Section 2 Appearance and Formation of Modern Geographical Environment Demonstrate by CAI Formation of Modern Geographical Environment Relationship of Natural Events in Quatemary Period(Holocene and Pleistocene ) in China Global event:Alternation of ice age and interglacial stage Regional event:serious new tectonic movement Trend of drought Formation of modern monsoon Uplift of Tibetan Plateau Alternation of cold and warm period Accumulation and erosion of loess Withdraw and invasion of sea Appearance and development of ancient human Evolution’s trend in three natural zones

全程 CAI 演示讲解 The pattern and extent of the uplift of Tibetan plateau Two levels of platform are remained, which is the evident of land’s periodical ascending in the tertiary period The uplift is accelerating in the quartemary period Formation of Modern Geographical Environment High planation surface altitude m Low planation surface altitude m (modern altitude) Mid term of Middle Pleistocene( a.B.P) Reached 3000m-critical altitude Late term of Middle Pleistocene reached m Everest was 4500m Late Pleistocene reached 4500m Everest was 6000m Holocene reached modern altitude

全程 CAI 演示讲解 Tendency of regional drought in northwest Current descending Formation of Modern Geographical Environment

全程 CAI 演示讲解 Tendency of regional drought in the cold and arid regions inside the Tibetan plateau Vapor from the Pacific Ocean Vapor from the Indian Ocean Trend in coldness and drought in the Tibetan Plateau Formation of Modern Geographical Environment Water vapor from Atlantic

Tendency of regional drought in Inner Mongolia and North China Winter monsoon Formation of Modern Geographical Environment Trend in coldness and drought in the Tibetan Plateau Water vapor from Atlantic

全程 CAI 演示讲解 Formation of modern monsoon The uplift of Tibetan Plateau’s influence on air current As the uplift reaches the 3000 meters critical height, it has dynamic influence Embranchment of winter and summer monsoon Embranchment of western monsoon in winter Stop the entrance of vapor from the Indian Ocean Formation of Modern Geographical Environment

全程 CAI 演示讲解 Alternation of cold and warm periods in China stratumagesection Annual average temperature Annual average precipitation Oxygen isotope Climate change Reflected from the loess sequence 2.4 million years ago in Luochuang, Shaanxi Formation of Modern Geographical Environment Malan Loess Top part of Lishi Loess Bottom part of Lishi Loess Weak weathered loess Middle weathered loess Strong weathered loess Dark loessial soil Carbonate drab soil Drab soil Alfisols drab soil Brown drab soil Desert SteppeForest Steppe Sequence of environmental transition

全程 CAI 演示讲解 Alternation of cold(dry) and warm(wet) periods in China Gyration of climate in the quartemary period in China Geology period Climate period ColdWarmDryWet coldwarm Formation of Modern Geographical Environment Warm period Annual average temperature of the whole country was the same or higher than that of modern times. Cold period Annual average temperature was much lower than that of modern times. Northwest and northeast temperature was lower 10-12ºC,reduced temperature was smaller in low latitude area, no more than 5ºC in South China. North climate fluctuation represented alternation of cold dry period and warm wet period; south represented alternation of non-rainfall period and rainfall period

全程 CAI 演示讲解 Relationship between sea level and natural zones in special periods in China Alternation of cold and warm periods in China Highest sea level Lowest sea level Change of Sea Level in the 200 Thousand Years in China PleniglacialKataglacialPost-glacial period Formation of Modern Geographical Environment

全程 CAI 演示讲解 Natural Zone of the Pleniglacial in Esipleistocene (15 thousand a.B.P) Cool temperate zone Temperate zone Warm temperate zone Subtropics Frigid zone in plateau Sea level

全程 CAI 演示讲解 Cold temperate zone in plateau Temperate zone in plateau Temperate and warm temperate zones Wet and warm zone/subtropical zones Subtropical zone/ tropical zone Tropical zone Sea level Natural Zone in the Period with Proper Climate in Holocene Epoch

全程 CAI 演示讲解 Formation of Modern Geographical Environment Appearance and development of ancient human The origin of human and their culture are very complicated issues. We not only study the nature of materials and also research on natural environment of that time. Paleoanthropologists Jia Lanpo The origin of mankind? Neither on Mongolia Plateau nor in the southern part of East Asia Continent, that is east of Pakistan and the vast southwestern regions. In Pakistan, India and Yunnan Province had discovered a component of the ape-human ancestor fossils. "Yuanmou Homo Erectus" found in 170 years ago, as far as I know, is the world's first ancient human.

全程 CAI 演示讲解 Formation of Modern Geographical Environment Birthplace of ancient human in China Tooth fossil in Pleistocene stratum,1700 thousand a.B.P, was found in Yuanmou basin Yuanmou County Yuanmou Homo Erectus Site

全程 CAI 演示讲解 Formation of Modern Geographical Environment One explanation about the ancient human It suddenly became cold in the ice age, resulting the decrease of forest. The new tectonic movement was rather active and intense. With the complex landform, types of life environment increased Forest habitat Basin, forest and plain habitat Cold habitat Ape-man reserved Ape-man climbed down the trees, evolved into human being. Ape-man died out.

全程 CAI 演示讲解 Formation of Modern Geographical Environment Tendency of three natural zones’ evolution Tendency Original background Major influence Typical monsoon in the east Drought In the northwest Coldness and drought in the Tibetan plateau Land-sea monsoon, relatively wet Far from the sea, relatively dry, sparse plain, desertification Subtropical forest plain Enlargement of winter monsoon towards south The west wind is somewhat controlling the movement of monsoon, especially in October and May Monsoon temperature graph moved towards south, compared with others in the same latitude. Cold current descends Vapor from oceans is impeded Atmosphere subsidence and evaporation increase More serious drought, with larger scale Become drought insides as lack of vapor Temperature decreases Plateau monsoon was form Larger annual temperature range and more precipitation in summer

Tibetan Plateau and Global Change (Influence as the Third Pole in the World) 1. Glacial Source in the Low and Mid Latitude Series of global change is established through the accumulation of ice and snow.The ice-core rock could be compared with the south and north poles. 1. Glacial Source in the Low and Mid Latitude Series of global change is established through the accumulation of ice and snow.The ice-core rock could be compared with the south and north poles. Complementarity 2. Function of Pre-Forecasting Ground temperature change （ 15,20,100 CM ） Forecast temperature change in years 2. Function of Pre-Forecasting Ground temperature change （ 15,20,100 CM ） Forecast temperature change in years 3. A Huge Region with Little Human Activities &A Perfect Place for Research on Land Ecological System 3. A Huge Region with Little Human Activities &A Perfect Place for Research on Land Ecological System

4. Driver for Atmosphere Circumstance in the Northern Hemisphere Formation of plateau monsoon and modern monsoon Series of environmental evolution: wet in the subtropics, drought in northwest, formation of loess, appearance of ancient human 4. Driver for Atmosphere Circumstance in the Northern Hemisphere Formation of plateau monsoon and modern monsoon Series of environmental evolution: wet in the subtropics, drought in northwest, formation of loess, appearance of ancient human 5. Magnifier of Environmental Evolution Sensitive to environmental change, especially the temperature E.g. change of snowline, glacier, frozen earth, and natural zone 5. Magnifier of Environmental Evolution Sensitive to environmental change, especially the temperature E.g. change of snowline, glacier, frozen earth, and natural zone 6. An Extreme Environment with Low Temperature and Rare Oxygen Extinct resource: ice snow, coldness, light, wind, terrestrial heat, biology, and extreme ecology adaptation 6. An Extreme Environment with Low Temperature and Rare Oxygen Extinct resource: ice snow, coldness, light, wind, terrestrial heat, biology, and extreme ecology adaptation