar
Han, J., Fyfe, W.S., Longstaffe, F.J., Palmer, C., Yan, F.H., and Mai, X.S. (1997). Pliocene–Pleistocene climatic change recorded in fluviolacustrine sediments in central China. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 135, 27–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heller, F., and Liu, T.S. (1984). Magnetism of Chinese loess deposits. Geophysical Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society 77, 125–141.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heller, F., Shen, C.D., Beer, J., Liu, X.M., Liu, T.S., Bronger, A., Suter, M., and Bonani, G. (1993). Quantitative estimates of pedogenic ferromagnetic mineral formation in Chinese loess and palaeoclimatic implications. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 114, 385–390.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heller, F., and Evans, M.E. (1995). Loess magnetism. Reviews of Geophysics 33, 211–240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Imbrie, J., Hays, J.D., Martinson, D.G., McIntyre, A., Mix, A.C., Morley, J.J., Pisias, N.G., Prell, W.L., and Shackleton, N.J. (1984). The orbital theory of Pleistocene climate: support from a revised chronology of the marine δ18 .Berger, A.L. Milankovitch and Climate, Part I Reidel, Dordrecht.269–305.Google Scholar
Kalm, V.E., Rutter, N.W., and Rokosh, C.D. (1996). Clay minerals and their paleoenvironmental interpretation in the Baoji loess section, Southern Loess Plateau, China. Catena 27, 49–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kukla, G. (1987). Loess stratigraphy in Central China. Quaternary Science Reviews 6, 191–219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kukla, G., Heller, F., Liu, X.M., Xu, T.C., Liu, T.S., and An, Z.S. (1988). Climates in China dated by magnetic susceptibility. Geology 16, 811–814.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lin, Y.G. (1984). Climate in China. Atlas of the People's Republic of China China Map Press, Beijing.p. 10–12Google Scholar
Lin, B., Liu, R., and An, Z. (1991). Preliminary research on stable isotopic compositions of Chinese loess.Liu, T.S. Loess, Environment and Global Change Science Press, Beijing.124–131.Google Scholar
Liu, J.Q., Chen, T.M., Nie, G.Z., Song, C.Y., Guo, Z.T., Li, K., Gao, S.J., Qiao, Y.L., and Ma, Z.B. (1994). Dating and reconstruction of the high resolution time series in the Weinan loess section of the last 150 000 years. Quaternary Sciences 1994, 193–202.Google Scholar
Liu, T.S. (1966). The Composition and Texture of Loess. China Science Press, Beijing.Google Scholar
Liu, T.S. (1985). Loess and the Environment. China Science Press, Beijing.Google Scholar
Liu, T.S., Ding, Z., Yu, Z., and Rutter, N. (1993). Susceptibility time series of the Baoji section and the bearings on paleoclimatic periodicities in the last 2.5 Ma. Quaternary International 17, 33–38.Google Scholar
Liu, X.M., Rolph, T., Bloemendal, J., Shaw, J., and Liu, T.S. (1994). Remanence characteristics of different magnetic grain size categories at Xifeng, central Chinese Loess Plateau. Quaternary Research 42, 162–165.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, X.M., Rolph, T., Bloemendal, J., Shaw, J., and Liu, T.S. (1995). Quantitative estimates of palaeoprecipitation at Xifeng, in the Loess Plateau of China. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology 113, 243–248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Logan, W. (1991). Organic Carbon: Modified Walkley-Black Method. The University of Western OntarioGeotechnical Research CentreFaculty of Engineering Centre, Google Scholar
Maher, B.A., and Thompson, R. (1991). Mineral magnetic record of the Chinese loess and paleosols. Geology 19, 3–6.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maher, B.A., Thompson, R., and Zhou, L.P. (1994). Spatial and temporal reconstructions of changes in the Asian palaeomonsoon: A new mineral magnetic approach. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 125, 461–471.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maher, B.A., and Thompson, R. (1995). Paleorainfall reconstructions from pedogenic magnetic susceptibility variations in the Chinese loess and paleosols. Quaternary Research 44, 383–391.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marino, B.D., and McElroy, M.B. (1991). Isotopic composition of atmospheric CO2 4 . Nature 349, 127–131.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(1980). Principles of Pedology and Pedogeography. People's Education Press, Shanghai.p. 351Google Scholar
Nesbitt, H.W., and Young, G.M. (1982). Early Proterozoic climates and plate motions inferred from major element chemistry of lutites. Nature 299, 715–717.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Porter, S.C., and An, Z.S. (1995). Correlation between climate events in the North Atlantic and China during the last glaciation. Nature 375, 305–308.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richardson, S.M., McSween, H.Y. Jr.(1989). Geochemistry Pathways and Processes. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs.Google Scholar
Ross, G.J. (1975). Experimental alteration of chlorites into vermiculites by chemical oxidation. Nature 255, 133–134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ross, S. (1989). Soil Processes: A Systematic Approach. Routledge, London.Google Scholar
Rutter, N., Ding, Z., Evans, M.E., and Liu, T.S. (1991). Baoji-type pedostratigraphic section, Loess Plateau, north-central China. Quaternary Science Reviews 10, 1–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Soil Survey Staff(1975). , Soil Taxonomy: a basic system of soil classification for making and interpretating soil surveys, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DCGoogle Scholar
Sun, X.J. (1989). Re-interpretation on the late Pleistocene vegetation in Beizhuang of Weinan, Shaanxi. Quaternary Sciences 1989, 177–190.Google Scholar
Tang, K.L. (1981). Micromorphology and genesis of the paleosols in loess, Wugong, Shaanxi. Science Bulletin 26, 177–179.Google Scholar
Wang, Y., Evans, M.E., Rutter, N., and Ding, Z. (1990). Magnetic susceptibility of Chinese loess and its bearing on paleoclimate. Geophysical Research Letters 17, 2449–2451.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, D.F., Thunell, R.C., Tappa, E., Rio, D., and Raffi, I. (1988). Chronology of the Pleistocene oxygen isotope record: 0–1.88 m.y. B.P. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology 64, 221–240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wu, N.Q., Lu, H.Y., Sun, X.J., Guo, Z.T., Liu, J.Q., and Han, J.M. (1994). Climate transfer function from opal phytoliths and its application in paleoclimate reconstruction of China loess-paleosol sequence. Quaternary Sciences 1994, 270–279.Google Scholar
Xiao, J.L., Porter, S.C., An, Z.S., Kumai, H., and Yoshikawa, S. (1995). Grain size of quartz as an indicator of winter monsoon strength on the Loess Plateau of central China during the last 130,000 yr. Quaternary Research 43, 22–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yatsu, E. (1988). The Nature of Weathering. Sozosha, Tokyo.p. 401–504Google Scholar
Zhang, Y., Wen, Q.Z., Yang, F.J., and Liu, T.S. (1994). Discussion on geochemical environment information-spectrum of loess for the last 0.1 Ma in Weinan area. Quaternary Sciences 1994, 214–224.Google Scholar
Zhou, L.P., Oldfield, F., Wintle, A.G., Robinson, S.G., and Wang, J.T. (1990). Partly pedogenic origin of magnetic variations in Chinese loess. Nature 346, 737–739.CrossRefGoogle Scholar