Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T07:40:01.115Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Holocene climate change inferred from stratigraphy and OSL chronology of aeolian sediments in the Qaidam Basin, northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

LuPeng Yu
Affiliation:
CAS Key Laboratory of Salt Lake Resources and Chemistry, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 81000, China Qinghai Geological Survey Institute, Xining 810012, China State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
ZhongPing Lai*
Affiliation:
CAS Key Laboratory of Salt Lake Resources and Chemistry, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 81000, China State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710075, China
*
*Corresponding author at: CAS Key Laboratory of Salt Lake Resources and Chemistry, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 81000, China. E-mail address:zplai@isl.ac.cn (Z.P. Lai).

Abstract

Paleoclimatic reconstruction based on aeolian sediments in the eastern Qaidam Basin (QB) has been hindered by the limited chronological data. Here we present 61 Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) ages. On the basis of these OSL ages and the lithologic stratigraphy, we propose the ‘effective moisture index (EMI)’ for aeolian sediments to reconstruct the effective moisture change. Based on the EMI from twelve sections, the effective moisture change, moisture sources and relevant mechanisms for paleoclimatic change in the eastern QB are discussed. The results indicate that (1) aeolian deposition started at least before 12.4 ± 0.7 ka during the deglaciation, the paleosols developed at the early and mid-Holocene, and aeolian sand and loess accumulated at mid- and late Holocene; (2) effective moisture history was: hyper-arid at 12.8–11.6 ka, humid and variable at 11.6–8.3 ka, moderately humid and stable at 8.3–3.5 ka, and increasingly arid at 3.5–0 ka; (3) the effective moisture change was mainly controlled by the Asian summer monsoon (ASM), which mainly followed the change of Northern Hemispheric summer insolation, and the westerlies strengthened and increased the aridity in the QB when the ASM shrank.

Type
Articles
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

Alley, R.B., Meese, D.A., Shuman, C.A., Gow, A.J., Tayler, K.C., Grootes, P.M., White, J.W.C., Ram, M., Waddington, E.D., Mayewski, P.A., and Zielinski, G.A. Abrupt increase in Greenland snow accumulation at the end of the Younger Dryas event. Nature 362, (1993). 527529.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
An, Z.S., Porter, S.C., Kutzbach, J.E., Wu, X.H., Wang, S.M., Liu, X.D., Li, X.Q., and Zhou, W.J. Asynchronous Holocene optimum of the East Asian monsoon. Quaternary Science Reviews 19, (2000). 734762.Google Scholar
An, C.B., Tang, L.Y., Barton, L., and Chen, F.H. Climate change and cultural response around 4000 cal yr B.P. in the western part of Chinese Loess Plateau. Quaternary Research 63, (2005). 347352.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
An, F.Y., Ma, H.Z., Wei, H.C., and Lai, Z.P. Distinguishing aeolian signature from lacustrine sediments of the Qaidam Basin in northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and its palaeoclimatic implications. Aeolian Research 4, (2012). 1730.Google Scholar
An, Z.S., Colman, S.M., Zhou, W.J., Li, X.Q., Brown, E.T., Jull, A.J.T., Cai, Y.J., Huang, Y.S., Lu, X.F., Chang, H., Song, Y.G., Sun, Y.B., Xu, H., Liu, W.G., Jin, Z.D., Liu, X.D., Cheng, P., Liu, Y., Ai, L., Li, X.Z., Liu, X.J., Yan, L.B., Shi, Z.G., Wang, X.L., Wu, F., Qiang, X.K., Dong, J.B., Lu, F.Y., and Xu, X.W. Interplay between the Westerlies and Asian monsoon recorded in Lake Qinghai sediments since 32 ka. Nature Scientific Reports 2, 619 (2012). 17.Google ScholarPubMed
Barber, D.C., Dyke, A., Hillaire-Marcel, C., Jennings, A.E., Andrews, J.T., Kerwin, M.W., Bilodeau, G., McNeely, R., Southon, J., Morehead, M.D., and Gagnon, J.-M. Forcing of the cold event of 8,200 years ago by catastrophic drainage of Laurentide lakes. Nature 400, (1999). 344348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berger, A., and Loutre, M.F. Insolation values for the climate of the last 10 million years. Quaternary Science Reviews 10, (1991). 297317.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bond, G., Kromer, B., Beer, J., Muscheler, R., Evans, M.N., Showers, W., Hoffmann, S., Bond, R.L., Hajdas, I., and Bonani, G. Persistent solar influence on North Atlantic climate during the Holocene. Science 294, (2001). 21302136.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bowler, J.M., Huang, Q., Chen, K.Z., Head, M.J., and Yuan, B.Y. Radiocarbon dating of playa lake hydrologic changes: examples from northwestern China and central Australia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 54, (1986). 241260.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, B.S. Paleoclimate study based on high-resolution sediment records since Holocene in Gahai Lake. Master thesis (2010). Guangzhou University, Guangzhou. (in Chinese) Google Scholar
Chen, K.Z., and Bowler, J.M. Preliminary study on sedimentary characteristics and evolution of palaeoclimate of Qarhan Salt Lake in Qaidam Basin. Scientia Sinica. Series B 28, (1985). 12181231.Google Scholar
Chen, K.Z., and Bowler, J.M. Late Pleistocene evolution of salt lakes in the Qaidam Basin, Qinghai province, China. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 54, (1986). 87104.Google Scholar
Chen, F.H., Li, J.J., Zhang, W.X., and Pan, B.T. The loess profile of south bank, climate information and lake-level fluctuation of Qinghai Lake during the Holocene. Scientia Geographica Sinica 11, (1991). 7685. (in Chinese) Google Scholar
Chen, J., Li, G., Yang, J., Rao, W., Lu, H., Balsam, W., Sun, Y., and Ji, J. Nd and Sr isotopic characteristics of Chinese deserts: implications for the provenance of Asian dust. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 71, (2007). 39043914.Google Scholar
Chen, F.H., Yu, Z.C., Yang, M.L., Ito, E., Wang, S.M., Madsen, D.B., Huang, X.Z., Zhao, Y., Sato, T., Birks, H.J.B., Boomer, I., An, C.B., and Wünnemann, B. Holocene moisture evolution in arid central Asia and its out-of-phase relationship with Asian monsoon history. Quaternary Science Reviews 27, (2008). 351364.Google Scholar
Chen, Y.X., Li, Y.K., Zhang, Y., Zhang, M., Zhang, J.C., Yi, C.L., and Liu, G.N. Late Quaternary deposition and incision sequences of the Golmud River and their environmental implications. Quaternary International 236, (2011). 4856.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chorographic committee of Dulan County, Dulan County Annals. (2001). Shaanxi People's Publishing House, Xi'an. 7989. (in Chinese) Google Scholar
Cohen, T.J., Nanson, G.C., Larsen, J.R., Jones, B.G., Price, D.M., Coleman, M., and Pietsch, T.J. Late Quaternary aeolian and fluvial interactions on the Cooper Creek Fan and the association between linear and source-bordering dunes, Strzelecki Desert, Australia. Quaternary Science Reviews 29, (2010). 455471.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
COHMAP, Climate changes of the last 18,000 years: observations and model simulations. Science 241, (1988). 10431052.Google Scholar
Dansgaard, W., Johnsen, S.J., Clausen, H.B., Dahl-Jensen, D., Gundestrup, N.S., Hammer, C.U., Hvidberg, C.S., Steffensen, J.P., Sveinbjörnsdottir, A.E., Jouzel, J., and Bond, G. Evidence for general instability of past climate from a 250-kyr ice-core record. Nature 364, (1993). 218220.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dykoski, C.A., Edwards, R.L., Cheng, H., Yuan, D.X., Cai, Y.J., Zhang, M.L., Lin, Y.S., Qing, J.M., An, Z.S., and Revenaugh, J. A high-resolution, absolute-dated Holocene and deglacial Asian monsoon record from Dongge Cave, China. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 233, (2005). 7186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fleitmann, D., Burns, S.J., Mudelsee, M., Neff, U., Kramers, J., Mangini, A., and Matter, A. Holocene forcing of the Indian Monsoon recorded in a stalagmite from Southern Oman. Science 300, (2003). 17371739.Google Scholar
Gao, Y.X. On some problems of Asian monsoon. Gao, Y.X. Some Questions about the East Asian Monsoon. (1962). Science Press, Beijing. 149. (in Chinese) Google Scholar
Gao, Q.Z., Dong, G.R., Zou, X.Y., and Li, B.S. The Chagelebulu section: a strata record of the advances and retreats of the monsoons in East Asia since Late Pleistocene. Journal of Desert Research 16, (1996). 112119. (in Chinese) Google Scholar
Grootes, P.M., Stuiver, M., White, J.W.C., Johnsen, S., and Jouzel, J. Comparison of oxygen isotope records from the GISP2and GRIP Greenland ice core. Nature 366, (1993). 552554.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gupta, A.K., Anderson, D.M., and Overpeck, J.T. Abrupt changes in the Asian southwest monsoon during the Holocene and their links to the North Atlantic Ocean. Nature 421, (2003). 354357.Google Scholar
Hao, Y.P., Fang, X.M., Xi, X.X., HU, S.X., and Guan, D.H. The characteristic of climatic fluctuation recorded by soil formation since late Pleistocene in east region of Qaidam Basin. Scientia Geographica Sinica 18, (1998). 249254. (in Chinese) Google Scholar
Hong, Y.T., Hong, B., Lin, Q.H., Zhu, Y.X., Shibata, Y., Hirota, M., Uchida, M., Leng, X.T., Jiang, H.B., Xu, H., Wang, H., and Yi, L. Correlation between Indian Ocean summer monsoon and North Atlantic climate during the Holocene. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 211, (2003). 371380.Google Scholar
Hong, Y.T., Hong, B., Lin, Q.H., Shibata, Y., Hirota, M., Zhu, Y.X., Leng, X.T., Wang, Y., Wang, H., and Li, Y. Inverse phase oscillations between the East Asian and Indian Ocean summer monsoons during the last 12000 years and paleo-El Niño. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 231, (2005). 337346.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hou, G.L., and Fang, X.Q. Characteristics of Holocene temperature change in China. Progress in Geography 30, (2011). 10751080. (in Chinese) Google Scholar
Hu, C.Y., Henderson, G.M., Huang, J.H., Xie, S.C., Sun, Y., and Johnson, K.R. Quantification of Holocene Asian monsoon rainfall from spatially separated cave records. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 266, (2008). 221232.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huang, Q., Cai, B.Q., and Yu, J.Q. The 14C age and cycle of sedimentation of some saline lakes on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau. Chinese Science Bulletin 26, (1981). 6670.Google Scholar
Ji, J.F., Shen, J., Balsam, W., Chen, J., Liu, L.W., and Liu, X.Q. Asian monsoon oscillations in the northeastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau since the late glacial interpreted from visible reflectance of Qinghai Lake sediments. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 233, (2005). 6170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnsen, S.J., Clausen, H.B., Dansgaard, W., Fuhrer, K., Gundestrup, N., Hammer, C.U., Iversen, P., Steffensen, J.P., Jouzel, J., and Stayffer, B. Irregular glacial interstadials recorded in a new Greenland ice core. Nature 359, (1992). 311313.Google Scholar
Kapp, P., Pelletier, J.D., Rohrmann, A., Heermance, R., Russell, J., and Ding, L. Wind erosion in the Qaidam basin, central Asia: implications for tectonics, paleoclimate, and the source of the Loess Plateau. GSA Today 21, 4/5 (2011). 410.Google Scholar
Kutzbach, J.E., Foley, J., and Foley, J. Vegetation and soil feedbacks on the response of the African monsoon to orbital forcing in the Early to Middle Holocene. Nature 384, (1996). 623626.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lai, Z.P. Testing the use of an OSL standardized growth curve (SGC) for De determination on quartz from the Chinese Loess Plateau. Radiation Measurements 41, (2006). 916.Google Scholar
Lai, Z.P., and Brückner, H. Effects of feldspar contamination on equivalent dose and the shape of growth curve for OSL of silt-sized quartz extracted from Chinese loess. Geochronometria 30, (2008). 4953.Google Scholar
Lai, Z.P., and Ou, X.J. Basic procedures of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating. Progress in Geography 32, 5 (2013). 683693. (in Chinese with English abstract) Google Scholar
Lai, Z.P., and Wintle, A.G. Locating the boundary between the Pleistocene and the Holocene in Chinese loess using luminescence. The Holocene 16, (2006). 893899.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lai, Z.P., Wintle, A.G., and Thomas, D.S.G. Rates of dust deposition between 50 ka and 20 ka revealed by OSL dating at Yuanbao on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 248, (2007). 431439.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lai, Z.P., Brückner, H., Zöller, L., and Fülling, A. Existence of a common growth curve for silt-sized quartz OSL of loess from different continents. Radiation Measurements 42, (2007). 14321440.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lai, Z.P., Zöller, L., Fuchs, M., and Brückner, H. Alpha efficiency determination for OSL of quartz extracted from Chinese loess. Radiation Measurements 43, (2008). 767770.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lai, Z.P., Kaiser, K., and Brückner, H. Luminescence-dated aeolian deposits of late Quaternary age in the southern Tibetan Plateau and their implications for landscape history. Quaternary Research 72, (2009). 421430.Google Scholar
Lai, Z.P., Mischke, S., and Medsen, D. Paleoenvironmental implications of new OSL dates on the formation of the “Shell Bar” in the Qaidam Basin, northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. Journal of Paleolimnology (2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10933-013-9710-1Google Scholar
Lancaster, N. Development of linear dunes in the southwestern Kalahari, Southern-Africa. Journal of Arid Environments 14, (1988). 233244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, S. Holocene climate and environmental changes documented by sediments from Lake Gahai in Qaidam Basin. Master thesis (2011). Lanzhou University, Lanzhou. (in Chinese) Google Scholar
Lister, G., Kelts, K., Chen, K.Z., Yu, J.Q., and Niessen, F. Lake Qinghai, China: closed-basin lake levels and the oxygen isotope record for ostracoda since the latest Pleistocene. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 84, (1991). 141162.Google Scholar
Liu, T.S. Loess and the Environment. (1985). China Ocean Press, Beijing.Google Scholar
Liu, X.Q., Shen, J., Wang, S.M., Wang, Y.B., and Liu, W.G. Southwest monsoon changes indicated by oxygen isotope of ostracode shells from sediments in Qinghai Lake since the Lateglacial. Chinese Science Bulletin 52, (2007). 539544.Google Scholar
Liu, X.Q., Dong, H.L., Rech, J.A., Matsumoto, R., Yang, B., and Wang, Y.B. Evolution of Chaka Salt Lake in NW China in response to climatic change during the Latest Pleistocene–Holocene. Quaternary Science Reviews 27, (2008). 867879.Google Scholar
Liu, X.J., Lai, Z.P., Madsen, D., Yu, L.P., Liu, K., and Zhang, J.R. Lake level variations of Qinghai Lake in northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau since 3.7 ka based on OSL dating. Quaternary International 236, (2011). 5764.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, X.J., Lai, Z.P., Yu, L.P., Sun, Y.J., and Madsen, D. Luminescence chronology of aeolian deposits from the Qinghai Lake area in the Northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and its palaeoenvironmental implications. Quaternary Geochronology 10, (2012). 3743.Google Scholar
Lu, H.Y., Zhao, C.F., Mason, J., Yi, S.W., Zhao, H., Zhou, Y.L., Ji, J.F., Swinehart, J., and Wang, C.M. Holocene climate changes revealed by Aeolian deposits from the Qinghai Lake area (northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau) and possible forcing mechanisms. The Holocene 21, (2011). 297304.Google Scholar
Mischke, S., and Zhang, C.J. Holocene cold events on the Tibetan Plateau. Global and Planetary Change 72, (2010). 155163.Google Scholar
Murray, A.S., and Wintle, A.G. Luminescence dating of quartz using an improved single-aliquot regenerative-dose protocol. Radiation Measurements 32, (2000). 5773.Google Scholar
Murray, A.S., and Wintle, A.G. The single aliquot regenerative dose protocol: potential for improvements in reliability. Radiation Measurements 37, (2003). 377381.Google Scholar
Neff, U., Burns, S.J., Mangini, A., Mudelsee, M., Fleitmann, D., and Matter, A. Strong coherence between solar variability and the monsoon in Oman between 9 and 6 kyr ago. Nature 411, (2001). 290293.Google Scholar
Niu, G.M., Qiang, M.R., Song, L., Lang, L.L., and Wang, L.Q. Change of eastern Asian winter monsoon recorded by aeolian deposits over the past 5000 years at the southeastern margin of Qaidam Basin. Journal of Desert Research 30, (2010). 10311039. (in Chinese) Google Scholar
Owen, L.A., Finkel, R.C., Ma, H.Z., and Barnard, P.L. Late Quaternary landscape evolution in the Kunlun Mountains and Qaidam Basin, Northern Tibet: a framework for examining the links between glaciation, lake level changes and alluvial fan formation. Quaternary International 154–155, (2006). 7386.Google Scholar
Prescott, J.R., and Hutton, J.T. Cosmic ray contributions to dose rates for luminescence and ESR dating: large depths and long-term time variations. Radiation Measurements 23, (1994). 497500.Google Scholar
Pullen, A., Kapp, P., McCallister, A.T., Chang, H., Gehrels, G.E., Garzione, C.N., Heermance, R.V., and Ding, L. Qaidam Basin and northern Tibetan Plateau as dust sources for the Chinese Loess Plateau and palaeoclimatic implications. Geology 39, (2011). 10311034.Google Scholar
Qiang, M.R., Chen, F.H., Song, L., Liu, X.X., Li, M.Z., and Wang, Q. Late Quaternary aeolian activity in Gonghe Basin, northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China. Quaternary Research 79, (2013). 403412.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, H.M. Assessing the effectiveness of the double-SAR protocol in isolating a luminescence signal dominated by quartz. Radiation Measurements 42, (2007). 16271636.Google Scholar
Roberts, H.M., and Duller, G.A.T. Standardised growth curves for optical dating of sediment using multiple-grain aliquots. Radiation Measurements 38, (2004). 241252.Google Scholar
Shao, X.H., Wang, Y.J., Cheng, H., Kong, X.G., Wu, J.Y., and Edwards, R.L. Long-term trend and abrupt events of the Holocene Asian monsoon inferred from a stalagmite δ18O record from Shennongjia in Central China. Chinese Science Bulletin 51, (2006). 221228.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shen, J., Liu, X.Q., Wang, S.M., and Matsumoto, R. Palaeoclimatic changes in the Qinghai Lake area during the last 18,000 years. Quaternary International 136, (2005). 131140.Google Scholar
Sun, J.M., Liu, T.S., Ding, Z.L., and Liu, J.Q. The Mu Us Desert evolution in the last 0.5 Ma. Quaternary Science 16, (1996). 359367. (in Chinese) Google Scholar
Sun, J.M., Ding, Z.L., and Liu, T.S. Desert distributions during the glacial maximum and climatic optimum: example of China. Episodes 21, (1998). 2831.Google Scholar
Sun, J.M., Li, S.H., Muhs, D.R., and Li, B. Loess sedimentation in Tibet: provenance, processes, and link with Quaternary glaciations. Quaternary Science Reviews 26, (2007). 22652280.Google Scholar
Sun, Y.J., Lai, Z.P., Long, H., Liu, X.J., and Fan, Q.S. Quartz OSL dating of archaeological sites in Xiao Qaidam Lake of the NE Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and its implications for palaeoenvironmental changes. Quaternary Geochronology 5, (2010). 360364.Google Scholar
Thompson, L.G., Yao, T., Davis, M.E., Henderson, K.A., Mosley-Thompson, E., Lin, P.-N., Beer, J., Synal, H.-A., Cole-Dai, J., and Bolzan, J.F. Tropical climate instability: the last Glacial cycle from a Qinghai–Tibetan ice core. Science 276, (1997). 18211825.Google Scholar
Wang, Y.J., Cheng, H., Edwards, R.L., He, Y.Q., Kong, X.G., An, Z.S., Wu, J.Y., Kelly, M.J., Dykoski, C.A., and Li, X.D. The Holocene Asian Monsoon: links to solar changes and North Atlantic Climate. Science 308, (2005). 854857.Google Scholar
Wang, Y.J., Cheng, H., Edwards, R.L., Kong, X.G., Shao, X.H., Chen, S.T., Wu, J.Y., Jiang, X.Y., Wang, X.F., and An, Z.S. Millennial- and orbital-scale changes in the East Asian monsoon over the past 224,000 years. Nature 451, (2008). 10901093.Google Scholar
Wang, Y.B., Liu, X.Q., and Herzschuh, U. Asynchronous evolution of the Indian and East Asian Summer Monsoon indicated by Holocene moisture patterns in monsoonal central Asia. Earth-Science Reviews 103, (2010). 135153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wu, G.H., Hu, S.X., Zhang, Z.L., Zhao, H., and Fang, X. The Qaidam Basin. Journal of Lanzhou University 21, (1985). 3552. (in Chinese) Google Scholar
Yang, X.P., Scuderi, L., Paillou, P., Liu, Z.T., Li, H.W., and Ren, X.Z. Quaternary environmental changes in the drylands of China — A critical review. Quaternary Science Reviews 30, (2011). 32193233.Google Scholar
Yu, L.P., and Lai, Z.P. OSL chronology and palaeoclimatic implications of aeolian sediments in the Qaidam Basin of the northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 337–338, (2012). 120129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yu, L.P., Lai, Z.P., and An, P. OSL chronology and paleoclimatic implications of paleodunes in the middle and southwestern Qaidam Basin, Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions 5, 2 (2013). 211219.Google Scholar
Zeng, Y.F. Environmental changes and cultural transition at Late Holocene in Qaidam Basin. Journal of Arid Land resources and Environment 20, (2006). 6164. (in Chinese) Google Scholar
Zeng, Y.N., Ma, H.Z., Sha, Z.J., Li, L.Q., Li, Z., and Cao, G.C. The record of Younger Dryas event in eolian sand deposit in Qaidam Basin. Chinese Geographical Science 9, (1999). 9295.Google Scholar
Zeng, Y.N., Feng, Z.D., and Cao, G.C. Desert formation and evolution in Qaidam Basin since the Last Glacial epoch. Acta Geographica Sinica 58, (2003). 452457. (in Chinese) Google Scholar
Zhao, Y., Yu, Z.C., Chen, F.H., Ito, E., and Zhao, C. Holocene vegetation and climate history at Hurleg Lake in the Qaidam Basin, northwest China. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 145, (2007). 275288.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhao, Y., Yu, Z.C., Chen, F.H., Zhang, J.W., and Yang, B. Vegetation response to Holocene Climate change in monsoon-influenced region of China. Earth-Science Reviews 97, (2009). 242256.Google Scholar
Zhao, Y., Yu, Z.C., and Chen, F.H. Spatial and temporal patterns of Holocene vegetation and climate changes in arid and semi-arid China. Quaternary International 194, (2009). 618.Google Scholar
Zhou, J.X., Zhu, Y., and Yuan, C.Q. Origin and lateral migration of linear dunes in the Qaidam Basin of NW China revealed by dune sediments, internal structures, and optically stimulated luminescence ages, with implications for linera dunes on Titan. Geological Society of America Bulletin 124, 7/8 (2012). 11471154.Google Scholar
Zhu, Z., Wu, Z., Liu, S., and Di, X. An Outline of Chinese Deserts. (1980). Science Press, Beijing. (in Chinese) Google Scholar