Acta Geographica Sinica ›› 2015, Vol. 70 ›› Issue (5): 751-765.doi: 10.11821/dlxb201505007

• Orginal Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Mid-Holocene coastal environment and human activities recorded by a coastal dune in Fujian Province, China

Jianhui JIN1,2,3(), Zhizhong LI1,2,3(), Fangen Hu2,4, Hui ZHANG2,5, Xianli WANG2, Jing XIA2, Feng JIANG2, Tao DENG2, Shuyu JIN2, Xiuming LIU1,2,3   

  1. 1. Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
    2. School of Geography Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
    3. Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Ecosystem and Geography, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007, China
    4. Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
    5. School of geography and tourism, Guizhou Normal College, Guiyang 550018, China
  • Received:2015-01-09 Revised:2015-02-06 Online:2015-05-20 Published:2015-05-20
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41271031, No.41301012;NSFC-Fujian Province United Foundation, No;U1405231;Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province, No.2013J01153;Key Scientific and Technological Project of Fujian Province, No.2013R09

Abstract:

A coastal dune, Dongshan (DS) dune in Changle of China's Fujian Province is selected as a research object based on the systematic field investigation. Combined with the environmental index analysis and geological radar images, the dune development history and paleoenvironment significance in the study area since the late Holocene are explored through optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) chronology. Results are shown as follows. (1) Five sedimentary periods and three sedimentary discontinuity in the DS dune can be defined, which reflects that the change of the East Asian monsoon, and the developmental process of DS dune are the result of regional response to the East Asian winter monsoon, and they are well correlated with volcanic activity, winter temperatures of East China and precipitation of summer monsoon at the same time. (2) Meanwhile, DS profile has preserved the sea-level change information of the Fuzhou Basin since nearly 6 ka BP. The widespread thalassocratic periods were recorded clearly in South China at 5.6-2.8 ka BP, 2.8-1.7 ka BP and 1.7-0.8 ka BP, respectively. (3) Artificiality and the mark of human activity are observed in the DS dune, and porcelain shards and conchs have been found in the cultural layer. The development processes of the DS dune accord well with the records of human activities and neolithic cultural sequences in northeast Fujian. The human activities are mainly affected by the natural environment at 5.6-2.8 ka BP and 2.8-1.7 ka BP, respectively. Tang and the Five Dynasties were the recovery stages of social economy in Fujian after 1.7 ka BP.

Key words: coastal dune, OSL, sea level, East Asia monsoon, human activities