Paleoenvironment and Migration of rivers,delta and lakes in the lowest reaches of Heihe River

Migration of rivers and lakes in the lowest reaches of Heihe River during the last 8000 years, was investigated mainly by field observation, micro-fossil and chemical analyses of sediments, AMS datings and satellite images, in relation to the shift of delta and sand dunes. The results are summarized as follows.From 7500 to 1700 years BP, giant Old Juyan Lake was existed just faced on the Juyan Delta. The extension of Old Juyan Lake in the past was reconstructed by the former shorelines (gravel bars) and those ages were determined by AMS method using molluscan fossils from the bar deposits. The main part of the Juyan Delta is covered with sand dunes, but traces of braided channels still preserved. Around the Green City and western half of Juyan Delta, human occupation including irrigation channels and agricultural land was dominated at least in Han Dynasty.After AD250, the Old Juyan Lake was dried up or became very small lakes, because no former shorelines were found. At this moment a river began to enter into Sogo Nur. Sand dune formation was activated and disturbed the river course.Around AD1200, Heihe channels migrated to northward, commenced to form Ejina Delta. Frequent flooding deposits are distributed and the river water reached to Gashun Nur. In Xixia and Yuan Dynasties, they used still irrigation channels for agriculture around Black City and in the western part of Juyan Delta.During the Little Ice Age, pollen and diatom analyses indicate that Gashun Nur environment alternated between water coverage and desiccation. AD 1450 - 1550, irrigation channels were covered with Tamarix cones, suggesting abandonment of the human occupation under such arid environments in the lower reaches of Heih

A comparison of ancient parasites as seen from archeological contexts and early medical texts in China

This paper integrates our knowledge from traditional Chinese medical texts and archeological findings to discuss parasitic loads in early China. Many studies have documented that several different species of eukaryotic endoparasites were present in early human populations throughout China. Nevertheless, comprehensive paleoparasitological records from China are patchy, largely due to taphonomic and environmental factors. An examination of early Chinese medical texts allows us to fill in some of the gaps and counteract apparent biases in the current archeoparasitological records. By integrating the findings of paleoparasitology with historic textual sources, we show that parasites have been affecting the lives of humans in China since ancient times. We discuss the presence and prevalence of three groups of parasites in ancient China: roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), Asian schistosoma (Schistosoma japonicum), and tapeworm (Taenia sp.). We also examine possible factors that favored the spread of these endoparasites among early humans. Therefore, this paper not only aims to reveal how humans have been affected by endoparasites, but also addresses how early medical knowledge developed to cope with the parasitic diseases.Nanyang Technological UniversityPublished versionThis research was fully supported by NAP Start-Up Grant from Nanyang Technological University. We thank our assistant, Zhu Chuan, from the School of Art, Design and Media who provided expertise on illustrating images that greatly assisted the research. We also truly thank the editors from International Journal of Paleopathology for their great works and assistance

A preliminary study on the evolution of the tail-lakes related to the migration of the lower-reaches channels, Heihe, Inner Mongolia, China

There are many Tail-lakes of Heihe River at the front margin of the delta.Juyan-ze, Kashun-nur，Soug-nur have been the main ones. But most of them have been dried up one after another. Previous studies revealed that Heihe drainage basin was not closed. There was an outlet drainage system connecting a number of fresh water lakes underneath of the desert to the eastward. It is unknown if there was any tail-lakesu nderneath of Badanjilin Desert. But Juyan-ze should not be the oldest tail-lake at the Grea Ejina Fan margin after the basin was closed with the tectonic rising at the eastern region. Juyan・ze had a highest lake level marked by gravel bar at about 5000 aBP., and kept alive until at least Yuan Dynasty. But during its later time the lake was dried up temporarily many times, which is shown at sedimentary structures and yardan landforms. Kashun-nur was formed while Heihe channel migrated away from Juyan-ze to the westward. There is no evidence showing that Kashun-nur Suog-nur were connected together. But Soug-nur looks much younger than Kashun-nur. Tectonic movement is responsible to the closing up of the basin and channel migration at the early stage. The migration related to channel filling occurred during last 1000 years. Human has obviously influenced the channels and the lake since 1940s although large area of agricultural farmland was built 2000 years ago

Spore-pollen analys is of samples from the surface soil in the vicinity of lakes, at the end of Heihe River and their environmental indications

Spore-pollen analysis of fourteen samples at the surface soil in the vicinity of lakes, at the end of Heihe river had been analyzed and modern field vegetation had been investigated. The contents of native-born, territorial, upland vegetation in the spore-pollen at the surface soil had been calculated. The effects of wind and flowing water on the kinds of spore-pollen and environmental indications of the sediment environment, spore-pollen origin, spore-pollen combination had been estimated. Once the principle of spore-pollen at the surface soil have been known, the evolutional process of vegetation and climate whichi were reflected by the spore-pollen from the score section of Juyanhai lake have been recovered