Paleoclimate of the Yangtze River's Lower Reaches for the Past 14,000 Years

Abstract

The paleoclimate of the Yangtze River's lower reaches for the past 14,000 years is investigated by sediment records from the Linfengqiao section, a location near Nanjing. Therefore grain size and geochemical analyses as well as $^{14}$ C and biostratigraphical dating were carried out.

The authors have come to the conclusion that the Holocene at the lower Yangtze was not characterized only by a warm and humid climate. In fact, the warm and humid climate was interrupted by two periods of extreme coldness and aridity with temperature and humidity pessima at about 2500 yr B.P. and 8200 yr B.P. There were also two extremely warm and humid periods recorded in which heavy precipitation led to the occurrence of several floods. The temperature and humidity maxima were dated at about 2000 yr B.P. and about 8000 yr B.P. Moreover, large amounts of gravel-grade sedimentary material indicates that the last deglaciation happened at about 11,000 yr B.P.