Enhanced hydrological disturbance and atmospheric pollution on an ombrotrophic peatland (Greater Khingan Mountains, Northeast China) since 1950s inferred from diatom records

IF 3.3 2区地球科学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Anthropocene Pub Date : 2025-04-10 DOI:10.1016/j.ancene.2025.100473

Dongxue Han , Yang Sun , Jinxin Cong , Guoping Wang , Chuanyu Gao

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Anthropogenic source emissions have caused unprecedented atmospheric environment pollution and natural ecosystem destruction in recent decades. It is necessary to explore the relationships among human, environment and ecosystem in a global change context. Ombrotrophic peatlands are precipitation-dependent and derive nutrients solely from atmospheric deposition, which can document environmental changes continuously. Diatoms preserved in peat sediments are abundant and diverse, and sensitive to hydrological environment changes. Here we reconstructed the historical water table conditions based on diatom from an ombrotrophic peatland in the northern Greater Khingan Mountains, and to assess the influence of climate and human on ecosystem development over the past 150 years. Our results revealed the hydrological condition in Hongtu (HT) peatland was mainly impacted by climate before 1950 AD. HT peatland remained in a pristine state with minimal human interference, as native inhabitants continued to hunt and gather. After the New China was established in 1949 AD, high frequency of fire events caused by rapid population growth, mining and industry destroyed the diatom diversity. Higher water table in HT peatland from 1950 AD to 1965 AD was resulted by higher rainfall. Since 1980 AD, especially after 2000 AD, a suddenly increase of tolerant diatoms species (Achnanthidium minutissimum and Craticula molestiformis) indicated enhanced anthropogenic disturbance. Anthropogenic emissions caused by industrial production and coal consumption increased the atmospheric nitrogen deposition. The abnormal drought of HT peatland was influenced by both climate warming and human activities since 1980s. The recent and strong effects of human activities on peatlands left significantly stratigraphic signals of the Anthropocene in peat deposits. Diatoms have potential to be applied as indicators of long-term hydrological changes in ombrotrophic peatlands, as they are highly sensitive to environmental changes and human disturbance.

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来源期刊

Anthropocene Earth and Planetary Sciences-Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)

CiteScore

6.30

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

102 days

期刊介绍： Anthropocene is an interdisciplinary journal that publishes peer-reviewed works addressing the nature, scale, and extent of interactions that people have with Earth processes and systems. The scope of the journal includes the significance of human activities in altering Earth’s landscapes, oceans, the atmosphere, cryosphere, and ecosystems over a range of time and space scales - from global phenomena over geologic eras to single isolated events - including the linkages, couplings, and feedbacks among physical, chemical, and biological components of Earth systems. The journal also addresses how such alterations can have profound effects on, and implications for, human society. As the scale and pace of human interactions with Earth systems have intensified in recent decades, understanding human-induced alterations in the past and present is critical to our ability to anticipate, mitigate, and adapt to changes in the future. The journal aims to provide a venue to focus research findings, discussions, and debates toward advancing predictive understanding of human interactions with Earth systems - one of the grand challenges of our time.