Tufa deposits have significant potential for reconstructing past lake-level fluctuations. Here, we conducted U-Th dating of tufa deposits exposed along the shoreline of Longmu Co Lake in the northwestern Tibetan Plateau to reconstruct its water level history during the middle-late Holocene. Our data demonstrate that Longmu Co Lake reached its highest level (61 m above the present level) at around 7.4 ka in response to the strengthened Indian Summer Monsoon and increased glacial meltwater; its lake level subsequently decreased due to solar insolation-induced decline in summer monsoon and glacial meltwater. Moreover, we find that the lake level experienced an abrupt decline at ~2.2 ka with a maximum amplitude of 13 m, probably owing to the rapid cooling of the local climate. The δ18O and δ13C of Longmu Co tufa also show a covariance trend, which supports the regional climate change reflected by the lake level fluctuation of Longmu Co. Additionally, we observed an inverse correlation between initial δ234U content in tufa and lake level variation, suggesting that initial calcium δ234U can serve as a proxy for reconstructing environmental changes. Our study therefore implies that lake tufa as a reliable archive for accurately reconstructing lake level changes.
AnZKutzbachJEPrellWL, et al. (2001) Evolution of Asian monsoons and phased uplift of the Himalaya–Tibetan plateau since Late Miocene times. Nature411(6833): 62–66.
2.
AnZPorterSCKutzbachJE, et al. (2000) Asynchronous holocene optimum of the East Asian monsoon. Quaternary Science Reviews19(8): 743–762.
3.
AvouacJPDobremezJFBourjotL (1996) Palaeoclimatic interpretation of a topographic profile across middle holocene regressive shorelines of Longmu Co (western Tibet). Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology120(1-2): 93–104.
4.
BlardPHSylvestreFTripatiAK, et al. (2011) Lake highstands on the Altiplano (Tropical Andes) contemporaneous with Heinrich 1 and the Younger Dryas: New insights from 14C, U–Th dating and δ18O of carbonates. Quaternary Science Reviews30(27–28): 3973–3989.
5.
ChenFChenJHuangW, et al. (2019) Westerlies Asia and monsoonal Asia: Spatiotemporal differences in climate change and possible mechanisms on decadal to sub-orbital timescales. Earth-Science Reviews192: 337–354.
6.
ChenFChenJHolmesJ, et al. (2010) Moisture changes over the last millennium in arid central Asia: A review, synthesis and comparison with monsoon region. Quaternary Science Reviews29(7–8): 1055–1068.
7.
ChenFYuZYangM, et al. (2008) Holocene moisture evolution in arid central Asia and its out-of-phase relationship with Asian monsoon history. Quaternary Science Reviews27(3–4): 351–364.
8.
ChengHLawrence EdwardsRShenCC, et al. (2013) Improvements in 230Th dating, 230Th and 234U half-life values, and U–Th isotopic measurements by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Earth and Planetary Science Letters371–372: 82–91.
9.
ChengHSpötlCBreitenbachSF, et al. (2016) Climate variations of Central Asia on orbital to millennial timescales. Scientific Reports6(1): 36975.
10.
ChenJChenFFengS, et al. (2015) Hydroclimatic changes in China and surroundings during the medieval climate anomaly and little ice age: Spatial patterns and possible mechanisms. Quaternary Science Reviews107: 98–111.
11.
ChenSChenJLvF, et al. (2022) Holocene moisture variations in arid central Asia: Reassessment and reconciliation. Quaternary Science Reviews297: 107821.
12.
CuiTDuanFZhangW, et al. (2019) Ice volume cycle characteristics and the environmental significance of the initial 234U/238U ratio inferred from stalagmites: A case study from Sanbao Cave, Hubei. Acta sedimentologica Sinca37(2): 301–308.
13.
DrummondCNPattersonWPWalkerJC (1995) Climatic forcing of carbon-oxygen isotopic covariance in temperate-region marl lakes. Geology23(11): 1031–1034.
14.
EdwardsRLChenJWasserburgG (1987) 238U–234U–230Th–232Th systematics and the precise measurement of time over the past 500,000 years. Earth and Planetary Science Letters81(2–3): 175–192.
15.
FontesJCGasseFGibertE (1996) Holocene environmental changes in Lake Bangong basin (Western Tibet). Part 1: Chronology and stable isotopes of carbonates of a Holocene lacustrine core. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology120(1–2): 25–47.
16.
FontesJCMélièresFGibertE, et al. (1993) Stable isotope and radiocarbon balances of two tibetan lakes (Sumxi Co, Longmu Co) from 13,000 BP. Quaternary Science Reviews12(10): 875–887.
17.
FordTDPedleyHM (1996) A review of tufa and travertine deposits of the world. Earth-Science Reviews41(3-4): 117–175.
18.
GasseFArnoldMFontesJC, et al. (1991) A 13,000-year climate record from western Tibet. Nature353(6346): 742–745.
19.
GolubićS (1969) Cyclic and noncyclic mechanisms in the formation of travertine: With 3 figures in the text. Internationale Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie: Verhandlungen17(2): 956–961.
20.
HellstromJCMcCullochMT (2000) Multi-proxy constraints on the climatic significance of trace element records from a New Zealand speleothem. Earth and Planetary Science Letters179(2): 287–297.
21.
HendersonGM (2002) Seawater (234U/238U) during the last 800 thousand years. Earth and Planetary Science Letters199(1-2): 97–110.
22.
HouJD'AndreaWJWangM, et al. (2017) Influence of the Indian monsoon and the subtropical jet on climate change on the tibetan Plateau since the late pleistocene. Quaternary Science Reviews163: 84–94.
23.
HuangLChenJYangK, et al. (2023) The northern boundary of the Asian summer monsoon and division of westerlies and monsoon regimes over the tibetan Plateau in present-day. Science China Earth Sciences66: 882–893.
24.
HudsonAMQuadeJ (2013) Long-term east-west asymmetry in monsoon rainfall on the tibetan Plateau. Geology41(3): 351–354.
25.
HudsonAMQuadeJHuthTE, et al. (2015) Lake level reconstruction for 12.8–2.3 ka of the Ngangla Ring Tso closed-basin lake system, southwest tibetan Plateau. Quaternary Research83(1): 66–79.
26.
ImmerzeelWWLutzAFAndradeM, et al. (2020) Importance and vulnerability of the world’s water towers. Nature577(7790): 364–369.
27.
ImmerzeelWWvan BeekLPBierkensMF (2010) Climate change will affect the Asian water towers. Science328(5984): 1382–1385.
28.
JaffeyAHFlynnKFGlendeninLE, et al. (1971) Precision measurement of half-lives and specific activities of U235 and U238. Physical Review C4(5): 1889–1906.
29.
KaufmanAWasserburgGJPorcelliD, et al. (1998) U-Th isotope systematics from the Soreq cave, Israel and climatic correlations. Earth and Planetary Science Letters156(3–4): 141–155.
30.
KongPNaCFinkD, et al. (2007) Cosmogenic 10Be inferred lake-level changes in Sumxi Co basin, Western Tibet. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences29(5-6): 698–703.
31.
KronfeldJVogelJC (1991) Uranium isotopes in surface waters from southern Africa. Earth and Planetary Science Letters105(1-3): 191–195.
32.
LanJXuHLiuB, et al. (2013) Paleoclimate implications of carbonate, organic matter, and their stable isotopes in lacustrine sediments: A review. Chinese Journal of Ecology32(5): 1326–1334.
33.
LanJZhangJChengP, et al. (2020) Late holocene hydroclimatic variation in central Asia and its response to mid-latitude westerlies and solar irradiance. Quaternary Science Reviews238: 106330.
34.
LaskarJRobutelPJoutelF, et al. (2004) A long-term numerical solution for the insolation quantities of the Earth. Astronomy and Astrophysics428(1): 261–285.
35.
LeipeCDemskeDTarasovPE (2014) A holocene pollen record from the northwestern Himalayan lake Tso Moriri: Implications for palaeoclimatic and archaeological research. Quaternary International348: 93–112.
36.
LeiYYaoTShengY, et al. (2012) Characteristics of δ13CDIC in lakes on the tibetan Plateau and its implications for the carbon cycle. Hydrological Processes26(4): 535–543.
37.
LengMJMarshallJD (2004) Palaeoclimate interpretation of stable isotope data from lake sediment archives. Quaternary Science Reviews23(7–8): 811–831.
38.
LeroySAGLópez-MerinoLKozinaN (2019) Dinocyst records from deep cores reveal a reversed salinity gradient in the Caspian Sea at 8.5–4.0 cal ka BP. Quaternary Science Reviews209: 1–12.
39.
LiBZhangQWangF (1991) Evolution of the lakes in the Karakorum-West Kunlun Mountains. Quaternary Sciences1: 64–71.
40.
LiCWangMLiuW, et al. (2021) Quantitative estimates of holocene glacier meltwater variations on the western tibetan Plateau. Earth and Planetary Science Letters559: 116766.
41.
LiGWangXZhangX, et al. (2022) Westerlies-monsoon interaction drives out-of-phase precipitation and asynchronous lake level changes between Central and East Asia over the last millennium. CATENA218: 106568.
42.
LiHLiaoCJiangD, et al. (2006) The status quo and prospect of research on tufa precipitation mechanism. Carsologica Sinica25(1): 57–62.
43.
LiHKuT (1997) δ13C–δ18C covariance as a paleohydrological indicator for closed-basin lakes. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology133(1-2): 69–80.
44.
LiuXChenB (2000) Climatic warming in the tibetan Plateau during recent decades. International Journal of Climatology20(14): 1729–1742.
45.
LiuXMadsenDBLiuR, et al. (2016) Holocene lake level variations of Longmu Co, western Qinghai-tibetan Plateau. Environmental Earth Sciences75(4): 1–14.
46.
LiuXZhangXLinY, et al. (2019) Strengthened Indian summer monsoon brought more rainfall to the western tibetan Plateau during the early holocene. Science Bulletin64: 1482–1485.
47.
LiXLiuSHouJ, et al. (2023) Late holocene brGDGTs-based quantitative paleotemperature reconstruction from lacustrine sediments on the western tibetan Plateau. Frontiers in Earth Science17(4): 997–1011.
48.
MishraPKPrasadSAnoopA, et al. (2015) Carbonate isotopes from high altitude Tso Moriri Lake (NW Himalayas) provide clues to late glacial and holocene moisture source and atmospheric circulation changes. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology425: 76–83.
49.
OsterJLRonayERSharpWD, et al. (2023) Controls on speleothem initial 234U/238U ratios in a monsoon climate. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems24(4).
50.
PangHHouSZhangW, et al. (2020) Temperature trends in the northwestern tibetan Plateau constrained by ice core water isotopes over the past 7,000 years. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres125(19): e2020JD032560.
51.
PedleyHM (1990) Classification and environmental models of cool freshwater tufas. Sedimentary Geology68(1–2): 143–154.
52.
PentecostAVilesH (2007) A review and reassessment of travertine classification. Géographie physique et Quaternaire48(3): 305–314.
53.
PlaczekCPatchettPJQuadeJ, et al. (2006a) Strategies for successful U-Th dating of paleolake carbonates: An example from the Bolivian Altiplano. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems7(5).
54.
PlaczekCQuadeJPatchettPJ (2006b) Geochronology and stratigraphy of late Pleistocene lake cycles on the southern Bolivian Altiplano: implications for causes of tropical climate change. Geological Society of America Bulletin118(5–6): 515–532.
55.
PlagnesVCausseCGentyD, et al. (2002) A discontinuous climatic record from 187 to 74 ka from a speleothem of the clamouse cave (south of France). Earth and Planetary Science Letters201(1): 87–103.
56.
SahaSOwenLAOrrEN, et al. (2018) Timing and nature of holocene glacier advances at the northwestern end of the himalayan-tibetan orogen. Quaternary Science Reviews187: 177–202.
57.
SchwarczHP (1989) Uranium series dating of quaternary deposits. Quaternary International1: 7–17.
58.
ShenC-CLawrence EdwardsRChengH, et al. (2002) Uranium and thorium isotopic and concentration measurements by magnetic sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Chemical Geology185(3-4): 165–178.
59.
ThompsonLGYaoTDavisME, et al. (1997) Tropical climate instability: The last glacial cycle from a qinghai-tibetan ice core. Science276(5320): 1821–1825.
60.
TianLMasson-DelmotteVStievenardM, et al. (2001) Tibetan plateau summer monsoon northward extent revealed by measurements of water stable isotopes. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres106(D22): 28081–28088.
61.
Van CampoEGasseF (1993) Pollen- and diatom-inferred climatic and hydrological changes in Sumxi Co Basin (Western Tibet) since 13,000 yr B.P. Quaternary Research39(3): 300–313.
62.
WangKJiangHZhaoH (2005) Atmospheric water vapor transport from westerly and monsoon over the North West China. Advances in Water Science16(3): 432–438.
63.
WangLZhangHZhangDD, et al. (2023) New evidence of prehistoric human activity on the central tibetan plateau during the early to middle holocene. Holocene33(10): 1196–1206.
64.
WendtKAPythoudMMoseleyGE, et al. (2020) Paleohydrology of southwest Nevada (USA) based on groundwater 234U/238U over the past 475 ky. GSA Bulletin132(3–4): 793–802.
65.
WünnemannBDemskeDTarasovP, et al. (2010) Hydrological evolution during the last 15kyr in the Tso kar lake basin (Ladakh, India), derived from geomorphological, sedimentological and palynological records. Quaternary Science Reviews29(9–10): 1138–1155.
66.
XuHAiLTanL, et al. (2006) Stable isotopes in bulk carbonates and organic matter in recent sediments of Lake Qinghai and their climatic implications. Chemical Geology235(3–4): 262–275.
67.
YangYYuanDChengH, et al. (2008) Initial 234U/238U variation of stalagmites: Implications for paleoclimate reconstruction. Acta Geologica Sinica82(5): 692–701.
68.
YaoTBolchTChenD, et al. (2022) The imbalance of the Asian water tower. Nature Reviews Earth and Environment3: 618–632.
69.
YaoTThompsonLYangW, et al. (2012) Different glacier status with atmospheric circulations in tibetan Plateau and surroundings. Nature Climate Change2(9): 663–667.
70.
YaoTXueYChenD, et al. (2019) Recent third pole’s rapid warming accompanies cryospheric melt and water cycle intensification and interactions between monsoon and environment: Multidisciplinary approach with observations, modeling, and analysis. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society100(3): 423–444.
71.
YuanD (1988) Glossary of Karstology. Geological Publishing House, Beijing, pp.1–1.
72.
ZhangGLuoWChenW, et al. (2019) A robust but variable lake expansion on the tibetan Plateau. Science Bulletin64(18): 1306–1309.
73.
ZhangYZhangJMcGowanS, et al. (2021) Climatic and environmental change in the western tibetan Plateau during the holocene, recorded by lake sediments from Aweng Co. Quaternary Science Reviews259: 106889.
74.
ZhaoJXiaQCollersonKD (2001) Timing and duration of the last interglacial inferred from high resolution U-series chronology of stalagmite growth in Southern Hemisphere. Earth and Planetary Science Letters184(3–4): 635–644.
75.
ZhouJLundstromCCFoukeB, et al. (2005) Geochemistry of speleothem records from southern Illinois: Development of (234U)/(238U) as a proxy for paleoprecipitation. Chemical Geology221(1-2): 1–20.
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
