Abstract
Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique, a series of biomarkers were identified, including n-alkanes, n-alkane-2-ones, isoprenoid etc. from the loess-paleosol samples collected from the S4 and adjacent L5, L4 of the Luochuan loess section, Northwestern China. Based on these data, especially n-alkanes and high-resolution magnetic susceptibility and grain size data, the paleoenvironment and paleovegetation history during S4 was reconstructed. The CPI (Carbon Predominance Index) and correlation between n-alkanes and magnetic susceptibility and grain size data demonstrated that the molecular fossils in paleosol and loess layers can reflect the vegetation condition during the loess-paleosol formation, if the allochthonous organic inputs could be excluded reasonably. The ACL (average chain length) index is correlated well with paleomagnetic susceptibility and grain size variations, displaying their good synchrony with warm and humid climate. However, it relatively lagged behind the paleomagnetic susceptibility and the grain size variations when the climate began to deteriorate. During the formation period of paleosol, the n-alkanes was dominated by C31 homologue, indicating that the primary organic input originated from herbs. Our study also demonstrated that the herbs were more flourish than wood plants in Loess Plateau, especially in the Luochuan area during the warm and humid phase, and there was no typical forest vegetation developed in the studied period.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Fu J M, Sheng G Y. Molecular organic geochemistry and its application to the study of paleoclimate and paleoenvironments. Quat Sci (in Chinese with English abstract), 1992, (4): 306–320
Ohkouchi N, Kawamura K, Taira A. Molecular paleoclimatology: Reconstruction of climate variabilities in the late Quaternary. Org Geochem, 1997, 27: 173–183
Simoneit B R T, Sheng G Y, Chen X J, et al. Molecular marker study of extractable organic matter in aerosols from urban areas of China. Atmos Environ, 1991, 25A(10): 2111–2129
Volkmam J K, Barrett S M, Blackbum S I, et al. Allkenones in gephyrocapsa oceanica: Implications for studies of paleoclimate. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1995, 59: 513–520
Pearson A, McNichol A P, Benitez-Nelson B C, et al. Origins of lipid biomarkers in Santa Monica Basin surface sediment: A case study using compound—Specific Δ14C analysis. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 2001, 65: 3123–3137
Lu B, Chen R H, Wang Z P, et al. Ocean environment change in the Bering Sea over the past 100 years—Evidences from the molecular fossil. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2005, 48(4): 555–564
Meyers P A, Ishiwatari R. Lacustrine Organic Geochemistry: An overview of indicators of organic matters sources and diagenesis in lake sediments. Org Geochem, 1993, 20(7): 867–900
Zhang H C, Chang F Q, Li B, et al. Branched aliphatic alkanes of the Late Pleistocene paleolake deposits from the Qaidam Basin, NE Tibetan Plateau. Chin Sci Bull, 2007, 52(9): 1248–1256
Sheng G Y, Cai K Q, Yang X X, et al. Long-chain alkenones in Hotong Qagan Nur lake sediments and its paleoclimatic implications. Chin Sci Bull, 1999, 44(3): 259–263
Xie S C, Evershed R P. Peat molecular fossils recording climatic variation and organism replacement. Chin Sci Bull, 2001, 46(10): 863–866
Xie S C, Yi Y, Huang J H, et al. Lipid distribution in a subtropical southern China stalagmite as a record of soil ecosystem response to paleoclimate change. Quat Res, 2003, 60(3): 340–347
Xie S C, Yao T D, Kang S C, et al. Geochemical analysis of a Himalayan snowpit profile: Implication for atmospheric pollution and climate. Org Geochem, 2000, 31: 15–23
Xie S C, Wang Z Y, Wang H M, et al. The occurrence of a grassy vegetation over the Chinese Loess Plateau since the last inter-glacier: The molecular fossil record. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2002, 45(1): 53–62
Wang Z Y, Xie S C, Chen F H. n-Alkane distributions as indicators for paleo-vegetation from Yuanbao S1 paleosol in Linxia, Gansu Province. Quat Sci (in Chinese with English abstract), 2004, 24(2): 231–235
Yang M S, Zhang H C, Lei G L, et al. Biomarkers in weakly developed paleosol (L1SS1) in the luochuan loess section and reconstructed paleovegetation-environment during the interstade of the last glaciation. Quat Sci (in Chinese with English abstract), 2006, 26(6): 984–996
Mitra S, Bianch T S, Guo L, et al. Terrestrially derived dissolved organic matter in the Chesapeake Bay and the Middle Atlantic Bight. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 2000, 64: 3547–3557
Williams M A J, Dunkertey D L, de Deckker P, et al. Quaternary Environments. Beijing: Science Press, 1997. 189–239
Liu T S. Loess and the Environment. Beijing: China Ocean Press, 1985. 1–251
Kukla G J, Heller F, Liu X M, et al. Pleistocene climate in China dated by magnetic susceptibility. Geology, 1998, 16: 811–814
An Z S, Porter S, Kukla G, et al. The susceptibility evidence of the monsoon variation in the Loess Plateau since recent 130,000 years. Chin Sci Bull, 1990, 35(7): 529–532
Yang M S, Zhang H C, Ding H, et al. 14C dating of paleosol and animal remains in loess deposit: A comparative study. Earth Sci-J China Univ of Geosci (in Chinese with English abstract), 2005, 30(5): 589–596
Kukla G, An Z. Loess stratigraphy in central China. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoeocol, 1989, 72: 203–225
Zhang Z H, Zhao M X, Lu H Y, et al. Lower temperature as the main cause of C4 plant declines during the glacial periods on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 2003, 214: 467–481
Zhang Z H, Zhao M X, Eglinton G, et al. Leaf wax lipids as paleovegetational and paleoenvironmental proxies for the Chinese Loess Plateau over the last 170 kyr. Quat Sci Rev, 2006, 25: 575–594
Liu W G, Huang Y S, An Z S, et al. Summer monsoon intensity controls C4/C3 plant abundance during the last 35 ka in the Chinese Loess Plateau: Carbon isotope evidence from bulk organic matter and individual leaf waxes. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol, 2005, 220: 243–254
Lei G L, Zhang H C, Zhang W X, et al. The reliability and significance of the grainsize obtained by Mastersize 2000 laser analyzer. Acta Sediment Sin (in Chinese with English abstract), 2006, 24(4): 531–539
Simoneit B R T, Cardoso J N, Robinson N. An assessment of terrestrial higher molecular weight lipid compounds in aerosol particulate matter over the south Atlantic from about 30-705. Chemosphere, 1991, 23: 447–465
Sicre M A, Marty J C, Saliot A, et al. Aliphatic and aromatic hydro-carbons in different sized aerosols over the Mediterranean Sea: Occurrence and origin. Atmos Environ, 1987, 21(10): 2247–2259
Schneider J K, Gagosian R B, Cochran J K, et al. Particle size distribution of n-alkanes and 210Pb in aerosols off the coast of Peru. Nature, 1983, 304: 429–432
Cranwell P A. Chain-length distribution of n-alkanes from lake sediments in relation to post—Glacial environmental change. Freshwater Biol, 1973, 3: 259–265
Cranwell P A, Eblinton G, Robinson N. Lipids of aquatic organisms as potential contributors to lacustrine sediments. Org Geochem, 1987, 11: 513–527
Schwark L, Zink K, Lechterbeck J. Reconstruction of postglacial to early Holocene vegetation history in terrestrial Central Europe via cuticular lipid biomarkers and pollen records from lake sediments. Geology, 2002, 30: 463–466
Poynter J G, Farrimond P, Brassel S C, et al. Aeolian-derived higher-plant lipids in the marine sedimentary record: Links with paleoclimate. In: Leinen M, Sarnthein M, eds. Palaeoclimatology and Palaeometeorology: Modern and Past Patterns of Global Atmosphere Transport. Amsterdam: Kluwer, 1989. 426–435
Zhou W J, Xie S C, Meyers P A, et al. Reconstruction of late glacial and Holocene climate evolution in southern China from geolipids and pollen in the Dingnan peat sequence. Org Geochem, 2005, 36: 1272–1284
Schefuss E, Ratmeyer V, Stuut J B W, et al. Carbon isotope analysis of n-alkanes in dust from the lower atmosphere over the central eastern Atlantic. Geochem Cosmochim Acta, 2003, 67(10): 1757–1767
Gagosian R B, Peltzer E T, Merrill J T. The importance of atmospheric input of terrestrial organic material to deep sea sediments. Org Geochem, 1986, 10: 661–669
Hanisch S, Ariztegui D, Püttmann W. The biomarker record of Lake Albano, central Italy—Implications for Holocene aquatic system response to environmental change. Org Geochem, 2003, 34: 1223–1235
Schwark L, Zink K, Lechterbeck J. Reconstruction of Postglacial to Early Holocene vegetation history in terrestrial Mid-Europe via cuticular lipid biomarkers and pollen records from lake sediments. Geology, 2002, 30: 463–466
Rommerskirchen F, Eglinton G, Dupont L, et al. A north to south transect of Holocene southeast Atlantic continental margin sediments: Relationship between aerosol transport and compound-specific δ13C land plant biomarker and pollen records. Geochem Geophys Geosys, 2003, 4(12): 1101
Shi J S, Li Z H, Wei M J, et al. Loess and Paleoclimate Evolution (in Chinese). Beijing: Geological Press, 1998. 26–34
Fakes L A, Sun J A. Carbon isotope record of the upper Chinese loess sequence estimates of plant types during stadials and interstadials. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeocol, 1994, 108: 183–189
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Supported by the Hundred Talent Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40371117)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, H., Yang, M., Zhang, W. et al. Molecular fossil and paleovegetation records of paleosol S4 and adjacent loess layers in the Luochuan loess section, NW China. Sci. China Ser. D-Earth Sci. 51, 321–330 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-008-0012-9
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-008-0012-9