Hydroclimate changes during the last deglaciation in Central China inferred from speleothem multiple proxies
Understanding the variability and controlling mechanisms of speleothem δ18O and δ13C records is essential for reconstructing past East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) dynamics and regional hydroclimate evolution. In this study, we present a new precisely UTh dated speleothem record from the southern Qin...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
19 November 2025
|
| In: |
Global and planetary change
Year: 2026, Volume: 256, Pages: 1-11 |
| ISSN: | 1872-6364 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2025.105187 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2025.105187 Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921818125004965 
|
| Author Notes: | Xing Cheng, Gang Xue, Qingmin Chen, Yao Wu, Le Ma, Guozhen Wang, Yangkang Zhang, Gaohong Wang, Kaikai He, Wenshuo Zhang, Youfeng Ning, Hong Yan, Hai Cheng |
| Summary: | Understanding the variability and controlling mechanisms of speleothem δ18O and δ13C records is essential for reconstructing past East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) dynamics and regional hydroclimate evolution. In this study, we present a new precisely UTh dated speleothem record from the southern Qinling Mountains, central China, spanning 36.5 to 3.2 ka BP, with a growth hiatus between 8.5 and 4.0 ka BP. By compiling our δ18O records together with other individual stalagmite records from the EASM region, we reveal lower variability during the early Holocene compared to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), a pattern that cannot be fully explained by “transpiration effects”, “sea level changes”, or “precipitation seasonality” alone. Instead, we propose that changes in moisture source contributions, particularly the enhanced influence of Pacific-sourced moisture regulated by the westward shift of West Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH) during the early Holocene, played a critical role in modulating δ18O variations. In contrast, the δ13C record exhibits pronounced spatial heterogeneity and indicates persistently dry conditions from the LGM to ∼15 ka BP. Comparative analysis with other speleothem δ13C records reveals differential sensitivities of regional precipitation to EASM precipitation. Our results imply that, unlike the Yangtze River Basin in central China, where hydrology is controlled by ice volume and westerlies, regional hydroclimate in our study area responds more strongly to changes in EASM circulation. These findings highlight the complex interplay among high- and low-latitude forcings, moisture source dynamics, and atmospheric circulation patterns. This interplay collectively shaped speleothem δ18O and regional hydroclimate variability during the last deglaciation. |
|---|---|
| Item Description: | Gesehen am 03.03.2026 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1872-6364 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2025.105187 |