The evolution of river systems under the influence of climate change and human activities in the endorheic zones during the Holocene

• Published in: Holocene (Sevenoaks) Vol. 34; no. 7; pp. 795 - 805
• Main Authors: Gao, Mingjun, Li, Yu, Zhang, Zhansen, Duan, Junjie, Xue, Yaxin, Peng, Simin, Shang, Hao, Liu, Shiyu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.07.2024; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Anthropogenic factors; Climate change; Endorheic basins; Erosion rates; Evolution; Holocene; Human influences; Lakes; Pollen; River basins; River systems; Rivers; Water levels; Water resources; erosion; the historical period; human-river relationship; accumulation; the Hexi Corridor; lake sediment
• ISSN: 0959-6836; 1477-0911
• DOI: 10.1177/09596836241236344

Endorheic river basins and their terminal lakes are highly sensitive to climate change and human activities. Based on chemical and pollen indicators, lake level, and erosion/accumulation rates of rivers, we explore the phasing of the evolution of the river system in the Hexi Corridor during the Holocene. The results suggest that climate change dominated the evolution of the river system during the early-Mid-Holocene. Entering the historical period, humans began to have an impact on runoff, water resources, and lake evolution, and since 1000 BP, anthropogenic perturbations recorded by regional proxies increased and humans dominated the migrations of river . In addition, we discuss the widespread erosion of rivers in the global endorheic zone and the impact of human activities in this context and found the timing of human influence on river evolution is not the same in different regions.