The evolution of dry lands in northern China and in the Republic of Mongolia since the Last Glacial Maximum

Yang, Xiaoping; Rost, Karl Tilman; Lehmkuhl, Frank; Zhu, Zhiliang; Dodson, John

doi:10.1016/s1040-6182(03)00131-9

Cited by 150 publications

(117 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Compared with our previous field investigations in other mid-latitude deserts, other dune types such as pyramid or star dunes occur widely in the Taklamakan and the Badanjilin deserts (Yang et al 2011a;Zhu and Yang 2009;Zhu and Yu 2014;Zhu et al 2014c). Observations and simulations in the Taklamakan Desert show that some pyramid dunes have been created by erosive processes and in the Badanjilin Desert the multi-directional winds presumably played an important role in the creation of the star dunes (Yang et al 2004;Zhang et al 2013). Although seasonal change in the direction of prevailing winds is apparent in the meteorological records from the Ejina weather station (Fig.…”

Section: Landform Instability In the Ejina Basin And Its Environmentacontrasting

confidence: 48%

“…Besides tectodynamics, satellite imagery and field observations also show that the most widely spread landscapes in the arid regions of China are desert plains and aerodynamic landforms (Hoevermann 1985;Yang 2001;Yang et al 2004Yang et al , 2011a, of which the Ejina Basin is the most representative. In the following, we provide detailed explanation about the types of the landforms in the Ejina Basin.…”

Section: Geomorphodiversity Of the Ejina Basinmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Natural environments of midlatitude deserts in China are subject to relatively fast changes, one of the elements of which is the relief of the land (Yang et al 2004). Morphology appears to be the most significant characteristic of relief, but it does not appear steady and is controlled by a set of interactive processes active over long periods.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies, focused on inferring the responses of these geomorphic systems to past climatic change, have relied primarily on loess-paleosol profiles or stone-pavement development of out-desert deposits, which are indirect evidences in neighboring space. However, independent climatic controls on geomorphic features are difficult to establish in desert areas, due to the absence of long and continuous sedimentary sequences in situ (Yang 2001;Yang et al 2004). Therefore, finding reliable proxy records of geomorphoclimatic effects in the deserts of the world remains a difficult issue.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geomorphoclimatic characteristics and landform information in the Ejina Basin, Northwest China

Zhu

Rioual

et al. 2014

Environ Earth Sci

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Natural environment of mid-latitude deserts of Central Asia is undergoing rapid changes. One of its elements is the relief. What needs to be particularly emphasized is its morphogenesis and landform evolution. In this study, a geomorphological research in the Ejina Basin (Inner Mongolia) is carried out with regard to identifying the main landforms and the contemporary geomorphic processes. We consider ancient and modern landforms as a unit and provide a general explanation for their evolution. Related environmental indications of existing landforms are discussed on the basis of climate geomorphology. Results show that the current basin is under the conditions favorable for the development and dominance of landforms originated from physical processes such as desiccationdeflation and aeolian. The landform system is characterized by its variable structure which is conditioned by specific hydrodynamics processes that existed during glaciations. It is suggested that landform patterns in Ejina are under the strong influence of rapid and/or intensive geomorphic processes. These signatures reflect the regional dynamics of landform evolution as characterized by a very effective integration of tectonic and climate-driven morphogenetic processes. Based on the present day climate data, we infer an obvious linkage of desert gorges and pediments in the basin to ancient humid phases, which provided high energy runoff for the formation of these landforms and were associated with erosional features under more humid and colder climate during the last glacial period. Desert plains and aeolian dunes in the central basin are the related products of contemporary climate. Clear evidences proving the landform inconsistency and landform instability in the Ejina are presented, indicating that the main geomorphic unit is experiencing transformation from alluvial plain to desert plain and then to aeolian dunes. However, the geomorphodiversity in the Ejina should be a compound result of complex surficial processes other than glaciation. Frost weathering, fluvial/alluvial action, desiccation-deflation and aeolian processes as well as climatic changes have played important roles.

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Section: Landform Instability In the Ejina Basin And Its Environmentacontrasting

confidence: 48%

Section: Geomorphodiversity Of the Ejina Basinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Geomorphoclimatic characteristics and landform information in the Ejina Basin, Northwest China

Zhu

Rioual

et al. 2014

Environ Earth Sci

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“…The deserts and sand fields have changed greatly in time and space during late Quaternary, and to reconstruct spatial changes in extent of active dunes is particular important [2][3][4][5][6]. There were a few reconstructions of desert changes during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and Holocene Optimum (HO) [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26], however, because of limited dating work and field investigation, the results need tested. Moreover, some previous reconstructions were speculation based on comparison with paleoclimatic records, without direct and specific stratigraphic evidence; therefore, the conclusions [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] should be clarified.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Chinese deserts and sand fields in Last Glacial Maximum and Holocene Optimum

et al. 2013

Chin. Sci. Bull.

111

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The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, and the Holocene Optimum (HO, c. 9-5 ka) were characterized by cold-dry and warm-wet climates respectively in the recently geological Earth. How Chinese deserts and sand fields responded to these distinctive climatic changes is still not clear, however. To reconstruct environments of the deserts and sand fields during the LGM and HO is helpful to understand the forcing mechanisms of environment change in this arid region, and to test paleoclimatic modeling results. Through our long-term field and laboratory investigations, 400 optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages and more than 100 depositional records in the Chinese deserts and sand fields were obtained; on the basis of these data, we reconstruct spatial distributions of the deserts and sand fields during the LGM and HO. Our results show that the sand fields of Mu Us, Hunshandake, Horqin and Hulun Buir in northern and northeastern China had expanded 25%, 37%, 38% and 270%, respectively, during the LGM; the sand fields of Gonghe in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau had expanded 20%, and the deserts of Badain Jaran, Tengger in central northern China had expanded 39% and 29% separately during the LGM; the deserts of Taklimakan, Gurbantünggüt and Kumtag in northwestern China had expanded 10%-20% respectively, compared to their modern areas. On the other hand, all of the sand fields were nearly completely covered by vegetation during the HO; the deserts in northwestern and central northern China were reduced by around 5%-20% in area during this time. Lakes in this arid region were probably expanded during the HO but this conclusion needs more investigation. Compared with the geological distributions of deserts and sand fields, human activity has clearly changed (expanded) the area of active sand dunes at the present time. Our observations show that environmental conditions of Chinese deserts and sand fields are controlled by regional climate together with human activity. deserts and sand fields in China, Last Glacial Maximum, Holocene Optimum, OSL dating, active sand dunes Citation:

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Pavements and Stone Mantles

Laity

2011

Arid Zone Geomorphology

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The evolution of dry lands in northern China and in the Republic of Mongolia since the Last Glacial Maximum

Cited by 150 publications

References 39 publications

Geomorphoclimatic characteristics and landform information in the Ejina Basin, Northwest China

Geomorphoclimatic characteristics and landform information in the Ejina Basin, Northwest China

Chinese deserts and sand fields in Last Glacial Maximum and Holocene Optimum

Pavements and Stone Mantles

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