Human settlement and human–environment interactions during the historical period in Zhuanglang County, western Loess Plateau, China

Researches of past human–environment interactions have been widely concerned by the scholars from different disciplines, which has been also rapidly advanced due to the increasing cooperation between archaeology and the natural sciences (especially geosciences). This paper investigated 345 historical sites in Zhuanglang County, Gansu Province, located in the western Loess Plateau, China, and reviewed the redness and tree pollen proxies of Tianchi Lake, Zhuanglang County, as well as written records of historical literature. The objective is to analyze the history of human settlement in Zhuanglang County, and human–environment interactions during the historical period. Human settlement density in the area was relatively high during the Han dynasty, Song dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty, and low during the Warring States Period, Wei Jin Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui and Tang Dynasties. Human settlement in Zhuanglang County was primarily influenced by political situations and government policies during different dynasties; however, it might also be affected by climate change during the historical period. Local tree cover in Zhuanglang County was seriously affected by human activities, especially wasteland reclamation and construction of cities and villages during the Han dynasty, Song dynasty, Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty.