Volcanic environments illustrate how human communities have learned to persist within dynamic, hazardous landscapes by balancing risk and opportunity. Mount Etna (Sicily, Italy) – one of the world's most active volcanoes – provides an outstanding natural laboratory to investigate the interplay between geodynamic and volcanic processes as well as human adaptation. The site of Santa Venera al Pozzo (SVP) exemplifies this duality: archaeological and geological evidence reveal a persistent human presence since the Late Neolithic, sustained by fault-controlled hydrothermal discharge and a geomorphological position that ensured long-term stability outside major lava flow pathways.
This study integrates geological, geochemical, geodetic, seismological, and archaeological data to examine how tectonic and magmatic processes sustained hydrothermal activity and supported enduring settlement. Results indicate that (i) deformation was largely accommodated by creeping faults, in turn enhancing permeability and maintaining spring discharge; (ii) the site's distal position from eruptive rift zones provided geomorphological stability; and (iii) cultural practices promoted the adaptive reuse of geothermal resources over the time.
The case of SVP demonstrates that the same Earth processes generating hazards also maintain vital resources, enabling long-term human resilience. This integrated geological–archaeological perspective provides a transferable framework for understanding sustainability and risk in volcanically active regions worldwide.
火山环境说明了人类社会如何通过平衡风险和机遇，学会在动态的、危险的景观中生存。埃特纳火山（意大利西西里岛）是世界上最活跃的火山之一，为研究地球动力学和火山过程以及人类适应之间的相互作用提供了一个杰出的自然实验室。Santa Venera al Pozzo遗址（SVP）体现了这种两重性：考古和地质证据表明，自新石器时代晚期以来，人类一直存在，由断层控制的热液排放和确保主要熔岩流路径外长期稳定的地貌位置维持了人类的存在。
{"title":"Persistence and resilience on Mount Etna's active flank: An integrated geological and archaeological perspective","authors":"Carla Bottari , Alessandro Luppino , Salvatore Claudio Alparone , Francesca Forni , Gianluca Groppelli , Mimmo Palano , Francesco Sortino , Salvatore Giammanco","doi":"10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105327","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105327","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Volcanic environments illustrate how human communities have learned to persist within dynamic, hazardous landscapes by balancing risk and opportunity. Mount Etna (Sicily, Italy) – one of the world's most active volcanoes – provides an outstanding natural laboratory to investigate the interplay between geodynamic and volcanic processes as well as human adaptation. The site of Santa Venera al Pozzo (SVP) exemplifies this duality: archaeological and geological evidence reveal a persistent human presence since the Late Neolithic, sustained by fault-controlled hydrothermal discharge and a geomorphological position that ensured long-term stability outside major lava flow pathways.</div><div>This study integrates geological, geochemical, geodetic, seismological, and archaeological data to examine how tectonic and magmatic processes sustained hydrothermal activity and supported enduring settlement. Results indicate that (i) deformation was largely accommodated by creeping faults, in turn enhancing permeability and maintaining spring discharge; (ii) the site's distal position from eruptive rift zones provided geomorphological stability; and (iii) cultural practices promoted the adaptive reuse of geothermal resources over the time.</div><div>The case of SVP demonstrates that the same Earth processes generating hazards also maintain vital resources, enabling long-term human resilience. This integrated geological–archaeological perspective provides a transferable framework for understanding sustainability and risk in volcanically active regions worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55089,"journal":{"name":"Global and Planetary Change","volume":"259 ","pages":"Article 105327"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146048396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-26DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105331
Dongxu Cai, Guangwei Li, Yufeng Du, Paul R. Eizenhöfer, Xianyan Wang
The erosional response of mid-latitudinal mountain belts to Quaternary climate fluctuations remains incompletely understood, particularly in the Himalayas. Although tectonics and the monsoon are recognized as primary drivers of denudation there, limited high-resolution paleo-erosion records leave the Quaternary climate's impact uncertain. Here, we utilize new detrital apatite fission-track data from across most of the Yarlung River catchment (covering the Trans- and Tethyan Himalayas) to quantify modern erosion. Our results reveal a pronounced spatial bimodal erosion pattern (high-low-high) that shows a positive correlation with seasonal temperature variation amplitude, especially in small- to medium-sized catchments (<20,000 km2). We demonstrate that freeze-thaw cycling and periglacial processes, commonly not considered in long-term erosion models for such regions, significantly enhance erosion rates in periglacial zones, complementing established tectonic and monsoonal drivers. Hence, we recognize Quaternary temperature variability in a cooling climate as a substantial contributor to Himalayan erosion. This finding necessitates a critical reappraisal of our understanding of existing models of landscape evolution in similar settings worldwide.
{"title":"Enhanced temperature fluctuations accelerate erosion in the Yarlung Catchment, South Tibet","authors":"Dongxu Cai, Guangwei Li, Yufeng Du, Paul R. Eizenhöfer, Xianyan Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105331","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105331","url":null,"abstract":"The erosional response of mid-latitudinal mountain belts to Quaternary climate fluctuations remains incompletely understood, particularly in the Himalayas. Although tectonics and the monsoon are recognized as primary drivers of denudation there, limited high-resolution paleo-erosion records leave the Quaternary climate's impact uncertain. Here, we utilize new detrital apatite fission-track data from across most of the Yarlung River catchment (covering the Trans- and Tethyan Himalayas) to quantify modern erosion. Our results reveal a pronounced spatial bimodal erosion pattern (high-low-high) that shows a positive correlation with seasonal temperature variation amplitude, especially in small- to medium-sized catchments (<20,000 km<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2</ce:sup>). We demonstrate that freeze-thaw cycling and periglacial processes, commonly not considered in long-term erosion models for such regions, significantly enhance erosion rates in periglacial zones, complementing established tectonic and monsoonal drivers. Hence, we recognize Quaternary temperature variability in a cooling climate as a substantial contributor to Himalayan erosion. This finding necessitates a critical reappraisal of our understanding of existing models of landscape evolution in similar settings worldwide.","PeriodicalId":55089,"journal":{"name":"Global and Planetary Change","volume":"51 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146048246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-25DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105324
Baotian Pan, Xiaohua Li, Dianbao Chen, Eduardo Garzanti, Dexuan Chen, Menghao Li, Jin Li
Climate changes of the transitional zone between the mid-latitude westerlies and the East Asian monsoon on the tectonic scale remains unclear. The Jinta Basin, located close to the outermost frontier of the NE Tibetan Plateau within the mid-latitude interior of Asia, provides critical insights into climatic processes at the convergence between the influence of the westerly winds and the East Asian monsoon. In this study, we present high-resolution environmental magnetic records from a 268-m-long drill core through fluvio-lacustrine sediments at Liangjiazhuang (LJZ). The χfd/HIRM record from this core indicates humid conditions between ~3.4 and ~ 2.4 Ma, consistent with global warming in the late Pliocene driven by elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration. Since the beginning of the Pleistocene, the westerlies–monsoon system has become decoupled while the climate in the Jinta Basin has subsequently come under the control of the westerlies. The Jinta Basin experienced long-term stepwise aridification after ~2.4 Ma, and ~ 1.1 Ma, as a combined effect of global cooling, the expansion of Northern Hemisphere ice-sheets, and the surface uplift of the NE Tibetan Plateau. Increased sea-surface temperature in the North Atlantic Ocean linked with the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation may have contributed to a humid interval in the Central Asian interior between ~1.8 Ma and ~ 1.1 Ma. In addition, increased χlf and χfd values after ~0.8 Ma suggest enhanced input of ferrimagnetic minerals, resulting from intensified physical weathering and glacial abrasion on the NE Tibetan Plateau following the Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT). In addition, ferrimagnetic minerals transported by westerlies contributed to the eutrophication of North Pacific Ocean waters. Our findings provide a high-resolution environmental magnetic records from the westerlies – Asian monsoon transitional zone. The hydroclimate of middle-latitude Asia since the late Pliocene – Quaternary was collectively governed by CO2 concentration, global cooling linked to expansion of Northern Hemisphere ice-sheets, sea-surface temperature changes in the North Atlantic Ocean, and the surface uplift of the NE Tibetan Plateau.
{"title":"Aridity/humidity fluctuations in the westerlies – Asian monsoon transitional zone since ~3.4 Ma","authors":"Baotian Pan, Xiaohua Li, Dianbao Chen, Eduardo Garzanti, Dexuan Chen, Menghao Li, Jin Li","doi":"10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105324","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105324","url":null,"abstract":"Climate changes of the transitional zone between the mid-latitude westerlies and the East Asian monsoon on the tectonic scale remains unclear. The Jinta Basin, located close to the outermost frontier of the NE Tibetan Plateau within the mid-latitude interior of Asia, provides critical insights into climatic processes at the convergence between the influence of the westerly winds and the East Asian monsoon. In this study, we present high-resolution environmental magnetic records from a 268-m-long drill core through fluvio-lacustrine sediments at Liangjiazhuang (LJZ). The χ<ce:inf loc=\"post\">fd</ce:inf>/HIRM record from this core indicates humid conditions between ~3.4 and ~ 2.4 Ma, consistent with global warming in the late Pliocene driven by elevated atmospheric CO<ce:inf loc=\"post\">2</ce:inf> concentration. Since the beginning of the Pleistocene, the westerlies–monsoon system has become decoupled while the climate in the Jinta Basin has subsequently come under the control of the westerlies. The Jinta Basin experienced long-term stepwise aridification after ~2.4 Ma, and ~ 1.1 Ma, as a combined effect of global cooling, the expansion of Northern Hemisphere ice-sheets, and the surface uplift of the NE Tibetan Plateau. Increased sea-surface temperature in the North Atlantic Ocean linked with the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation may have contributed to a humid interval in the Central Asian interior between ~1.8 Ma and ~ 1.1 Ma. In addition, increased χ<ce:inf loc=\"post\">lf</ce:inf> and χ<ce:inf loc=\"post\">fd</ce:inf> values after ~0.8 Ma suggest enhanced input of ferrimagnetic minerals, resulting from intensified physical weathering and glacial abrasion on the NE Tibetan Plateau following the Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT). In addition, ferrimagnetic minerals transported by westerlies contributed to the eutrophication of North Pacific Ocean waters. Our findings provide a high-resolution environmental magnetic records from the westerlies – Asian monsoon transitional zone. The hydroclimate of middle-latitude Asia since the late Pliocene – Quaternary was collectively governed by CO<ce:inf loc=\"post\">2</ce:inf> concentration, global cooling linked to expansion of Northern Hemisphere ice-sheets, sea-surface temperature changes in the North Atlantic Ocean, and the surface uplift of the NE Tibetan Plateau.","PeriodicalId":55089,"journal":{"name":"Global and Planetary Change","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146048247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105329
Haijun Song, Alexandre Pohl, Alexander M. Dunhill, Xi Chen
{"title":"Paleozoic and Mesozoic oceanic anoxic events and biotic crises","authors":"Haijun Song, Alexandre Pohl, Alexander M. Dunhill, Xi Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105329","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105329","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":55089,"journal":{"name":"Global and Planetary Change","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033655","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105326
Xiaodong Yang , Xiwu Luan , Liangyu Zhu , Xinze Han , Zhiwen Zhang , Zhiyuan Zhou , Jian Lin , Liming Wang
The east Sunda-Banda Arc is among the most tectonically active regions in southeast Asia. However, most instrumental major earthquakes (MW ≥ 6.6) have occurred along the Flores-Wetar thrust (FWT) in the backarc, while few such events have occurred in the Java trench and Timor Trough (TT) in the forearc. The mechanism behind such contrasting earthquake distribution from backarc to forearc remains unclear. Here we integrate new 2D seismic profiles, seismicity and focal mechanisms, GPS velocities and seismic velocity models to study the active faulting, strain partition, earthquake locations and their implications for regional geohazards. Our results show that the FWT and TT slip at rates of 7.6–23.9 mm/yr and 13.3–30.7 mm/yr respectively, accounting for 9.3%–29.2% and 16.3%–37.6% of the convergence between Indo-Australian and Sunda plates. The FWT is seismically more active presently with 12 thrust events (MW ≥ 6.6) including the largest one of 1992 Flores MW 7.9, while the TT seems to be less active as it is absent of thrust events (MW ≥ 6.6) and lacks seafloor thrusting. However, the short observational period (since 1900) cannot rule out a possible longer earthquake recurrence along TT. A variable strain rate is observed along FWT where the highest value (>200 nanostrain/yr) is coincident with the 1992 MW 7.9 location may represent a transient feature which will decay with time. By integrating the strain rate with earthquake and rupture locations, we propose two seismic gaps along FWT, which combined with distinct seafloor FWT scarps at places reveals a significant seismic and tsunami threat.
{"title":"Active faulting and crustal deformation along the East Sunda-Banda Arc: Implications for Regional Geohazards","authors":"Xiaodong Yang , Xiwu Luan , Liangyu Zhu , Xinze Han , Zhiwen Zhang , Zhiyuan Zhou , Jian Lin , Liming Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105326","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105326","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The east Sunda-Banda Arc is among the most tectonically active regions in southeast Asia. However, most instrumental major earthquakes (M<sub>W</sub> ≥ 6.6) have occurred along the Flores-Wetar thrust (FWT) in the backarc, while few such events have occurred in the Java trench and Timor Trough (TT) in the forearc. The mechanism behind such contrasting earthquake distribution from backarc to forearc remains unclear. Here we integrate new 2D seismic profiles, seismicity and focal mechanisms, GPS velocities and seismic velocity models to study the active faulting, strain partition, earthquake locations and their implications for regional geohazards. Our results show that the FWT and TT slip at rates of 7.6–23.9 mm/yr and 13.3–30.7 mm/yr respectively, accounting for 9.3%–29.2% and 16.3%–37.6% of the convergence between Indo-Australian and Sunda plates. The FWT is seismically more active presently with 12 thrust events (M<sub>W</sub> ≥ 6.6) including the largest one of 1992 Flores M<sub>W</sub> 7.9, while the TT seems to be less active as it is absent of thrust events (M<sub>W</sub> ≥ 6.6) and lacks seafloor thrusting. However, the short observational period (since 1900) cannot rule out a possible longer earthquake recurrence along TT. A variable strain rate is observed along FWT where the highest value (>200 nanostrain/yr) is coincident with the 1992 M<sub>W</sub> 7.9 location may represent a transient feature which will decay with time. By integrating the strain rate with earthquake and rupture locations, we propose two seismic gaps along FWT, which combined with distinct seafloor FWT scarps at places reveals a significant seismic and tsunami threat.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55089,"journal":{"name":"Global and Planetary Change","volume":"259 ","pages":"Article 105326"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Chenghai fault zone is a crucial component of the Dali fault system, essential for understanding Cenozoic crustal deformation along the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. This study involved detailed remote sensing and field mapping to examine the geometry and kinematics of the fault zone, with the purpose of analyzing the late Cenozoic deformation in the study area. Findings reveal that the Chenghai fault zone extends for 200 km from Jinguan to the southern end of the eastern Midu Basin, where it intersects and follows the trace of the Red River Fault. The Chenghai fault zone has left-lateral, normal-slip kinematics, with the normal-slip component being pronounced along most fault segments. The transtensional slip likely began in the early Pliocene (ca. 7 Ma) based on the analysis of thermochronology data and the sedimentary age of the Sanying Formation. The maximum dip- and left-slip rates are about 0.2–0.3 mm/yr and 0.8–0.9 mm/yr, respectively, since. ca. 7 Ma. Through the analysis of the geometry, kinematics, and seismic activity of the Chenghai fault zone, the study concludes that the Chenghai fault zone exhibits significant rotation, which can be attributed to the clockwise rotation of the Dali fault system. Combined geodetic velocity profiles, we infer that the deformation of the Dali fault system is primarily influenced by the non-uniform rotation of the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. To the west of the Dali fault system, clockwise rotation remains uninterrupted, whereas to the east, material extrusion between the Dali fault system and the Xianshuihe-Xiajiang fault zone is inhibited by the Red River fault zone. The left-lateral motion along the Chenghai fault zone is predominantly governed by clockwise rotation, while the normal faulting is chiefly controlled by differential rotation. Consequently, we infer that the Dali rift system is a manifestation of differential rotation along the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. By comparing it with the Pamir Plateau and the Aegean Sea region, we propose that pre-existing structures and block rotation are crucial mechanisms driving lateral deformation in the peripheral zones of continent-continent collision orogens.
{"title":"Late Cenozoic transtensional deformation along the Chenghai fault zone and its constraint on micro-block clockwise rotation in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau","authors":"Xiaolong Huang , Zhichao Li , Zhonghai Wu , Xiaojin Huang , Kungang Wu , Feipeng Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105320","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105320","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Chenghai fault zone is a crucial component of the Dali fault system, essential for understanding Cenozoic crustal deformation along the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. This study involved detailed remote sensing and field mapping to examine the geometry and kinematics of the fault zone, with the purpose of analyzing the late Cenozoic deformation in the study area. Findings reveal that the Chenghai fault zone extends for 200 km from Jinguan to the southern end of the eastern Midu Basin, where it intersects and follows the trace of the Red River Fault. The Chenghai fault zone has left-lateral, normal-slip kinematics, with the normal-slip component being pronounced along most fault segments. The transtensional slip likely began in the early Pliocene (ca. 7 Ma) based on the analysis of thermochronology data and the sedimentary age of the Sanying Formation. The maximum dip- and left-slip rates are about 0.2–0.3 mm/yr and 0.8–0.9 mm/yr, respectively, since. ca. 7 Ma. Through the analysis of the geometry, kinematics, and seismic activity of the Chenghai fault zone, the study concludes that the Chenghai fault zone exhibits significant rotation, which can be attributed to the clockwise rotation of the Dali fault system. Combined geodetic velocity profiles, we infer that the deformation of the Dali fault system is primarily influenced by the non-uniform rotation of the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. To the west of the Dali fault system, clockwise rotation remains uninterrupted, whereas to the east, material extrusion between the Dali fault system and the Xianshuihe-Xiajiang fault zone is inhibited by the Red River fault zone. The left-lateral motion along the Chenghai fault zone is predominantly governed by clockwise rotation, while the normal faulting is chiefly controlled by differential rotation. Consequently, we infer that the Dali rift system is a manifestation of differential rotation along the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. By comparing it with the Pamir Plateau and the Aegean Sea region, we propose that pre-existing structures and block rotation are crucial mechanisms driving lateral deformation in the peripheral zones of continent-continent collision orogens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55089,"journal":{"name":"Global and Planetary Change","volume":"259 ","pages":"Article 105320"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146015048","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-19DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105312
Fangliang Li , Shouye Yang , Evan J. Ramos , Daniel O. Breecker , Yulong Guo , Jingrui Li , Fangbing Li , Chengfan Yang , Chenyang Jin
Continental weathering regulates long-term climate via atmospheric CO2 consumption. Understanding how weathering regimes respond to tectonic and climatic forcing is therefore essential for clarifying the weathering-climate relationships. The Plio-Pleistocene reorganization of the Yellow River drainage provides an ideal setting to investigate such changes. While accumulating evidence suggests establishment of the modern-like drainage system no later than ∼1 Ma, how this geomorphic transformation affected weathering patterns remains unexplored. Here, we address this question using new Li isotopic data (δ7Li) from a marginal sea sediment core, integrated with Nd isotopes and geochemical records. Our multi-proxy record reveals a coupled provenance and weathering regime shift during the Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT). The εNd values shift from cratonic (−12 to −16) to orogenic (−10 to −12) signatures, while δ7Li values of weathering products transition from −2.7 ± 0.9‰ to −0.9 ± 0.6‰. Combined with mineralogical and geochemical weathering indices, these data document a shift from more incongruent weathering dominated by continental margin floodplains to more congruent weathering governed by highlands of the NE Tibetan Plateau and Loess Plateau. We interpret this transition as a direct response to Yellow River reorganization, which replaced proximal cratonic sources with detritus from rapidly eroding orogenic and loess regions. Our study thus demonstrates that the balance between floodplain and mountain weathering set by large river drainage integration, maybe an important control on the type and intensity of silicate weathering over geologic timescales.
{"title":"Plio–Pleistocene shift in East Asian weathering regimes: From continental margin floodplains to highland erosion in the Yellow River basin, inferred from geochemical and lithium isotopic records","authors":"Fangliang Li , Shouye Yang , Evan J. Ramos , Daniel O. Breecker , Yulong Guo , Jingrui Li , Fangbing Li , Chengfan Yang , Chenyang Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105312","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105312","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Continental weathering regulates long-term climate via atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> consumption. Understanding how weathering regimes respond to tectonic and climatic forcing is therefore essential for clarifying the weathering-climate relationships. The Plio-Pleistocene reorganization of the Yellow River drainage provides an ideal setting to investigate such changes. While accumulating evidence suggests establishment of the modern-like drainage system no later than ∼1 Ma, how this geomorphic transformation affected weathering patterns remains unexplored. Here, we address this question using new Li isotopic data (δ<sup>7</sup>Li) from a marginal sea sediment core, integrated with Nd isotopes and geochemical records. Our multi-proxy record reveals a coupled provenance and weathering regime shift during the Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT). The εNd values shift from cratonic (−12 to −16) to orogenic (−10 to −12) signatures, while δ<sup>7</sup>Li values of weathering products transition from −2.7 ± 0.9‰ to −0.9 ± 0.6‰. Combined with mineralogical and geochemical weathering indices, these data document a shift from more incongruent weathering dominated by continental margin floodplains to more congruent weathering governed by highlands of the NE Tibetan Plateau and Loess Plateau. We interpret this transition as a direct response to Yellow River reorganization, which replaced proximal cratonic sources with detritus from rapidly eroding orogenic and loess regions. Our study thus demonstrates that the balance between floodplain and mountain weathering set by large river drainage integration, maybe an important control on the type and intensity of silicate weathering over geologic timescales.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55089,"journal":{"name":"Global and Planetary Change","volume":"258 ","pages":"Article 105312"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146001039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-19DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105322
Ruifang Ma , Wei Shu , Wei Chen , Hongming Cai , Jie Huang , Christophe Colin , Sophie Sépulcre , Xinquan Zhou , Jiubin Chen , Shichang Kang
The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is essential for evaluating global ecological impact through tracing the mercury (Hg) source and transformation in its lake sediments. Cuona Lake, situated at the transition zone of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) and the westerlies, provides an ideal natural archive for understanding long-term interactions between Hg deposition and climate change. Our results show that temporal variations of Hg accumulation in a sediment core CN12/01 are influenced by distinct atmospheric patterns since 13 cal ka BP. During ∼13–8 cal ka BP, elevated ∆200Hg and higher smectite/illite ratios indicate that intensified summer monsoon rainfall enhanced atmospheric Hg contributions (41 ± 7%). Increased Zr/Rb ratios coupled with decreased total Hg concentrations (THg) suggest that fine particulates carrying soil-eroded mercury preferentially export downstream. In contrast, during 6–3 cal ka BP, the climatic pattern of the studied area is mainly controlled by the westerlies, showing relatively weakened precipitation associated with depleted ∆200Hg and lower smectite/illite ratios. However, enhanced accumulation of fine particulates (low Zr/Rb ratios) and THg concentrations during this period indicates increased terrestrial mercury retention in the lake sediments. This study proposes that Cuona Lake shifts from functioning as a Hg “transporter” to a “sink” at approximately 6 cal ka BP, coinciding with the climatic transition of ISM-westerlies patterns. This shift represents an important process in regulating the mercury cycle of the terrestrial ecosystems in the TP.
通过追踪青藏高原湖泊沉积物中汞的来源和转化，对评价全球生态影响具有重要意义。措那湖位于印度夏季风和西风带的过渡地带，为了解汞沉积与气候变化之间的长期相互作用提供了一个理想的自然档案。结果表明，13cal ka BP以来，CN12/01沉积物中汞积累的时间变化受到不同大气模式的影响。在~ 13-8 cal ka BP期间，升高的∆200Hg和更高的蒙脱石/伊利石比值表明，夏季季风降雨增强了大气Hg贡献（41±7%）。随着Zr/Rb比值的增加，总汞浓度（THg）的降低，细颗粒携带土壤侵蚀汞优先向下游出口。6 ~ 3 cal ka BP期间，研究区气候格局主要受西风带控制，降水相对减弱，∆200Hg枯竭，蒙脱石/伊利石比值降低。然而，在此期间，细颗粒物（低Zr/Rb比）和THg浓度的积累增强，表明湖泊沉积物中陆源汞潴留增加。本研究认为，在大约6 cal ka BP，错纳湖从Hg的“转运者”向“汇”转变，与ism -西风带模式的气候转变相一致。这一转变是青藏高原陆地生态系统汞循环调节的重要过程。
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Pub Date : 2026-01-19DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105323
Yalan Tang , Yongming Han , Yichen Wang , Dongna Yan , Shaolong Sun , Qiyuan Wang , Dewen Lei , Hao Peng , Peng Yao , Zeyu Liu , Ulrike Dusek
Understanding the long-term interplay between air pollution and socioeconomic development is essential for evaluating sustainability transitions, yet its long-term dynamics remain poorly understood. Most existing studies rely on static indicators and lack continuous environmental records, limiting the detection of nonlinear transitions and threshold effects. By integrating records of combustion-derived pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, spheroidal carbonaceous particles, and soot with its fossil fraction) collected from a 121-year sediment core in Sihailongwan Maar Lake with historical socioeconomic datasets, this study constructs the coupling index based on the rate of change to characterize the temporal evolution of atmospheric–socioeconomic linkages, and quantifies the relative contributions of key driving factors to historical pollution trends using Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index decomposition. Our results reveal a transition towards weak decoupling in the early 21st century, with an Environmental Kuznets Curve turning point for combustion-derived pollution emerging at a per capita GDP of approximately 11,500–13,320 Yuan (in constant 2015 prices). Decomposition analysis shows that from 1900 to 2021, economic out increased air pollution levels by a factor of 245 and population growth by a factor of 30, whereas controls in energy intensity and emission intensity reduced them by factors of 131 and 117, respectively. This work underscores the potential of geological archives to trace human–environment coevolution, offering insights for addressing sustainability dilemmas in industrial regions.
{"title":"Century-long socioeconomic-air pollution transitions revealed by lake sediments in Northeast China","authors":"Yalan Tang , Yongming Han , Yichen Wang , Dongna Yan , Shaolong Sun , Qiyuan Wang , Dewen Lei , Hao Peng , Peng Yao , Zeyu Liu , Ulrike Dusek","doi":"10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105323","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105323","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the long-term interplay between air pollution and socioeconomic development is essential for evaluating sustainability transitions, yet its long-term dynamics remain poorly understood. Most existing studies rely on static indicators and lack continuous environmental records, limiting the detection of nonlinear transitions and threshold effects. By integrating records of combustion-derived pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, spheroidal carbonaceous particles, and soot with its fossil fraction) collected from a 121-year sediment core in Sihailongwan Maar Lake with historical socioeconomic datasets, this study constructs the coupling index based on the rate of change to characterize the temporal evolution of atmospheric–socioeconomic linkages, and quantifies the relative contributions of key driving factors to historical pollution trends using Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index decomposition. Our results reveal a transition towards weak decoupling in the early 21st century, with an Environmental Kuznets Curve turning point for combustion-derived pollution emerging at a per capita GDP of approximately 11,500–13,320 Yuan (in constant 2015 prices). Decomposition analysis shows that from 1900 to 2021, economic out increased air pollution levels by a factor of 245 and population growth by a factor of 30, whereas controls in energy intensity and emission intensity reduced them by factors of 131 and 117, respectively. This work underscores the potential of geological archives to trace human–environment coevolution, offering insights for addressing sustainability dilemmas in industrial regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55089,"journal":{"name":"Global and Planetary Change","volume":"258 ","pages":"Article 105323"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146001034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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