Open AccessCatchment instability and A sian summer monsoon variability during the early H olocene in southwestern C hina
Author(s) -
Cook Charlotte G.,
Jones Richard T.,
Turney Chris S. M.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
boreas
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.95
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1502-3885
pISSN - 0300-9483
DOI - 10.1111/j.1502-3885.2012.00287.x
Subject(s) - monsoon , holocene , forcing (mathematics) , geology , climatology , east asian monsoon , glacial period , china , climate change , drainage basin , physical geography , oceanography , geography , geomorphology , cartography , archaeology
A high‐resolution palaeorecord (06SD) from L ake S hudu, Y unnan P rovince, southwestern C hina indicates a broad trend towards catchment stability, enhanced organic productivity and regional forest‐cover expansion during the early to mid H olocene. These changes are congruent with a shift to warm, wet climatic conditions, probably driven by orbitally forced A sian summer monsoon strengthening. Intriguingly, however, during the very early H olocene ( c. 10.7 to 10.1 cal. ka BP ), there is a prominent reversal in this trend, suggesting a weakening A sian summer monsoon. The precise cause and extent of this event remain unclear but demonstrate the urgent need for more comprehensive dating of records from across the region to test for synchroneity and examine climatic forcing mechanisms.