section 2 appearance and formation of modern geographical environment

Section 2 Appearance and Formation of Modern Geographical EnvironmentSection 2 Appearance and Formation of Modern Geographical Environment

Demonstrate by CAI

Formation of Modern Geographical EnvironmentRelationship of Natural Events in Quatemary Period(Holocene and Pleistocene )

in China

Global event:Alternation of ice age and interglacial stage

Regional event:serious new tectonic movement

Trend of drought

Formation of modern monsoon

Uplift of Tibetan Plateau

Alternation of cold and warm period

Accumulation and erosion of loess

Withdraw and invasion of sea

Appearance and development of ancient human

Evolution’s trend in

three natural zones

全程 CAI 演示讲解

The pattern and extent of the uplift of Tibetan plateau

Two levels of platform are remained, which is the evident of land’s periodical

ascending in the tertiary period

The uplift is accelerating in the quartemary period

Formation of Modern Geographical Environment

High planation surface altitude 5200-5300m Low planation surface altitude 4500-5000m

(modern altitude)

Mid term of Middle Pleistocene(1200-1800 000 a.B.P)Reached 3000m-critical altitude

Late term of Middle Pleistocene reached 3500-4000mEverest was 4500m

Late Pleistocene reached 4500mEverest was 6000m

Holocene reached modern altitude


Tendency of regional drought in northwest

Current descending



Tendency of regional drought in the cold and arid regions inside the Tibetan plateau

Vapor from the Pacific Ocean

Vapor from the Indian Ocean

Trend in coldness and drought in the Tibetan Plateau


Water vapor from Atlantic

Tendency of regional drought in Inner Mongolia and North China

Winter monsoon


Trend in coldness and drought in the Tibetan Plateau

Water vapor from Atlantic


Formation of modern monsoon

The uplift of Tibetan Plateau’s influence on air current

As the uplift reaches the 3000 meters critical height, it has dynamic influence

Embranchment of winter and summer

monsoon

Embranchment of western monsoon

in winter

Stop the entrance of vapor from the Indian Ocean



Alternation of cold and warm periods in China

stratum agesection Annual average temperature

Annual average precipitation

Oxygen isotope

Climate change Reflected from

the loess sequence2.4 million years ago

in Luochuang, Shaanxi


Malan Loess

Top part of Lishi Loess

Bottom

part of Lishi Loess

Weak weathered loess

Middle weathered loess

Strong weathered loess

Dark loessial soil

Carbonate drab soil

Drab soil

Alfisols drab soil

Brown drab soil

Desert Steppe Forest Steppe

Sequence of environmental

transition


Alternation of cold(dry) and warm(wet) periods

in China

Gyration of clim

ate in the quartem

ary period in C

hina

Geology period

Climate period

Cold Warm Dry Wet

cold warm


Warm periodAnnual average temperature of the whole country was the sameor higher than that of modern times.Cold periodAnnual average temperature was much lower than that of modern times. Northwest and northeast temperature was lower 10-12ºC,reduced temperature was smaller in low latitude area, no more than 5ºC in South China. North climate fluctuation represented alternation of cold dry period and warm wet period;south represented alternation of non-rainfall period and rainfall period. 1

2

3

4

5

6

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9


Relationship between sea level and natural zones in special periods in China

Alternation of cold and warm periods in China

Highest sea level

Lowest sea level

Change of Sea Level in the 200 Thousand Years in China

Pleniglacial Kataglacial Post-glacial period



Natural Zone of the Pleniglacial in Esipleistocene(15 thousand a.B.P)

Cool temperate zone

Temperate zone Warm temperate zone

Subtropics

Frigid zone in plateau

Sea level


Cold temperate zone in plateau

Temperate zone in plateau

Temperate and warm temperate zones

Wet and warm zone/subtropical zones

Subtropical zone/ tropical zone

Tropical zone

Sea level

Natural Zone in the Period with Proper Climate in Holocene Epoch



Appearance and development of ancient human

The origin of human and their culture are very complicated issues.We not only study the nature of materials and also research on natural environment of that time.

Paleoanthropologists Jia Lanpo

The origin of mankind?

Neither on Mongolia Plateau

nor in the southern part of East

Asia Continent, that is east of Pakistan

and the vast southwestern regions.

In Pakistan, India and Yunnan Province

had discovered a component of the

ape-human ancestor fossils. "Yuanmou Homo Erectus" found in 170 years ago, as far as I know,

is the world's first ancient human.



Birthplace of ancient human in China

Tooth fossil in Pleistocene stratum,1700 thousand a.B.P, was found in Yuanmou basin

Yuanmou County

Yuanmou Homo Erectus Site



One explanation about the ancient human

It suddenly became cold in the ice age, resulting the decrease of forest.

The new tectonic movement was rather active and intense.

With the complex landform, types of life environment increased

Forest habitat

Basin, forest

and plain habitat

Cold habitat

Ape-man reserved

Ape-man climbed down the trees,evolved into human being.

Ape-man died out.



Tendency of three natural zones’ evolution

Tendency Original background

Major influence

Typical monsoon

in the east

Drought In the

northwest

Coldness and drought in the Tibetan

plateau

Land-sea monsoon,relatively wet

Far from the sea, relatively dry, sparse plain, desertification

Subtropical forest plain

Enlargement of winter monsoon towards south

The west wind is somewhat controlling the movement of monsoon, especially in October and May

Monsoon temperature graph moved towards south, compared with others in the same latitude.

Cold current descendsVapor from oceans is impeded

Atmosphere subsidence and evaporation increase

More serious drought, with larger scale

Become drought insides as lack of vapor

Temperature decreases

Plateau monsoon was form

Larger annual temperature range and more precipitation in summer

Tibetan Plateau and Global Change(Influence as the Third Pole in the World)

Tibetan Plateau and Global Change(Influence as the Third Pole in the World)

1. Glacial Source in the Low and Mid Latitude

Series of global change is established through the accumulation of ice and snow.The ice-core rock could be compared with the south and north poles.

1. Glacial Source in the Low and Mid Latitude

Series of global change is established through the accumulation of ice and snow.The ice-core rock could be compared with the south and north poles.

ComplementarityComplementarity

2. Function of Pre-Forecasting

Ground temperature change （ 15,20,100 CM ） Forecast temperature change in 15-20 years

2. Function of Pre-Forecasting

Ground temperature change （ 15,20,100 CM ） Forecast temperature change in 15-20 years

3. A Huge Region with Little Human Activities &A Perfect Place for Research on Land Ecological

System

3. A Huge Region with Little Human Activities &A Perfect Place for Research on Land Ecological

System

4. Driver for Atmosphere Circumstance in the Northern Hemisphere

Formation of plateau monsoon and modern monsoon

Series of environmental evolution: wet in the subtropics, drought in northwest, formation of loess, appearance of ancient human

4. Driver for Atmosphere Circumstance in the Northern Hemisphere

Formation of plateau monsoon and modern monsoon

Series of environmental evolution: wet in the subtropics, drought in northwest, formation of loess, appearance of ancient human

5. Magnifier of Environmental Evolution

Sensitive to environmental change, especially the temperature

E.g. change of snowline, glacier, frozen earth, and natural zone

5. Magnifier of Environmental Evolution

Sensitive to environmental change, especially the temperature

E.g. change of snowline, glacier, frozen earth, and natural zone

6. An Extreme Environment with Low Temperature and Rare Oxygen Extinct resource: ice snow, coldness, light, wind, terrestrial heat, biology, and extreme ecology adaptation

6. An Extreme Environment with Low Temperature and Rare Oxygen Extinct resource: ice snow, coldness, light, wind, terrestrial heat, biology, and extreme ecology adaptation

section 2 appearance and formation of modern geographical environment

Documents

modern times

tibetan plateau vapor

tibetan plateauwater

alternation of cold

warm periods

entrance of vapor

reduced temperature

northeast temperature