Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Centennial-scale monsoon climate fluctuations from a stalagmite record during the mid-Holocene Epoch in Fulu cave of Huaping, Yunnan, China

  • Thematic Issue
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The mid-Holocene dynamics of the East Asian Monsoon (EAM) and Indian Monsoon (IM) are important for understanding the Holocene climate system. To clarify the relationship between EAM and IM subsystems during the mid-Holocene, a 2085-year (6,270–4,185 a BP) high-resolution record from stalagmite (FL4) in Yunnan, China was reconstructed using ICP-MS-230Th series dating and carbon and oxygen isotope analysis (δ13C and δ18O). In the study period, successive positive δ18O trends revealed a generally weakening Asian monsoon, with the monsoon climate tending toward gradual drying, especially during three centennial-scale drought events in 6,270–6,126 a BP, 5,347–5,140 a BP, and 4,810–4,620 a BP. On the other hand, the uninterrupted negative trend in δ13C signified natural improvements in vegetation overlying the cave, and a serious deficit (~2.5 ‰) in δ13C during 5,519–5,345 a BP implied a heavy rainfall event, in precise phase with δ18O, demonstrating an enhanced Indian Monsoon subsystem. The dense sawtooth-shaped pattern of the carbon and oxygen isotope records indicates that a series of decadal-scale abrupt climate changes were superimposed on the centennial-scale monsoon climate changes. FL4 stalagmite records in the mid-Holocene reflect a gradually weakening monsoon climate with superimposed decadal–centennial events, but natural improvements in local vegetation through self-adjustment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baldini JUL, McDermott F, Baker A, Baldini LM, Mattey D, Raisback LB (2005) Biomass effects on stalagmite growth and isotope ratios: a 20th century analogue from Wiltshire, England. Earth Planet Sci Lett 240:486–494

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai YJ, An ZS, Cheng H, Edwards RL, Kelly MJ, Liu WG, Wang XF (2006) Shen CC (2006) High-resolution absolute-dated Indian Monsoon record between 53 and 36 ka from Xiaobailong cave, southwestern China. Geology 34(8):621–624. doi:10.1130/G22567.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng H, Zhang PZ, Spötl C, Edwards RL, Cai YJ, Zhang DZ, Sang WC, Tan M, An ZS (2012) The climatic cyclicity in semiarid–arid central Asia over the past 500,000 years. Geophys Res Lett 39:L01705. doi:10.1029/2011GL050202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dykoski CA, Edwards RL, Cheng H, Yuan DX, Cai Y, Zhang M, Lin Y, Qing J, An Z, Revenaugh J (2005) A high-resolution, absolute-dated Holocene and deglacial Asian monsoon record from Dongge cave, China. Earth Planet Scie Lett 233:71–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fairchild IJ, Smith CL, Baker A, Fuller L, Spötl C, Mattey D, McDermott F (2006) Modification and preservation of environmental signals in speleothems. Earth Sci Rev 75:105–153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fleitmanna D, Burns SJ, Mudelsee M, Neff U, Kramers J, Mangini A, Matter A (2003) Holocene forcing of the Indian Monsoon recorded in a stalagmite from Southern Oman. Science 300:1737–1739

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fleitmanna D, Burnsb SJ, Manginic A, Mudelseed M, Kramersa J, Villaa I, Neffc U, Al-Subbarye AA, Buettnera A, Hipplera D, Matter A (2007) Holocene ITCZ and Indian monsoon dynamics recorded in stalagmites from Oman and Yemen (Socotra). Quat Sci Rev 26:170–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frappier A, Sahagian D, Gonzalez LA, Carpenter SJ (2002) El Nino events recorded by stalagmite carbon isotopes. Science 298:565

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Genty D, Baker A, Massault M, Proctor C, Gilmour M, Branchu EP, Hamelin B (2001) Dead carbon in stalagmites: Carbonate bedrock paleodissolution vs.ageing of soil organic matter.Implications for 13C variations in speleothems. Geochim Cosmochim Ac 65(20):3443–3457

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu CY, Henderson GM, Huang JH, Xie SC, Sun Y, Johnson KR (2008) Quantification of Holocene Asian monsoon rainfall from spatially separated cave records. Earth Planet Sci Lett 266:221–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li J (2007) Research on land resources of Huaping County, Yunnan. MSc dissertation, Kunming University of Science and Technology (in Chinese)

  • Li HC, Ku TL, Stott LD, Yuan DX, Chen WJ, Li TY (1997) Interannual-resolution δ13C record of stalagmite as proxy for the changes in precipitation and atmosphere CO2 in Shihua cave, Beijing. Carsolog Sin 16(4):286–295 (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Li B, Yuan DX, Qin JM, Lin YS, Zhang ML (2000) Oxygen and carbon isotopic characteristics of rainwater, drip water and present speleothems in a cave in Guilin area and their environmental meanings. Science China (Ser. D) 43(3):277–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Wang NA, Zhou XH, Zhang CQ, Wang Y (2014) Synchronous or asynchronous Holocene Indian and East Asian summer monsoon evolution: a synthesis on Holocene Asian summer monsoon simulations, records and modern monsoon indices. Glob Planet Change 116:30–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu ZF, Tian LD, Chai XR, Yao TD (2008) A model-based determination of spatial variation of precipitation δ18O over China. Chem Geol 249:203–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martín-Chivelet J, Muñoz-García MB, Edwards RL, Turrero MJ, Ortega AI (2011) Land surface temperature changes in Northern Iberia since 4,000 year BP, based on δ13C of speleothems. Glob Planet Change 77:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Neil JR, Clayton RN, Mayeda TK (1969) Oxygen isotope reactionation in divalent metal carbonates. J Chem Phys 51:5547–5558. doi:10.1063/1.1671982

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ren XH, Dong JG, Chen CH (2006) Centennial scale Asian monsoonal aridity events during the mid-Holocene inferred by stalagmite record from Nanyang cave, Henan province. Carsolog Sin 25(4):269–273 (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang YJ, Cheng H, Edwards RL, He YQ, Kong XG, An ZS, Wu JY, Kelly MJ, Dykoski CA, Li X (2005) The Holocene Asian monsoon: links to solar changes and North Atlantic climate. Science 308:854–857

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang YJ, Cheng H, Edwards RL, Kong XG, Chen ST, Wu JY, Jiang XY, Wang XF, An ZS (2008) Millennial- and orbital-scale changes in the East Asian monsoon over the past 224,000 years. Nature 451:1090–1093. doi:10.1038/nature06692

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao XY, Haberle SG, Shen J, Yang XD, Han Y, Zhang EL, Wang SM (2014) Latest Pleistocene and Holocene vegetation and climate history inferred from an alpine lacustrine record, northwestern Yunnan Province, southwestern China. Quat Sci Rev 86:35–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu FL, Zong YQ, Lloyd JM, Leng MJ, Switzer AD, Yim WW-S, Huang GQ (2013) Mid-Holocene variability of the East Asian monsoon based on bulk organic δ 13C and C/N records from the Pearl River estuary, southern China. Holocene 22(6):705–715

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan DX, Cheng H, Edwards RL, Dykoski CA, Kelly MJ, Zhang ML, Qing JM, Lin YS, Wang YJ, Wu JY, Dorale JA, An ZS, Cai YJ (2004) Timing, duration, and transitions of the last interglacial Asian monsoon. Science 304:575–578

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang ML, Lin YS, Qin JM, Cheng K, Yang XS, Li WM (2002) Cave landscape and tourism development for Hulu cave in Huaping county, Yunnan province. Carsolog Sin 21(1):61–65 (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang PZ, Cheng H, Edwards RL, Chen FH, Wang YJ, Yang XL, Liu J, Tan M, Wang XF, Liu JH, AN CL, Dai ZB, Zhou J, Zhang DZ, Jia JH, Jin LY, Johnson KR (2008) A test of climate, sun, and culture relationships from an 1,810-year Chinese cave record. Science 322:940–942

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang ML, Zhu XY, Wu X, Yin JJ, Pan MC (2014) δ18O characteristics of meteoric precipitation in the Guilin area of China. Environ Earth Sci. doi:10.1007/s12665-014-3827-z (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng SH, Hou FG, Ni BL (1983) Study on stable hydrogene and oxygen isotope in China. Chin Sci Bull 28(3):801–806

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu XY, Zhang ML, Lin YS, Qin JM, Yang Y (2006) Carbon isotopic records from stalagmites and the signification of paleo-ecological environment in the area of Guangxi-Guizhou, China. Environ Geol 51:267–273. doi:10.1007/s00254-006-0324-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by three projects of National Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41372190, 40772216 and 40802042), High-resolution climate sudden change and regular research from stalagmite record in cave (Grant No. 1212011087115),and China karst speleothem record survey for climate change (Grant No. 12120113005700). The authors would like to thank the reviewers and all the foreign friends for improving the English and quality of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Karst Dynamics Laboratory, Institute of Karst Geology, CAGS, Guilin, 541004, China

    Xiaoyan Zhu, Meiliang Zhang & Xia Wu

  2. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Hai Cheng & R. L. Edwards

  3. Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China

    Hai Cheng

Authors
  1. Xiaoyan Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Meiliang Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hai Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xia Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. R. L. Edwards
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Meiliang Zhang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhu, X., Zhang, M., Cheng, H. et al. Centennial-scale monsoon climate fluctuations from a stalagmite record during the mid-Holocene Epoch in Fulu cave of Huaping, Yunnan, China. Environ Earth Sci 74, 929–935 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3984-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3984-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation