Pollen- and charcoal-based evidence for climatic and human impact on vegetation in the northern edge of Wuyi Mountains, China, during the last 8200 years

Pollen and charcoal records derived from the sediment core of Lantianyan (LTY) peat bog, Northern Wuyi Mountain chains, eastern subtropical China, provide valuable information of landscape evolution caused by both climatic variation and anthropogenic activities over the past 8200 years. Our results reveal fluvial and lacustrine deposition between c. 8200 and 5600 cal. yr BP. The high proportion of pollen from evergreen broadleaved forests (e.g. Quercus and Castanopsis) and Alnus trees, a taxon frequently occurring in mountain wetlands, implies a humid interval, which is consistent with the Holocene moisture maximum in eastern China. After 5600 cal. yr BP, the spread of the wooded swamp taxon, Glyptostrobus, suggests shallow water conditions and peat formation caused by gradual drying. The drying trend generally corresponds with the speleothem isotope record from this region, revealing a weakening East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) due to a decrease in Northern Hemisphere summer insolation (and in air temperature). Peaks in the abundance and concentration of Glyptostrobus pollen at c. 4600–4400 cal. yr BP and c. 3300–3000 cal. yr BP suggest two periods of swamp expansions, which coincide with the drought intervals revealed by the speleothem records. The LTY pollen and charcoal record demonstrates that human-induced land cover change was negligible before 3600 cal. yr BP. We consider the first signal of intensive human activity and landscape clearing to be the noticeable increase in charcoal particles at around 3600 cal. yr BP. This anthropogenic impact is followed by a dramatic decrease in arboreal pollen and increase in Poaceae pollen percentages, likely reflecting a transition to rice-paddy agriculture in the study area

The Reading Palaeofire Database : an expanded global resource to document changes in fire regimes from sedimentary charcoal records

Sedimentary charcoal records are widely used to reconstruct regional changes in fire regimes through time in the geological past. Existing global compilations are not geographically comprehensive and do not provide consistent metadata for all sites. Furthermore, the age models provided for these records are not harmonised and many are based on older calibrations of the radiocarbon ages. These issues limit the use of existing compilations for research into past fire regimes. Here, we present an expanded database of charcoal records, accompanied by new age models based on recalibration of radiocarbon ages using IntCal20 and Bayesian age-modelling software. We document the structure and contents of the database, the construction of the age models, and the quality control measures applied. We also record the expansion of geographical coverage relative to previous charcoal compilations and the expansion of metadata that can be used to inform analyses. This first version of the Reading Palaeofire Database contains 1676 records (entities) from 1480 sites worldwide. The database (RPDv1b - Harrison et al., 2021) is available at https://doi.org/10.17864/1947.000345.Peer reviewe

Plant species ranges, pollen abundances and related climate in China

En utilisant un système d'information géographique, j'ai géoréférencé les distributions géographiques de 196 espèces de plantes dominantes en Chine. Ensuite, j'ai affecté ces différentes espèces à des taxons polliniques. Finalement, j'ai interpolé plusieurs variables climatiques à chaque échantillon pollinique actuel et chaque distribution d'espèces. La relation entre la répartition géographique de ces espèces et différents paramètres climatiques a été analysée à l'aide d'outils statistiques. Des seuils de variables climatiques ont été calculés pour chaque espèces. Une analyse de regroupement (cluster) a été effectuée sur les taxons polliniques et les variables climatiques pour élaborer des groupes de plantes. Ainsi, 29 groupes d'affinité bioclimatique (BAG) ont été obtenus et ils m'ont permis de représenter de façon synthétique les principaux écosystèmes végétaux en Chine. Des seuils pour différentes variables climatiques ont été calculés pour chaque BAG. Finalement, j'ai utilisé les aires géoréférencées des espèces avec plusieurs variables climatiques et 1652 échantillons actuels pour analyser la relation entre les pourcentages polliniques de 29 taxons, leurs espèces d'origine ainsi que leurs enveloppes climatiques.Using a geographical information system, I have georeferenced the geographical ranges of 196 dominant plant species in China. Then, I have assigned these plant species to pollen taxa. Finally, I have interpolated several climate variables to each modern pollen site and each species range. The relationship between the geographical distribution of these plants and climate parameters has been analysed using statistical tools. Thresholds of Climate variables have been inferred for each species. A cluster analysis was then performed on the pollen taxa and the climate variables to build coherent vegetation groups. Thus, twenty-nine Bioclimatic Affinity Groups (BAG) of plants were obtained and they allowed me to synthesize the main vegetation ecosystems in China. Climate thresholds were then computed for each BAG. Finally, I have used the georeferenced species ranges with several climate variables and 1652 surface pollen samples to analyse the relationship between the pollen percentages of 29 pollen taxa, their originating plant species, and related climatic envelopes.MONTPELLIER-BU Sciences (341722106) / SudocSudocFranceF

Genetic divergence within the monotypic tree genus Platycarya (Juglandaceae) and its implications for species’ past dynamics in subtropical China

Subtropical East Asia harbours a large plant diversity that is often attributed to allopatric speciation in this topographically complex region characterized by a relative climate stability. Here, we use observations of Platycarya, a widespread subtropical Asian tree genus, to explore the consequences of past climate stability on species’ evolutionary history in subtropical China. This genus has a controversial taxonomy: while it is now prevailingly treated as monotypic, two species have been originally described, Platycarya strobilacea and P. longipes. Previous information from species distribution models, fossil pollen data and genetic data based on chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) were integrated with newly obtained genetic data from the two putative species. We used both cpDNA (psbA-trnH and trnL-F intergenic spacers, including a partial trnL gene sequence) and nuclear markers. The latter included sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1–5.8S–ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA and random genomic single nucleotide polymorphisms. Using these nuclear genetic markers, we found interspecific genetic divergence fitting with the ‘two species’ scenario and geographically structured intraspecific variation. Using cpDNA markers, we also found geographically structured intraspecific variation. Despite deep inter- and intraspecific genetic divergence, we detected genetic admixture in southwest China. Overall, our findings of genetic divergence within Platycarya support the hypothesis of allopatric speciation. However, episodes of population interconnection were identified, at least in southwest China, suggesting that the genus has had a dynamic population history

Pollen record of the past 60 ka BP in the Middle Okinawa Trough: Terrestrial provenance and reconstruction of the paleoenvironment

International audienc

The role of sea-level rise, monsoonal discharge and the palaeo-landscape in the early Holocene evolution of the Pearl River delta, southern China

The early Holocene history of the Pearl River delta is reconstructed based on a series of sediment cores obtained from one of the main palaeo-valleys in the basin. Sedimentary and microfossil diatom analyses combined with radiocarbon dating provide new evidence for the interactions between sea-level rise, antecedent topography and sedimentary discharge changes within the deltaic basin since the last glacial. These new records show that river channels of last glacial age incised down to c. −40 m into an older (possibly MIS5 age) marine sequence which forms the floor of the deltaic basin and exists primarily at c. 10 m–15 m below present mean sea level. Rapid postglacial sea-level rise flooded the incised valleys by the beginning of the Holocene, and prior to c. 9000 cal. years BP, marine inundation was largely confined within these incised valleys. The confined available accommodation space of the incised valleys combined with strong monsoon-driven freshwater, high sediment discharge and a period of rapid rising sea level meant that sedimentation rates were exceptionally high. Towards c. 8000 cal. years BP as sea level rose to about −5 m, marine inundation spilled out of the incised valleys and the sea flooded the whole deltaic basin. As a result, the mouth of the Pearl River was forced to retreat to the apex of the deltaic basin, water salinity within the basin increased markedly as the previously confined system dispersed across the basin, and the sedimentation changed from fluvial dominated to tidal dominated. Sea level continued to rise, albeit at a much reduced rate between 8000 and 7000 cal. years BP, and deltaic sedimentation was concentrated around the apex area of the basin. During the last 7000 cal. years BP, the delta shoreline moved seawards, and the sedimentary processes changed gradually from tidal dominated to fluvial dominated

Dust pollen distribution on a continental scale and its relation to present-day vegetation along north-south transects in east China

A series of dust pollen samples was collected along N-S transects in east China (18°N to 53°N latitudes). Sample sites extend from the cold-temperate zone in the north to the tropical region in the south. Pollen taxa characterize each region and reflect the natural and devastated vegetation as well as corresponding climatic zones. The quantitative pollen data can be used to estimate the spatial distribution of planted and introduced species. Valuable information of human disturbance of the natural forest is evaluated by quantitative comparison between dust pollen and in-situ pollen of protected forest. In addition, percentages of grass pollen vary regularly from north to south that is consistent with spatial distribution of net primary productivity in east China. Among all grasses, Artemisia and the Gramineae carry the clearest signal: their ratio increases northwards and therefore represent a suitable and convenient tool for palaeoclimate reconstructions. © Science in China Press 2007

Vegetation changes during the past 40,000 years in Central China from a long fossil record

International audienceThis paper describes the palynological, sedimentological and geochemical results obtained from a 6 m core taken from Lake Dajiuhu in Shennongjia Mountains, central China, spanning the last 40,000 BP. The site is located in a subtropical area which is known for harboring many endemic species. The pollen record shows that past climate changes during the Glacial allowed the persistence of warm trees and even subtropical taxa. The percentages of arboreal pollen taxa vary from 40% before and during the last glacial period to w60% during the Holocene. The d 13 C data indicate that the dominant vegetation was composed of C 3 plants. However, despite the continuous presence of tree taxa around the site, the total organic carbon indicates that the biomass was very low during the glacial period (MIS 3 and 2), related to the dominance of conifers and evergreen tree taxa, which are very low biomass producers. The total organic carbon (TOC) started to increase steadily at the end of the last glacial period (end of MIS 2), which reflects the sharp increase in the amount of Sphagnum spores recorded at the end of MIS 2, marking the beginning of the peat bog formation and the increase of the in-situ biomass. The summergreen taxa, which increased during the Holocene, may have also contributed to the TOC increase

Reconstructing late Holocene vegetation and fire histories in monsoonal region of southeastern China

International audienceEastern subtropical China is a key region for understanding the variability of the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM). Multidisciplinary studies in southeastern China have shown that the summer monsoon intensity declined in the mid-late Holocene. We present a high-resolution pollen record of the last 4000 cal yr BP in Jinggang Mts of Jiangxi Province, southeastern China. The identified pollen taxa from the core can be statistically divided into three groups corresponding to evergreen, deciduous and wetland communities. The transitions between evergreen and deciduous-coniferous pollen associations is likely caused by temperature fluctuations, indicating that climate was relatively cool at 3800–3200 cal yr BP and 2200–1300 cal yr BP and warmer at 3200–2800 cal yr BP and 1300–800 cal yr BP. The vegetation study suggests that an Alnus-dominant association represents a secondary forest that usually takes place and expand after repeated forest fires. The charcoal concentration from the core depicts at least six major forest fire events since 4000 cal yr BP, most of which were followed by the development of an Alnus forest community. This result suggests that the EASM weakened toward the late Holocene and that its related decrease in moisture led to large forest wildfires. Furthermore, the rapid formation of a swamp and the subsequent development of the Alnus wetland community at ~ 550 cal yr BP suggest a gradual drying up of the lake, which was likely related to “the Little Ice Age”. As a result of a substantial burning related to an intensification of the human cultivation practices, Alnus reached its highest values in the last 200 years along with abundant wetland herbs, pioneer ferns (mainly Dicranopteris) and high charcoal concentrations. The present evidence of several sharp floristic and climate changes coincides with either the collapse or the beginning of some Chinese dynasties, which will need further research on the relationship between natural and human cultural changes