PRELIMINARY RESEARCHES ON LICHENOMETRIC CHRONOLOGY OF HOLOCENE GLACIAL FLUCTUATIONS AND ON OTHER TOPICS IN THE HEADWATER OF URUMQI RIVER, TIAN-SHAN MOUNTAINS

This paper introduced briefly the research results on lichenometry of the Holoceneglacial fluctuations in the headwater of the Urumqi River, in the central TianshanMountains and discussed the histories of the Holocene glaciers and the climate. It isconsidered that lichenometry is one applicable method for dating the mid- and late-Holocene deposits in the cold and mountainous regions. Rhizocarpon geographicum (L.)DCand Xanthoria elegans (Link.) Th. Fr. could be used for dating the deposits of about 4500and 500 a B.P. respectively. There existed at least four periods of glacial advances whichoccurred before about 5700, 4100, 2800 and 403- 74 a B. P. respectively with the firstperiod the longest. Little Ice Age includes three stages of glacial advances which endedbefore about 403, 208 and 74 a B. P. respectively with the second stage the maximum.During the general Holocene warming processes, there existed at least four cold peri-ods which ended before about 5700, 4100, 2800 and 420- 91 a B.P. respectively,     

Role of water vapor and CO2 in the paleoclimatic fluctuations along northwestern and southern Syria, and the adjacent Mediterranean Sea

Microscopic petrified grains were collected from a mafic–ultramafic pipe, NE of Dreikeesh, NW Syria. The grains were identified as anthers/gynoecia in herb/grass flowers. Three of the grains showed evidence of magnetism, two slowly dissolved in concentrated HCl, and three microprobed grains showed a montmorillonitic composition. Iron originating from pyroxene was oxidized to magnetite. Released silica formed the mineral suite agate–chalcedony–opal. Warm/cold paleoclimatic fluctuations, occurring during late Pliocene–Holocene, depended on water vapor, CO₂ production, and cinders in the atmosphere. Most of these were associated with changing volcanic/tectonic events. Fluctuations were controlled by heat reflected from the Earth's surface being absorbed by water vapor and CO₂, which both re-reflected the heat back to the surface, thus, raising the temperature. This cycle was repeated several times during late Pliocene–Holocene.     

Climates and Environments of the Holocene Mega thermal Maximum in China

Based on data from palynology, paleosols, paleolimnology, ice core, archeology, sea levels, etc. , we reconstructed climates and environments of the Holocene Megathermal maximum (7. 2-6. 0 ka B. P. ), particularly vegetation zones, temperatures, precipitation and sea-level fluctuations. Annual mean temperature during that period was estimated at 1 ℃ higher than today for South China, 2 ℃ higher for the Changjiang River Valley, about 3℃ higher for North China, Northeast China and Northwest China and up to 4 - 5 ℃ higher for southern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Relative winter temperatures increased much more than average annual temperatures. The centennial-scale warming was accompanied by the expansion of summer monsoon and recession of winter cold currents as well as northward and westward shift of vegetation zones. Higher lake levels registered in all inland lakes of Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Qinghai and Xizang indicated that precipitation increased to a certain extent. The Holocene highest sea level i     

CARBONATE EOLIANITES IN PUTIAN, FUJIAN (Ⅰ)——SEDIMENTARY STRUCTURES AND PALEOWINDS

Carbonate eolianites in Houshijing, Putian, Fujian, consist of three sand ridges. The geometry and sedimentary structures of these ridges are described here, and their paleodune types and the paleowind directions are reconstructed on the basis of discussion of genesis. The authors consider that they were vegetated longitudinal dunes or sand drifts and wind shadow dunes or sand shadows which were formed by reworking of adjacent beach sand by prevailing northeast monsoon during the latest Middle Holocene. The wind directions in the past and at present do not appear to have obviously changed.     

南疆博斯腾湖全新世环境演变特征的初步研究

根据南疆北部地区的博斯腾湖全世湖相沉积地层，孢粉及地化元素含量的分析结果表明，自约１２ｋａＢＰ以来，博斯腾湖地区的干旱环境特征一直存在，但期间仍有相对湿润的波动，表现为在北半球全新各次新冰期中，以旱生植物种类为主的孢粉浓度一般都呈现峰值，喜湿型的元素一般呈现相对高值，且剖面中的沉积物以泥炭发育为主，但在全新世大暖期中，暖湿的气候特征并不十分明显，博斯腾尖全新世环境的序列与北疆巴里坤湖，艾比湖及柴窝     

新疆全新世自然环境演变的几个重要时间界线

众多的地质记录表明，全新世新疆环境演变是以暖干为主要特征，但也存在一些次级波动，其演变具有以下几个重要时间界限：１２０００ａＢｐ，９００ａＢＰ，３０００ａＢＰ，１５００ａＢＰ和４００ａＢＰ，全新世期间，新疆地区经历了两种环境演变 影响，故其水热配置格局更为复杂，大致有以下几种类型：暖干，暖湿，冷湿，凉干等。     

Tidal changes in the Yellow/East China Sea caused by the rapid sea-level rise during the Holocene

Two-dimensional numerical simulations of M2 and K1 tides were performed in order to assess the effect of the rapid sea level change occurring during the last 20000 years in the Yellow/East China Sea (YECS). Results were interpreted by utilizing the difference of the dynamical nature inherited in diurnal and semi-diurnal tides. M2 tides at the coastal region south of Korea exceeded 2 m in amplitude when the sea-level was low, and decreased as the water depth become larger. In the Yellow Sea, on the other hand, tidal amplitudes were small at the low sea-level stages and increased along with the sea-level rise. The way of the increase was not monotonic but with fluctuations, which was due to the movement of the standing wave nodes. An additional experiment with closing the Taiwan Strait revealed that changing the sill depth of the strait not only affects the M2 tides around the southeastern Chinese coast, but also modifies the tides around the southwestern coast of Korea. This result recall us the significa     

TROPICAL ANIMAL REMAINS IN THE LATE HOLOCENE HICH BEACHROCK IN PUTIAN COUNTY, FUJIAN AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE

Six species, belonging to five genera, of large animal remains are firstly described andreported in this paper. They were found in the late Holocene high beachrock of 25--m ele-vation on Longhu Hill of Houshijing, Pinghai Village, Putian County, Fujian Province. Theseanimal remains are found mostly between intertidal and subtidal zones in the tropical areafrom the Miocene to the recent. The research results have confirmed that the coastal sedi-ments belong to the beachrock, which is formed in the tropical coastal areas. This paperproposes that the study of large animal remains in the beachrock can provide a scientificbase for the understanding of the sedimentographic environment of the beachrock, andvaluable information for the study on paleoclimate and paleo-shoreline evolution.     

Element geochemistry of Holocene sediment and paleoenvironmental change in the Changjiang Estuary

Analyses of 41 elements reveal that Holocene sediments In the Changjiang Estuary bear regular elemental compositions in different sedimentary environments, and Holocene sediments came mainly from the Changjiang River based on compositions of REEs and most trace elements. Some heavy metals are more enriched in the surface sediment than in the deltaic sediments, reflecting human impact. Elemental compositions of the river channel sediment are related to the influence of proximal sediments. Sedimentary environments exert some influences on elemental compositions. Some chemical indices can be used to record chemical weathering undergone by the Changjiang sediment and environmental change.     

The Climatic Fluctuation and Important Events of Holocene Megathermal in China

Data from various sources including the ice core, inland lakes , paleosols in loess and eolian sands, sea level fluctuations, paleozoological, archeological evidences especially palynology and bontanical studies of China are reviewed . Holocene Megathermal mainly appeared during 8. 5-3 ka BP and lasted for 5. 5 ka. There were several strong climatic fluctuations and cooling events during this period, e. g. it was an unstable temperature fluctuation phase during 8. 5-7. 2 ka BP and was accompanied with the increase of the precipitation as well as the northward and westward migration of the vegetation zone ; the rapid development of Neolithic Culture happened in this phase. It was a stable warm and wet phase from 7. 2 to 6 ka BP, i. e. Megathermal Maximum, when monsoon was rainfall almost throughout China, plants were unprecedentedly flourished, and the Yangshao Culture reached its climax. It is characterized by strong climatic fluctuation and adverse environment during 6-5 ka BP and the impact of strong