Abstract
A large area of moraine sediments and cryogenic weathering products, formed by glacial action and a cold environment, are the main source of aeolian sand in the high and cold region of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau in China. The evolution of aeolian dunes is closely related to the periglacial environment. Owing to the freezing of dune-land surfaces, the evolution of sand dunes is dominated by expanding dune bases and vertical accretion, thereby forming large barchan dunes. The migration rates of these large barchan dunes are very slow at an average rate of 1.7–0.7 cm·a−1. The temperature mainly controls the environmental changes in the adjoining region of Puruogangri ice sheet. The 14C dating of humus layers in the studied area of the sand dune are 10,780±130, 9,549±130, 8,320±110, 7,450±100, 5,970±95, 5,330±90, 4,420±80, 3,460±80, 2,280±70, 980±70 aBP, respectively. The region’s high temperature rising up during summer from the southwest monsoon intensity might be an important factor. As long as both water and temperature conditions are suitable, the plants will grow well, sand dunes will be stabilized, forming humus layers. Otherwise, sand dunes are bare and re-activate.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by grants from National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of Natural Science Foundation of China (40225003), the Knowledge Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Science (KZCX3-SW-341) and Natural Science Foundation of China (40272079). The authors deeply extend their sincere thanks to Professor Yao Tandong, Dong Guangrong, Yang Bao and anonymous referees for their invaluable comments to improve the manuscript.
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Zhang, W., Wang, T., Qu, J. et al. Developmental characteristics of aeolian dunes and environmental changes in the adjoining region of Puruogangri ice sheet, North Tibetan Plateau. Environ Geol 48, 15–24 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-1242-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-1242-1