Climatically driven glacial-interglacial variations in C3 and C4 plant proportions on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Abstract

Research Article| April 01, 2004 Climatically driven glacial-interglacial variations in C3 and C4 plant proportions on the Chinese Loess Plateau Natasa J. Vidic; Natasa J. Vidic 1Department of Agronomy, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Isabel P. Montañez Isabel P. Montañez 2Department of Geology, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Natasa J. Vidic 1Department of Agronomy, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Isabel P. Montañez 2Department of Geology, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 19 Sep 2003 Revision Received: 18 Dec 2003 Accepted: 26 Dec 2003 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2004) 32 (4): 337–340. https://doi.org/10.1130/G20222.2 Article history Received: 19 Sep 2003 Revision Received: 18 Dec 2003 Accepted: 26 Dec 2003 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Natasa J. Vidic, Isabel P. Montañez; Climatically driven glacial-interglacial variations in C3 and C4 plant proportions on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Geology 2004;; 32 (4): 337–340. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G20222.2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract High-resolution δ13C records of bulk organic matter (OM) from three loess-paleosol successions from the central Chinese Loess Plateau document systematic fluctuations in C3 and C4 plant abundance for certain intervals during the past 620 k.y. Measured δ13C values of OM in paleosols are less negative by 0.5‰–4‰, and total organic carbon (TOC) contents are higher by up to 0.5 wt% relative to corresponding values in loess deposits. The δ13COM and TOC decrease from peak values in paleosols progressively into overlying and underlying loess deposits. Integrated δ13COM, TOC, and magnetic susceptibility rec ords indicate an increase in C4 vegetation to ≥50% during peak paleosol formation and a decrease in C4 vegetation to ≤30% during loess deposition for three of the past glacial-interglacial cycles. These results indicate that C4 plant abundance declined during glacials in this mid-latitude region driven primarily by a shift to enhanced winter precipitation and lower temperatures, and further contribute to the rapidly growing body of evidence that low pCO2 during Pleistocene glacials was insufficient to trigger C4 plant expansion without coincident favorable climatic conditions. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.