Climate history of the middle reach of the Yangtze river over the past 9000 years: A speleothem isotopic record from Za cave, Hubei, China

A stalagmite in Qingjiang, Hubei, has yielded the records of hydrogen and oxygen as well as carbon isotopic changes and provided a climate history of 9000 years. The hydrogen iso-topic ratio in fluid inclusions and the oxygen isotopic ratio in stalagmite calcite are controlled by meteoric water, which is in response to ambient temperature or precipitation amount. The carbon isotopic ratio, sensitive to the nature of vegetation, also can be used to reconstruct the climate history. The carbon-14 and U-series dated stalagmite records reveal that climate oscillated in the middle reach of Yangtze river over the past 9000 years:(1) 9.0-6.5 kaBP, a cooler and more humid condition; (2) 6.5-4.0 kaBP,with warmer and drier weather; (3) 4.0-2.0 kaBP, cold weather with heavy precipitation, and (4)2.0 kaBP to present, tendency to be warmer and drier.     

Stable isotope and trace element record of a stalagmite in Heshang Cave, Hubei and its palaeoclimatic significance

Through a combined analysis of sedimentary characteristics, C and O isotopes, Mg and Sr trace elements of a stalagmite from Heshang Cave, Hubei, with uranium-series dating, alaeo-palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental information from 19.0ka to 6.9ka in the Hubei area is obtained. The Average resolution is 17a, and the local resolution is 7a. The following results are obtained: (1) from 19.0-16.6 kaBP: C and O isotope is lighter, the climate is cold and wet;(2) 16.6-11.1 kaBP: C, O isotope is a little heavy, temperature rises, rainfall is inclined to be little;(3) 11.1-10.3 kaBP: an excursion during dry and hot period responds to Younger Dryas Event;(4) 10.3-6.9 kaBP: C, O Isotope is lighter, but Mg/Sr value is bigger, which shows temperature is continuing rising and rainfall is greater. These reflect the variation tends from wet-cold climate, to dry-hot climate, and to wet-warm climate in history, and some climatic variation trends of thousand years and hundred years cycle are