Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Geochemical characteristics and environmental significance of Talede loess–paleosol sequences of Ili Basin in Central Asia

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The loess–paleosol deposit in Central Asia is a sensitive indicator of the evolution of the quaternary paleoclimate in the Westerlies, providing insight into the quaternary climate history and its relationship with global climatic changes. Based on the geochemical analysis of elemental composition of densely sampled strata from Talede loess–paleosol sequence in the Ili Basin, the results showed that SiO2 had the highest major elements content, followed by Al2O3. The order of compositional abundance of major elements was generally as follows: SiO2 > Al2O3 > CaO > Fe2O3 > MgO > Na2O > K2O. Trace elements (i.e. Rb, Sr, Sc, Ni, Cu, Ga, Mo, Y, Pb, Th) in the paleosol layers (i.e. S 0, S m, S 1) and the loess layer of L 1 were enriched relative to underlain loess (L 2) horizons, except for the contents of Zr, Cs, Nd, and La in paleosol layers. All of geochemical proxies, such as enrichment factor, Rb/Sr ratio, eluvial coefficient (K i ) and chemical weathering index, display no obvious differentiation in the Talede loess–paleosol deposit. The results indicate that the weak chemical weathering, greater evaporation and low effective moisture in Ili Basin, are to a degree weaker than those in the China Loess Plateau and the climate was warm–dry during the interglacial period. In addition, the loess of Ili area is rich in schistose minerals and implies that the loess may come from the deserts of Central Asia and it may be closely related to the widespread aridification of Central Asia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • An Z, Kukla GJ, Porter SC, Xiao J (1991) Magnetic susceptibility evidence of monsoon variation on the Loess Plateau of Central China during last 130000 years. Quatern Res 36:29–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brimhall GH, Lewis CJ, Ague JJ, Dietrich WE, Hampe J, Teague T, Rix P (1988) Metal enrichment in bauxites by deposition of chemically mature aeol dust. Nature 333:819–824

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buggle B, Glaser B, Hambach U, Gerasimenkov N, Markovic S (2011) An evaluation of geochemical weathering indices in loess-paleosol studies. Quatern Int 240:2–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen J, Ji J, Qiu G, Lu H (1998) Geochemical studies on the intensity of chemical weathering in Luochuan loess-paleosol sequence. China Sci China (Series D) 41:235–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen J, An Z, Head J (1999) Variation of Rb/Sr ratios in the loess-paleosol sequences of central China during the last 130,000 years and their implications for monsoon paleoclimatology. Quatern Res 51:215–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Y, Chen J, Liu L, Ji J, Zhang J (2003) Spatial and temporal changes of summer monsoon on the Loess Plateau of Central China during the last 130 ka inferred from Rb/Sr ratios. Science in China (Series D) 46:1022–1030

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen J, Chen Y, Liu L, Ji J, Balsam W, Sun Y, Lu H (2006) Zr/Rb ratio in the Chinese loess sequences and its implication for changes in the East Asian winter monsoon strength. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 70:1471–1482

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diao G, Wen Q (1999) The migration series of major elements during loess pedogenesis. Geol Geochem 27:21–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Ding F, Ding Z (2003) The history of chemical weathering and paleoclimate of the loess in Tajikistan. Sci China (Series D) 46:1012–1021

    Google Scholar 

  • Ding Z, Sun J, Yang S, Yang S, Liu T (2001) Geochemistry of the pliocene red clay formation in the Chinese Loess Plateau and implications for its origin, source provenance and paleoclimate change. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 65:901–913

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fang X, Shi Z, Yang S, Yan M, Li J, Jiang P (2002a) Loess in the Tian Shan and its implications for the development of the Gurbantunggut Desert and drying of northern Xinjiang. Chin Sci Bull 47:1381–1387

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fang X, Lü L, Yang S, Li J, An Z, Jiang P, Chen X (2002b) Loess in Kunlun Mountains and its implications on desert development and Tibetan Plateau uplift in west China. Sci China (Series D) 45:289–299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fralick PW, Kronberg BI (1997) Geochemical discrimination of elastic sedimentary rock sources. Sediment Geol 113:111–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gallet S, Jahn BM, Torii M (1996) Geochemical characterization of the Luochuan loess-paleosol sequence, China, and paleoclimatic implications. Chem Geol 133:67–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gallet S, Jahn B, Van VB, Dia A, Rossello E (1998) Loess geochemistry and its implications for particle origin and composition of the upper continental crust. Earth Planet Sci Lett I56:157–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gi YJ, Stephen H, Rob AK (2008) Quantitative bulk and single-particle mineralogy of a thick Chinese loess-paleosol section: implications for loess provenance and weathering. Quatern Sci Rev 27:1271–1287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gu Z, Ding Z, Xiong S, Liu TS (1999) A seven million geochemical record from Chinese red-clay and loess-paleosol sequence: weathering and erosion in Northwestern China. Quatern Sci 4:357–365 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Guan Q, Pan B, Gao H, Li N, Zhang H, Wang J (2008) Geochemical evidence of the Chinese loess provenance during the Late Pleistocene. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 270:53–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guan Q, Pan B, Li N, Zhang J, Xue L (2011) Timing and significance of the initiation of present day deserts in the northeastern Hexi Corridor, China. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 306:70–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henning D, Nicholas BH (2001) Geochemical facies analysis of fine-grained siliciclastics using Th/U, Zr/Rb and (Zr+Rb)/Sr ratios. Chem Geol 181:131–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jin Z, Cao J, Wu J, Wang S (2006) A Rb/Sr record of catchment weathering response to Holocene climate change in Inner Mongolia. Earth Surf Proc Land 31:285–291

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Huang C, Pang J, He Z (2009) Dust source of the Holocene loess-soil and pedogenic environmental changes in the upper Huaihe River. J Geog Sci 19:107–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu T (1985) Loess and the environment. Science Press, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu L, Wang H, Chen J (2006) Reconstruction of the rainfall on the Chinese Loess Plateau during the past 130 ka from the dolomite distributions. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 70:363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y, Shi Z, Deng C, Su H, Zhang W (2012) Mineral magnetic investigation of the Talede loess-paleosol sequence since the last interglacial in the Yili Basin in Asian interior. Geophys J Int 190(1):267–277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Machalett B, Frechen M, Hambach U, Oches EA, Zöller L, Marković SB (2006) The loess sequence from Remisowka (northern boundary of the Tian Shan Mountains, Kazakhstan)—Part I: luminescence dating. Quatern Int 151–153:192–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mclennan SM (1993) Weathering and global denudation. J Geol 101:295–303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muhs DR, Bettis EA (2000) Geochemical variations in Peoria Loess of Western Iowa indicate paleowinds of midcontinental North America during last glaciation. Quatern Res 53:49–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nesbitt HW, Young GM (1982) Early Proterozoic climates and plate motions inferred from major element chemistry of lutites. Nature 299:715–717

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nesbitt HW, Young GM (1996) Petrogenesis of sediments in the absence of chemical weathering: effects of abrasion and sorting on bulk composition and mineralogy. Sedimentology 43:341–358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nesbitt HW, Markovics G, Price RC (1980) Chemical processes affecting alkalis and alkaline earths during continental weathering. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 44:1659–1666

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahn KA (1999) A graphical technique for determining major components in a mixed aerosol. I. Descriptive aspects. Atmos Environ 33(9):1441–1455

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shi Z (2005) Age of Ili loess in Xijiang and its paleoenvironmental implications. Dissertation, Chinese Academy of Sciences

  • Shi Z, Song Y, An Z (2006) Evolution of Gurbantunggut Desert Recorded by Tianshan Loess. J Desert Res 26:675–679 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi Z, Dong M, Fang X (2007) The characteristics of later Pleistocene loess-paleosol magnetic susceptibility in Ili Basin. J Lanzhou Univ (Nat Sci) 43:7–10 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smalley IJ, Mavlyanova NG, Rakhmatullaev KL, Shermatov MS, Machalett B, Dhand KO, Jefferson IF (2006) The formation of loess deposits in the Tashkent region and parts of Central Asia; and problems with irrigation, hydrocollapse and soil erosion. Quatern Int 152–153:59–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song Y, Shi Z (2010) Distribution and compositions of Loess sediments in Yili Basin, Central Asia. Scientia Geographica Sinica 2(30):267–272

    Google Scholar 

  • Song Y, Shi Z, Fang X, Nie J, Naoto I, Qiang X, Wang X (2010) Loess magnetic properties in the Ili Basin and their correlation with the Chinese Loess Plateau. Sci China (Series D) 53:419–431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun J, Xu L (2007) Provenance change of the Chinese eolian deposits during the past 8 Ma and its link with the upper crustal evolution. Quatern Sci 27:187–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor SR (1964) Abundance of chemical elements in the continental crust: a new table. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 28:1273–1285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor SR, McLennan SM (1985) The continental crust: its composition and evolution. Blackwell, London

    Google Scholar 

  • E. C, Wang Y, Yang T, Han J, Hu H, Yang F (2009) Different responses of different altitudes surrounding Taklimakna Desert to global climate change. Environ Geol 56(7):1281–1293

  • Wen Q, Zheng H (1988) Climatic and environmental evolutions in Beijiang region, Xinjiang since the Late Pleistocene. Chin Sci Bull 33:771–774

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang J, Chen J, An Z, Shieldse G, Tao X, Zhu H, Ji J, Chen Y (2000) Variations in 87Sr/86Sr ratios of calcites in Chinese loess: a proxy for chemical weathering associated with the East Asian summer monsoon. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 157:151–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang S, Ding F, Ding Z (2006) Pleistocence chemical weathering history of Asian arid and semi-arid regions recorded in loess deposits of China and Tajikistan. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 70:1695–1709

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ye W (2000) The mineral characteristics of loess and depositing environment in Yili Area, Xinjinag. Arid Zone Res 17(4):1–10 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ye W, Sadayo Y, Zhao X (2005) Comparison of the sedimentary features of Loess between the westerly and monsoon regions in China. Arid Land Geog 28:789–794 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Young GM (2002) Geochemical investigation of a neoproterozoic glacial unit: the mineral fork formation in the Wasatch Range. Utah. GSA Bull 114:387–399

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang H, Li J, Ma Y, Cao X, Wang N (1997) A study on elemental geochemical characters of the Wuwei Loess section in the south vicinity of Tengger Desert. Acta Sedimentol Sin 15:152–158 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang L, Di Zhu, Yang D (2002) Chemical element transfer of weathering granite regolith in the three Gorges Dam region of Yangtze River. J Geog Sci 12:236–242 (in Chinese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang H, Zhang W, Chang F, Yang L, Lei G, Yang M, Yang Pu, Lei Y (2009) The geochemical fractionations of rare earth elements in lacustrine deposition: a case of shell bar section, QaiDam Basin. Sci China (D) 52(11):1703–1713

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao J, Wang D, Fan B, Lu H, Zhang X, Qu W, Wen L, Li D (2004) Geochemical characteristics of the loess deposit at Yan’an and its implication to changes of East Asia summer monsoon during the past 130 ka. Geochimica 5:495–500 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhuang G, Guo JH, Yuan H, Zhao CY (2001) The compositions, sources, and size distribution of the dust storm from China in spring of 2000 and its impact on the global environment. Chin Sci Bull 46(11):895–901

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Dr. G.L. Lei at Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process, Ministry of Education for his assistance during the laboratory work. We are also grateful to Dr. Catherine Dalton, the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on the draft and checking the English. This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40871018, U0933604).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Geographical Process and Environmental Change in the Plateau of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, 650500, China

    Wenxiang Zhang, Zhengtao Shi, Guangjie Chen, Yong Liu, Jie Niu, Qingzhong Ming & Huai Su

  2. State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an, 710075, China

    Wenxiang Zhang & Zhengtao Shi

Authors
  1. Wenxiang Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhengtao Shi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Guangjie Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yong Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jie Niu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Qingzhong Ming
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Huai Su
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhengtao Shi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhang, W., Shi, Z., Chen, G. et al. Geochemical characteristics and environmental significance of Talede loess–paleosol sequences of Ili Basin in Central Asia. Environ Earth Sci 70, 2191–2202 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2323-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2323-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation