Abstract
ALTHOUGH the Tibetan plateau is important in influencing the atmospheric circulation of the Northern Hemisphere1–3, there are only a few continuous palaeoclimate records available, and these are limited to the plateau's northeastern margin4–6. Here we present a 13,000-yr record from Sumxi Co (western Tibet), constructed from both lake-core and shoreline studies, which shows that conditions in the early–middle Holocene were warmer and wetter than at present. These results confirm model predictions of an intensified monsoon over the region at ∼9,000 yr BP, owing to an orbitally induced increase in summer insolation7,8. We also find evidence for warm, humid pulses at ∼12,500 and ∼10,000 yr BP, in phase with the steps of the last deglaciation, and for a return to cold, dry conditions at ∼11-10,000 yr BP, none of which can be explained by orbital variations. The existence of the cold episode confirms that the cooling associated with the Younger Dry as event occurred in continental China6,9, and provides further evidence of the global nature of this event10
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hahn, G. G. & Manabe, S. J. atmos. Sci. 32, 1514–1541 (1975).
Flohn, H. in Geological and Ecological Studies on Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, Vol. 2, 1463–1470 (Science Press, Beijing; Gordon & Breach, New York, 1981).
Ruddiman, W. & Kutzbach, J. Scient. Am. 163, 46–53 (1991).
Thompson, L. G. et al. Science 246, 474–477 (1989).
Kelts, K. et al. Eclog. geol. Helv. 82/1, 167–182 (1989).
Lister, G. S., Kelt, K., Zao, C. K., Yu, J-Q. & Niessen, K. Palaeogeog. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol. 84, 141–162 (1991).
Kutzbach, J. E. & Otto-Bliesner, B. L. J. atmos. Sciences 39, 1177–1188 (1982).
COHMAP members Science 241, 1043–1052 (1988).
Weijian, Z. et al. Radiocarbon (abst.) 33, 259 (1991).
Kudrass, H. R., Erlenkeuser, H., Vollbrecht, R. & Weiss, W. Nature 349, 407–408 (1991).
Liu Dong-sheng (Ed.) Geological and Ecological Studies on Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, Vol 2, 975–2137 (Science Press, Beijing: Gordon & Breach, New York, 1981).
Zheng, M. (Ed.) Saline Lakes on the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau (Beijing: Scientific and Technical, Beijing, 1989).
Wang, F. B. & Fan, C. Y. Quat. Res. 28, 50–60 (1987).
Fang, J-Q. Quat. Res. 36, 37–60 (1991).
Armijo, R., Tapponnier, P. & Han Tonglin J. geophys. Res. 94, 2787–2838 (1989).
Liu, Q., Avouac, J. P., Tapponnier, P. & Zhang, Q. Terra Abstr. 3 (1), 265 (1991).
Li, J. (Ed.). Glaciers of Xizang (Tibet) (in Chinese) (Science Press, Beijing, 1986).
Wang, C. The Forests of China, with Survey of Grassland and Desert Vegetation Maria Moors Cabot Foundation Publ. No. 5 (Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1961).
Bottema, S. & Barkoudha, Y. Pollen Spores 21, 427–480 (1979).
Peterson, G. M. Quat. Sci. Rev. 2, 281–321 (1983).
El-Moslimany, A. P. Rev. Palaeobot. and Palynol. 64, 343–350 (1990).
Yang, L., Fan, Y. & Huang, B. Trans. Oceanol. Limnol. 1, 20–27 (1982).
Espitalié, J., Deroo, G. & Maquis, F. Rev. Institut Français Pétrole 41, 73–89 (1986).
Gasse, F., Téhet, R., Durand, A., Gibert, E. & Fontes, J. C. Nature 346, 141–146 (1990).
Siegenthaler, U., Eicher, U. & Oeschger, H. Ann. Glaciol. 5, 149–152 (1984).
Dansgaard, W. Tellus 16, 436–468 (1964).
Yurtsever, Y. & Gat, J. R. in Stable Isotope Hydrology. Deuterium and Oxygen-18 in the Water Cycle, 103–142 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1981).
Gasse, F. et al. Palaeogeog. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol. 60, 1–46 (1987).
Bathurst, R. G. C. Carbonate Sediments and their Diagenesis, Developments in Sedimentology 12 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1975).
Berger, A. J. atmos. Sci. 35, 2362–2367 (1978).
Street-Perrott, F. A. & Perrott, R. A. Nature 343, 607–611 (1990).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gasse, F., Arnold, M., Fontes, J. et al. A 13,000-year climate record from western Tibet. Nature 353, 742–745 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1038/353742a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/353742a0
This article is cited by
-
Quaternary integrative stratigraphy, biotas, and paleogeographical evolution of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas
Science China Earth Sciences (2024)
-
Lacustrine record of 800 yr hydrological variations on the central Tibetan Plateau
Frontiers of Earth Science (2024)
-
Mechanism of an ancient river-damming landslide at batang hydropower station, Jinsha river basin, China
Landslides (2023)
-
Combined numerical investigation of the Gangda paleolandslide runout and associated dam breach flood propagation in the upper Jinsha River, SE Tibetan Plateau
Landslides (2022)
-
Increased water vapor supply in winter and spring leading to the arid Central Asian wetting in last 6000 years
Science China Earth Sciences (2022)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.