Long-term decrease in Asian monsoon rainfall and abrupt climate change events over the past 6,700 years

Abstract

Significance The variability of the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) is important for the functioning of ecological and societal systems at regional to continental scales, but the long-term evolution and interannual variability of this system is not well understood. Here, we present a stable isotope–based reconstruction of ASM variability covering 4680 BCE to 2011 CE. Superimposed on a gradual drying trend, a rapid drop in mean annual precipitation (>40%) toward persistently drier conditions occurred in ∼1675 BCE. This megadrought caused regional forest deterioration and enhanced aeolian activity affecting Chinese ecosystems. We argue that this abrupt aridification starting ∼2000 BCE triggered waves of human migration and societal transformation in northern China, which contributed to the alteration of spatial pattern of ancient civilizations.

Autoren

Bao Yang
Chun Qin
Achim Bräuning
Timothy J Osborn
Valerie Trouet
Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist
Jan Esper
Lea Schneider
Jussi Grießinger
Ulf Büntgen
Sergio Rossi
Guanghui Dong
Mi Yan
Liang Ning
Jianglin Wang
Xiaofeng Wang
Suming Wang
Jürg Luterbacher
Edward R Cook
Nils Chr Stenseth

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2102007118

eISSN

1091-6490

ISSN

0027-8424

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

30

Zeitschrift

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Sprache

en

Online publication date

2021

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2021

Status

Published

Herausgeber

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Herausgeber URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2102007118

Datum der Datenerfassung

2022

Titel

Long-term decrease in Asian monsoon rainfall and abrupt climate change events over the past 6,700 years

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

118

Datenquelle: Crossref

Abstract

Asian summer monsoon (ASM) variability and its long-term ecological and societal impacts extending back to Neolithic times are poorly understood due to a lack of high-resolution climate proxy data. Here, we present a precisely dated and well-calibrated tree-ring stable isotope chronology from the Tibetan Plateau with 1- to 5-y resolution that reflects high- to low-frequency ASM variability from 4680 BCE to 2011 CE. Superimposed on a persistent drying trend since the mid-Holocene, a rapid decrease in moisture availability between ∼2000 and ∼1500 BCE caused a dry hydroclimatic regime from ∼1675 to ∼1185 BCE, with mean precipitation estimated at 42 ± 4% and 5 ± 2% lower than during the mid-Holocene and the instrumental period, respectively. This second-millennium-BCE megadrought marks the mid-to late Holocene transition, during which regional forests declined and enhanced aeolian activity affected northern Chinese ecosystems. We argue that this abrupt aridification starting ∼2000 BCE contributed to the shift of Neolithic cultures in northern China and likely triggered human migration and societal transformation.

Addresses

Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; n.c.stenseth@mn.uio.no yangbao@lzb.ac.cn.

Autoren

Bao Yang
Chun Qin
Achim Bräuning
Timothy J Osborn
Valerie Trouet
Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist
Jan Esper
Lea Schneider
Jussi Grießinger
Ulf Büntgen
Sergio Rossi
Guanghui Dong
Mi Yan
Liang Ning
Jianglin Wang
Xiaofeng Wang
Suming Wang
Jürg Luterbacher
Edward R Cook
Nils Chr Stenseth

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2102007118

eISSN

1091-6490

Externe Identifier

PubMed Identifier: 34282014
PubMed Central ID: PMC8325342

Funding acknowledgements

Natural Environment Research Council: NE/P006809/1

Open access

true

ISSN

0027-8424

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

30

Zeitschrift

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Sprache

eng

Medium

Print

Open access status

Open Access

Paginierung

e2102007118

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2021

Status

Published

Publisher licence

CC BY

Datum der Datenerfassung

2021

Titel

Long-term decrease in Asian monsoon rainfall and abrupt climate change events over the past 6,700 years.

Sub types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
research-article
Journal Article

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

118

Files

https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC8325342?pdf=render

Datenquelle: Europe PubMed Central

Abstract

Asian summer monsoon (ASM) variability and its long-term ecological and societal impacts extending back to Neolithic times are poorly understood due to a lack of high-resolution climate proxy data. Here, we present a precisely dated and well-calibrated tree-ring stable isotope chronology from the Tibetan Plateau with 1- to 5-y resolution that reflects high- to low-frequency ASM variability from 4680 BCE to 2011 CE. Superimposed on a persistent drying trend since the mid-Holocene, a rapid decrease in moisture availability between ∼2000 and ∼1500 BCE caused a dry hydroclimatic regime from ∼1675 to ∼1185 BCE, with mean precipitation estimated at 42 ± 4% and 5 ± 2% lower than during the mid-Holocene and the instrumental period, respectively. This second-millennium-BCE megadrought marks the mid-to late Holocene transition, during which regional forests declined and enhanced aeolian activity affected northern Chinese ecosystems. We argue that this abrupt aridification starting ∼2000 BCE contributed to the shift of Neolithic cultures in northern China and likely triggered human migration and societal transformation.

Autoren

Bao Yang
Chun Qin
Achim Bräuning
Timothy J Osborn
Valerie Trouet
Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist
Jan Esper
Lea Schneider
Jussi Grießinger
Ulf Büntgen
Sergio Rossi
Guanghui Dong
Mi Yan
Liang Ning
Jianglin Wang
Xiaofeng Wang
Suming Wang
Jürg Luterbacher
Edward R Cook
Nils Chr Stenseth

Autoren-URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34282014

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2102007118

eISSN

1091-6490

Externe Identifier

PubMed Central ID: PMC8325342

Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung

30

Zeitschrift

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Schlüsselwörter

Asian summer monsoon
climate variability
megadrought
stable isotopes
tree rings

Sprache

eng

Country

United States

PII

2102007118

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2021

Status

Published

Datum, an dem der Datensatz öffentlich gemacht wurde

2021

Titel

Long-term decrease in Asian monsoon rainfall and abrupt climate change events over the past 6,700 years.

Sub types

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

118

Datenquelle: PubMed

Long-term decrease in Asian monsoon rainfall and abrupt climate change events over the past 6,700 years

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