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Synchronous 500-year oscillations of monsoon climate and human activity in Northeast Asia

Author

Listed:
  • Deke Xu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences)

  • Houyuan Lu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Guoqiang Chu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment)

  • Li Liu

    (Stanford University)

  • Caiming Shen

    (Yunnan Normal University)

  • Fengjiang Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Can Wang

    (Shandong University)

  • Naiqin Wu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Prehistoric human activities were likely influenced by cyclic monsoon climate changes in East Asia. Here we report a decadal-resolution Holocene pollen record from an annually-laminated Maar Lake in Northeast China, a proxy of monsoon climate, together with a compilation of 627 radiocarbon dates from archeological sites in Northeast China which is a proxy of human activity. The results reveal synchronous ~500-year quasi-periodic changes over the last 8000 years. The warm-humid/cold-dry phases of monsoon cycles correspond closely to the intensification/weakening of human activity and the flourishing/decline of prehistoric cultures. Six prosperous phases of prehistoric cultures, with one exception, correspond approximately to warm-humid phases caused by a strengthened monsoon. This ~500-year cyclicity in the monsoon and thus environmental change triggered the development of prehistoric cultures in Northeast China. The cyclicity is apparently linked to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, against the background of long-term Holocene climatic evolution. These findings reveal a pronounced relationship between prehistoric human activity and cyclical climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Deke Xu & Houyuan Lu & Guoqiang Chu & Li Liu & Caiming Shen & Fengjiang Li & Can Wang & Naiqin Wu, 2019. "Synchronous 500-year oscillations of monsoon climate and human activity in Northeast Asia," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-12138-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12138-0
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    Cited by:

    1. Kai W. Wirtz & Nicolas Antunes & Aleksandr Diachenko & Julian Laabs & Carsten Lemmen & Gerrit Lohmann & Rowan McLaughlin & Eduardo Zorita & Detlef Gronenborn, 2024. "Multicentennial cycles in continental demography synchronous with solar activity and climate stability," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.

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