Glacial-interglacial vegetation changes in northeast China inferred from isotopic composition of pyrogenic carbon from Lake Xingkai sediments

Understanding the changes in monsoon intensity and ecosystem response at different timescales is crucial for the well-being of humans, yet the paleoclimatic interpretation of stable carbon isotope (δ13C) values from northeast China records is debatable. In this study, reported δ13C data from 76 surface soils in northeast China are compiled, and a δ13C record of pyrogenic carbon (δ13CPyC) from Lake Xingkai in northeast China since the last interglacial period is presented. The aim was to investigate the orbital timescale environmental implication of geological δ13CPyC data for northeast China. The results showed a distinct increase in δ13C values of surface soils, which correlated with increasing temperature of the warmest month. Higher temperature favored the expansion of C4 plants, while precipitation had only a weak correlation with δ13C values of surface soils in the region. On an orbital timescale, the δ13CPyC record from Lake Xingkai generally reflected paleovegetation change, suggesting that the abundance of C4 plants was relatively high during the warm periods, changing to almost purely C3 plants during the cold periods. Both modern and geological analysis suggest that the climatic factor determining the δ13C in northeast China was temperature of the warmest month. This is similar to the situation for mid-latitudes such as the Chinese Loess Plateau, in contrast to low latitudes such as southern China.