Quantitative reconstruction of summer precipitation using a mid-Holocene <i>δ</i>¹³C common millet record from Guanzhong Basin, northern China

Abstract

Abstract. To quantitatively reconstruct Holocene precipitation for particular geographical areas, suitable proxies and faithful dating controls are required. The fossilized seeds of common millet (Panicum miliaceum) are found throughout the sedimentary strata of northern China and are suited to the production of quantitative Holocene precipitation reconstructions: their isotopic carbon composition (δ13C) gives a measure of the precipitation required during the growing season of summer (here the interval from mid-June to September) and allows these seeds to be dated. We therefore used a regression function, as part of a systematic study of the δ13C of common millet, to produce a quantitative reconstruction of mid-Holocene summer precipitation in the Guanzhong Basin (107°40′–107°49′ E, 33°39′–34°45′ N). Our results showed that mean summer precipitation at 7.7–3.4 ka BP was 353 mm,  ∼  50 mm or 17 % higher than present levels, and the variability increased, especially after 5.2 ka BP. Maximum mean summer precipitation peaked at 414 mm during the period 6.1–5.5 ka BP,  ∼  109 mm (or 36 %) higher than today, indicating that the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) peaked at this time. This work can provide a new proxy for further research into continuous paleoprecipitation sequences and the variability of summer precipitation, which will promote the further research into the relation between early human activity and environmental change.