Cooling induced the stagnation of vermicularisation in the subtropical region of East Asia during the Late Quaternary

The loess-like Quaternary Red Clay (QRC) documented the variations in regional and/or global climate during the Late Quaternary. However, the limited well-dated age of the loess-like QRC sections in the subtropical region of East Asia has previously hindered the establishment of a connection between the loess-like QRC records and global climate changes. In this study, we present ten optically stimulated luminescence ages, detrital zircon dating data, and analyses of particle size, K₂O/Al₂O₃ molar ratio, chemical index of alteration values, and δ⁷Li values from 32 samples acquired from the loess-like QRC sections in the subtropical region of East Asia. The data analysis reveals that the period of vermicularisation stagnation in the region occurred approximately between 0.13 and 0.10 million years ago, and the stable source materials for the loess-like QRC section predominantly originated from the bedrock. Furthermore, the palaeoenvironmental proxies suggest that the stagnation of vermicularisation corresponds to a period characterised by dry and cold conditions with relatively weak silicate weathering and/or pedogenesis. A comprehensive analysis suggests that cooling during the Late Quaternary induced the stagnation of vermicularisation in the subtropical region of East Asia.