Articles | Volume 16, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-16-2255-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-16-2255-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
20 Nov 2020
Research article |
| 20 Nov 2020
| 20 Nov 2020
Aridification signatures from fossil pollen indicate a drying climate in east-central Tibet during the late Eocene
Qin Yuan
Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
Natasha Barbolini
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Catarina Rydin
Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
The Bergius Foundation, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
Dong-Lin Gao
Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Hai-Cheng Wei
Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Qi-Shun Fan
Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Zhan-Jie Qin
Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Yong-Sheng Du
Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Jun-Jie Shan
Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Fa-Shou Shan
Key Laboratory of Comprehensive and Highly Efficient Utilization of Salt Lake Resources, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Geology and Environment of Salt Lakes, Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China
Vivi Vajda
Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
Data sets
Supplementary dataset: Aridification signatures from middle–late Eocene pollen indicate widespread drying across the Tibetan Plateau after 40 Ma Qin Yuan and Natasha Barbolini https://doi.org/10.17632/xvp68wsd2p.4
Short summary
Fossil pollen and spores reveal that a strongly seasonal steppe–desert ecosystem existed in the Nangqian Basin, east-central Tibet during the late Eocene (41.2–37.8 Ma). Vegetation was characterized by drought-tolerant shrubs, diverse ferns, and broad-leaved forests. The climate warmed temporarily, then rapidly aridified thereafter due to westward regression of the proto-Paratethys Sea from Eurasia. Sea retreat was a main driver of widespread long-term Asian aridification during the late Eocene.
Fossil pollen and spores reveal that a strongly seasonal steppe–desert ecosystem existed in the...
