Ecology

Chinese Academy of Science Details Research in Paleontology

  2012 AUG 10 (VerticalNews) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Ecology, Environment & Conservation -- Investigators publish new report on Paleontology. According to news originating from Beijing, People's Republic of China, by VerticalNews correspondents, research stated, "Aeolian sediments are widely distributed in the hyper-arid Qaidam Basin and are good palaeoclimatic records. Due to limited age control, aeolian processes and their relevance to palaeoclimatic change are poorly understood."

  Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the Chinese Academy of Science, "In this study, we present 28 optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages for both loess (14 samples) and aeolian sand (14 samples) from 8 profiles in eastern Qaidam Basin (EQB) in order to provide a detailed chronology for understanding the timing of aeolian processes and associated environmental conditions. We reconstructed the history of aeolian activity in the EQB since deglaciation by combining OSL chronologies, lithologic stratigraphy and grain-size analysis."

  According to the news editors, the researchers concluded: "The results indicate that (1) aeolian sand underlying the loess accumulated at ca. 12.4-11.5 ka and 10-8 ka, but not during the Last Glacial Maximum, (2) loess accumulation started at 10 ka and lasted to 0.45 ka at least, while most of the loess was deposited during 8-4.5 ka, (3).palaeoclimates in the EQB are inferred to be arid during 12.4-11.5 ka, (relatively) humid during 10-8 ka, humid during 8-4.5 ka and relatively arid during 4.5-0.45 ka, and (4) evolution of aeolian sediments were mainly controlled by effective moisture, and also affected by local topography."

  For more information on this research see: OSL chronology and palaeoclimatic implications of aeolian sediments in the eastern Qaidam Basin of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, 2012;337():120-129. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology can be contacted at: Elsevier Science Bv, PO Box 211, 1000 Ae Amsterdam, Netherlands.

  The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from L.P. Yu, Chinese Academy Sci, Grad Univ, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China.

  Keywords for this news article include: Asia, Beijing, Paleontology, People's Republic of China

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