Formation of Ulan Buh desert and its environmental changes during the Holocene

Abstract

Extensive investigations and studies on topography, sedimentary and chronology show new evidence for the formation and evolution of the Ulan Buh desert during early Holocene. Evidence on clay-sand strata and plant roots under interdune lowlands, lake shorelines covered by plenty of Corbicula largillierti and large amounts of dry salt lakes in the central region of the desert prove that many megalakes existed in the hinterland of Ulan Buh desert. Several OSL samples collected from Aeolian sands overlying lacustrine sediments in profiles around Jilantai Salt Lake and interdune lowlands in the southern Ulan Buh desert suggest that the desert began around 7 ka B.P.. The formation of Ulan Buh desert may have resulted from the shrinking of Jilantai megalakes and sands blown from exposed loose sediments.

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