Micropaleontology, environmental and climatic changes of the Nyêr Co paleolake in western Tibet between 20000—2000 a BP
Liu Junying Yuan Heran Zheng Mianping Liu Xifang
1 Open Laboratory of Saline Lake Resources and Environment,
Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing100037
2 Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing100037
The section of the 10mdeep 37/ZK7 hole in Nyêr Co paleolake, western Tibet, contains abundant aquatic microfossils such as ostracods and charophytes. Of these, the ostracods are the most abundant group but have a low diversity. The ostracods that occur frequently and have a high abundance are Leucocythere mirabilis Kaufmann and Limnocythere dubiosa Daday, while others including Limnocytherellina, Eucypris and Candona that are of much less abundance. Charophytes occur in many horizons, but their oogonia are poorly preserved and what have been preserved are mostly the fragments of vegetal bodies and the membranes of ova. According to the analyses of the ecoenvironment of ostracods, combined with the Useries dating and sedimentary data of the section, as well as the relevant geochemical background values, the paleoenvironmental changes of the Nyêr Co Paleolake at 20000—2000 a BP were largely as follows. ① Around 20000 a BP, the lake water was relatively deep, the water temperature relatively low and the water quality slightly salty. The climate was relatively coolwet and then became warmwet. ② During 18700—18100 a BP, the lake water had a high evaporation quantity, so that the lake area shrank and the lake became shallow gradually. The salinity increased and the climate was slightly warmdry. ③ During 18100—11800 a BP, the climate was coldwet. The lake water was relatively deep, the water temperature slightly low and the water quality relatively tasteless.However, there were several climatic fluctuations and the lake depth and hydrochemical properties changed with climatic oscillations in this period, suggesting that the climate in the lake district was characterized by a repeated alternation of relatively coldwet and coolslightly wet and became coolslightly dry at the late stage. ④ During 11800—10000 a BP, the climate became slightly warmwet(11800—11000 a BP) and then became colddry(11000—10000 a BP). The ecoenvironment of the lake deteriorated and the number of ostracods decreased abruptly, which should be the response to the global Dryas event in the study area. ⑤ At 10000 a BP in the Holocene, the climate was slightly warmwet(10000—8700 aBPand 7000—4800 aBP), with slightly a coldwet climate (8700—7000 aBP); during 4800—3000 a BP, the climate became alternately slightly warmdry(4800—4600, 4400—4300 and 3800—3000 a BP) and slightly coldwet(4600—4400 and 4300—3800 a BP); and during 3000—2100 a BP, the climate was mainly colddry and by then the lakes had been nearly driedup.
About author: Liu Junying, born in 1939, graduated from Department of Geological Exploration, Chengdu Institute of Geology in 1963.She is a research professor and is mainly engaged in stratigraphy and paleontology. Her current interests focuse on sedimentary environments and micropaleontology.
Cite this article:
. Micropaleontology, environmental and climatic changes of the Nyêr Co paleolake in western Tibet between 20000—2000 a BP[J]. JOURNAL OF PALAEOGEOGRAPHY, 2007, 9(6): 575-587.
. Micropaleontology, environmental and climatic changes of the Nyêr Co paleolake in western Tibet between 20000—2000 a BP[J]. JOPC, 2007, 9(6): 575-587.