Wu Jinglu

China's lakes at present: Number, area and spatial distribution

Based on 11004 satellite images from CBERS CCD and Landsat TM/ETM, changes in the spatial characteristics of all lakes in China were determined following pre-established interpretation rules. This dataset was supported by 6843 digital raster images (1:100000 and 1:50000), a countrywide digital vector dataset (1:250000), and historical literature. Comparative data were corrected for seasonal variations using precipitation data. There are presently 2693 natural lakes in China with an area greater than 1.0 km2, excluding reservoirs. These lakes are distributed in 28 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and have a total area of 81414.6 km2, accounting for ∼0.9% of China’s total land area. In the past 30 years, the number of newly formed and newly discovered lakes with an area greater than 1.0 km2 is 60 and 131, respectively. Conversely, 243 lakes have disappeared in this time period.

Sedimentary geochemical evidence for recent eutrophication of Lake Chenghai, Yunnan, China

Geochemical anomalies and stable isotope ratios (δ18O, δ13C) in authigenic carbonates and organic matter (δ13C) from a 660-year sediment core from Lake Chenghai, southern China, provide a continuous history of recent lake eutrophication. The multi-proxy geochemical and isotopic record can be divided into a three-part history of contrasting limnological development, including: (1) a clear-water, oligotrophic open lake system (1340 and 1690 AD); (2) an environmentally unstable, hydrologically closed, oligotrophic lake system (1690–1940 AD); and (3) an increasingly eutrophic, closed lake system marked by higher organic matter, nitrogen, CaCO3, and pigment concentrations, and lower δ18O and δ13C values in authigenic calcite (1940–1999 AD). The unanticipated lowering of δ18O and δ13C of authigenic calcite during eutrophication is thought to be the result of disequilibrium water–carbonate fractionation of oxygen and carbon isotopes during periods of elevated primary production, pH, and [CO32−] activities in the water column. The recent eutrophication of Lake Chenghai indicated by these geochemical proxies is essentially simultaneous with large-scale human migration and the application of agricultural fertilizers in the catchment area during the 20th century.

Sedimentary records of heavy metal pollution in Fuxian Lake, Yunnan Province, China: intensity, history, and sources.

Abstract This study focused on the concentration change of heavy metals of sediment cores in heavily polluted north area and less polluted middle area of Fuxian Lake in Southwest China. On the basis of the analysis of Cu, Ni, Ti, V, Pb, Cd, and Zn concentration-depth profiles, the pollution history of heavy metals was studied using 137 cesium ( 137 Cs) dating. The sources of heavy metals were distinguished by normalization of their profiles to aluminum and analysis of heavy metal concentrations of potential source materials. Geoaccumulation index ( I geo ) was used to quantify their contamination intensity. The results showed that all the heavy metals found in the Fuxian Lake sediments originated naturally before 1980s. Cu, Ni, Ti, and V were still mainly natural in the north lake after 1980s, Cu, Ni, Ti, V, and Pb were mainly natural in the middle lake at all time, but the concentrations of Pb and Zn in the north lake were influenced by industrial wastes from the phosphorus fertilizer factory and cement plants. In all the lake, the contaminations of Cd and Zn were the results of agricultural cultivation using a large amount of fertilizers and the atmospheric fallouts of dusts from cement plants. At present, the geoaccumulation indices showed that the Fuxian Lake sediments were moderately to strongly polluted by Cd in the middle lake, and unpolluted to moderately polluted by Pb and Zn and strongly polluted by Cd in the north lake. Moreover, the pollution intensities of Cd, Zn, and Pb have been increased since 1980s.

Temperature estimation by oxygen-stable record over the past 200 ka in Zoige basin

According to the evolutionary processes of stable oxygen isotope in lake water, a physical model has been established to calculate paleotemperature and used to quantitatively re-build the temperature sequences in the past 200 ka in Zoigê basin, eastern Tibet. The results show that in the Zoigê region the maximum temperature of the period equivalent to stage 7 in deep-sea stable oxygen record was 2.7êC higher than that of the present; in stage 6, it was 4.3êC lower and the value of the peak temperature of stage 5 was 5.2 êC higher than the present air temperature; in stage 4, the average temperature was 2-3êC lower; in stage 3, the curve of the temperature es-timated displayed the character of two peaks and one valley, and the value of the temperature dif-ference in the period was above 4êC. Moreover, by comparing the tendency of the curves of pa-leotemperature calculated and responsive stable oxygen isotope of authicarbonate, we also found that during stage 6 the environment in the Zoigê basin was extraordinary, inferring that the stage represented a transition period from warm-dry and cold-wet to warm-wet and cold-dry.According to the evolutionary processes of stable oxygen isotope in lake water, a physical model has been established to calculate paleotemperature and used to quantitatively rebuild the temperature sequences in the past 200 ka in Zoige basin, eastern Tibet. The results show that in the Zoige region the maximum temperature of the period equivalent to stage 7 in deep-sea stable oxygen record was 2.7℃ higher than that of the present; in stage 6, it was 4.3℃ lower and the value of the peak temperature of stage 5 was 5.2℃ higher than the present air temperature; in stage 4, the average temperature was 2-3℃ lower; in stage 3, the curve of the temperature estimated displayed the character of two peaks and one valley, and the value of the temperature difference in the period was above 4℃. Moreover, by comparing the tendency of the curves of paleotemperature calculated and responsive stable oxygen isotope of authicarbonate, we also found that during stage 6 the environment in the Zoige basin was extraordinary, inferring that the stage represented a transition period from warm-dry and cold-wet to warm-wet and cold-dry.

The climatic and hydrological changes and environmental responses recorded in lake sediments of Xinjiang, China

Based on the analyses of environmental proxy data in lake sediments and instrumental records of Xinjiang in northwest China, the Holocene climate and hydrological variability and its environmental re- sponses were studied in different time scales and regions. The results showed that the Holocene climate variability had obvious differences between the north and south of Xinjiang. In northern Xinjiang, the Holocene climate was dry in the early period, humid in the middle period, and then changed to dry in the late period. However, the climate transition times were not consistent in different regions. In southern Xin- jiang, although there were many different types of climate change patterns inferred from different catch- ments, the warm and wet climate was recorded in most lake sediments in the middle Holocene. According to comparisons of some millennium scale records in lake sediments, the climate was warm and dry in the past 100 years. It can be concluded the climate showed a trend of aridity in Holocene. Especially in recent 50 years, the lake area has been shrinking rapidly because of the population growth and social economic development, which brings some environmental problems. Lake level and area changes were sensitively affected by the climate variation in geological history of Xinjiang and the lake level will continue to shrink because of the drought climate and strengthened human activities.

Characteristics of an early Holocene climate and environment from lake sediments in Ebinur region, NW China

The characteristics of climatic environment in the early Holocene epoch were studied through analyzing environmental proxies from the sediments in the Ebinur Lake-a closed one in the arid region. The pollen assemblage and other geochemical indices showed that, the temperature was somewhat low in the period (8.0–11.5 cal kaBP) as a whole, but in the early period (11.5-10.6 cal kaBP) the temperature was higher, in company with more precipitation. In the conversion period from the early Holocene epoch to the middle Holocene epoch (8.9-8.0 cal kaBP) the climate fluctuated remarkably. Particularly the three layers of peat sediment revealed the strong instability of climate in the early Holocene epoch in the Ebinur region. All information on the development of peat and the experimental data of pollen and stable isotopes implied that, the climatic condition at 8.2, 8.6 and 10.5 cal kaBP was characterized by noticeable cold and humidness, and could be regarded as three cold and humid events in the early Holocene epoch.

Isotopic Tracing of Trophication Processes over the Last Millennia on Lake Chenghai

Multi-parameter studies (stable isotopes in carbonate and organic matter, pigment, organic carbon and nitrogen contents) from a 660-yr continuous sediment core from Lake Chenghai, a closed, eutropic lake in southern China, provide information on lake historical eutrophication. During the last 660 years, great changes have taken place in productivity and eutrophication of Lake Chenghai in response to human activities. In 1690, the productivity of the lake began to increase as Lake Chenghai became closed from agriculture in the lake’s watershed. In 1942, Lake Chenghai evolved to eutrophic state, marked by an increase in organic carbon, nitrogen, CaCO3, pigment contents and obvious negative values of stable isotopes, which is more or less simultaneous with the large-scale population immigration during the period. In 1984, intensive human activities induced modem lacustrine productivity and eutrophic level. Human-induced trophic changes during the past few decades have affected the Lake Chenghai ecosystem to such an extent that it has never experienced before in the last 660 years.

Climatic Signals in the Last 200 Years from Stable Isotope Record in the Shells of Freshwater Snails in Lake Xingcuo,Eastern Tibet Plateau,China

Lake Xingcuo is a small closed, hard-water lake, situated on eastern Tibet Plateau. Stable isotope data (δ18O and δ13C) from the freshwater snailGyraulus sibirica (Dunker) in a 34 cm long, radioactive isotope-dated sediment core represent the last 200 years of Lake Xingcuo environmental history. Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios in the shells of the freshwater snail bear information on the isotopic composition of the water in which the shells were formed, which in turn characterizes the climatic conditions prevailing during the snail’s life span. Whole-shell and incremental growth data were collected from modern and fossil shells from Lake Xingcuo. The δ18O values of modern shells from Lake Xingcuo are in equilibrium with those of modern waters, while δ13C values are indicative of snail dietary carbon and a lake with high δ13CTDIC By calibrating δ18O and δ13C in the shellGyraulus sibirica (Dunker) with instrument measured data for the period 1954 – 1992, we found that the δ18O of the snail shells is an efficient indicator to reveal air temperature in the warmer half year instead of that around the whole year, and that there is a certain positive correlation between index δ18O and the running average temperature in the warmer half-year period. Climatic variability on eastern Tibet Plateau, for the last two centuries, has been successfully inferred from the δ18O record in freshwater snails in the sediments of Lake Xingcuo. As such, the last 200 years of palaeoclimatic record for this region can be separated into three periods representing oscillations between warming and cooling, which are confirmed by the Guliya ice record on the Tibet Plateau.

Compositions of δ18O and δ13C in various carbonates of core RM in the Zoigê Basin and climatic significance

The hole RM, the deepest one fully obtained core in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, situated in the depositional center of the Zoige Basin (33°57′N; 102° 21′E) in the northeastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau with a depth of 310.46 m. From 14C dating and paleomagnetic stratigraphic study, the core RM can date back to 900 ka B.P.. In this paper we analyzed the compositions of δ18O and δ13C in various carbonates can date (snail, obstrode, chemical carbonate) in core RM and discussed preferably the paleoclimatic record by the proxies of δ18O and δ13C of chemical carbonate (authicarbonate) from core RM in the past 140 ka. The results showed that the values of δ18O in various carbonates are generally identical, and the values of δ13C in it are inconsistent, while there exist better relativity. The studies also demonstrated that there was a negative correlation between δ18O and δ13C of authicarbonate in core RM in the past 140 ka, showing that the changes of δ18O values were mainly relative to the water temperature. According to above, the climatic evolutionary sequence were rebuilt in the past 140 ka in the region.

The holocene sedimental characteristicand paleoclimatic evolution of Ebinur Lake, XinJiang

On the basis of lacustrine sedimentary profile of Ebinur Lake, sequences of evolution of paleoclimate and paleoenvironment in Ebinur Lake area have been rebuilt by analysing the sedimentary stratigraphy, bio-stratigraphy and geochemistry as well as the chronological records. The results show that, during the last 10 ka years, the general change trends of the paleoclimate in E-binur Lake area can be divided into three stages: (1) 10. 2 – 8.3 ka B. P., a warm-cool dry climate stage; (2) 8.3–3.5 ka B. P., a warmer moist climate stage (specially, 7.3–6.4 ka B. P., a relatively stable humid temperate stage); (3) 3.5 ka B. P. —present, adraught temperate climate stage, similar to the present climate. In addition, there existed clearly several times of secondary undulations of dry-humid climate, i.e. 8.3 ka and 7.3 ka for dry climate