关键词: 红土, 自然地带, 暖期

Abstract: According to the spatial and temporal distribution of the brown reddish soil, red earth and relicular mottled red clay, the locations change of subtropical and tropical zones since late Pliocene in China are discussed in this paper. From the change of the limit of natural zone, the climatic variation and its amplitude in southern China can be deduced respectively. The north limits of the northern part of subtropical zone in N₂, Q₁², Q₂¹ and Q 3 were 41°～42°N, 46°N, 42°～45°N and 35°～40°N, 30°～33°N for the southern part of subtropical zone and 25°～32°N, 30°～32°N, 25°～30°N and 24°～26°N for tropical zone. Comparing with the present limit of the northern part of subtropical zone was of the largest amplitude moving northward, but the other two zones were of a similar moving amplitude during the four periods. The limits of the three kinds of red earth during Q₁² period are latitude of 12°～13°, 8°～12° and 5°, that showing the most warm period of Quaternary in China. Comparing with the climatic condition at present, a rising amplitude of annual temperature in 1℃～4℃ during the four warm periods in general is predicted. North China and the area of the middle lower reach of Changjiang River occured obvious environmental change especially during the period of Q₁² with a variation of two natural zones, and was a confrontation state each other between the southern part of subtropical and tropical zone in central China during the four periods, but as tropical zone always in south China. The north limit of tropical zone had moved to 30°N during three periods, so there was tropical for a long term in south east China causing extensive development of the relicular mottled red clay especially during the period of Q₂¹. Until late Pleistocene central and east China is of a stable zone of the southern part of subtropical, thus a corresponding scope of the present tropical and red earth distribution is formed finally.

Key words: red earth, natural zone, warm periods