Abstract
A 310-cm-long sediment core, covering the last 10,200 years, was collected from Taro Co on the southwestern Tibetan Plateau and analyzed for pollen, grain size and total inorganic carbon content. The pollen data showed that vegetation changed from alpine steppe to alpine meadow during 10,200–8,900 cal a BP, to alpine steppe dominated by Artemisia during 8,900–7,400 cal a BP, to alpine meadow during 7,400–3,300 cal a BP and to alpine steppe after 3,300 cal a BP. Correspondingly, the pollen, grain size and total inorganic carbon content results revealed climatic change in this area over four stages. The initial stage was from 10,200 to 8,900 cal a BP, during which the climate changed from cold-dry to warm-humid. The second stage (8,900–7,400 cal a BP) was characterized by a warm and dry climate. However, at approximately 7,400 cal a BP, the climate began to become cold and humid, which continued until 3,300 cal a BP. The last stage, from 3,300 cal a BP to present, was characterized as cold and increasingly arid. Climatic events of the early and mid-late Holocene showed that the area was significantly affected by the westerlies. However, the mid-Holocene climate in Taro Co was controlled by the Indian monsoon. The mid-late Holocene depositional environment record of Taro Co was very important to further elaborate the degree of influence by the westerlies or Indian monsoon.
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.References
Wu GX, Liu YM, He B et al (2012) Thermal controls on the Asian summer monsoon. Sci Rep 2:404
Chen FH, Yu ZC, Yang ML et al (2008) Holocene moisture evolution in arid central Asia and its out-of-phase relationship with Asian monsoon history. Quat Sci Rev 27:351–364
An ZS, Colman SM, Zhou WJ et al (2012) Interplay between the westerlies and Asian monsoon recorded in Lake Qinghai sediments since 32 ka. Sci Rep 2:619
Yao TD, Masson-Delmotte V, Gao J et al (2013) A review of climatic controls on δ 18O in precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau: observations and simulations. Rev Geophys 51:525–548
Gasse F, Arnold M, Fontes JC et al (1991) A 13,000-year climate record from western Tibet. Nature 353:742–745
Van Campo E, Cour P, Huang CX (1996) Holocene environmental changes in Bangong Co basin (Western Tibet). Part 2: The pollen record. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 120:49–63
Wang RL, Scarpitta SC, Zhang SC et al (2002) Later Pleistocene/Holocene climate conditions of Qinghai-Xizhang Plateau (Tibet) based on carbon and oxygen stable isotopes of Zabuye Lake sediments. Earth Planet Sci Lett 203:461–477
Shen J, Liu XQ, Wang SM et al (2005) Palaeoclimatic changes in the Qinghai Lake area during the last 18,000 years. Quat Int 136:131–140
Herzschuh U, Birks HJB, Mischke S et al (2010) A modern pollen-climate calibration set based on lake sediments from the Tibetan Plateau and its application to a Late Quaternary pollen record from the Qilian Mountains. J Biogeog 37:752–766
Zhao Y, Yu ZC, Chen FH et al (2007) Holocene vegetation and climate history at Hurleg Lake in the Qaidam Basin, northwest China. Rev Palaeobot Palynol 145:275–288
Herzschuh U, Kramer A, Mischke S et al (2009) Quantitative climate and vegetation trends since the late glacial on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau deduced from Koucha Lake pollen spectra. Quat Res 71:162–171
Wu YH, Lücke A, Jin ZD et al (2006) Holocene climate development on the central Tibetan Plateau: a sedimentary record from Cuoe Lake. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 234:328–340
Tang LY, Shen CM, Liu KB et al (2004) Climatic changes in the southeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau since the Last Glacial Maximum-pollen records from southeastern Tibet. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci 34:436–442 (in Chinese)
Kramer A, Herzschuh U, Mischke S et al (2010) Holocene treeline shifts and monsoon variability in the Hengduan Mountains (southeastern Tibetan Plateau), implications from palynological investigations. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 286:23–41
Zhu LP, Zhen XL, Wang JB et al (2009) A ~30,000-year record of environmental changes inferred from Lake Chen Co, Southern Tibet. J Paleolimnol 42:343–358
Wang YJ, Cheng H, Edwards RL et al (2005) The Holocene Asian monsoon: links to solar changes and North Atlantic climate. Science 308:854–857
Fleitmann D, Burns SJ, Mudelsee M et al (2003) Holocene forcing of the Indian monsoon recorded in a stalagmite from southern Oman. Science 300:1737–1739
Chen FH, Chen JH, Holmes J et al (2010) Moisture changes over the last millennium in arid central Asia: a review, synthesis and comparison with monsoon region. Quat Sci Rev 29:1055–1068
Gao YX (1962) On some problems of Asian monsoon. In: Gao YX (ed) Some questions about the East Asian monsoon. Science Press, Beijing, pp 1–49 (in Chinese)
Wang SM, Dou HS (1998) Lakes in China. Science Press, Beijing, p 402 (in Chinese)
Tibetan Investigation Group (1988) Vegetation of Xizang (Tibet). Science Press, Beijing (in Chinese)
Reimer PJ, Baillie MGL, Bard E et al (2009) IntCal09 and Marine09 radiocarbon age calibration curves, 0–50,000 years cal BP. Radiocarbon 51:1111–1150
Wang FX, Qian NF, Zhang YL et al (1995) Pollen flora of China. Science Press, Beijing (in Chinese)
Xi YZ, Ning JC (1994) Study on pollen morphology of plants from dry and semidry area in China. Yushania 11:119–191 (in Chinese)
Grimm EC (2004) TGview version 2.0.2. Springfield, Illinois State Museum
Birks HJB (1995) Quantitative palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. In: Maddy D, Brew JS (eds) Statistical modelling of Quaternary science data. Technical Guide, vol 5. Quaternary Research Association, Cambridge, pp 161–254
ter Braak CJF (1988) Canoco-a FORTRAN program for canonical community ordination by (partial) (detrended) (canonical) correspondence analysis, principal components analysis and redundancy analysis. Agricultural Mathematics Group, Wageningen
ter Braak CJF, Smilauer P (2002) CANOCO 4.5. Biometris-Plant Research International, Wageningen
Watanabe T, Matsunaka T, Nakamura T et al (2010) Last glacial–Holocene geochronology of sediment cores from a high-altitude Tibetan lake based on AMS 14C dating of plant fossils: implications for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Chem Geol 277:21–29
Lü XM, Zhu LP, Nishimura M et al (2011) A high-resolution environmental change record since 19 cal ka BP in Pumoyum Co, southern Tibet. Chin Sci Bull 56:2006–2016
El-Moslimany AP (1990) Ecological significance of common nonarboreal pollen: examples from drylands of the Middle East. Rev Palaeobot Palynol 64:343–350
Herzschuh U (2007) Reliability of pollen ratios for environmental reconstructions on the Tibetan Plateau. J Biogeog 34:1265–1273
Zhao Y, Liu HY, Li FR et al (2012) Application and limitations of the Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae pollen ratio in arid and semi-arid China. Holocene 22:1385–1392
Dieter D, Pavel ET, Bernd W et al (2009) Late glacial and Holocene vegetation, Indian monsoon and westerly circulation in the Trans-Himalaya recorded in the lacustrine pollen sequence from Tso Kar, Ladakh, NW India. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 279:172–185
Li Q, Lü HY, Zhu LP et al (2011) Pollen-inferred climate changes and vertical shifts of alpine vegetation belts on the northern slope of the Nyainqentanglha Mountains (central Tibetan Plateau) since 8.4 ka BP. Holocene 21:939–950
Zhao Y, Herzschuh U (2009) Modern pollen representation of source vegetation in the Qaidam Basin and surrounding mountains, north-eastern Tibetan Plateau. Veget Hist Archaeobot 18:245–260
Fowell SJ, Hansen BCS, Peck JA et al (2003) Mid to late Holocene climate evolution of the Lake Telmen Basin, north central Mongolia, based on palynological data. Quat Res 59:353–363
Kramer A, Herzschuh U, Mischke S et al (2010) Late glacial vegetation and climate oscillations on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau inferred from the Lake Naleng pollen profile. Quat Res 73:324–335
Hong YT, Hong B, Lin QH et al (2003) Correlation between Indian Ocean summer monsoon and North Atlantic climate during the Holocene. Earth Planet Sci Lett 211:371–380
Herzschuh U, Winter K, Wünnemann B et al (2006) A general cooling trend on the central Tibetan Plateau throughout the Holocene recorded by the Lake Zigetang pollen spectra. Quat Int 154:113–121
Sun XJ, Du NQ, Chen YS et al (1993) Holocene palynological records in Lake Selincuo, northern Xizang (Tibet). Acta Bot Sin 35:943–950 (in Chinese)
An CB, Lu Y, Zhao J et al (2012) A high-resolution record of Holocene environmental and climatic changes from Lake Balikun (Xinjiang, China): Implications for central Asia. Holocene 22:43–52
Feng ZD, Ma YZ, Zhang HC et al (2013) Holocene climate variations retrieved from Gun Nuur lake-sediment core in the northern Mongolian Plateau. Holocene 23:1721–1730
Fleitmann D, Burns SJ, Mangini A et al (2007) Holocene ITCZ and Indian monsoon dynamics recorded in stalagmites from Oman and Yemen (Socotra). Quat Sci Rev 26:170–188
Shen J, Yang LY, Yang XD et al (2005) Lake sediment records on climate change and human activities since the Holocene in Erhai catchment, Yunnan Province, China. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci 48:353–363
Jiang QF, Shen J, Liu XQ et al (2007) A high-resolution climatic change since Holocene inferred from multi-proxy of lake sediment in westerly area of China. Chin Sci Bull 52:1970–1979
Jiang QF, Ji JF, Shen J et al (2013) Holocene vegetational and climatic variation in westerly-dominated areas of central Asia inferred from the Sayram Lake in northern Xinjiang, China. Sci China Earth Sci 56:339–353
Wünnemann B, Mischke S, Chen FH et al (2006) A Holocene sedimentary record from Bosten Lake, China. Palaeogeog Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 234:223–238
An CB, Zhao JJ, Tao SC et al (2011) Dust variation recorded by lacustrine sediments from arid central Asia since 15 cal ka BP and its implication for atmospheric circulation. Quat Res 75:566–573
Berger A, Loutre MF (1991) Insolation values for the climate of the last 10 million years. Quat Sci Rev 10:297–317
Kaplan MR, Wolfe AP (2006) Spatial and temporal variability of Holocene temperature in the North Atlantic region. Quat Res 65:223–231
Lü HY, Wu NQ, Liu KB et al (2011) Modern pollen distributions in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and the development of transfer functions for reconstructing Holocene environmental changes. Quat Sci Rev 30:947–966
Prasad S, Enzel Y (2006) Holocene paleoclimates of India. Quat Res 66:442–453
Shen C, Liu KB, Morrill C et al (2008) Ecotone shift and major droughts during the mid-late Holocene in the central Tibetan Plateau. Ecology 89:1079–1088
Van Campo E, Gasse F (1993) Pollen- and diatom-inferred climatic and hydrological changes in Sumxi Co Basin (western Tibet) since 13,000 a BP. Quat Res 39:300–313
Xiao JL, Xu QH, Nakamura T et al (2004) Holocene vegetation variation in the Daihai Lake region of north-central China: a direct indication of the Asian monsoon climatic history. Quat Sci Rev 23:1669–1679
Wen RL, Xiao JL, Chang ZG et al (2010) Holocene climate changes in the mid-high-latitude-monsoon margin reflected by the pollen record from Hulun Lake, northeastern Inner Mongolia. Quat Res 73:293–303
Wang SY, Lü HY, Liu JQ et al (2007) The early Holocene optimum inferred from a high-resolution pollen record of Huguangyan Maar Lake in southern China. Chin Sci Bull 52:2829–2836
Roberts N, Eastwood WJ, Kuzucuoğlu C et al (2011) Climatic, vegetation and cultural change in the eastern Mediterranean during the mid-Holocene environmental transition. Holocene 21:147–162
Arz HW, Lamy F, Pätzold J (2006) A pronounced dry event recorded around 4.2 ka in brine sediments from the northern Red Sea. Quat Res 66:432–441
Enzel Y, Ely LL, Mishra S et al (1999) High-resolution Holocene environmental changes in the Thar Desert, northwestern India. Science 284:125–128
Booth RK, Jackson ST, Forman SL et al (2005) A severe centennial-scale drought in midcontinental North America 4200 years ago and apparent global linkages. Holocene 15:321–328
Gasse F (2000) Hydrological changes in the African tropics since the Last Glacial Maximum. Quat Sci Rev 19:189–211
Gupta AK, Anderson DM, Overpeck JT (2003) Abrupt changes in the Asian southwest monsoon during the Holocene and their links to the North Atlantic Ocean. Nature 42:354–357
Gupta AK, Das M, Anderson DM (2005) Solar influence on the Indian summer monsoon during the Holocene. Geophys Res Lett 32:L17703
Roberts M, Henry H (2004) Rapid environmental change in African and South American tropics around 4000 years before present: a review. Earth Sci Rev 66:217–260
Bond G, Kromer B, Beer J et al (2011) Persistent solar influence on North Atlantic climate during the Holocene. Science 294:2130–2136
Overpeck J, Anderson D, Trumbore S et al (1996) The southwest Indian monsoon over the last 18,000 years. Clim Dyn 12:213–225
Acknowledgments
We thank the reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions, Dr. Hu Xing, Dr. Peng Ping and Huang Lei for field assistance, Dr. Yang Ruimin for plotting assistance, Prof. Xu Qinghai and his team members for pollen sample analysis and identification and Dr. Haberzettl T. for providing partial data of water depth. This work was supported by the Strategic Priority Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB03030400 and XDA05120300), the Key Project for National S&T Basic Investigation of China (2012FY111400), the Key Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41190082) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41171162).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Electronic supplementary material
About this article
Cite this article
Ma, Q., Zhu, L., Lü, X. et al. Pollen-inferred Holocene vegetation and climate histories in Taro Co, southwestern Tibetan Plateau. Chin. Sci. Bull. 59, 4101–4114 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-014-0505-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-014-0505-1