CHEN Xiaoliang¹，HOU Guangliang^1,2，JIN Sunmei¹，GAO Jingyi¹，DUAN Ronglei¹

(1.School of Geographical Science, Qinghai Normal University, Xi’ning 810008, China;
2.Academy of Plateau Science and Sustainability, Qinghai Normal University, Xi’ning 810008, China)

Abstract: There are few studies on the ancient human activities and its environmental effects by using pollen records. In this paper, we selected 28 stratigraphic fossil sporopollen sequences from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), and obtained 568 dating anthropogenic plant (Gramineae, Caryophyllaceae, Populus, Cruciferae, Potentilla, Plantago, aster-type, Chenopodiaceae, stellera) data by direct extraction and integration method. After standardized processing, we established the human activity index for the four regions in the plateau. At the same time, the history of human activities since the middle late Holocene is discussed based on the existing research data in this area. The results showed that: (1) in the northeast part of QTP that denoted as I area, human activities started from 6.0-5.3 ka B.P., but the low production had little effects on the vegetation; human activities expanded during 5.3-4.5 ka B.P. and the environmental effects began to appear; during 4.5-3.5 ka B.P., the human activities intensified significantly and exacerbated the destruction of vegetation; during 3.5-2.0 ka B.P., overgrazing, forest area decrease, and sandstorm appeared frequently as a result of intensified human activities. (2) in the southeast part or Ⅱ area, the environmental effect of human activities appeared at about 5.0 ka B.P.; the vegetation was significantly disturbed by human activities during 4.5-3.5 ka B.P.; and with the human activities expanded to the high altitude area during 3.5-2.0 ka B.P., vegetation disturbance extended in areas accordingly; (3) in the southwest part or Ⅲ area, agricultural activities initiated and developed during 5.7-4.5 ka B.P., and its environmental effects emerged gradually; the enhanced human activities during 4.5-2.0 ka B.P. further affected the vegetation; (4) in the northwest part or Ⅳ area where is no mans land , the topic is not fully discussed due to the limited data, but some researches showed that human’s hunting activities has appeared in this area since the Early and Middle Holocene.

Key words: anthropogenic plant; human activities; the Middle and Late Holocene; Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

EARTH AND ENVIRONMENT Vol.48, No.6, Tot No.338, 2020, Page 643-651