Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

New eolian red clay sequence on the western Chinese Loess Plateau linked to onset of Asian desertification about 25 Ma ago

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Science China Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The expansion of inland Asia deserts has considerably influenced the environmental, social and economic activities in Asia. Aridification of inland Asia, especially timing of the initiation of Asian desertification, is a contentious topic in paleoclimatology. Late Cenozoic eolian loess-red clay sequences on the Chinese Loess Plateau, which possess abundant paleoclimatic and paleo-environmental information, can be regarded as an indicator of inland Asia desertification. Here we present a detailed magnetostratigraphic investigation of a new red clay sequence about 654 m in Zhuanglang located at the western Chinese Loess Plateau. Sedimentological, geochemical, mineralogical, and quartz morphological lines of evidence show that the red clay is of eolian origin. Magnetostratigraphic correlations indicate that this core sequence spans from 25.6 to 4.8 Ma, and typical eolian red clay appears as early as 25 Ma. This extends the lower limit of the red clay on the Chinese Loess Plateau from the previously thought early Miocene back into the late Oligocene. This new red clay record further implies that the inland Asia desertification was initiated at least by the late Oligocene. This sequence provides a unique high-resolution geological record for understanding the inland Asia desertification process since the late Oligocene.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Liu T S, Zhang Z H. Loess of China (in Chinese). Acta Geol Sin, 1962, 42: 1–14

    Google Scholar 

  2. Lu Y C, An Z S. The quest for series of nature environmental changes during the Brunhes Epoch (in Chinese). Chin Sci Bull, 1979, 24: 221–224

    Google Scholar 

  3. Liu T S, Wen Q Z, Zheng H H, et al. Paleoclimate and its evolution recorded in loess of China (in Chinese). In: Scientific Papers on Geology for International Exchange. Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 1980. 77–82

    Google Scholar 

  4. Liu T S. Loess and the Environment. Beijing: China Ocean Press, 1985. 1–481

    Google Scholar 

  5. Kukla G, An Z S. Loess stratigraphy in central China. Paleogeogr Paleoclimatol Paleoecol, 1989, 72: 203–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Kukla G, An Z S, Melice J L, et al. Magnetic susceptibility record of Chinese Loess. Trans Royal Soc Edinburgh-Earth Sci, 1990, 81: 263–288

    Google Scholar 

  7. Ding Z L, Liu T S. Progresses of loess research in China (part 1): Loess stratigraphy (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 1989, 1: 24–25

    Google Scholar 

  8. Heller F, Liu T S. Magnetostratigraphical dating of loess deposits in China. Nature, 1982, 300: 431–433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. An Z S, Lu Y C. A climatostratigraphic subdivison of late pleistocene strata named by malan formation in north China. Chin Sci Bull, 1984, 29: 1239–1242

    Google Scholar 

  10. Sadao S, Wang Y Y. Magneti-and chronostratigraphy revealed from the Luochuan loess sequence in China and its relevance to the Quaternary climatic change. In: Sadao S, Wang Y Y, eds. The Recent Research of Loess in China. Kyoto: Wako Printing Ltd, 1984. 211–230

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kukla G, Heller F, Ming L X. Pleistocene climates in China dated by magnetic susceptibility. Geology, 1988, 16: 811–814

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Ding Z L, Liu T S. Climatic correlation between Chinese loess and deep-sea cores in the last 1.8 Ma. Chin Sci Bull, 1992, 37: 217–220

    Google Scholar 

  13. An Z S, Kukla G J, Porter S C, et al. Magnetic susceptibility evidence of monsoon variation on the Loess Plateau of central China during the last 130,000 years. Quat Res, 1991, 36: 29–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. An Z S, Kukla G J, Porter S C, et al. Late Quaternary dust flow on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Catena, 1991, 18: 125–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Rutter N, Ding Z L, Evans M E, et al. Baoji-type pedostratigraphic section, Loess Plateau, north-central China. Quat Sci Rev, 1991, 10: 1–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Rutter N W, Ding Z L, Evans M E, et al. Paleoclimates and monsoon variations interpreted from micromorphogenic features of Baoji paleosols, China. Quat Sci Rev, 1993, 12: 853–862

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Ding Z L, Yu Z W, Rutter N W, et al. Towards an orbital time scale for Chinese loess deposits. Quat Sci Rev, 1994, 13: 39–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. An Z S, Liu T S, Lu H Y, et al. The long-term paleomonsoon variation recorded by the loess-paleosol sequence in central China. Quat Inter, 1990, 718: 91–95

    Google Scholar 

  19. An Z S, Wu X H, Wang P X, et al. Paleomonsoons of China over the last 130000 years—Paleomonsoon variation. Sci China Ser B, 1991, 34: 1016–1016

    Google Scholar 

  20. Sun Y B, Lu H Y, An Z S. Grain-size distribution of quartz isolated from Chinese loess/paleosols. Chin Sci Bull, 2000, 45: 2296–2298

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Sun Y B, An Z S. Late Pliocene-Pleistocene changes in mass accumulation rates of eolian deposits on the central Chinese Loess Plateau. J Geophys Res, 2005, 110: D23101, doi: 10.1029/2005JD006064

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Liu T S. Loess in China. 2nd ed. Beijing: China Ocean Press; Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 1988. 1–224

    Google Scholar 

  23. Zhao J B. The study on the red soil of Neogene in Xi’an and Baode of Shanxi (in Chinese). Acta Sedimentol Sin, 1989, 7: 113–120

    Google Scholar 

  24. Ding Z L, Sun J M, Zhu R X, et al. Eolian origin of the red clay deposits in the Loess Plateau and implications for Pliocene climatic changes (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 1997, 2: 147–157

    Google Scholar 

  25. Ding Z L, Sun J M, Liu T S, et al. Wind-blown origin of the Pliocene red clay formation in the central Loess Plateau, China. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 1998, 161: 135–143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Lu H Y, Vandenberghe J, An Z S. Aeolian origin and paleoclimatic implications of the ‘Red Clay’ (North China) as evidenced by grainsize distribution. J Quat Sci, 2001, 16: 89–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Yang S L, Ding Z L. Comparison of particle size characteristics of the Tertiary ‘red clay’ and Pleistocene loess in the Chinese Loess Plateau: Implications for origin and sources of the ‘red clay’. Sedimentology, 2004, 51: 77–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Liu J F, Guo Z T, Qiao Y S, et al. Eolian origin of the Miocene loess-soil sequence at Qin’an, China: Evidence of quartz morphology and quartz grain-size. Chin Sci Bull, 2006, 51: 117–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Qiao Y S, Guo Z T, Hao Q Z, et al. Grain-size features of a Miocene loess-soil sequence at Qinan: Implications on its origin. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2006, 49: 731–738

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Li F J, Wu N Q, Pei Y P, et al. Wind-blow origin of Dongwan late Miocene-Pleiocene dust sequence documented by land snail record in western Chinese Loess Plateau. Geology, 2006, 34: 405–408

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Sun D H, Liu T S, Chen M Y, et al. Magnetostratigraphy and paleoclimate of red Clay sequences from Chinese Loess Plateau. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 1997, 40: 337–343

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Sun D H, Shaw J, An Z S, et al. Magnetostratigraphy and paleoclimatic interpretation of a continuous 7.2 Ma Late Cenozoic eolian sediments from the Chinese Loess Plateau. Geophys Res Lett, 1998, 25: 85–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Sun D H, An Z S, Shaw J, et al. Magnetostratigraphy and paleoclimatic significance of late Tertiary aeolian sequences in the Chinese Loess Plateau. Geophys J Inter, 1998, 134: 207–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. An Z S, Wang S M, Wu X H, et al. Eolian evidence from the Chinese Loess Plateau: The onset of the late Cenozoic Great Glaciation in the Northern Hemispere and Qinghai-Xizang Plateau uplift forcing. Sci Chin Ser D-Earth Sci, 1999, 42: 258–271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Ding Z L, Sun J M, Yang S L, et al. Magnetostratigraphy and grain size record of a thick red clay-loess sequence at Lingtai, the Chinese Loess Plateau (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 1998, 1: 86–94

    Google Scholar 

  36. Ding Z L, Sun J M, Yang S L, et al. Preliminary magnetostratigraphy of a thick eolian red caly-loess sequence at Lingtai, the Chinese Loess Plateau. Geophys Res Lett, 1998, 25: 1225–1228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Ding Z L, Xiong S F, Sun J M, et al. Pedostratigraphy and paleomagnetism of a similar to 7.0 Ma eolian loess-red clay sequence at Lingtai, Loess Plateau, north-central China and the implications for paleomonsoon evolution. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol, 1999, 152: 49–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Song Y G, Fang X M, Torii M, et al. Late Neogene rock magnetic record of climatic variation from Chinese eolian sediments related to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. J Asian Earth Sci, 2007, 30: 324–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Qiang X K, Li Z X, Powell C McA, et al. Magnetostratigraphic record of the Late Miocene onset of the East Asian monsoon, and Pliocene uplift of northern Tibet. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 2001, 187: 83–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Xu Y, Yue L P, Li J X, et al. An 11-Ma-old red clay sequence on the Eastern Chinese Loess Plateau. Paleogeogr Paleoclimatol Paleoecol, 2009, 284: 383–391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Guo Z T, Ruddiman W F, Hao Q Z, et al. Onset of Asian desertification by 22 Myr ago inferred from loess deposits in China. Nature, 2002, 416: 159–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Sun J M, Ye J, Wu W Y, et al. Late Oligocene-Miocene mid-latitude aridification and wind patterns in the Asian interior. Geology, 2010, 38: 515–518

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Qiang X K, An Z S, Fu C F, et al. Magnetostratigraphy of Zhuanglang drilling core from western Loess Plateau. The 5th International Symposium on Tibetan Plateau & the 24th Himalaya-Karakorum-Tibet Workshop. 11–14 August 2009, Beijing, China, 2009. S2.7, 69

  44. Zijderveld J D A. AC demagnetization of rocks: Analysis of results. In: Collinson D W, Runcorn S K, Creer K M, eds. Methods in Paleomagnetism. New York: Elsevier, 1967. 254–286

    Google Scholar 

  45. Kirschvink J L. The least-squares line and plane and the analysis of paleomagnetic data. Geophys J Roy Astron Soc, 1980, 62: 699–718

    Google Scholar 

  46. Cande S C, Kent D V. Revised calibration of the geomagnetic polarity timescale for the late Cretaceous and Cenozoic. J Geophys Res, 1995, 100: 6093–6095

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Liu J F, Guo Z T, Qiao Y S, et al. Eolian origin of the Miocene loess-soil sequence at Qin’an, China: Evidence of quartz morphology and quartz grain-size. Chin Sci Bull, 2006, 51: 117–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Ding Z L, Rutter N W, Sun J M, et al. Re-arrangement of atmospheric circulation at about 2.6 Ma over northern China: Evidence from grain size records of loess-palaeosol and red clay sequences. Quat Sci Rev, 2000, 19: 547–558

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Sun J M. Provenance of loess material and formation of loess deposits on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 2002, 203: 845–859

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Guo Z T, Sun B, Zhang Z S, et al. A major reorganization of Asian climate by the early Miocene. Clim Past, 2008, 4: 153–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Rea D K, Leinen M, Janecek T R. Geologic approach to the long-term history of atmospheric circulation. Science, 1985, 227: 721–725

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Garzione C N, Ikari M J, Basu A R. Source of Oligocene to Pliocene sedimentary rocks in the Linxia Basin in northeastern Tibet from Nd isotopes: Implications for tectonic forcing of climate. Geol Soc Amer Bull, 2006, 117: 1156–1166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Ruddimman W F, Kutzbach J K. Forcing of late Cenozoic northern hemisphere climate by plateau uplift in southern Asia and American West. J Geophys Res, 1989, 94: 18409–18427

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Manabe S, Broccoli A J. Mountains and arid climates of middle latitudes. Science, 1990, 247: 192–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. An Z S, Kutzbach J E, Prell W L, et al. Evolution of Asian monsoons and phased uplift of the Himalayan Tibetan Plateau since Late Miocene times. Nature, 2001, 411: 62–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Kutzbach J E, Guetter P J, Ruddimman W F, et al. Senseitivity of climate to Late Cenozoic uplift in southern Asia and the American West: Numerical experiments. J Geophys Res, 1989, 94: 18393–18407

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. Harrison T M, Copeland P, Kidd W S F, et al. Raising Tibet. Science, 1992, 255: 1663–1670

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Kutzbach J E, Prell W L, Ruddimman W F. Sensitivity of Eurasian climate to surface uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. J Geol, 1993, 101: 177–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Ramstein G, Fluteau F, Besse J, et al. Effect of orogeny, plate motion and land-sea distribution on Eurasian climate change over the past 30 million years. Nature, 1997, 386: 788–795

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology (SKLLQG), Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an, 710075, China

    Xiaoke Qiang, Zhisheng An, Yougui Song, Hong Chang, Youbin Sun, Weiguo Liu, Hong Ao, Jibao Dong, Feng Wu, Fengyan Lu, Yanjun Cai, Weijian Zhou, Junji Cao, Xinwen Xu & Li Ai

  2. Key Laboratory of Western Mineral Resources and Geological Engineering of Ministry of Education, Chang’an University, Xi’an, 710065, China

    Chaofeng Fu

Authors
  1. Xiaoke Qiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhisheng An
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yougui Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hong Chang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Youbin Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Weiguo Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Hong Ao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Jibao Dong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Chaofeng Fu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Feng Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Fengyan Lu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Yanjun Cai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Weijian Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Junji Cao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. Xinwen Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  16. Li Ai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhisheng An.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Qiang, X., An, Z., Song, Y. et al. New eolian red clay sequence on the western Chinese Loess Plateau linked to onset of Asian desertification about 25 Ma ago. Sci. China Earth Sci. 54, 136–144 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-010-4126-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-010-4126-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation