Lake level changes documented by sediment properties and diatom of Hulun Lake, China since the late Glacial

A 14.6 m long profile from the northern part of the Hulun lake, the furthest north of the large lakes of China, has provided a sedimentary and diatom record since the late Glacial. The chronological sequence was established based on 10 radiocarbon dates. Sedimentological study and diatom analysis are synthesized for the reconstruction of the history of lake-level changes. The results show that the Hulun basin was not occupied by a lake during the Last Glaciation. A rapid transition to a deep lake occurred since 12 850 yr B.P., and this high level phase lasted to 11 200 yr B.P., although there existed several subordinate lake level fluctuations. An abrupt lake level drop and dry climatic conditions occurred during 11 200-10 600 yr B.P. The lake became deeper again from 10 600 yr B.P. to 10 300 yr B.P. Hulun lake at the early Holocene was characterized by the low lake-level, and the lake level rose again in 7200-5800 yr B.P., though the lake-levels changed quite variably. A dry condition occurred and lake level declined again during 5800-3000 yr B.P. The presence of the palaeosol on the top of this profile indicates the persistence of low lake levels after 3000 yr B.P. The comparison with the other lake-level records from northern China has suggested that the Hulun Lake shows a different lake level history from the lakes in monsoon areas.