Different types of Anthropocene signals recorded in Huguangyan Maar Lake over the past 450 years

•Comprehensive analysis of eutrophication, vegetation changes, and heavy metal pollution in lake sediments.•Timing of impacts varies by activity: eutrophication (1950 CE), vegetation (1780, 1880, 1980 CE), metals (1950 CE).•Crucial to consider activity types and spatial extent in defining the Anthro...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Catena (Giessen) 2024-12, Vol.247, p.108562, Article 108562
Main Authors: Jiang, Shiwei, Zhou, Xin, Ma, Li, Cui, Shukun, Liu, Xuanqiao, Liu, Xiaoyan, Chen, Anze, Luo, Yong, Xu, Liqiang, Zeng, Fangming, Kong, Deming, Huang, Chao, Zhang, Guangcheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthropocene
Huguangyan Maar Lake
Human activities
Lake sediment
Southern China
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:•Comprehensive analysis of eutrophication, vegetation changes, and heavy metal pollution in lake sediments.•Timing of impacts varies by activity: eutrophication (1950 CE), vegetation (1780, 1880, 1980 CE), metals (1950 CE).•Crucial to consider activity types and spatial extent in defining the Anthropocene onset. Over the past few centuries, human activities have increasingly impacted global climate and ecological environments. The “Anthropocene” has been proposed to highlight the significant influence of human activities on the environment. However, prior research has focused on analyzing a single type of human activity in lake sediments. In this study, we examined the historical changes in water eutrophication, terrestrial vegetation, and heavy metal pollution in the sediments of Huguangyan Maar Lake over the past 450 years. By comparing different human activity records within the same regional and chronological framework, we found that the timing of significant impacts on lake sediments varied by activity type. Eutrophication, induced by population growth and agricultural fertilization, began around 1950 CE. Changes in vegetation owing to agricultural and forestry practices occurred around 1780, 1880, and 1980 CE. Significant enrichment of heavy metals from industrial production began around 1950 CE. We suggest that, in reconstructing the history of human activities or defining the onset of the “Anthropocene,” it is crucial to consider both the types of human activities and their spatial extent.
ISSN:0341-8162
DOI:10.1016/j.catena.2024.108562