Detailed Processes and Potential Mechanisms of Pliocene Salty Lake Evolution in the Western Qaidam Basin
Hyperarid climate and salty lakes prevail in the current Qaidam Basin, but this basin was once a large paleolake until the early Quaternary. However, its evolution history and relationship with climate and tectonics are still elusive. Here we present detailed stratigraphic descriptions combined with...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.736901/full |
| _version_ | 1818729113748242432 |
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| author | Qingda Su Hannah Riegel Lisha Gong Richard Heermance Junsheng Nie |
| author_facet | Qingda Su Hannah Riegel Lisha Gong Richard Heermance Junsheng Nie |
| author_sort | Qingda Su |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hyperarid climate and salty lakes prevail in the current Qaidam Basin, but this basin was once a large paleolake until the early Quaternary. However, its evolution history and relationship with climate and tectonics are still elusive. Here we present detailed stratigraphic descriptions combined with total organic carbon content and weight ratio of organic carbon to total nitrogen records from fluvio-lacustrine sediments in the western Qaidam Basin to infer how the lake evolved during the late Pliocene-early Pleistocene. These data reveal a drying trend since 3.3 Ma, which we attribute to low latitude forcing and/or local tectonic activities. However, this trend was interrupted during 2.84–2.48 Ma, in which climate wetting was observed. We attribute the climate wetting during 2.84–2.48 Ma to intensified East Asian summer monsoon as is documented by the Chinese Loess Plateau records. Halite and gypsum content increased dramatically after 2.5 Ma, indicating the formation of salty lake in the western Qaidam Basin. These data improve our understanding of the detailed processes of Qaidam aridification and its potential forcing mechanisms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T22:40:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7e62226b905542dd90a8e2ec3cce0199 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T22:40:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-7e62226b905542dd90a8e2ec3cce01992022-12-21T21:29:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632021-09-01910.3389/feart.2021.736901736901Detailed Processes and Potential Mechanisms of Pliocene Salty Lake Evolution in the Western Qaidam BasinQingda Su0Hannah Riegel1Lisha Gong2Richard Heermance3Junsheng Nie4Key Laboratory of Western China’ Environmental System (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, ChinaDepartment of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, United StatesKey Laboratory of Western China’ Environmental System (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, ChinaDepartment of Geological Sciences, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA, United StatesKey Laboratory of Western China’ Environmental System (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, ChinaHyperarid climate and salty lakes prevail in the current Qaidam Basin, but this basin was once a large paleolake until the early Quaternary. However, its evolution history and relationship with climate and tectonics are still elusive. Here we present detailed stratigraphic descriptions combined with total organic carbon content and weight ratio of organic carbon to total nitrogen records from fluvio-lacustrine sediments in the western Qaidam Basin to infer how the lake evolved during the late Pliocene-early Pleistocene. These data reveal a drying trend since 3.3 Ma, which we attribute to low latitude forcing and/or local tectonic activities. However, this trend was interrupted during 2.84–2.48 Ma, in which climate wetting was observed. We attribute the climate wetting during 2.84–2.48 Ma to intensified East Asian summer monsoon as is documented by the Chinese Loess Plateau records. Halite and gypsum content increased dramatically after 2.5 Ma, indicating the formation of salty lake in the western Qaidam Basin. These data improve our understanding of the detailed processes of Qaidam aridification and its potential forcing mechanisms.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.736901/fulltotal organic carbonPliocenesalty lakeQaidam BasinTibetan Plateau |
| spellingShingle | Qingda Su Hannah Riegel Lisha Gong Richard Heermance Junsheng Nie Detailed Processes and Potential Mechanisms of Pliocene Salty Lake Evolution in the Western Qaidam Basin Frontiers in Earth Science total organic carbon Pliocene salty lake Qaidam Basin Tibetan Plateau |
| title | Detailed Processes and Potential Mechanisms of Pliocene Salty Lake Evolution in the Western Qaidam Basin |
| title_full | Detailed Processes and Potential Mechanisms of Pliocene Salty Lake Evolution in the Western Qaidam Basin |
| title_fullStr | Detailed Processes and Potential Mechanisms of Pliocene Salty Lake Evolution in the Western Qaidam Basin |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detailed Processes and Potential Mechanisms of Pliocene Salty Lake Evolution in the Western Qaidam Basin |
| title_short | Detailed Processes and Potential Mechanisms of Pliocene Salty Lake Evolution in the Western Qaidam Basin |
| title_sort | detailed processes and potential mechanisms of pliocene salty lake evolution in the western qaidam basin |
| topic | total organic carbon Pliocene salty lake Qaidam Basin Tibetan Plateau |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.736901/full |
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